Darvel and Curry 24th June

Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter, Rex, Robert

There was a healthy turnout of Ooters on a hot, summer’s day for our pre-curry walk. Davie and Kay treated us to coffee and pies (which were scoffed in true Ooters style) before we set off across the park and up through Lanfine, passing the family of boars as we did. Given the temperature, the pace was sensible and before too long we were heading back down towards the riverside path. At this point Alan, Dougie, Graham, Gus and Rex turned left towards Newmilns whilst the majority turned right and took the shorter route back to Darvel stopping for a break at the wall at the old dam. They were back at Davie’s just before twelve having covered about four and a half miles and were glad to accept the offer of a cold drink of juice at Le Jardin de Derval.

The smaller group arrived in Newmilns and went up Dalwhatswood Road (a taxing climb at the best of times, never mind in the heat) before coming back into Darvel by Foulpapple Road and Burn Road.

Many thanks again to Kay and Davie for their hospitality and to Davie for setting a trend for having a pie before a walk. However, the suggestion to start each walk form a Gregg’s was rejected on health and safety grounds.

 

There was an early start in the evening at the Jewel (5pm) to allow the guys to get home for the 11pm start of the Scotland v Brazil World Cup match. The occasion was to mark both Robert’s and Peter’s 80^th birthdays, and the fourteen above were joined by Billy, Ian, Kenny T, Paul and Ronnie, a tremendous attendance to celebrate our 2^nd (Peter) and 3^rd (Robert) octogenarians, Rex, of course, being the 1^st. Derval Davie gave the company an extremely witty speech in their honour, full of reminiscences and reminders of the good times the Ooters have had and produced his Johnny-produced booklet from the first Burns Supper in which he had the signatures of the attendees. It brought it all back. Wee Davie presented them (two of the founder members) with gifts for Robert to enjoy and Peter to ponder. We hope he enjoyed his yoghurt! Well done to Davie for sourcing the gifts and his humorous words. Robert replied in good spirit, or was it spirits, on behalf of himself and Peter.

Thanks again to Katrina and Lucy for their attention and to the Jewel for accommodating us. It was a great night finished off with most visiting Wetherspoon’s (with many punters in Scotland rigouts) for a night cap and some traditional Kilmarnock entertainment (see Graham for a fuller explanation), before heading home. Thanks to Robert for buying the round and we wish Peter and him all the very best.