Who wants to talk about Donald Trump … no, had enough? Okay, no Trump! In my rugby playing days I used to come to Kirriemuir a lot … for ‘The Ball‘, at least in song. A song so politically incorrect we can almost hear Trump singing it. Sorry, no Trump!! We are here to visit friends at Hamilton Kerr Photography and to see an exhibition of Maureen Crosbie’s Gallus Glass at the Bank Street Gallery.  It was an evening exhibition so there was plenty time for a cuppa and a scone. Where to go in Kirrie? Granny Annie Mays of course!

Named after the granny of the current owner Karen, granny Annie May taught her everything there is to know about everything. Baking in particular. That’s what grannies do, isn’t it? It’s a great wee place and everything is home baked, presumably according to granny’s instructions. The Hamilton Kerr folks have lived and run their business in ‘the wee red toon’ for a few years  now. They are very much considered ‘locals’. Problem with that is that the scones quickly become secondary to being introduced and shaking hands with everyone who came into the café. Half the population of the town.

In spite of all the distractions though we think that Granny Annie May would be right proud of the scones we received. Beautifully warmed, light and soft, as if they were just out of the oven … topscone. Well done Karen and the rest of the team.

Delphine

The Bank Street Gallery had a fantastic exhibition of Gallus Glass’s leaded artworks. It was a struggle to buy anything though because, over a few glasses of wine, we were introduced to the other half of the population! Eventually however we managed to buy a piece called ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ which, appropriately for me, featured an old photographic negative embedded in the glass.

When we got home, by the wonders of modern technology, we manged to make the negative, positive and thus were able to see what this lady actually looked like. Rather beautiful and slightly wistful. Like she had a story to tell. It could have been an image of Granny Annie May but Maureen  told us the negatives were of French origin. We have christened her Delphine after a young art critic friend who is also French. Apologies Maureen for messing with your art but we just had to see what she looked like. We are delighted with our purchase!

Trump’s good bit

Kirriemuir, of course, is where Peter Pan was born, at least his creator was, so it’s a place of fabulous fantasy. The sort of place in which we feel Trump would be right at home. We said we wouldn’t mention him but how could we not? Trump has landed the Presidency by whatever means and now the world has to try and figure out how to deal with him. There’s lots of doom and gloom around but there is also a single dazzling ray of hope … his granny!

Mary MacLeod, was a gaelic speaking woman who lived all her life on the Isle of Lewis. She died aged 96 in the same place she was born. We think she would have been gentle and wise … and probably made some great scones!  Let’s hope that Scottish bit of The Donald’s character comes to the fore in the months and years to come. We drove home in the dark from Kirriemuir with that warm fuzzy feeling you get from meeting lots of cheery folk making you feel extremely welcome. When it comes to foreign affairs, if Trump can recreate a fraction of Kirrie’s community spirit he will make us and Tinkerbell very proud. Don’t hold your breath!

DD8 4EG    tel: 07840 392005    Granny Annie Mays TA