Return of the Knutt

Everything this week's been focused on my daughter Gail's return from her sojourn in New Zealand - she arrives back this afternoon, so it's been a busy week in terms of getting things ship-shape for when she gets home.
Work
Finished up work on Friday for a week's holiday - bit of a rush to get everything written up before I went off (not totally successful so I will return to bit of a backlog, which is good because it makes you concentrate on the job in hand). There was also a bit of confusion over a couple of articles/events we are working on with Lothian and Borders police - got a bit messy as too many people are involved, and the communications (mine included) were not as good as they should have been.
Other than that, this week's work has centred around a couple of cheque presentations at the Western - a Drylaw couple donating money to the Western's Oncology Unit and the Local Parents Together group giving money earned from calendar sales to Maggies Centre.
Community
Sorted out the residue of Tierney Award presentation staff - ordered plaque and Honours Board sign-writing - so only minutes and agendas to type up for February's meeting before I go away.
Fortunately no evening meetings this week - a real bonus as so many other things to do - but the first signs that a niggly community issue is fast approaching: the future of our community council's role on the North Edinburgh Trust, tied in with the whole Neighbourhood Partnership boundary thing that has festered away since the NPs were established last year - we wanted to be in Forth, but the decision was made that Drylaw Telford would go into Inverleith. A review was promised after six months (far too early in my view) but I am resigned to the fact that we will be left exactly where we are - I just can't see officials choosing to restructure boundaries and giving themselves all the extra work that this would entail.
I also received a phone call from a very experienced community activist who wanted to check out correct CC procedures - it seems the individual's feathers have been ruffled by another member of her community council. Its' all rather petty and of no great consequence and I do wonder how some of the new North Edinburgh CCs would continue to function without NET development worker support.
Politics
Gordon Brown appeared on Scotland's Politics Show this afternoon - a concerted effort is being made to heal the cracks within Labour's Scottish and Westminster wings. Brown was talking up 'Wendy's' constitutional commission - although he suggested it was more of a review - and if this is Labour's 'Big Idea' in Scotland it's just not 'big' enough.
Over in the ole USA, I'm delighted to see Obama surging ahead in the race for the Democratic nomination. It would be great if he could win, but expect the Clintons to use every devious trick in the book to get their campaign back on track. I hope Obama can make it - not only as a real candidate for change, something the Clintons just don't offer, but as the Democrat most likely to beat McCain for the Presidency. Quite simply, more Americans will vote for him than they would for Clinton, who is admired and despised in equal measure. I must admit I am one of the latter camp and I hope the Americans will vote to break with the past.
Sport
Easter Road in midweek to experience another Jekyll and Hyde performance from Hibs against Gretna. Two up after 20 minutes, the game could have been dead and buried by half-time, and indeed should have been when they added a third in the second half. However Mixu brought off Boozey for Kerr after the third, and we almost let it slip by gifting Gretna two goals. Fortunately sanity was restored by a late Fletcher penalty but it was much closer than it should have been. Hibs have crept into the top six again but this is a fragile recovery - there is not enough strength in depth in the squad so we need Jones back soon to free up Ian Murray.
Resolutions
Spending? Ach, well ... Brian got in touch from Canada to say that the Hibs League Cup video was on sale at the Hibs Shop for just £10, so could I pick one up for him. I went along after work on Friday (see pic above), with the sale in full flow. So many bargains ... I left around fifteen minutes later and £90 poorer. C'est la vie!