It’s Clair here again, it feels like being back in school with my work always having to follow Kateri’s, oh well best get on with it. As we hurtle towards the end of July and pass the half way mark of the school holidays Scottish blogging has continued apace with a wonderful range of blog posts concerning just about everything.

A round up of this week without referring to the event’s in Norway would be completely remiss. As a community, bloggers are more politically active than most and the target of the attacks really hit home to many. I hope you’ll forgive the indulgence of a not-strictly-Scottish blog post from Stephen Glenn who puts into words some of what we are all thinking. The Barefoot Crofter says in a picture some of what we can’t put into words with a pause for thought. Bella Caledonia looks at the idea that this attack “came out of nowhere” and the increase in the amount of right leaning governments, policies and ideologies across Europe.

Talking of Europe, Better Nation discusses the economic crisis in the US and how this could have been Europe’s big moment and Parkinson’s Law which also explains why I can never finish anything before the deadline. Andrew McPake also reflects on his friends who have become the boomerang generation- whether this is down to the economy or the Scottish government’s policy on teacher training. Michael Traill hosts a guest post from Hannah Lister who uses the Freedom of Information Act the way it was meant and urges us all to do the same.

Since it’s the summer holidays its not surprising that many a member of the blogosphere has headed off to sunnier climes which has resulted in a few pertinent reflections on the experience. Ellen from In a Bun Dance headed off to Austria with children in tow. Expecting to find the full force of the Eurocrat rule-making fun-stopping only to find that life on the continent is about taking responsibility and having fun. The Burd saw the impact of  Brits abroad having too much fun in the Canaries and suggests that perhaps we need to learn moderation. Not everyone heading off to the sun is doing so because it’s a holiday- the Wandering Medic discusses the differences between our A&E and those in the third world and Happy Science wonders if the life of an academic scientist will always be nomadic.

It’s not just exotic places Scotland’s Bloggers seek out though, the Shoogly Peg took a tour around the Supreme Courts and reflected on the welcoming nature of the guards throughout the building, only to realise that the Courts might be open to walk around but are they really open for women to be in the driving seat? It’s been a week of reflections on the role of women with Caron talking about the impact of MP Jo Swinson’s victory over advertisements for make-up full of air brushed images being banned by the ASA following on from this issue is Transatlantic Blonde discussing the body hair imbalance between men and women, just don’t ask her about the vajazzle.

If all that thinking is a bit much after all this unseasonable sunshine we’ve been experiencing perhaps what you need is a few recommendations for the last of the summer holidays. Dorky Mum picks out some of the best spoken word events at the Festival and Caron is excited about the re-opening of the National Museum in Edinburgh- along with 21,999 other people on the first day. If you are looking for outdoor adventure Invergarry Lodge shows some beautiful Scottish mountains in need of a climb and Cartside has launched a new blog venture for entertaining kids and helping them connect with nature- perfect for the long summer days. It’s not all plain sailing though as Nikkiwarns us as she uninvites a five year old from a party and Ellen deals with toddler poo in the local pool.

It seems wrong to end on toddler poo but since many of my days end that way I think I’ll leave you to the Sunday papers and your coffee.

Either I did such a sterling job of rounding up the best of Scottish blogging last time you let me in or the rest of you are busy campaigning, policy making, drinking wine or just far to busy to spend a Saturday night in front of a laptop. Whatever the reason it’s lovely to be back, especially this week as I feel I’ve been spoiled for choice!

At the front of everyones mind this week seems to be the situation in Libya. The problems seems to be more that we don’t actually know what is happening rather than comment on what is happening as Ian Bell discusses this week as well as surmising what the probable outcomes might mean for other Middle Eastern countries and the West. My very own MP, Eric Joyce muses on what will happen to Colonel Gaddafi regardless of outcome and what this might mean for people outside of Tripoli.

Talking of the effect on the West, Alba Matters discusses what message David Cameron is really giving in his travels around the Middle East surrounded by arms dealers. Can the UK really be on the side of moral right if we promise not to sell arms to them again? Eric Joyce adds to the debate on the morals of taking money from and welcoming into the fold those who might have questionable resources as well as morals. It’s unusual to find myself even remotely close to the opinion of my MP but twice in one week?

One place I know that my opinion diverges from my MP is on Scottish Politics. It’s an area where everyone seems to be seeking out exactly where the votes are going to fall in May. The Burd gets down and dirty with the statistics and finds that something shocking may have occured in the last five years to Scottish voting intentions. When it comes to the election though we will all be faced with whether we vote for who we support or whether to vote tactically, and it’s a question that Better Nation thinks will reinforce that well known adage -it’s not easy being Green. It might not be easy being green but it can be even harder being female and trying to get elected, starting with making it to the list. The Shoogly Peg takes a look at whether the changes we are likely to see in the new Holyrood parliament will see an increase in female representatives.

You can tell we are gearing up for an election with the sudden influx of spending by the SNP government. The Burd counts up the “loose change you can find when you search down the back of the sofas in Victoria Quay and St Andrew’s House.” It’ll be interesting to see whether the money is applied in the right place to win votes but in the mean time it could go a long way to improving the lives of some who need it the most. The SNP have certainly come good on their pledge to drop prescription charges, Caron congratulates them on keeping a long held pledge even if she doesn’t agree with it- perhaps Labour could do the same?  Maybe they could find some extra money for the new Forth Bridge, A Place To Stand have indroduced me to a new concept in government- the numptocracy. It reminded my of this blip, will the new one be as photogenic?

No doubt when we think of who to vote for in May we’ll look back at the record of the current government, Mark asks (in his best Python style) what have the SNP ever done for us? Given their undoubted success in some areas there are those who think their war on tobacco has moved onto other areas and ask if it can really be a good thing to exclude people from the consultation process?

It’s not just politics that engenders debate though- Happy Science asks if the term “scientist” is misleading and used inappropriately. Are we really incapable of dealing with the term psychologist or biologist? Someone on the other side of science is Cartside who (in her own words) stupidly agreed to being a baby feeding guinea pig in a post baby hormone induced daze.

So with politics- domestic and international- put to bed, science sorted it’s time to move on to what I’m loosley terming “Culture”… I really, really hope the roundup isn’t covered by the Trades Description Act. First up is that pinnacle of Scottish culture- the Old Firm derby. Bella Caledonia talks a lot of sense that will no doubt be ignored when she suggests how we move forward from the current sectarian disgrace we call “football”. Scots Whay Hay interviews Richard Herring about the return of his show “Christ on a Bike” and it makes for intriguing reading. Something else that makes for intriguing reading and will be enlightening to anyone who found the odd tweet with #doricporn in their stream this week is MisssyM’s obitury for Sandy Lovepole (strictly under the counter and comes with it’s own paper bag).

On a slightly different (if related) tangent is my favourite post this week from Andrew McPake who asserts that he disnae talk right. It’s a beautiful, gramatically correct piece of prose in delightful Scots. If you only click one link this week, make it Andrew’s. Where Andrew shows that you need to look wider to make a difference to learning Indygal shares a success story where the individual pushes themselves to achieve fantastic results despite their educational establishment, a sad state of affairs where schools don’t know how to encourage their pupils obvious talents. Perhaps what Port Glasgow needs is a librarian who can celebrate World Book Day without resorting to shoving books down pupil’s throats and still gets them reading, Bear Bahoochie does just that. On the subject of books Ellen takes a leaf out of Helen Fielding’s book- literally- and shows us what Bridget Jones- the Smug Married might sound like. Actually, Ellen- when exactly were you going to share that other story?

Still with me? Good, good- we’re nearly there! Misssy Martin shared two different Bridal tales this week- A tale of horror and one of true love. And with that happy ending, I’ll leave you to some fantastic reading.

If you’ve ever stopped by my little corner of the internet you will have noticed that I generally talk about my girls, books, and more than the odd cake baking episode. Being invited to edit this can make you feel like a very small fish in a rather large pond.

Little fish or no, the Scottish blogosphere is making me a better mummy. Really. Honest to goodness. Sometimes the connection is obvious, spending time with so many parents it can be easy to judge the parents and children around you. Softthistle talks this week about being on the other end of that judgement and perhaps we are ignorant of what’s really going on. A fact that Paul Johnston also picks up on and feels the current support for those with Autism needs reviewed. Parenting can be tough, even without the constant peer pressure but it’s no excuse to turn to the bottle as the Burd cogently argues.

If you’ve ever spent more than five minutes with an average 6 year old you will know that awkward questions and statements abound. “Mummy, can a girl love another girl like you love daddy?” Well, that is a tricky one but as Andrew discusses you can love whoever you like and that’s okay, even when you want to go on holiday. How about “Mummy, do you believe in Jesus?” A question, I learned, that has been asked since before the publication of Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” as Gordon discovered. And for the hat trick- “What happens when you are dead?”, Jings nothing like facing your mortality before breakfast and Ellen has been thinking similar thoughts about what people will remember of her when she’s gone.

Phew, school run over for another morning! Just time for a quick cuppa and catch up on the papers, the only question this time is my own- what to read? Can any of our press really claim to be clean of the “blagging” that’s brought on the resignation of Andy Coulson, not likely according to Love and Garbage. It’s not even safe for me to turn on the TV as both the Lallands Peat Worrier and my daughter noticed this week, as I harrumphed at our First Minister yet again, the SNP and women have a  complicated relationship.

I sometimes wonder what my children will remember as the event that made them realise that the world was bigger than just their lives, for me that event was Lockerbie, and I wonder if they will still be reading about it- as I am- almost a quarter of a century later as Robert Black QC discusses why the handling of the case continues to be despicable. There is one thing I know my daughters won’t have to think about- what was their dad doing when they were growing up. Luckily for them he’s almost exclusively a stay at home dad and now more new fathers will have the opportunity to give full time parenting a chance as Jeff at Better Nation asks Nick Clegg to stand up and take a bow for tackling a key change in parental rights.

Ah well, best collect them from school. It’s time for yet more of those insightful questions spurred on by a day of learning. “Mummy, we’re learning a poem by Rabbie Burns, he’s the best poet isn’t he?” Now, I know if I wanted a quiet life I’d murmur yes and move on to getting home but that’s not my style (can any blogger leave a blanket statement like that alone?). Well, there’s the new Makar, Liz Lochhead, for one and Scots Whay Hae picks out a couple of her best along with the Burd and Lallands Peat Worrier. However, we’re a lyrical nation- the Happy Poet penned a short verse in praise of Virginia Woolf this week along with Nettie Thomson who posted some stanzas in a Glaswegian dialect on that most common of poetical theme- the rubbish uplift. Rabbie’s good, but the best, we’ll see.

So you can see that the prose and poetry of Scotland has made this suburban mummy a little more knowledgeable and clever with her answers to the next generation of Scots but you also made me snort with laughter, even if I won’t be taking up the dietary advice of Better Oot than In. But after Caron’s post this week I won’t be able to look at Ed Miliband without singing to myself-

“Caron and Ed up a tree… K.I.S.S.I.N.G”

Maybe I should get out more.

Clair