While away we also saw dolphins. SOC caught this on her 5.5 megapixel camera with almost no zoom. We were REALLY close to them. It was magic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qdVAiVaAMw
There were that each day at low tide as the tide turned.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Back from holidays
Having got back from holiday, relatively unscathed, I now have to readjust to being home again. Next week school goes back so SOC will be out and I have to readjust again. Ne'er mind.
We had a slight issue with the car while we were away. I lost the fuel gauge when we got there and immediately we lost the power steering as well. By Sunday morning the car wouldn't even unlock without the key! Called the AA. "It's your alternator" he says as the engine stalls having been started on his box of tricks which it has now flattened. These modern cars use an electric power steering pump instead of mechanical and so everything - including the diesel injector pump- runs off the battery. I suggest we take it in to the dealer next day because I may get a courtesy car. "This is Inverness you are talking about." he says. Well I phone Monday and organise it and they will get it fixed next day while we are visiting Inverness. We arrive and they offer a courtesy car! They can't do enough to help and it's annoying. They check the battery and it needs a new one and we have them fit a new tyre at a very competitive price. The car is ready early - washed! They really can't do enough to help and it is annoying.
The car was due for service and MOT the day we got back - at the main dealer. They again did an excellent job (as always) and couldn't do enough to help (again) and again it was annoying!
Why, you ask, do I find it annoying? Well SAAB dealerships do a job like no other dealership I have ever known. I love driving my SAAB and she returns excellent economy. All this means it becomes almost impossible to consider driving any other make of car!
We had a slight issue with the car while we were away. I lost the fuel gauge when we got there and immediately we lost the power steering as well. By Sunday morning the car wouldn't even unlock without the key! Called the AA. "It's your alternator" he says as the engine stalls having been started on his box of tricks which it has now flattened. These modern cars use an electric power steering pump instead of mechanical and so everything - including the diesel injector pump- runs off the battery. I suggest we take it in to the dealer next day because I may get a courtesy car. "This is Inverness you are talking about." he says. Well I phone Monday and organise it and they will get it fixed next day while we are visiting Inverness. We arrive and they offer a courtesy car! They can't do enough to help and it's annoying. They check the battery and it needs a new one and we have them fit a new tyre at a very competitive price. The car is ready early - washed! They really can't do enough to help and it is annoying.
The car was due for service and MOT the day we got back - at the main dealer. They again did an excellent job (as always) and couldn't do enough to help (again) and again it was annoying!
Why, you ask, do I find it annoying? Well SAAB dealerships do a job like no other dealership I have ever known. I love driving my SAAB and she returns excellent economy. All this means it becomes almost impossible to consider driving any other make of car!
Monday, 10 August 2009
Aladdin's cave!
I went to collect some of that wood I spoke about from a generous freegler.
When I got there I thought I had died and gone to heaven! There was so much! and it had been removed quite carefully so it was mostly reusable. The gentleman asked me if I had a wood burning stove. That sounded like real herecy! That anyone would burn material as good as that appalled me. I immediately saw projects I can now complete with it and on getting home Wifey carried on adding to the list.
I had been told the previous night in an email that I was to share it with another freegler, on a first come first served basis. Wifey and I agreed that I should do some drastic reorganising of the day and try to be the first! Greedy? Possibly, but I think that is fair. As I packed the car I kept looking back at what was left and asking myself "Would I be happy to pick up what's left?". I tried to be honest and leave when I could still say "Yes". I don't know if I was being honest with myself though.
First project on getting home though was? Finding enough space to store it all! A nice problem to have. Thanks again to the generous freegler.
(The Mole)
When I got there I thought I had died and gone to heaven! There was so much! and it had been removed quite carefully so it was mostly reusable. The gentleman asked me if I had a wood burning stove. That sounded like real herecy! That anyone would burn material as good as that appalled me. I immediately saw projects I can now complete with it and on getting home Wifey carried on adding to the list.
I had been told the previous night in an email that I was to share it with another freegler, on a first come first served basis. Wifey and I agreed that I should do some drastic reorganising of the day and try to be the first! Greedy? Possibly, but I think that is fair. As I packed the car I kept looking back at what was left and asking myself "Would I be happy to pick up what's left?". I tried to be honest and leave when I could still say "Yes". I don't know if I was being honest with myself though.
First project on getting home though was? Finding enough space to store it all! A nice problem to have. Thanks again to the generous freegler.
(The Mole)
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Tired? Who's tired?
Yesterday got just 3 and 1/2 hours sleep. Not dancing the night away and not had a drink in 3 or 4 weeks. Wifey was watching TV and I was doing work on web sites. Both these sites I am trying something new for me on so it is a labour of love more than anything. Anyway finally got to bed about 3 and woke up - as is my wont - at 6:30. Went to bed about 12:30 last night and up late this morning - 6:40. I cut grass both back and front and then set about working on SOC's little purple house. Build her a bench with removable seat to make a storage box as well and a table that is hinged to the wall. The table was frustrating and not quite finished as I wait for the glue to dry now. Getting the locking catch into JUST the right place proved to be a lot of trial and error and that leads to frustration and frustration leads to tiredness - and I am TIRED! The entire thing has been done from wood that has lived at least one life already - which is how I like it as it adds to the challenge. A kind freegler has offered me a load of pine of which I can take my pick and I plan on going there tomorrow.
I now intend relaxing and getting back into web work, but I may just facebook first!
I now intend relaxing and getting back into web work, but I may just facebook first!
Monday, 3 August 2009
Whining..
Don't you just hate it?
It's that time of year when insurance come due. Car, house and car breakdown cover. I hate it because it is always hard work! Yes you can just tick the box and say "I'll pay your ridiculous demand" but I won't do that. So it's off to the PC and go through the price comparison sites and find what price you can get. Then email the incumbent telling them you want to cancel and giving them your phone number so they can make a counter proposal. On house insurance this year I got a 40% discount to retain the business. On Breakdown cover I saved £80 - partly because new customers can get big first years savings that regular customers, unfairly, cannot get. On car insurance to my amazement I could only save £8 but hey, that's more than a bar of chocolate! Why can't they come clean with their best offer FIRST!
Am I getting old that these things annoy me now? Anyone saying yes gets to make their own tea and NO breakfast in bed.
It's that time of year when insurance come due. Car, house and car breakdown cover. I hate it because it is always hard work! Yes you can just tick the box and say "I'll pay your ridiculous demand" but I won't do that. So it's off to the PC and go through the price comparison sites and find what price you can get. Then email the incumbent telling them you want to cancel and giving them your phone number so they can make a counter proposal. On house insurance this year I got a 40% discount to retain the business. On Breakdown cover I saved £80 - partly because new customers can get big first years savings that regular customers, unfairly, cannot get. On car insurance to my amazement I could only save £8 but hey, that's more than a bar of chocolate! Why can't they come clean with their best offer FIRST!
Am I getting old that these things annoy me now? Anyone saying yes gets to make their own tea and NO breakfast in bed.
Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
I enjoyed this book, just not sure why. Not really sure what it was about. War? Self discovery? Just a story? I wouldn't reread this though, which is unusual for me when I enjoyed it.
What a weekend!
Well, it has been busy. A freegler gave me a bracket to mount a monitor on the wall and I fitted it to free up some desk space.
We also had some curtain poles from another freegler and I have been fitting some of them.
I had to cut the grass both back and front of the house.
A neighbour had trouble with her set top box and asked if I could help. I did and got from ebay a replacement control so that is now fixed.
The fridge door wouldn't close and I happened to find the bit to fix it (at 1 o'clock in the morning) (a) in the stuff from the freegler with the bracket and (b) from the bottom of a toolbox in bits from scrap yards from when I was a pup. PLUS I went training (see http://www.derbysmee.co.uk). Can't not go training.
Also planted out some broccoli and moved the compost bins around a bit. The compost bins are mostly full of horse manure in readiness for putting on he garden when it is aged enough, but they are also going through the garden refuse quite quickly. The weather has been kind to the slugs, which has renewed the challenge to beat them again. You then have to sweep their remains off the paths!
We also had some curtain poles from another freegler and I have been fitting some of them.
I had to cut the grass both back and front of the house.
A neighbour had trouble with her set top box and asked if I could help. I did and got from ebay a replacement control so that is now fixed.
The fridge door wouldn't close and I happened to find the bit to fix it (at 1 o'clock in the morning) (a) in the stuff from the freegler with the bracket and (b) from the bottom of a toolbox in bits from scrap yards from when I was a pup. PLUS I went training (see http://www.derbysmee.co.uk). Can't not go training.
Also planted out some broccoli and moved the compost bins around a bit. The compost bins are mostly full of horse manure in readiness for putting on he garden when it is aged enough, but they are also going through the garden refuse quite quickly. The weather has been kind to the slugs, which has renewed the challenge to beat them again. You then have to sweep their remains off the paths!
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