|
Daily Diary Archives |
|
|
Sunday 2nd November 2008 |
|
| We had a power cut late last night for a few minutes which of course just shut down two computers whilst they were working. This morning I found that the Local Area Network wasn't working and I had to reboot the modem to get that operational. Then I found that the computer running the ship plotter software kept freezing and I was having trouble trying to operate it over the LAN so in the end I had to go down to the workshop and reboot that computer. It seemed at first as if it was cured but then the fault returned. In the end it turns out that it was a site that I was uploading to that was having problems and using an alternative address for them cured the problem altogether. Beautiful sunny morning but spoilt by the news that I have to start sorting out which clothes want packing ready for going away on holiday. How do I know what I will want until I know what the weather will be like and what type of activities will be taking place. Pat must think I am a fortune teller. At the end of the day it is women's work to do the packing and the men's job to tell them where they have gone wrong. -------------------------------------------------- Been doing a little work on the website, mainly to get the software side of things sorted out before getting the content right. If you spot anything wrong please let me know as I don't want to leave it with any serious technical problems prior to our departure on Wednesday night. | |
|
Saturday 1st November 2008 |
|
| The 'Harvest Home & Halloween Party' went very well last night and was really enjoyable. The party ended just coming up to 2:00am and it was on its way towards 3:00am before everybody was in bed at the lighthouse. How all the kids managed to keep awake I just don't know but they were all dancing most of the night. The food was great and the band 'Fran & Hamish' were fantastic. -------------------------------- I answered the phone this morning to an automated service supposedly from the Yorkshire Bank, the call was for Pat and it was asking for her date of birth to start with. I then found out that Pat had received a call from them yesterday but reckoned she had made a mistake with the date and had then hung up. I checked with 1471 for the callers number but BT didn't have the number. Definite signs of fraud so I rang the Yorkshire Bank but it seems that the Bank do use automated calling system and their numbers are withheld. In the days of identity fraud I reckon that this is a bad way of doing business. | |
|
Friday 31st October 2008 |
|
| A bright enough day with the odd small gusty shower but mostly good. Going over at lunchtime to check what is in the car ready for the trip next week as we always seem to remember something that we should have had with us. I'll be going to Kirkwall to pick up Mary of Windywalls who had a hospital appointment this morning and she can then make use of the trip to get some Lidls shopping done. I have been told of just the one lot of items that Sandra wants but I have already forgotten the name but remember the description. Just hope there isn't anything else in stock that looks similar. | |
|
Thursday 30th October 2008 |
|
| 11:30am - Started off icy this morning and then we had a shower or two but is now nice and sunny just now. I was trying to take a photo of a rainbow within an rainbow this morning but couldn't even get the main rainbow in frame, it was a complete rainbow with one end appearing to be at Quoys and the other end half way between here and the 'bar buoy'. Ethel gave me some more old negatives and a few old books this morning, one of the books has a page where Ethel has drawn a picture of either herself or sister Ruby. I'll get these on the site as soon as I get chance. I have a stack of negatives but some give very poor results when scanned. After reading up on scanning old negatives and finding the cheapest scanner that might give a passable copy would cost in excess of £100 and a good one would be nearer the £1,000 mark I decided to give a hand scanner another try. I scanned a very old negative that had been crumpled and then straightened a few years ago with a hand scanner and it gave very good results. It only worked well when using daylight as a light source but that scanner is not available now. I then took a look on ebay yesterday and picked up a handscanner for just over £5.00 including postage so just waiting for that to arrive so that I can give it a try. The other option that was given on the specialists site was to send them away for printing and then scan the photo's. That seems a bit over the top and rather costly. Just going to take Max the dog for a walk if it doesn't rain before I get my coat on. ------------------------------------------------------ Had a good walk with Max which included retrieving half of a ring feeder which had gone walk-about during the storm of last weekend plus a bit of adjustment across a gateway that didn't quite stretch across the entrance. -------------------------------------------------- The Graemsay 'Harvest Home' takes place tomorrow night and then I start a couple of weeks holiday next Thursday. Pat and I have booked the boat down for Wednesday night but I will have to go over to Stromness on the morning as I am due for the six monthly hbp and blood tests. I reckon I might come back at lunchtime as it can be a long day waiting for boat sailing time. ------------------------------------------ 5:00pm - Just back from the pier with everyone that had been over coming back laden with shopping and most of it for the party tomorrow night. A good few at the pier tonight, as for many years Thursday night has been the night for collecting the 'Orcadian' newspaper. Unfortunately that has come to an end with this delivery as the Stromness paper shop has now stopped all deliveries and there seems to be no alternative supplier. I will have to make do with reading it online and just getting a copy if anyone happens to go over to town. | |
|
Wednesday 29th October 2008 |
|
| A nice morning with no wind or snow but no Radio Orkney on the air either to let folks know what is happening with the schools which all closed at lunchtime yesterday. The station still suffering from damage done during Fridays bad weather. ----------------------------------------------- 2:30pm - Turned into a really nice sunny day but at the moment I am confined to the house as I am babysitting. They are both asleep so it's no bother so far and if they wake up it's still no bother as they both know who is boss. Just wish it was me! Michael jnr is away back to the boat this evening but should be back home very quickly. Him and Sandra are just setting up the rape field for strip grazing and I have just had to service the fencer which suffered from water ingression again. They are going to get another new one which will then give me time to make a permanent repair to this one. The pheasants are making good use of the rape field and as I was running Mary home from the lunchtime boat I saw four cock pheasants sunning themselves at the edge of the field. | |
|
Tuesday 28th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - There is no snow this morning and though it's quite windy there is nothing like what was forecast so far. Still no Radio Orkney on air this morning and the last weather update on the Harbours site was 11:00am yesterday so I am not sure what is to come. John and Mary are to go through to the Balfour hospital in Kirkwall for an appointment but had decided to wait and see what this morning forecast said. A quick look on the 'Magic Seaweed' site shows gales force NNW winds for teatime but no storm force thankfully. --------------------------------- 10:30am - Definitely cold outside and we have had a couple of small blizzards that have left no snow on Graemsay as most of it seemed to blow straight past. A good few of the lower hills on Hoy are snow covered but very little on Ward hill. The primary school is sending Becky home on the cargo boat due to the weather and the Academy is still reviewing the situation for Joe and Andrew. The education department don't seem to have yet addressed the situation of what to do if they shut the school early and some pupils cannot get home. The 'Magic Seaweed' site is now forecasting storm force winds that look very close to Orkney around the 3:00pm mark but things keep changing all the time and only time will tell. ------------------------------------------------------ Not too bad a day overall and no snow laying about which is disappointing for the kids. It was still wet, cold and windy though so after a few times up and down the garden to make adjustments to the PC running the ship plotter I did what I should have done months ago. I set up 'remote desktop' over the lan so that I can work from the bedroom and don't have to go out to the workshop in the cold. Just got to try to remember how I set up the spare large PC to act as a web server and do the same with the small shuttle PC so that I can connect the webcam back up with streaming video. Just wish my memory was a bit better. It looks like we are on track for taking a holiday starting the 5th of November for two weeks down South. Christmas shopping and visiting old pals before the start of the real winter semi hibernation. | |
|
Monday 27th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - Strong winds from the North West this morning with gusts of up to 45 knots and half the island heading for the other side. Sandra has already dropped Katy and James from her lot and they will stay with us though Becky is back at school today. ---------------------------------------- 3:30pm - Not been too bad a day as I realigned the satellite dish and though I didn't get it tightened and locked in position it is working at the moment. I climbed up on the roof which with the wind and rain plus a not too good back just now was rather difficult but after checking the freeview aerial I found it was now working. Whether I disturbed a bad joint or if it was something in the house that had been causing the problem I am not sure. We'll just have to wait and see. I took a parcel that came by courier up to Windywalls and had a coffee with John and Mary. Their telephone is still not working as well as The Manse plus Breckan's phone. I checked online for Mary when I got home and according to BT no fault had been reported and due to unusual circumstances there was no operator available to help. It seems funny as Mary had spent over £5 using her mobile phone to report the fault and I had reported it on Friday night for her. I reported it again using the internet this time and requesting her calls be transferred to her mobile phone but that hasn't taken place as yet. Now I remember why I am sticking with my present ISP and not going back to Btinternet. ---------------------------- 6:00pm - Just checked again with BT and Mary's incoming calls are still not being routed to her mobile and BT are unfortunately not able to speak to anyone who has a fault. If they are short of staff why do they keep having folk with funny accents phone me and try to sell me things? They are talking of snow with gale and possibly storm force 10 winds for tomorrow and that doesn't sound like the time you want to be without a phone. | |
|
Sunday 26th October 2008 |
|
| 9:00am -Looks like a day for rainbows with the sun and the rain both being about this morning. It got quite breezy yesterday and it moved my satellite dish so we lost the signal plus most of the channels on freeview are down due to fault at the transmitter end, though all the BBC ones are working. That means Pat will not be able to watch the 'create and craft' channel so there is some good come out of it. I took a run round the island at teatime to see if there was any major damage anywhere and called for a cup of coffee with Ethel at the Western Horn. I seem to be getting my appetite back a little after the effects of this cold and managed a couple of drams last night. ------------------------- Had a couple of power outages this evening and the last one was for close on half an hour. Looks like I'll have to do something about the TV aerials the morn providing it is dry and the wind has dropped well away. All the freeview channels came back on through the day but the terrestrial aerial has either moved or developed a fault to compound the problem. | |
|
Saturday 25th October 2008 |
|
| 10:00am - Had a sleep in for a change and was brought a cup of tea at 9:30 by pat in return for the many times she is served tea in bed. Michael is in Stromness and I phoned him at Ruby's (Sandra's mum) to tell him that if BT had a private hire with the boat over the weekend I would phone him. Though with the winds and the lightning that was around last night I reckon BT will have their hands full for a while. Plenty of odd jobs to do indoors to keep me occupied though I am feeling more lazy than normal which means the laziness level is quite extreme. I have a large footstool to deliver to one of the crofts which came a few days ago and just never managed to get to but now frightened of taking it out of the vehicle in the wind in case it gets wet or damaged. Not a postal item I hasten to add but delivered by courier who of course make no arrangements to deliver to the final destination on Graemsay. Just a phone call from them to say it was on the way over would have arrangements in place but they say that they don't have time to do that! | |
|
Friday 24th October 2008 |
|
| Woke early with a splitting headache and took some pain killers but the alarm clock went off far too early. Get the post over and back to bed sounds the best idea. ---------------------------------------- Back from the post and had a cup of tea next door before returning home and just getting ready to go back to bed when the phone rang. One of the islanders had gone for a flue jab but had then been told they had to go to the Balfour for some tests and after a brief chat I volunteered to drive through to Kirkwall to bring them home. Sandra volunteered to go with me and we booked the late boat in case it was required. Sandra actually volunteered to go on her own in my place but I reckoned I would just take another two pain killers and do the driving. The thought of Sandra driving my car would have been painful in any case. We were arranging to go on the cargo boat when Stevie phoned to say that the kye that were due to be shipped on the cargo run were going on a special early run due to the weather conditions. The boat was already on its way to Graemsay so we quickly got ready and were over just the back of 11:00am. The late run had to be cancelled due to the weather forecast but when we explained the position to the hospital staff they arranged things so that we were away in plenty of time and the three of us were back in plenty of time for the 4:00pm boat. The Ramray folk were already on the boat returning from their holidays after rushing to catch the Hamnavoe in Scrabster which had revised its timetable due to weather conditions. The Hamnavoe made one later run and Michael jnr on his way back up from Invergordon for his two weeks off managed to catch that trip. Unfortunately he is stuck in Stromness and with the bad forecast for the morn it's not looking good for him to get back for a day or so. There have been heavy winds and lightning strikes through the day and most of the island phone lines are out of service though the lighthouse and Sandside are both ok. We have had a couple of power interruptions since we arrived home and with 60 knot gusts forecast for tomorrow there is likely to be more. | |
|
Thursday 23rd October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - Felt nauseous most of the day yesterday and didn't have anything to eat until we were home from town. Even cut out the trip to the butchers for some steak as food was the last thing I was wanting. Thought I had better eat something as I had also now got a headache so just had buttered tiger rolls and some chicken then promptly fell asleep on the couch for the best part of the evening. Feel a good piece better this morning but will be glad to get back from the post though that is mainly due to it sounding a bit rough out there. Better get the wellington boots on and go for a wander. ----------------------------------------------- 12:30pm - Feeling a good bit better and the sick feeling has gone so I'll just test it out with a bacon butty. Just had another international dead phone call which are starting to get rather annoying. I'll check with the BT preference service to see if they can do any more about it. I have an office software program somewhere that would be ideal but I am too lazy to set it up. It would give the facility to allow answer machine only to all withheld numbers and all international calls could be played some appropriate audio track. As the PC I use the most is in the bedroom I better get tidied up a little and this afternoon is free so it stands a chance. Not a good chance, but just a chance. I can smell the bacon butty which is through in the living room/Pat's card factory so I am away. ----------------------------------- 7:30pm - It's maybe the direction of the wind but it certainly sounds and feels far higher than the forecast. Lets hope it decreases by the morn as weather permitting one of the islanders is shipping kye. The direction of the wind will have it calm around the pier but it may be bad for lifting the animal box on and off the boat. Becky and Katy were in playing with 'wowee' the robot this afternoon. The next time they are in playing with him I'll try to get a short video to put on the site as Katy is so funny with him. She sets him off dancing and then wiggles in time to the music and his dancing, all this whilst sat on the sofa. Michael jnr is due to crew change the morn in Invergordon and then be driving back up but it isn't known which boat they will catch. He has booked the commuter boat to Graemsay as he thinks he should be back in time. If he misses that it will be a matter of standing at Stromness pier and trying to hitch a ride out on any boat coming this way. | |
|
Wednesday 22nd October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - Another wet morning and the cold feels no better but I might feel better after a shopping trip to Kirkwall this afternoon. If I feel up to it I may just get a fish supper, one of life's better moments tucking into a good piece of haddock. --------------------------------- 10:30am - Turned out nice just now with sunshine and just a gentle breeze. Got collared by Sandra to go help hang a gate back on its hinges up at Windbreck and had a coffee next door whilst seeing the kids at play. Going to have a shower before trying to remember everything I will need with me on the trip to Kirkwall. | |
|
Tuesday 21st October 2008 |
|
| 7:15am - Heavy sleet showers and blustery winds are rattling the windows this morning, some of the showers sounding like hail. Two of the islanders are supposed to go over to the doctors this morning but they will possibly change their minds especially if they look at the forecast. ----------------------------------- 11:30am - Brilliant sunshine between the showers, but the showers are a bit coarse. Well one out of the two went to the doctors this morning with the weather not being very inviting for a trip to Stromness. I called for the customary cup of coffee at the Western Horn this morning to hear Ethel telling me of the blackback gull that she had seen earlier in the morning, bigger than a goose she said. I saw one or two blackbacks but nothing of size and not any sightings of geese today, though the field at Dean was full yesterday morning. Well maybe not full, but at least fourty sheltering in amongst the heather. ---------------------------------------------- I have to go to the pier at lunchtime as Pat has placed an order with Flett's butchers, mainly for fruit and vegetables she said. Why she did this when she knew we were going over shopping tomorrow afternoon I don't know. I was thinking of putting on my survival suit for the trip to the pier as they really keep you warm and dry but it is a struggle to get them on. I'll have a go but I have had a sore hip/back for a week or so and now with the cold seem to just ache everywhere. Not bad pains but just on a nuisance level and not taking any medicine for it, not even hot toddy's. ------------------------------------------ Heard from Michelle this morning who has just arrived back in Aberdeen from Sky where they had been holidaying for a couple of days. I reckon it must have rained a lot as she said they had seen plenty of spectacular waterfalls in Sky and I don't think it is famous for them. She said that they are coming home on Friday all being well and Kevin, the eldest grandson will be with them. ------------------------------------- 2:30pm - It's certainly an bit rough weather just now with really heavy hail showers which are filling the corners of the lighthouse courtyard and then the sun will blast through for a short while giving some funny looking rainbows. I am staying indoors and just going to settle down with a cup o0f coffee to watch an old b/w film with Becky. It is Will Hay in 'Oh Mr Porter' and looks like the kind of film that we both enjoy it. It would be perfect if there was just some of Mrs Carters famous 'marshmallow rolls' to go with the coffee. | |
|
Monday 20th October 2008 |
|
| 7:15am - Started with a cold which most folk around here have already had and got rid of. Sore throat and chest but don't even feel like trying an hot toddy after the Friday night session. The sound of the rain and wind outside don't sound very enticing but I better get out there. --------------------------- The wind isn't anywhere near as bad as the forecast and the sun is out which makes everything seem more cheerful. Pat and I called to visit Irene of Breckan and she showed us a new telescope that a camera attaches to. Irene told Pat that it was so powerful that when the 'Fat Cat's Club' went to Stromness swimming Bobby would be able to see them sat at the side of the pool. I thought if I couldn't see the fat Cat's Club at that distance with the naked eye it would be a white stick I needed and not a telescope. Ethel of the Western Horn was in fine fettle today though it was one of those 'deafer than usual days'. I am never sure if she is really having trouble hearing me or is she winding me up as she does a lot of laughing. I was telling her of the chicken schnitzels we had for tea yesterday and after about ten minutes trying to make her hear the word schnitzels I told her that actually I had bread and jam. That was far easier for her to hear. | |
|
Sunday 19th October 2008 |
|
| 9:30am - A wet and breezy morning but not as bad as what was forecast and I hope it stays that way. I feel far less delicate than I did yesterday when I spent a good bit of the time on the computer setting this computer with the software and links for playing around with genealogy. Funny as though I was not feeling good I could really concentrate on the work in hand and worked back through the Skinner side of Sandra's family. I also installed a piece of free software 'Rocketdock' which I have set up purely for opening genealogy software and internet links. I have it auto hidden on the left of the screen and find it really good. If the winds keep as they are now for a couple of hours I may go to Windywalls and see about setting the satellite dish. -------------------------------------- 3:30pm - Went to Windywalls to look at the satellite system but found the cable had rubbed where it comes out of the wall and the ingress of water had rotted the cable and plugs. I managed to replace the cable and plugs but there was too much wind to try to adjust the dish itself though it was getting a reasonable signal and Mary can watch the craft channel which doesn't seem to please Big John. Called to see Ethel and have a chat over a cup of tea and now back to have another look at the genealogy sites whilst Pat is preparing tea which is chicken schnitzels, one of my favourite dishes. Fortunately it seems to b e one of hers as well otherwise it wouldn't be on the menu. I also love fried cheese and onion on toast but haven't had any for a year or two. Better not to complain though as last time I did which was about thirty years ago she gave me it twice a day for six weeks and then when I said I would like a change she retorted I told you that you didn't like it. Women! | |
|
Saturday 18th October 2008 |
|
| 11:00am - Pat brought me a cup of tea at 10:30 this morning but as I had been in bed for only about five hours I could have managed without it. We had a great meal next door but ate too much and almost drank too much as well. I got one early telephone call where there was no one on the line and BT didn't have the callers number. Most likely from a call centre and the fourth in three days with only one speaking which took place yesterday teatime. Sounded like a foreign call centre and was offering BT line rental at £8:50p per month and talked so quickly I couldn't make out what firm he said he represented. I did sign up to not get these calls and haven't suffered from the for a good while but it only took about twenty seconds before he slammed the phone down. Not like the one a year or so back who I had on the line for twenty minutes whilst he tried to give me money in his words. I kept telling him I had a great big box under the bed stashed with pound notes and I was just leading up to telling him that I had an uncle Ronnie in Spain who had left it with me when he tippled and called me an ar****le and hung up. He just didn't have a sense of humour. | |
|
Friday 17th October 2008 |
|
| A wet start to the day but with no winds as yet. I saw an Hen Harrier up above the Manse this morning, first sighting for a good while. Seems I am to be busy around lunchtime with cargo coming and animals being moved around. I was hoping to get my own and Windywalls satellite dishes sorted out but I'll wait to see what I feel like this afternoon. ---------------------------------- 6:15pm - Quite busy at the pier with things coming and going. Sandra had forgotten that Michael had an 'easy care' ram coming, it took Sandra and John Cromarty with a rope to get it up the pier. John also had two rams in the box but they were quite peaceable and easy going. I am sure them 'easy care' sheep should be renamed just don't care. Pat and I are going next door for our tea with Michael jnr and I having steak. I am looking forward to eating out as then I don't have to clear up afterwards. | |
|
Thursday 16th October 2008 |
|
| 7:20am - The trip to the swimming was cancelled for the day which was good news for Irene from Breckan who wasn't fancying the trip across due to the weather. Becky hadn't got to sleep until 5:00am due to the earache and a general ache to her face so it was decided that if she was going over it would be for a trip to see the doctor. We woke her to check on her and she is much better with the earache gone and decided herself that she would rather stay at home. I have promised the pair of them that I will let them go into our bed later today so that they can watch cartoons on the projector TV. I just checked the weather conditions using the harbours site and Stromness is reporting NW 30 to 40 but Stromness is fairly sheltered in that direction of wind. Barrel of Butter is showing NNW 35 to 45knots which I am sure is much nearer to what we will be having but I'll be able to tell better when I get down to the pier. -------------------------------- 10:30am - Well Becky seems far better and is sat sharing Grandma's breakfast whilst watching television. Winds are due to ease a little but they are now talking of storm force winds for Sunday in which case I'll have to try to get the other two guy wires on the workshop aerial. Just broke off writing to look at the harbours weather forecast and see they say the winds are due Monday night with gusts to 55 knots. ------------------------------- 11:00pm - I just checked the harbours weather forecast again and they are saying 40 gusting 60 for Monday afternoon and I still haven't had chance to fix the other two guy wires. I was kept busy with 'Laurel & Hardy' films on the projector television with Becky and Katy. Sandra and James came home at teatime and he is no worse for his experience. The doctor glued the wound then covered it with a butterfly type dressing and it's no bother. Just wish he would be more careful but he is just as boisterous as ever. Max the dog was barking this evening with the tone of bark reserved for visitors or something he is not happy about. It was on the second walk round with the torch and finding no visitors that I found the cause of the problem. A young hedgehog that was trying to get in his run to share his dinner, definitely not on especially when it's dark. I asked Sandra if we had a cardboard box to put the hedgehog in until morning as there was some very heavy cold showers. I thought if we kept him warm until the morn we could feed him and then put him in the garden where there is a box full of bedding where they can get in if they want. But when we located a box in the post office the hedgehog had gone walkabout and we couldn't find him. It's getting to the time of the year when we find a good few of the younger ones that die of the cold and lack of nourishment. | |
|
Wednesday 15th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - Going to be a busy day for Sandra with Michael and Ted away, sheep to ship and me away to the doctors. Looks like I'll have to help get them on the boat and just hope I can keep clean. The timing is just all wrong, even the 2:00pm for the jab as it means I cannot get a fish supper whilst over either before or after the appointment. Might treat myself to a nice piece of Aberdeen angus fillet steak, maybe a piece of fillet and a piece of rump as well. ---------------------------------------- 9:00pm - Bobby and I got soaked with a heavy shower that started as soon as we got to Stromness and we ended up in the surgery early for our appointments which meant we were seen early and out on the street by 1:30. Away to get some Aberdeen angus fillet steak, unfortunately sold out so I got 12oz each of sirloin and rump plus some burgers. Just time for one quick pint with a small Morgan's spiced rum and away for the 4:00pm boat. Back at home I was trying to decide whether to have rump or sirloin when Sandra dashed in with young James (19 months) who's forehead was covered in blood from a cut sustained when he fell and caught himself on the corner of a chair. The cut was right in the middle of the forehead and obviously required either a stitch or butterfly dressings. Fortunately Stevie was on his way over with a late run for Steven from Fillets who was returning home so I phoned him and asked if he would wait at the pier whilst Sandra made contact with the doctor. She took James over to the surgery which was still open and he seems to be ok after his treatment but she has stayed in Stromness until tomorrow evening as better safe with an head injury. He's a tough little chap and was chatting to me about boats whilst on the way down to the pier. Then it was back for tea and I settled for a couple of beef burgers which I had on toasted rolls with melted extra strong cheese followed by yogurt ice cream. Not quite the meal I had planned and I didn't bother opening the liebfraumilch that I had purchased to wash the steak down. ------------------------------------ Pat is going over the morn and taking Becky and Katy with her to meet Sandra if the conditions at the pier are suitable. It is the day that the 'Fat Cat's Club' goes swimming so that fits in nicely but at the moment they are forecasting 30 gusting 45 NW so it may not be suitable for the kids, just have to wait and see. Becky woke up crying with earache late on but Pat gave her some calpol and she seems to be settling down now though it is approaching midnight. It never rains but it pours! | |
|
Tuesday 14th October 2008 |
|
| Another day to start off with having to wear wellington boots but the wins doesn't sound quite as bad as what was forecast. Ted will be hoping that it will be better the morn as he his travelling South for the winter. --------------------------------- Had some unexplained computer problems but apart from the small computer that runs the ship plotter things are back to normal. For some reason two adapters for running ethernet connections over the mains to separate computers both simultaneously gave the same problem with loss of internet access. That was just the start of things going wrong but all is ok now and I am just re-installing windows on the small PC as a quick way of getting rid of all the junk that has accumulated due to trying various software programs. --------------------------- It has remained dry though it is still on the chilly side or my blood is getting a bit thin. Sandra and Michael have seventeen Shetland ewes to ship on tomorrows cargo boat and it looks like Sandra will be on her own with getting them down the pier and on to the boat. Michael is away and I will be dressed to go over to the doctors for the flue jab, though I will take my overalls and wellington boots down with me just in case things don't go as planned. I'll have to try and keep clean though as it looks like Bobby and I will have to find somewhere to rest after having the jabs and we are waiting for the boat home. That will be the boring part as there is little to do in Stromness at this time of the year but I am sure we will find something to do. | |
|
Monday 13th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am -A dry and calm start to the day with a reasonably good forecast for the week at this time of the year. ----------------------------- 11:30am - Nice and sunny now though a bit on the cool side. Got a few goodies in the post this morning, 8gb USB pen that has taken 10 days to get here but it was from Guernsey. They were a pretty good buy at £10.99 each inluding postage so Ted and I got one each. Also got a serial to bluetooth adapter so the ship plotter may go on and off at times whilst I am playing. First thing will be to tidy the workshop up a bit as I was repairing a electric fencer down there yesterday and left the bench in a real mess. ------------------------------- 6:00pm - It has been a real mixture of weather today but has now settled on being wet with some real cold heavy showers. I got held up with the computer job I was doing and as it was sunshine at the time decided to go up to Windwalls to do their satellite system but no sooner were the tools sorted out than the rain was battering the workshop window. I thought I would do that job whilst thinking of the computer problem which was that windows vista doesn't have the hyper terminal program installed and I needed to use it for the job in hand. What I was thinking about I don't know as I had another three computers all running windows xp. Must be the cold weather slowing the brain down. Michael jnr got home for the night using the commuter boat which is handy as there is a car to go over the morn and the gates used for the animal race down the pier have been left in and will require removing. far better he does it than me as he is far bigger and also not as lazy as me. | |
|
Sunday 12th October 2008 |
|
| Had a really lazy start to the day and didn't get up until after 10:30 even though I had been awake most of the time from 7:00am. Just feeling lazy and only got up then because I wanted to see 'Countryfile' on the television at 11:00. There was an interesting piece about an annual bellyboarding competition in Cornwall. It appears to be an early type of surfboarding where you just lay on a small slim board and ride in the waves. I could imagine the Graemsay Fat Cat's Club taking part in the competition and steaming in on a couple of barn doors. ------------------------------ Been trying to catch up with various jobs to do with the computer and slowly getting there but it is very slow mainly due to the fact that as I am tidying I come across items that take my interest and I have to have a play with them. 'Wowee' the robot was the one yesterday which developed into a hunt for ni-cad batteries and chargers. I will wait for young James to come in and see what he makes of him, Becky loves him but Katy is a little nervous of him. At least it is dry so the trips between the house and the workshop don't entail having to keep swapping from shoes to wellington boots. | |
|
Saturday 11th October 2008 |
|
| 9:00am - Very heavy rain this morning and I reckon that Max the dog will be waiting a good while before he gets anyone to take him for a walk. I was going to lay in bed and watch the news on TV but the rain is so heavy it has affected the dish and I could get no signals at all. That will require someone going outside with a can of WD40 spray but it will have to be later in the day. Michael jnr didn't go down to Invergordon in the end but went on one of the other tugs instead which must have been disapointing as he was looking forward to the trip down. | |
|
Friday 10th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - A dark and wet morning but hopefully the wind isn't as bad as yesterday when I ended up chasing my cap outside Ramray. ------------------------------- 11:00am - It has dried up outside and looks a good bit more cheery compared with this morning. The lighthouse engineers are here this morning just to do some routine work and apart from Ted having a bad cold there is nothing much else happening. John of Gorn was saying that weather permitting there were just four coo's to go on the cargo boat so I may just go over for the afternoon and get the flue jab whilst there. The district nurse was going to let Mary know if she was coming over on the 4:00pm boat and we have heard nothing as yet so I reckon she will not be coming. Pat went to the docs yesterday and got the results from tests done the previous week and all is clear. Pat did say that the doctor told her she was a bit deaf, now I wondered if she didn't hear that right and it was a bit daft that the doctor said. She has been blaming me for not speaking properly when she gets things wrong, but that's what women do and just blame the men. | |
|
Thursday 9th October 2008 |
|
| Didn't go for the flue jab but Pat is going to the doctors before her and Irene go swimming and will ask if the nurse is coming out to see big John the morn would it be possible for her to bring a jab out for me as well. We had the meeting last night in the Hall to discuss coming events and everything is more or less organised except for the Harvest Home date which will be dependant on the musicians. It was a nice sky this morning with orangey red to the East and a pink glow to the West but it is now just gray and dismal looking. ----------------------------------------- Managed to get some overdue paperwork done but I still have not caught up with things since I came back from holiday. Pat asked about the flue jab being brought out with the district nurse but it is not certain that she is coming out so I reckon I'll just have to wash both arms in the morning just in case. Irene was complimented on the boat this morning on her complexion which is really good after her skin conditioning treatment on Tuesday. Seems the product was 'cow sh*t' but she says it was pure as she got it direct from its source and it didn't get handled by any middle men. That was due to getting too close to a coo that was waiting to go on the cargo boat when she was returning from town. ----------------------------- Michael jnr starts his two weeks on working at sea and is away down to Invergordon the morn to join his boat which is currently working down there. They are driving down but he is not sure as yet which ferry they will be on. | |
|
Wednesday 8th October 2008 |
|
| 11:00am - It started off a wet and miserable day but it is a nice sunny day now. I did think of going over to get the flue jab whilst there is some still available as it is first come first served. Just not really feeling like going over two days in succession so I might just leave it until Friday. | |
|
Tuesday 7th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - A dark and dismal morning which seems to match the talk on the radio of the financial state of Europe. Some folk say that it is best to turn the cash into goods before the bubble bursts, which is alright but where would I store all the bottles? -------------------- 6:00pm Pat and I went over on the cargo boat where we bumped into Albert and Fay who run the North Hoy post office. They were also going over to go to Kirkwall so we all travelled together to Lidls where we met up with Mary from Windywalls who was waiting for us and ready to do some shopping. Aren't women just slow when shopping? backwards and forwards on some aisles until I felt dizzy just watching. Then into the street in town for a little job that Pat was doing for Sandra. Where's the place I asked, right up the street said Pat. Now I took it that meant right up at the other end of the street from where we were, wrong. That obviously means right up the street away from the end where we are not stood. By the time we had finished there and nipped into Tesco's then Birsay Farmers store we ended up in Stromness at 4:11pm, just 11 minutes after the boat had gone. We had the 5:45pm boat booked in case we were late so there was no problem and I had to see the infamous Terry Todd. | |
|
Monday 6th October 2008 |
|
| 7:00am - Everybody seems to be going down with colds this last week. Ted and Michael J seem to be the latest two to catch it rather badly but it is maybe just that they moan more than the others. It looks like it's dry outside and there is no sound of wind but it feels a little on the cool side. --------------------- 3:00pm - Pat and I visited John and Mary at Windywalls to discuss the details for going to Kirkwall this week to do the shopping. It was decided that all being well we would go tomorrow afternoon and book the late boat back as going on the cargo boat doesn't leave much spare time especially as kye are also being shipped. | |
|
Sunday 5th October 2008 |
|
| A beautiful sunny day with the winds having dropped well away and I am busy working at sorting out the workshop which entails a lot of lifting and moving. That should maybe get a few ounces off the belly, though a few pounds would be far better. It certainly blew late last night and through into the early hours with gusts of 60 knots being recorded which is above what the forecast said to expect. Only a strong breeze for Orkney standards but the direction funnelled it down the lighthouse courtyard and frightened Max the dog. He started to bark with the one that says he is not personally happy so I went out just before midnight to see if all was well but found nothing amiss. He was quite happy when I left the outside light on for him and he retired quietly to bed. Sandra had heard him barking and then saw the flash of the torch I was using and came in to see us as she thought it was possibly someone else on the island that had come down for some reason, possibly requiring assistance due to the wind blowing things about. It ended up with coffee and a dram with me having just one or two extra so as to help me sleep. Michael jnr arrived back on the island this morning though he doesn't know when he will be away again. Keeps telling me of the fish suppers he can get at the chippy whilst over the other side, he knows it is the one thing I miss on Graemsay. | |
|
Saturday 4th October 2008 |
|
| A bit late in updating the diary today, no excuse just feeling lazy. I reckon that will be due to eating too much last night. Pat and I had a bit of a special meal with me having fillet steak and her having scampi with all the trimmings. I had lots of veg with plenty of roast garlic that had been stored in oil with chilli. A ate so much I could hardly even drink the red wine and though I normally have no problem finishing a bottle I drank less than a third in the entire evening. -------------------- Michael jnr got back this morning but has to return to the boat this evening as the tanker will require all three tugs as she leaves her berth in the early hours of the morning. He is on his two weeks standby at the moment so has to travel backward and forward as required but he is enjoying the work which gives him more overall time at home than the four weeks on/ four weeks off he had with his previous post. | |
|
Friday 3rd October 2008 |
|
| A bit breezy this morning and Neil is shipping lambs at lunch time on the cargo boat providing it is ok at the pier. The skipper is bringing the appropriate equipment and they will review the situation at the time. Michael jnr was called back to work yesterday as the tanker 'Arafura Sea' was due in this morning at 8:00am but I have just looked on the harbours website and it is now due this afternoon so it looks like he will not be getting home tonight. ------------------------------------ Usual kind of day so far with Ethel telling me more stories of the bee in a sheepskin coat and other stories including a few about animals she has seen over the years whilst out tending to the kye in the dark. One was described as looking like a pure white puma but she though it may have been something that came up from the sea. I'll have to try not to think about it when out in the dark on my own during stormy weather. ---------------------------------- 3:00pm - Went down to the cargo boat at lunchtime with Sandra to help Neil loading his lambs on to the boat and then went to Ramray for the obligatory dram which is the usual thing to do after shipping livestock . It ended up with three cups of coffee and even more glasses of drink so I don't think I will get much more done today. | |
|
Thursday 2nd October 2008 |
|
| Well we got no wind to speak of though they are forecasting gale force 8 tonight with severe gale 9 for a time so the aerial pole still hasn't been tested. I will have to try to remember to tighten up the television aerial bracket as it blows around a little in very strong winds. I am always wary of tightening them up too much though as I have often broken the brackets or stripped the screw threads. ------------------------------------- Someone mentioned at the pier this morning that the ladies weren't going swimming today, I thought there's a coincidence neither is Pat and Irene. It's been a beautiful sunny morning though wet underfoot so Pat and I are going to visit John and Mary at Windywalls. Michael and Sandra have taken the kids with them and gone over for visiting and shopping so it will be a quiet day hopefully. ---------------------------------------- 2:30pm - I told Pat that it was going to rain but she left out the washing whilst we went out only to return and find it wet through and laid out all over the garden. It was logical to think that with a bad forecast plus dark storm clouds approaching from the North it wasn't safe to leave out the washing but logic and women don't seem to quite go together. Still we had a pleasant afternoon chatting over a cup or two of coffee to John and Mary. The temperature has started to drop a good bit and it gives the impression that winter is just around the corner. The aerial pole down on the workshop is bending to almost 40% but is still working ok though I am not betting on it staying that way. Just tried to get an update on the weather using the Orkney harbours site but it seems very slow to load. Perhaps it is the security settings on my computer and I'll make a phone call to check with another user before addressing the problem. | |
|
Wednesday 1st October 2008 |
|
| It sounds calm outside but they are talking of the gales still to arrive so I just hope that the winds are from the North as forecast as I only got two guy wires on the aerial and they are on the appropriate side. Might get round to finishing it off today depending on how quick the winds arrive. ---------------------- Ethel from the 'Western Horn' found some old negatives and I have had just a quick go at scanning some of them and will put them on the site as soon as I get them all done.----------------------------3:30:pm - Not done too much today apart from picking Ethel up from the pier at lunchtime and running her home with her shopping. Fitted a dedicated AIS receiver for then ship plotter so that the present set can be left free for listening to the marine short wave frequencies through the winter. I have a few vhf scanners for listening to the vhf marine channels which might pass a bit of time on a night when there is nothing on the television. I also got an adapter for the laptop computer which didn't have an ethernet port, so fitted that and brought 'Kaspersky' anti virus up to date. Michael jnr just phoned to see if I was ready to go chasing sheep but they postponed it when I told them Becky will need picking up from the pier at 4:15pm on her way home from school. | |
|
Tuesday 30th September 2008 |
|
| Another wet start to the day but at least the wind doesn't sound strong as yet so maybe we will get some stay wires on the aerial today. ---------------------------------- 13:00 - The wind is quite light and though we have had a few showers it is fine at the moment so I am going to see about getting some guy wires fitted before the gales arrive tomorrow night. The aerial might hold but I am unsure of the mast as it is a 2" * 10ft plastic type material pole from a dhan buoy. It has an internal cross section for strengthening but really does bend and sway in the wind which looks alarming. How strong it is I am not sure of so better safe than sorry. | |
|
Monday 29th September 2008 |
|
| A very rainy start to the day but there again it might change completely within the next hour or two, but I don't think so. Didn't get on the workshop roof yesterday but did get the ladders in place and also found that some of the degradation in the ships plotter range was down to a connector at the back of the receiver. Pat and Michelle are going over today as Pat has to go to hospital for an x-ray on her hip which is related to the back pain problem she has been suffering from. --------------------------------- 13:30 - I am babysitting using the baby monitor whilst Michael and Sandra get some fencing done so I have an excuse to stay in the warm rather than get some of the jobs done outside. Will have to try to get some kind of guy wires on the antenna mast before the forecasted gales arrive on Thursday. I think it will be better to use heavy nylon fishing line which will give a good bit as it would be likely to snap if rigid. Just heard Katy shouting 'I want out' and she sounds like she means it. ------------------------------------ She meant it all right, just bossy like all the Graemsay women. Luckily young James didn't wake until 3:30pm otherwise I don't think I would have coped. Never got anything done with the aerial mounting and there will be no chance the morn as a member of the Royal Mail is coming out to do a risk assessment. I reckon if I just show him Sandra and a few of the Graemsay women he will know what the main risks are. | |
|
Sunday 28th September 2008 |
|
| A bit late in getting the computer switched on today but Pat and I called in next door and ended up drinking a few cups of coffee and then staying to watch 'Country file' on the television. ---------------------- Pat, Ted and I went over for a meal last night as planned and it was utter rubbish. We used the Hotel that we have normally frequented over the last twenty years and I reckon it is my last meal there. I intended having a steak but after seeing what was being served on other tables I cut back to ordering a Thai Beef Curry as the main course. Pat and Ted had deep fried brie as their starter whilst I ordered mushroom soup but was served a small bowl of mushrooms in a garlic butter sauce. Obviously the waitress had misheard me and I was quite happy about that but was disappointed that there was no bread or salad served with it but just three wafer thin hard biscuits. I had opted to have chips and no rice with my main course and when this arrived it was just a thick sauce with the meat added and warmed up and no vegetables at all, just chips to go with it. Pat's meal was a small duck breast which was soggy and not crisped, this was served with just a small spoonful of parsnips and some watery carrots plus chips. Ted's "surf'n turf" at £25 was just a few scallops on top of his steak along with the same extras as Pat had. He said the steak and scallops were well cooked but was disappointed that there was no sauce as it was previously served with an Highland Park sauce. When he queried this he was told that sauces to go with the meal were £2 extra. I have never seen a restaurant before that only served carrots with the main course. When I got home I made myself a large strawberry jam sandwich to take away the taste of the curry sauce which I am convinced came out of a jar and not a good quality jar at that. -------------------- Weather is typical of Orkney and sunshine the one minute followed by a rain shower and I am just waiting for a dry enough period so that I can go on the roof of the workshop to check the ship plotter aerial. We have to also fit a new television masthead amplifier with an extra feed into next door for Michael and Sandra. The problem there is not the work on the roof but getting underneath the floorboards to reach the required position. | |
|
Saturday 27th September 2008 |
|
| I woke at 7:00am to the sound of the window rattling in the wind due to it being left partly open and looked outside to see a beautiful coloured sky and thought I may get up in an hour and go trim the grass. At 7:30am the rain was lashing the window and all thoughts of grass cutting are long gone. I took a phone call at 9:00am and decided that I would stay in bed until 10:00am as we are going over to Stromness this evening for a meal and the boat doesn't leave until 11:00pm on the return journey. It is a special run for the 'Countdown' show in Kirkwall but we thought that year we would just take advantage of the boat for a meal out as Pat is not up to the travelling due to the back pain that she is currently suffering from. ---------------------------------------- 11:00am - The rain has stopped and I am contemplating going down the garden to take a look at the aerial for the ship plotter as I see the range has decreased. It is possible I forgot to sleeve the coax where it enters the building and it may have rubbed through the outer cable cover and allowed the ingress of water. That is the usual fault with aerials and cables around here, even when they are sleeved and cable tied the wind seems to be able to shake them about and cause problems. ----------------------------------Pat and I went visiting this afternoon and called at Michelle's for a while. As we were leaving Michelle mentioned her scales were weighing her as heavier than she is by two stones. Now I had two dinners yesterday and was 13st 1lb this morning without clothes, on Michelle's scales I was still weighing 13st 1lb fully clothed. I am thinking that my dieting whilst not really good is far better than hers though she is still insisting it is the scales that are wrong. I was going to tell you what she weighed but as she is bigger than me I thought better of it. | |
|
Friday 26th September 2008 |
|
| Dorothy left the island on the early boat after her two weeks holiday and is now on her way back home. A nice day but a few of the midges are about and feeling quite lively but not bad enough to cover myself in the insect repellent. Michael jnr and I are going over on the 10:45 boat to Stromness which will make a pleasant change to the usual routine of wandering around and trying to work out which job I should do first. ----------------------------------------- Had a good afternoon and all went well, indeed better than expected with quite a few jobs accomplished though one of the jobs was done by an old chap in Stromness who located some building materials we required and had been unable to find ourselves. Also had a fish supper which was really excellent at the 'Harbour Fry' in Kirkwall, this being one of my favourite meals when over on the mainland. All this and two pints of beer in Stromness before catching the 4:30 boat home, only to find that Pat had made a lasagne which she served along with garlic bread. | |
|
Thursday 25th September 2008 |
|
| Spent a good part of yesterday with getting the broadband sorted out, mainly phone calls and emails but it now seems like it is sorted out. Also swapped computers and now only have the one in the house with the rest being in the workshop. Forgot to do some things and one was to get a copy of the latest version of the website on to this computer so I had to download the diary page before I could update it. Hopefully I'll have time to sort this out this afternoon before I forget that it needs doing. Forgetting seems to be getting easier of late.----------------------------------------- Never got chance to sort out the transfer of the website on to this computer as the day just disappeared doing the odd job or two. Tidying and clearing up was the start of things and then I remembered that Mary was due home from Aberdeen today and would need her transport sorting out. That was a job I meant to do yesterday but never got round to. I was also chasing some materials we are needing for some restoration work on the buildings and that took quite a bit of time on the computer. Eventually tea time arrived and settled down to home made stew and dumplings before relaxing with a cup of coffee. Well that is how it was meant to be but just as the kettle was boiling we got a call to say Arthur and Cathy were moving some kye and the bull that was in with Sandra and Michael's kye had decided to join in with the move. They all dashed off with Sandra telling me to just watch the kids for a few minutes whilst she was away. It was only for ninety minutes but it didn't seem like that long, felt more like a full day as the kids took turns in seeing how much they could get away with. | |
|
Wednesday 24th September 2008 |
|
| A dull but dry start to the day though a look at the ships plotter giving a range of over 100 miles indicates a high pressure so the outlook is good. -------------------------------- Called and had a natter with Ethel of the Western Horn this morning and after refusing an early morning dram I sat and listened to a story of a bumble bee in a sheepskin jacket. It's a good job I refused the dram or else I would be feeling extremely confused rather than just very confused. | |
|
Tuesday 23rd September 2008 |
|
| Rainy start to the day but the wind doesn't sound strong so it cannot be too bad. Pat goes over at lunchtime for an afternoon appointment with the doc as she has been laid up for the past few days with a bad back. She periodically suffers from what they believe is sciatica and has done so for the past thirty years or so. ------------------------------------ Turned out a nice day with plenty of butterflies in the garden and far too many bees for my liking. You can hear them around one of the large bushy purple flower plants from a good few yards away. Definitely dangerous I reckon, and if not dangerous then certainly frightening. I have only ever been stung once but it was once too many and I don't want a repeat performance. ------------------------------------------- Now I have had an email from the ISP to say they are checking the fault and think it may possibly be something I have here. It may be your modem they said. If they read the b****y notes they would see that I have a replacement modem/router already and tried both. On top of that I see that they are shutting down the gateway that I use in the early hours of the morning for a software update and some users may be off for a while. I think that means I will not have a clue why it's not working the morn. I'll leave it a while before I contact them so that I am in a slightly calmer mood. I suppose they are rushed and at the end of the day they are just doing a job to earn a wage. --------------------------------------------------- Seems that the ISP has checked with BT and they show that the line is stable so the speed profile should be adjusted back up to at least 6.5mb within 24 hours. Just to be on the safe side I have stopped uploading new data to the ship plotter sites including our own until tomorrow just in case it causes any misleading results. ---------------------------------- Pat has gone to the 'Fat Cat's Club' and I have just watched an old episode of 'Minder' with George Cole and Dennis Waterman. It's just coming up to 9:30pm so I think I will go to bed to read the newspaper and have a glass of peach schnapps to help me sleep. Bound to be good for helping get rid of the cold, if not then I'll take another look in the drinks cabinet for another cure tomorrow night. | |
|
Monday 22nd September 2008 |
|
| A really marvellous sunny day and it seems summer is still with us. Saw more butterflies yesterday than I have ever seen before in Orkney. There were four red admirals in one square yard in the flower bed with Sandra having seen what I think is called a Peacock butterfly though I am bad at remembering the names. Normally they are carried away with the strong winds but this year has been kind to them. I saw a swallow at Garson on Friday and again this morning whilst going round with the post. I thought they would have all been away on their winter travels to the South. --------------------------------- As well as all the flowers and butterflies I see we have a right load of bees in the garden though fortunately they seem a bit on the dozy side. I am not sure if they will have a nest locally or not though Sandra thought they might be nesting in the wall. The only thing I know about them is that they are best avoided if at all possible. ------------------------------------------------- Not sure what has happened with my broadband but it has not recovered from the outage that we had at the weekend. Everyone else has had the full speed returned but mine has stuck at the 500kbps level. I have made just the one phone call to the ISP today but I am fairly sure they will be a few more if it is not showing signs of recovery by noon the morn. The only good thing about the ISP I use is that the staff are very pleasant and are based in the UK. I had the longest wait ever with them today though, normally answer within three to four minutes but this time it took twelve minutes. Normally it wouldn't bother me too much but an old pal asked me to do some personal research for him which meant fairly large downloads. They normally just take a few seconds but today I it was a minute or so. | |
|
Sunday 21st September 2008 |
|
| The broadband connection to the island failed on Friday and was just repaired this afternoon as the fault lay on Graemsay and spares had to be rushed up from South to do the job. It is now working but rather slow as BT have reduced everyone's profile to 500kbps due to the fault. The automated system should start to increase the profile settings but I am unsure of the time scale for this to take place. --------------------------------------I was just partway through writing a letter to Walter in Canada when the network went down and of course I just shut everything down without saving the letter. I'll just get up to speed with the other jobs then sit down to a bit of typing. ------------------------------------- I am well on the way to recovery from the cold but it's taking a little longer as I got Michelle to bring me a jar of honey back from town for making hot toddies but didn't check the drinks cabinet and find that the rum is missing and others have drunk all the whisky. Still got plenty of drink but just not the right variety. Ouzo and honey just doesn't sound right never mind taste right. There again in the interest of knowledge I just might try a glass or two tonight. Might take a few glasses as it will entail working out the correct levels of the ouzo, honey and hot lemonade. | |
|
Saturday 20th September 2008 |
|
|
Friday 19th September 2008 |
|
| This cold has certainly got worse this morning and handkerchiefs are lasting about ten minutes before being put for washing. It isn't often I get to go back to bed through the daytime but I think today it might be the best place for while. Apart from the runny nose and sore throat I don't feel bad at all but best not spread it around. | |
|
Thursday 18th September 2008 |
|
| Michael and Sandra came across some large puffballs last night and I must say they taste excellent. Pat is away to the swimming and bringing back some fillet steak to go along with the puffball for our teas. My cold has now got to the chesty and runny nose period which means most of the typing has to be done with one hand whilst the other is busy with the handkerchief. Not the best condition to be in when trying to place online orders. The one to 'Screwfix' was completed in minutes with no problem but then I went online to www.cpc.co.uk to place an order we had worked out from their catalogue. Straight away I found that the part numbers I had got were not available online even though the catalogue said to visit the site. Parts with almost identical part numbers were available but were more expensive than in the book. First time I have found online to be more expensive from the same firm but then you have to use an 0870 number to pay them to place the order. When we got to the third item and they didn't have stock I think I told them not to bother, something like that anyway. | |
|
Wednesday 17th September 2008 |
|
| Got a bad sore throat, so bad I didn't even enjoy the hot toddy taken at bedtime that was the first line of defence. That could have been due to the lack of honey but I'll get some ordered today if anyone is going over shopping. -------------------------------------- It's turned out nice and sunny so I reckon it is time to have a look at the satellite television dishes as the programs have been getting fewer by the week. It is only really channel five that I miss as that is not often viewable on terrestrial freeview as it is dependant on the state of the tide. Apart from that the dish that feeds my system that I watch in bed has not worked for a few weeks and I have had to try to read in bed with no tv to watch. I don't mind reading in bed but it is the holding of the book that is the problem. If I lay on one side to get comfortable then the lower arm ends up in pins and needles or just goes dead. Then if I find a comfortable position the spectacles fall off. -------------------------------------- The farm assurance man came out on the cargo boat to inspect all the crofts on the island so those with animals are fairly busy and tied up for the afternoon. At least the weather is just right for his inspection as it cannot be much fun if he has to tramp around in the mud. | |
|
Tuesday 16th September 2008 |
|
| No change in the weather and one needs to carry some kind of midge repellent. Michael jnr is taking his car back over to the mainland at lunchtime on the cargo boat and after his has been for a new windscreen fitting mine has to go for new brake pads. I got a new exhaust system whilst South as the tail end piece broke and I thought I may as well get it all done in one go. Never ending expense with these cars and living on Graemsay means they don't get that much use. ----------------------------------------- Twenty minutes before the cargo boat was due to leave Stromness we were alerted to the fact that some of the kye with calves had gone walkabout. They had decided to stroll down and see John at Gorn who thankfully gave us a hand chase them back. Sandra asked 'why do they always wait for an inconvenient moment to do something'. I knew the answer 'they are female, what do you expect' but refrained from telling her. When Sandra and I arrived at the pier they were just lifting their car aboard and nothing had arrived for us so it was a quick chat and back home for a cup of tea. The BT engineer came out this morning to check a feed to an electronic notice board that was fitted at great expense a few years ago in the waiting room to give information on the ferry. When first fitted it displayed the time though if my memory serves me right was about 47 minutes out but after only a few weeks this was replaced by a small dot in the lower corner. An engineer came out a few days ago to activate it and the BT engineer completed the work today. I only had a quick glance through the window but it just said that the ferry was sailing as normal and gave the date. Not sure if that was it or if it is a changing display but a clock would be handy and even the day of the week would be good for Graemsay folk but the date isn't that important. --------------------------------------------------------- Whilst at the pier Sandra was asked by a Graemsay woman who shall be nameless, if the key that Sandra gave her for a building on Graemsay was for the outside door. Now I am not a school teacher but even I know if the place doesn't have an inside door the key is quite likely for the outside door. | |
|
Monday 15th September 2008 |
|
| Set off to the post this morning after looking out of the window to assess the weather conditions and put on a pair of shoes. By the time I had got the shoes on and stepped outside it had rained so I had to return for the wellington boots though we have had no more showers since. Not feeling quite the brightest as we joined with next door to have a turkey dinner and that followed on with us sat together having a dram whilst watching a film until after midnight. Didn't drink too much but definitely ate too much so bang goes the diet again. -------------------------------------------- Found out that when Becky likened me to Sgt Wilson of Dads Army it wasn't his charm that she was thinking of but just his wrinkles. | |
|
Sunday 14th September 2008 |
|
| A rather dull start to the day and it was turned 9:00am before I got out of bed but that was maybe because I didn't get to bed until around 1:00am. Took Becky out on the foreshore yesterday afternoon but we didn't stay long as the rain and wind increased. On the way out of the house, Becky who is five years old, looked up at me and said that I reminded her of someone on the television. She told me he was an actor and I asked was he good looking. She replied, not really but he has wrinkles like you and appears in 'Dad's Army'. -------------------------- After the walk both Becky and I went to visit Ethel and Dorothy who is up from South for a couple of weeks holiday and found Effie there as well. We spent a relaxing couple of hours with many a subject coming up for discussion and it diverted Becky's attention away from passing comments on her granddad. -------------------------------------- Just found out that Becky was likening me to Sgt Wilson and fortunately not Godfrey as I feared. her and Ted have just set off on a mushroom gathering expedition as Becky is sure she knows where they will be some. They are both armed with insect wipes for the midges and a bag for the mushrooms, the former should be of some use but I don't think the latter will be needed. Not seen many mushrooms this year though I suppose the weather conditions are just about right at the moment, warm and damp. | |
|
Saturday 13th September 2008 |
|
| Didn't get up until 8:30 this morning and being up late seems to make it hard to get started doing anything apart from having some breakfast. Keeping to the diet I just had two slices of toast with humus and a drop of lemon juice accompanied by carrot & orange drink. That would have been a good start but then I went next door and had a cup of tea. I thought I would try to reduce the amount of milk I use by cutting down on the amount of cups of coffee and tea I have each day. I have kept well away from sweet food until Becky and I called at the Western Horn to see Ethel yesterday when I succumbed to the one rather large cookie. I just got weighed and I am exactly the weight that I was before the holiday so need to just get off almost two stone. Not much chance of that though. ------------------------------------ Becky and I are going on the shore below the lighthouse this afternoon to see what stones and pebbles she can get and maybe put some in one of the two polishers we have. We have the polishers with the grits and powders but I suppose someone should read the instruction books. One of them contains stones that have gone three days with the coarse powder so maybe we will open it and see what change took place if any. | |
|
Friday 12th September 2008 |
|
| 0700 - Looks like a nice quite day and the wind has died away to just about nothing. The Orkney Harbours weather forecast is quite promising too so if it dries quite well this morning I may get the rest of the mowing done and we reckon it will be the last time it will be required this year. ------------------------------------------------ Nice and warm but the grass is still wet, just as the midges like it. They were biting well this morning but the insect wipes were very effective again, and far better than the sprays that we have been using. ------------------------------ The shipping of kye from Fillets went quite smoothly and after taking Ethel home from the pier it was back to the mowing. Finished it all including Sian's at Sandside but was really surprised how thick it had grown in the lighthouse garden during the last few days. ------------------------------------------ Michael phoned to say that they were staying over until the 9-30pm boat and Becky has only just realised it is her mums birthday so she is now going to make a card for her. I did think of going over on the 6-30pm boat and maybe having a fish supper but as I have managed to lose about 6lbs since I came back from holiday I thought better of it. Just had a few grapes and three slices of toast with humus for tea instead. | |
|
Thursday 11th September 2008 |
|
| 1130 - It was wet and windy this morning but is now sunny, warm but still windy. A pleasant day for a walk but I'll use it to try to catch up with some of the odd jobs that need doing. Ted and I have just been out to start a vehicle that has not run for a couple of months but luckily all went well. Just had to move a blind ewe that has her two lambs with her who act as her guides. The birds attacked her during lambing and though she fought them off it was not before receiving injuries to her eyes, which left her blind. As she was ok otherwise it was decided to leave her with her lambs and most folk who pass by don't even notice she is blind. Nature can be cruel, but there again so can wives. They do tell me that they suffer with this down by Brora, and I am not talking of blind sheep. ------------------------------------------ Sounds like it will be a busy day the morn. Some are going walking on the mainland, a birthday, cattle being shipped off the island, Ethel will need a lift home from the cargo boat, lads and Becky to be picked up from pier on their way home from school and then we are babysitting. At least it doesn't sound like we will get bored. -----------------------------------------------------Spent a good part of the afternoon trying to resurrect an old Panasonic C-35 laptop that runs windows ME. No sound and the USB port doesn't work. No cdrom but just a 3.5" floppy that seems to have problems, so it is difficult to get the drivers installed to sort the problems out. I intended to use it for uploading ship plotter data as the power requirements are so low and the battery is in good condition for providing service during power cuts. Hopefully I'll get chance to play with it again at a later day, but as folk who saw the diary during the early part of the day will know I seem to have trouble knowing which day it is now. | |
|
Wednesday 10th September 2008 |
|
| Set off this morning for the mail wearing shoes, not realising that it had rained rather heavily. Soon returned for waterproof coat and wellington boots though the coat was soon discarded as it was anything but cold. Pat and Ted are away on the second boat to do some shopping accompanied by Michelle who is taking a driving lesson. Ethel was telling me this morning that Neil's cousin Dorothy is coming up from Exeter for a couple of weeks holiday later in the week. I had thought that on this last holiday we might have nipped down to see her but with wasting the first few days thinking I may have to return home it never happened. The only time I was ever down there was over fourty years ago and a bit of a nightmare trip in an old articulated lorry to collect some surplus radio equipment from a disposal unit at an RAF camp. | |
|
Tuesday 9th September 2008 |
|
| 0015: - I think the computer is repaired but I will not be sure until it has run for a couple of days or so without any failures. I have put an alternative operating system and software on the second hard drive with instructions of how to boot into it if required. At least I learnt a little more whilst working on the PC. I learnt not to lean the chair back on two legs whilst waiting for the computer to complete an update. Luckily there was something soft at the back of me so there was no harm done apart from the fright it gave me. Even managed to mow the lawn between installations and updates. Luckily we had purchased some insect wipes whilst South which proved very effective against the midges which came out in force during the latter part of the day. Better get to bed as I will have to be up again in just over six hours. They say that there is no rest for the wicked, but I find that there is little rest for the good folk like me either. ----------------------------------------- A rather dull and overcast day though I did see the odd patch of sunlight but unfortunately not over Graemsay. Today is the day that the wool is shipped on the noon cargo boat and for the last few years it has always rained as the boat was arriving. ------------------------------- Went over on the cargo boat and for the first time for a long time the wool was loaded in the dry and the cargo didn't require the customary tarpaulin cover. After completing the task I went over for I called at the 'Royal' for a couple of pints and found the Belhaven beer in good form. It is certainly raining tonight though and I was contemplating having to go down the garden to the workshop to get a couple of catalogues that I had left down there this morning. I didn't fancy getting wet but the problem has just been resolved as Sandra called in and agreed to get them for me. She was going down to the post office in any case which has now moved from the 'Clett' to right next door to the other half of the workshop building down the garden. It makes it far easier to get to work and they have made the place quite comfortable and well laid out. Desk and computer nicely laid out for the post mistress and a built in desk unit for croft related office use. They have reserved the corner behind the door for me, but at least they gave me a spot inside. Pat has just returned from the 'fat cat's club' so I'll go see if there is any chance of a coffee. --------------------------------- I am hoping to catch up with answering emails that have built up over the last three weeks before the weekend, so if anybody hasn't had a reply by Friday night to any correspondence please drop me a note to remind me. I seem to be getting more forgetful by the day. When we came back from the holiday it took me a while to sort out using the TV remote, never mind what is where on the computer. | |
|
Monday 8th September 2008 |
|
|
0700 - Back at work this morning after getting home on Friday but no time
to update the diary due to a mountain of jobs plus Cathy's birthday party at
Fillets on Saturday night. A real good night and the food was delicious,
evidently most of the food was prepared by Andrew Ritch who had done an
excellent job. It spoilt what should have been the start of a new diet
period after all the food I had eaten whilst away and I now weigh between
seven and eight pounds more than before we went South. Up like a lark this
morning but this was partly due to my alarm clock being an hour fast. Was it
a fault or was it done on purpose? Just got some work to get finished on a faulty computer for a pal and then I should be back to something near normal. It would be easy if the darned thing would just stop altogether but it's an intermittent fault so it takes some time with the testing. |
|
|
HOLIDAYS - 16th August to 8th September |
|
|
Friday 15th August 2008 |
|
| 0700 - Usual start to a day of travelling and I was awake at 0530. It's a beautiful morning and looking out of the window and seeing the West Hill lit up golden red I reckon it would have been a real pretty sunrise but I was too lazy to walk to the other side of the house to take a look. Not sure what the formatting will be like on any updates whilst I am away as I will be using a new portable program which I have only just installed on my usb pen and have not yet tried. Not sure when I will get access to a computer but I'll have plenty of access once I get down to my old pals place as he has a few jobs lined up for me and some are with computers. It's like a step back in time as I remember him getting some of his old radio equipment almost fifty years ago and he still expects me to service it as he purchased some of the items from me. I just wonder how long he expects a guarantee to last? | |
|
Thursday 14th |
|
| 0700 - A dull grey morning but at least the wind has dropped away and it is not cold. Still aiming to get away on holiday the morn. Still lots to do before we manage it and half of the problem will be trying to remember all the jobs that must be done plus what needs packing to take with us. --------------------------------------- 2345 - Just about got ready for the start of our holiday. Catching the 11:00 Hamnavoe to Scrabster and then nothing planned apart from it might be better to travel South as the road to the North doesn't go very far. Feeling rather tired and got to be up at 7:00 for the post so better go try to sleep but I find it hard when I am thinking about the trip the morn. What have I forgotten is the thoughts going through my mind just now though I do know I have to go down to the workshop for something in the morning but just cannot remember what. It was in my mind a while ago and I thought should I go now or wait for the morn, decided on the latter which seems to have been a mistake. | |
|
Wednesday 13th August h 2008 |
|
| 0630 - Just took a stroll outside and though the sun was out for a minute the sky had a distinctly unsettled look. I had my camera with me yesterday when I spotted a male Hen Harrier just getting up from a fence post, an ideal photo opportunity but too much haste with getting the camera out of the case soon altered that. I unzipped the wrong part of the camera bag and by the time I had sorted it out the bird was out of sight. I'll carry the camera with me this morning so it is almost certain I'll see nothing. | |
|
Tuesday 12th August h 2008 |
|
| 0700 - The chaps to dig and install the BT cable for the post office are due on this mornings boat. Just hope the midges aren't as bad as yesterday or else they will have a miserable time of it. Lots of cables and water pipes for them to cross with the chosen path so I am hoping all goes well. --------------------------------------- 1230 - The job seems to be going well after a more easy and safer route was planned and a longer roll of cable was requested which is now in place and just to be covered. | |
|
Monday 11th August h 2008 |
|
| 0700 - A cloudy but dry start to the day and I am just hoping it stays that way as there is quite a few outside jobs to see to before we depart on our holidays. Just had a quick look on the ship plotter and see he still off Eday on the Harald. ----------------------------------------- 1230 - Not feeling too happy just now due to the midges which are not as bad as some years but bad enough. I started to mow the lawn but soon gave up with that idea, warm day with damp grass and midges. Too uncomfortable to work outside and too warm indoors which is a good excuse for not doing a lot. I am getting quite good at doing that as well, or so the womenfolk keep telling me, good for doing nothing. | |
|
Sunday 10th August h 2008 |
|
| 0900 - Wet but not windy this morning and I am just waiting for Pat to get out of bed and make a cuppa. I made her a cup of tea yesterday morning whilst she stayed in bed so now it must be her turn. Just checked to see what Michael jnr is up to and see that they are near Eday towing the barge which is doing work related to tidal energy. He is on the Harald this week though he is down as crew for the Einar. ---------------------------------------1700 - I have spent most of the day carrying on sorting the workshop out and apart from being very dirty I also have aching feet which must be with the stone floor. I must get it finished and some carpeting down though I am not sure how I will go on with the wood lathe. I wonder if an overhead cooker hood with a large extractor fan would do the job? Everything on the main PC down there is self start and as soon as I get back from holiday I will install the web server and have the webcam updates at two seconds to start with until I sort out the streaming video as I am not sure which is the best software to use. I am also not happy with the video capture card that I recently got and may pick up another when south. The usb video capture unit is fine but only has the one input and I intend to have at least two cameras on together. Ted, Pat's brother phoned earlier in the day and should be arriving either Friday or the following Tuesday. We are not sure when we are going now but it's either Wednesday or Friday night with a slight possibility it might be the Wednesday following. | |
|
Saturday 9th August h 2008 |
|
| 0630 - It's not a bad day outside, cloudy but calm and not cold so we will have to see if it turns out to be the wet'n windy day that is forecast which will not suit the folk that go to the county show. I haven't been for a good few years and my memories of going seem to be of wet and muddy conditions so I will definitely not be going today either. Was woken by the noise of cattle just outside and found it to be one of the animals that got loose yesterday when kye were being shipped along with a calf that got out of the field next to us. The calf was shouting at it's mother across the fence and the ones in the field were all taking up the chorus. At least it got me out of bed and up for a brisk but rather short walk and Pat benefited by getting an early cup of tea served in bed. I did think that she would have got up and made me a pot of tea whilst I was outside, but that was wishful thinking on my part. ------------------------------------------------1230 - Well it's wet'n windy and I have been listening to Radio Orkney coming from the County show whilst doing odd jobs in the workshop. Just listening made me feel made me feel the cold and I am glad I wasn't tempted to go. I got the personal web server up and running ok but I think I may leave it until after I return from my holiday before switching it on just in case anything goes wrong. I have set the shuttle PC to auto start the appropriate software for uploading the ship plotter to the various sites just in case of any power supply glitches. I have a large commercial UPS to alleviate this problem but it is in need of new batteries and as it weighs almost 1 cwt I will leave it until Michael jnr is at home to do the lifting. Just going to get Pat to make me a snack and then back down the garden to see what else wants doing. ------------------------------------- 1815 - Done a fair bit more sorting out down in the workshop and left the shuttle PC so that it will boot back up automatically after power outages as I discovered that the UPS needs six 12v 10am batteries. It is actually two sets in parallel of three in series giving 36v so I might just use three car batteries mounted externally. Just got that PC done when I started moving the second one into a more convenient position when the power failed. I thought initially it was something I had done, but it turned out to be a power outage. We had four in about thirty minutes so I have shut the workshop up for the night. Just hope it doesn't go off later as I like to watch 'Foyles War' on TV. I was watching the Russian news in English on JLC's internet TV whilst I was working . Not a bad piece of software and I found a channel about steam trains with some stunning scenery. At one bit I was watching TV, listening to the County show on Radio Orkney and altering the PC setup. No wonder things go pear shaped, and with that in mind I'll go see if Pat is making a coffee. | |
|
Friday 8th August h 2008 |
|
| 0700 - We have friends visiting today, but not sure which boat they will arrive on. First is Graham's sister Val with husband Dave, that is Graham who used to live at the Manse. Also Sandra's brother Lawrence and family from Bressay in Shetland are coming for the day but they are arriving on the noon boat I think. Spent a little time yesterday getting one of the PC's set up as a web server which seemed to be operating ok but I'll test it for a few days before putting it live for everyone. I'll run it in parallel with the present server for a good while until I am reasonably happy with it. I checked just before going to bed at midnight and found that the ship plotter was uploading ok to the 'www.shipais.com' site but had stopped sending info to my own site at 2030. I was watching 'The Bill' on the TV at the time so it wasn't anything I had done though I had rebooted the system just before 8:00pm due to a Kaspersky update that required it. What sometimes happens is that the program that uploads to my site cannot upload occasionally and if this happens a few times it throws a wobbly. Running my own server just for the webcam and ship plotter will eliminate this problem, or I hope so. ------------------------------------------ Everybody arrived and it turned out to be a very good day with plenty of coffee to drink which seemed to brighten the day up no end. I think it was the black milk that helped! | |
|
Thursday 7th August h 2008 |
|
| 0620 - Didn't get much chance to write much yesterday as I had taken two of the PC's to re-install both operating systems and software. I also took down the ship plotter antenna and webcam for a service. The ship plotter is operational again and using the small shuttle PC which is now running windows xp pro instead of vista. The webcam will have to wait for a short while as I cannot get the four input video capture card to work as though the system sees it, the software doesn't. The usb video input adapter works, so I could always use that if I get fed up with installing and uninstalling different drivers. Sandra is taking Becky to Kirkwall to do some clothes shopping ready for her starting school in a couple of weeks and we are having James and Katy for the day so if the weather holds I will be playing in the garden. This will make a break from the computers, which I suppose will be a good thing. There's no post today as it is a local holiday for the 'Dounby show' though twice in previous years mail has been put out by mistake and I have had to dash to the pier after a call from Stevie asking where the hell am I. As there is not supposed to be post I turned off the alarm clock but ended up waking far earlier than normal. --------------------------- 0745 - Just returned from a walk on Sandside beach and then on round the island roadway with Max the dog. Some folk ask if the dog is good with the sheep but we have to explain that no he is not. Just doesn't answer as quick as the rest of us when Sandra shouts instructions. I was thinking of getting Sandra to give my hair a trim before I go South on holiday next week but I reckon I'll wait and get a weather forecast first. Did see that in lots of places round the road that the weeds are growing through the newly laid road surface. Quite bad in a couple of places and could do with killing off before they ruin the surface. | |
|
Wednesday 6th August h 2008 |
|
| 0700 - Last night I dropped Pat off at the 'Fat cat's Club', normally I return home after dropping her off. But this time I went to the Horn to visit Ethel and had a coffee plus a couple of Ethel's drams before returning home at 2130 to be met by Sandra who told me that she had left the doors to our house wide open after calling to see me and finding the gas cooker left switched on but not lit. If you had gone in and switched on the light you may have been blown to kingdom come she said, makes you think doesn't it!. It looks like another dry start to the day, though I haven't been outside as yet. | |
|
Tuesday 5th August h 2008 |
|
| 0700 - Nice dry start to the morning and let us hope it lasts as there is workers coming to dig in a telephone cable. This means passing over or under cables and water pipes, so if the ship plotter or webcam go off unexpectedly you will have an idea of what may have caused it. --- Wasn't quite as dry as it looked, the grass was quite wet when I went down the garden. --------------------------------------- 1030 - Well the men to lay the telephone cable failed to get off the morning boat even though Arthur was there with the tractor and trailer that they had requested. A phone call to find out what had happened brought the response that they were too busy this week so had put it off until next week! Just to avoid confusion it is a private contractor and not British telecom that are laying the cable. | |
|
Monday 4tAugust h 2008 |
|
| Managed to get round with the mower and started with the strimmer to do the edges but then the rain arrived and stopped work. A nut holding the steering on the motorized mower (mean machine) came adrift and I wondered what the h**l was happening. Good job I wasn't cutting on the cliff edge at the time, I feel nervous when doing them bits just in case I hit an unseen hole in the grass. Them womenfolk might have been out with a spade when I wasn't looking, maybe I shouldn't have told them of the extra life insurance that I recently heard I was due upon dying. I was pleased when I first read the letter, until I realized it wouldn't be doing me a lot of good. I always remember an uncle who was a single man, when he realized he was dying at an early age he cashed in all his insurance policies. My mum said to him, but what about when you do go, with nothing left to take care of things. Not many left lying around on top was the answer he gave. | |
|
Sunday 3rd August 2008 |
|
| 0730 - A wet start to the day with just forty of the sheep left to shear, but fortunately I am not needed and can carry on with my own little jobs. I would have liked to carry on tidying around the workshop and cutting the grass in the corner which hasn't been done before. I did make a start yesterday and just one good half day would have seen it finished. Still, there is plenty of tidying in the workshop as Becky says that granddads place is anything but tidy. She says it with the woeful shake of the head that women must spend hours practicing. ------------------------------ 1530 - Got quite a bit of tidying up done down the garden and even managed to cut the grass on the triangle in front of the lighthouse. I had to do that with no grass collector box on as though it is red hot out there, the grass is still quite wet. If it dries up in the next hour I'll nip to the end of the road and do Sian's and then the garden here before covering the machine up ready for the next set of showers that are forecast. ----------------------------- Got Sian's grass cut but that was all. | |
|
Saturday 2nd August 2008 |
|
| 0010 - Didn't get chance to do much writing yesterday as I spent all afternoon fitting a new hard drive in the shuttle PC and installing Windows XP Pro plus all the updates. Everything went fine apart from the audio doesn't work due to the drivers being the wrong ones. Windows update found updated drivers and they didn't work either. When this machine had vista ultimate installed, the windows update found vista drivers that worked. The unit was a barebones system with an asus motherboard but the only sites I find with much information are Japanese, but when translated they give no helpful information. Afterwards I took Pat and Mary from Windywalls shopping to Kirkwall, catching the 1645 biat to Stromness and coming back on the 2130 pub run boat. It seems when we got off the boat in Stromness they were called to go tow the Stromness lifeboat in, as she had suffered engine failure. --------------------------------------- 0930 - Got up just at the back of 7:00 and started to tidy up the workshop whilst also searching for audio drivers etc for the small shuttle computer. This meant using the google translator to convert from a good few languages with the Japanese being the harder to follow. I found plenty of other folk in the same boat as far as the lack of suitable drivers was concerned but eventually found an ftp site which had a lot of asus motherboard drivers. Feeling a good bit better about eventually getting all the website programs on the one PC with a personal web server for the cameras. I have to break off some time later to help Sandra catch the last of the flock that needs shearing, not my favourite pastime. ---------------------------- 1530 - Just come in for a sit down at the computer and read the days news online as we don't get Sunday papers until tomorrow night. Just spent two hours chasing b****y sheep round and round - Just been broken off - Sandra has arrived and having a beer, not be right for her to drink on her own! | |
|
Friday 1st August 2008 |
|
| 0700 - According to the weather forecast we are to get the best of the weather but it doesn't look like we will get to see the eclipse of the sun this morning. Michael is away this morning for his two weeks on the tug and they are to go round to Kirkwall to escort a visiting cruise ship for their first job. It would seem that they get a bit of variety in the job and I see the tug Harald is back round to Loch Ewe on the West coast. | |
|
Thursday 31st July 2008 |
|
| 0700 - Dry and slightly misty start to the day but not sure what the weather forecast is for today. They don't seem to have got it quite right for the last couple of weeks so it is back to looking out of the window to see what it looks like. -----------------------------------------1530 - With Pat being across for the swimming I thought I would have a spring clean on the PC's and after getting broken off for a few minutes made a complete mess of it. Amongst other things I lost the CD wallet that holds the driver cd's and then when I found it had forgotten which motherboard was in the PC I was doing. Then I spent ages looking for my usb pen with the required utilities on to sort out the mess, when I found it I dropped the end cap off it and still not found that. Not really one of my better days so far, just hope it gets a bit better. ------------------------- It didn't, went to make a coffee and spilt the milk before pouring the milk on the coffee granules without the hot water. Three glasses of sherry and two of spiced rum seem to have helped the day improve a bit though. | |
|
Wednesday 30th July 2008 |
|
| 0700 - The barbecue went well last night with a bonfire down on the beach in Sandside Bay and the weather held out until quite late when the fog returned. ------------------------------- 1900 - Been a beautiful warm and sunny day but feeling tired after last nights do. I ordered a spare hard drive for the dedicated web server/webcam/ship plotter computer as I would like to get this operational before I depart on my holidays. I also got round to the computer which is being used just now and made it auto reboot and run all needed programs in the event of a power outage. | |
|
Tuesday 29th July 2008 |