Back!!

Back after a weekend away...picked up the hire car on Friday evening then over at C's then down to dunfermline to put flowers at dad's grave..phone call to dad's neighbour..then on to South Lanarkshire....phew...that was a long drive...arrived about 4 pm. Heavy night on Saturday with James..saw John on Sunday (originally was for Monday am but he managed to get back home) and his lovely lady..chatted for a good while...chilled out in the evening with James and Georgina..early bed as I decided to leave at the same time as them this morning...7am...and head up to Perth to look at the roof repair I have just paid for (no cheques here so will probably end up taking folks to court)..drove through rush hour on M73/M74..that was interesting!!!

Back to flat..kip...shower...then take car back...as I had overestimated the fuel consumption the lad gave me an "IOU" for fuel the next time I hire a car with them..which was nice of him...back to flat..tidy up...here at the office...filing away and checking mail..hopefully get back to flat soon and chill...busy at work for the week...and show on Sunday evening.

I am becoming fixated with Facebook...the SURF Project does not help...so I thought I would make an entry here.

Interesting to see the effects of the credit crunch.,..previously in Strathaven we have gone out and the streets were full of folk...the pubs were rammed...especially the real ale pub..but this was different...no one out on the streets and one pub was actually empty!!...where were all the youngsters?...we even got a seat at the bar at the real ale pub...never before in all my days...good for us...bad for the manager!! James decided to go for 3 x "mixed pakora platters"...I finished mine..he struggled with his...and later vommed in the morning...all good but a late night especially after the long drive south..worth it though. It has been a year and a half since I was there....this time last year I was supposed to go but Georgina broke her leg...then we rescheduled to February this year but then all that happened with Dad...and this time C couldss not go but had I left it until the next free time that would have been next year because there is no way I am travelling in the snow again...nooooooooooooooooo way!!

So I am back.

Had last week off but couldn't work on the flat for a few days as I was sick as a dog...over work..not looking after myself I suppose...floored for a few days...luckily Jimmer was there so he kept on stripping wallpaper and woodchip while I was on light duties sorting out tac return and final stuff from dad's house. When I was feeling better I was out in the garden hacking back and cutting up ready for drying so I can burn it in November...far too much to remove so burn it is..great fun. So the flat is stripped back and everyone needs to make sure they don't touch the walls or you end up with a fine residue of plaster...like a ghost!...all a bit unsettling but we will get there...I have money left over from this trip but a tax bill...stamp duty..which I forgot about..so Jimmer may need to wait for the next session...at least the garden is done although I need to strim some of the weight of the grass off. I guess I could leave it but it would bug me over the winter...under all that snow the heavy grass is hiding!!!

Family life continues apace as usual and I am trying to be there on a regular basis but with everything going on it is quite difficult...hopeful the number of "things to do" hanging over me is diminishing so I can be there some more...all positive though...although the usual strops are commonplace now...he he..guess I just need some ear plugs.

My new bloody works phone is apparently at HQ..that has taken a month to happen...loss of contact with clients. friends and family is a right annoyance but hopefully my sim card will still hold some information...gutted if not.

I am now sporting a full set of lambchops...and C likes it so it will stay..well...until I get sick of it...where once it was fiery red I now have a mix of red, brown and grey...ah well..comes to us all I suppose.

The main pic here was taken as I walked around the South Trail at Calderglen Country Park..the place where I went for my very first seasonal post...some of the things there I had forgotten about...they replaced the bridge when I was there because some ne'er do wells had actually prised it apart and set on fire...this was a big structure so required a lot of effort...but I had forgotten about some of the boardwalk and the horse shoe falls...so was nice to get around....as I approached the little bridge (the path is troubled with flooding from the rocks above) the beech leaves which had falled down looked like it was actually copper water flooding from above and flowing down the contours of the hill just like water..so I took a pic!!!

There is a reunion planned for my Uni course but it is the middle of November..considering I am just back and will be away to Glasgow mid week soon..I don't think I can go. On the one hand it is disappointing but..on the other...when these things happen..a lot of the time people are lost for words...uncomfortable silence as everyone has changed and moved on...maybe facebook will have changed this..who knows...but I don't think I can go. I am off to Glasgow as we have made the shortlist for the Herald Awards...sponsored by the Glasgow Herald no less...for the work I do here with the Community Service Order guys...excellent...I shall tell them this week..what an achievement if we win...and all good for the cause for me in extending my post and attaining a big van!!!

Tara for now.

ps...the spelling system does not let me add words...so I am aware there are some typos!!