Sunday 2 October 2011

GET COMPLETELY WELL SOON, SOPHIA

I guess most of you will remember that up to about 8 months ago Sophia Pangloss was a regular contributor to this blog. Her posts were always a mix of humour, fun and good solid Scottish common  sense. 
Sophia also started her own blog and announced it here first on Munguin's Republic. The blog was different from others that I read because it wasn't about politics. Well not directly anyway. It was a series of beautifully crafted, and expertly told, tales of the Edinburgh of days gone by, into which Sophia always wrote a part for herself, in a lowly roll.


http://shootinfaetheshin.blogspot.com/


Now, I don't know who Sophia is; I don't think any of us does, but I'm guessing that she is, or has, at some time been a professional writer. The style of the writing is captivating and the clever way that the tale is told means that once you've started reading, you can't stop till the dénouement is reached. Either a professional, or a very gifted amateur.


But around Christmas last year the writing stopped and there was only an occasional comment.


Of course the blog was too good to lose and so John Brownlie and I kept at her to take up pen (as it were) again.


It turns out that Sophia was sick and indeed hospitalised. But John mentioned a couple of Munguin posts ago, that he'd been in touch with her on Twitter, and that she was happy to be home again and back on her feet.


So we are relieved to hear that, happy too, and we wish her a speedy and full recovery.


Sophia, your writing and your contributions on this, and other blogs, have been sorely missed. Get completely well and as soon as you feel up to it get back to telling us your tales of Old Edinburgh and how you kept their stairs clean.


..................................

14 comments:

  1. I missed her hosts too

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've just noticed she was on twitter last night so hopefully she's well on the mend. Think she's had a hard time of it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Lupus... I think there are a lot of people who have missed her and her brilliant stories. Thanks for saying so.

    Don't be a stranger....

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is good news, SR. I've got a Twitter Account but I never use it. I guess this reminds me that I should.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tris

    I am no stranger, just a bit displaced.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ah, I understand!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good post, Tris, and I agree, as usual, with every word. Hope we'll hear from her soon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks John. Me too. I've got a bottle of Tio Pepe unopened, just waiting her call.... I hope she's not given up the drink...signed the pledge, or anything horrendous like that...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lord forbid anyone should get sick enough to gi up the drink tris!
    Wellness wishes from me as well, don't let a little thing like life get you down is what I always say!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I doubt that she was THAT sick nominedeus. Well, I sincerely hope not anyway.

    Yes. Don't sweat the little things... and remember in the great scheme of things everything is a little thing....

    ReplyDelete
  11. This feels a bit weird, like turnin up tae yer ain funeral. As if that's no bad enough, it's like turnin up *late* tae yer ain funeral!

    tris, ah'm truly bowled ower wi yer kind words, baith aboot ma stories, an aboot ma recovery. It pits me in mind o that saw aboot no listenin at doors cos ye'll nivver hear onythin nice aboot yersel. Weel, mibbe ah should start listenin at doors a bit mair aften! (haha, ah said that wi a straight face like ah've nivver bent doon at a key-hole afore...)

    Serious bit comin...

    It wis Munguin's Republic that first turned me oan tae the bloggin malarkey, tae the affirmin wee community that graws up aroond it, the back-an-forth banter that we yaised tae get in *real-life*, an the pleasure o writin that shines through in yer ain an Munguin's posts. So ah thocht ah wid gie it a stab masel...

    It's no half hard work tho, eh? Ah enjoyed it, mair than ah thocht ah ever wid, an kept it up, longer than ah thocht ah ever wid, but oh! did ma brows no half get furrowed..?

    Then ah had ma wee malady. It wisnae ma fingers that were ill, an it wisnae ma heid (fer yince!), so really, it shouldnae hae stopped me typin, but it did. Then there wis the recoverin, ma convalescence, an the gettin back intae the saddle so tae speak...

    An then there wis Twitter... Like yersel tris ah had had an account fer ages an couldnae see the point in it, but when ah did, it took me ower like a case o the diphtheria! It suits ma style ye see, in that it's immediate, it's conversational, an it's entirely inconsequential! When Mr Pangloss got me a wee Bramble fer ma birthday ah dinnae think he realised whit he wis daein. Noo he has tae mak an appointment tae speak tae me, when ah can fit him in atween Tweets..!

    Ah'll stop noo, afore ah pit ye aw tae sleep wi ma witterins, but no afore ah thank ye again fer yer sentiments, an extend the thanks tae aw yer contributers aboon. Ye've made an auld biddy awfy awfy happy th'day. Ah promise ye wi ma haun oan ma hert that ah'll be back tae pester ye again, an hopefully breath a bit o life back intae shootinfaetheshin while ah'm at it.

    In the meantime, as ah mind a wee boy yince shoutit tae me as ah wis diggin him oot o a collapsed tenement up the High street...

    "Heave awa lads, ah'm no deid yet!"


    love an kisses fae a biddy that bides up a stair in Leith xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, I don't mind that you turned up late. Not at all.... You're here and that's all that matters

    I was just getting ready for bed, a wee bit down too, because I still have the aftermath of a virus, and I'm trying to get better for next week. (I'm off to Paris to see my old mate Petula in a big concert.)

    Anyway... there you were in my inbox... well, not you clearly, but your email.

    What a great goodnight gift.

    I tell you, Sophia, I'm so bloody happy that you're on your feet again, I could dance. I know John, and everyone else here will be.

    The trouble is because this post is a few weeks old, no one will see it. So, I'll put it up front for the Munguin crowd to read.

    I've missed you; we've all missed you, and my mum, perhaps most of all missed you. She's been a bit ill over the last few weeks (although better now) but she'll be thrilled to hear you're better.

    I'm glad that M's R encouraged you to take up blogging because you're a natural story teller. It's a great community here, friends that turn up most days... some that drop in from time to time, but they're always welcome... even the daft ones. (Sorry Niko!!:)) I've learned a lot since I was encouraged to take it up by your fellow Leithite Spookie, and Subrosa.

    Although I wouldn't want to part you from your raspberry, (Nice of Mr P) I hope that soon you'll feel up to telling us another story of your involvement in some great historic event in Edinburgh.

    Maybe the collapsed tenement is a hint of something to come... maybe not...

    Great to see you back Sophia. xxxx

    ReplyDelete