Talk of the Town: A happy ending for ‘the story lady’

The Portobello woman took on the illness while developing Speaking Lives, which records people’s life stories on audio. Anne’s sympathetic interview style has seen her dubbed “the story lady”, with her company set to sponsor this year’s Borders Book Festival.

As for her health, that story has a happy ending too. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2009 and was given the all-clear in March this year.

She said: “One thing I have learned from my illness is that we never know what the future holds, and this has real resonance with the work I do.”

Sick as a parrot

FOOTBALL fans will often go to extreme lengths to get one over their arch rivals.

But few japes are so cunning, premeditated and well-executed as the new visitor sign currently causing a stir in Leith.

For it appears that, unfulfilled with their cup final demolition over Hibs, some crafty Jambos have devised their own mock version of the “Welcome to Leith” sign now adorning a lamppost near Pilrig Church.

Replacing the greeting is the scoreline “1-5”, located above the words “In our beds since 19/05/2012”.

We’ll soon see if it lasts the Leith Festival.

Paul’s flush with success

HISTORY recounts some bruising battles over the centuries between the Scots and our friends south of the Border.

And while it might not be up there with Bannockburn, the Capital has staged one in which we sent them homewards tae think again, again.

Swords are not often crossed in a game of poker, but nerves of steel were required as Paul McTaggart thwarted Paul Jackson to pocket the lion’s share of a £154,800 pot at the Genting Club casino.

Given Jackson, from Wolverhampton, is thought to have pocketed £1 million in poker prize money, it’s a notable scalp for the Scot.

Cards on the table, McTaggart’s from Glasgow, but the victory came on our soil and that’s good enough for us.