Month: June 2016

It’s Called Tomorrow–10 June 2016

Posted on by Zogman

10 June2

Today was the first port of call on this year’s cruise, Vigo.  We’d been there before, we’ve been to all the ports on this cruise before, some more than once.  We had breakfast in the sit down restaurant as opposed to the buffet (where you also sit down to eat, but one of the ladies at our table this morning called it the ‘smash & grab’ restaurant, I understand that).  After that, we made our way off the ship on to dry land.  I remembered most of the layout of the town.  It’s a straggly layout, spread over the side of a hill which rises up to a citadel at the top.  We weren’t going there.  We weren’t going to the park we visited last time either.  It was a bit overgrown and untidy looking.  Scamp grumped most of the way there, but agreed there was a great view from the top.  I liked it.  I like Vigo too.  It reminds me more of an Italian town than a Spanish one.  It’s very laid back, taking things easy, the Italian way.  Anyway, we walked up the hill a bit, but avoided the park.  I was looking for a cafe with free WiFi to send my previous two blogs.  We had passed a couple of them on the way up.  On the way down again, we took a few turnings to bring us down near the harbour.  Finally we found a cafe with the free WiFi sign and got two coffees and the password.  It didn’t work.  No combination of the numbers, space or dashes made the slightest difference.  It wasn’t a big deal.  I was happy to pay for the coffee and continue our walk, but Scamp was determined to find a place for me to upload the blog.  Finally we got back to where we had started our circumnavigation of the centre of the town, and she was off.  She knew where there was a free WiFi cafe.  It turned out to be a lovely cafe called Cosmos Cafe.  I had a beer, Scamp had a red wine.  I got the password and it worked.  I uploaded the blog, then we decided to have tapas for lunch (Cooked ham with paprika and sea salt, Chicken Fajita and Tortilla [tortilla was also the password for the WiFi!]).  Scamp had another red wine and I had one too.  Sitting in the sun eating tapas and drinking wine under a blue sky in Spanish Spain.  That’s the life.

We walked back to the ship and found some more streets we’d passed down in our previous visit a few years ago.  When we got back, we went to the Smash & Grab (that name is catching) for a coffee, then went looking for a couple of sunbeds from which to watch the sailaway party.  We weren’t long sitting when this fat, overexcited camp ‘entertainer’ got up on stage and started shouting and screaming his excitement into the mike.  Obviously nobody had told him that with a mike, you didn’t need to shout, that’s what the mike is for, duh!  From then it was mayhem.  One side of the ship versus the other to see who could do the best Macarena and who could shout the loudest.  Oh, spare me!  We left. I had forgotten to pack my earplugs.

Dinner in the sit down dining room.  I found myself next to a woman who had been in the art class and we spent most of the time discussing what paints we used and what we painted.  A woman across from us with a wig made from steel wool, well, that’s what it looked like to us and her granddaughter(?) were from Ayr and they had flown down from Prestwick.  As Dylan said “A question in my nerves was lit …”.  Were these two the couple who held us up in Glasgow on Wednesday morning?  The two who had decided to fly down and not tell the bus company?  I hope not, because contrary to what you’d think, steel wool is very flammable!!

After dinner we went to see the Piano Brothers.  Not the comedy act I’d expected, but a pair of very talented pianists.  Scamp was entranced.

We decided to go see if we could get some salsa played to dance to in the Atrium.  Yes, the lady said, they could organise some SOLSA.  I didn’t want to correct her, and we did dance, very badly.  Scamp’s heart, for some reason, was not in it.  I was too cautious of causing more damage to her weakened right shoulder and basically we were crap.  After that, the night was a dead loss.

While we were finishing off our tapas in the afternoon, I noticed a bloke with a paper carrier bag.  This was on the side of it:

“Life always offers you a second chance.  It’s called Tomorrow.”

I hope that’s true.

Lisbon tomorrow.  Portuguese Custard Tarts here we come!

All at sea – 9 June 2016

Posted on by Zogman

10 June

Today was the first sea day.  Usually a boring day with little going on aboard ship apart from trying to get a decent place for a sunbed away from the wind.  Today wasn’t like that.  Firstly, for a change, there were quite a lot of interesting things on the day sheet.  Secondly, the wind was from the south at 20mph and we were heading south, almost straight into the wind at 20knots which gave an effective wind on deck of around 38mph or gale force to make it simpler to understand.  I saw a few sad looking folk near one of the swimming pools huddled under towels trying to look as if they were sunbathing.  They weren’t fooling anyone.  As we were crossing Bay of Biscay, the sea was in a bad mood with the ship doing ‘rockyboats’ all day.  This caused tidal waves in the pool which made the poor windbathers even more uncomfortable.

The pitching and rolling of the ship also made the painting class I went to a bit more interesting than it should have been.  The tutor, Julie King was teaching washes in watercolour and although most of it was well known to me, I did pick up a few tips that I’ll make use of.  She seemed a bit snooty as did some of the participants.  Most of whom claimed that they had ‘done a little’ then unrolled their brush rolls with 27 odd brushes in every shape and form known to mankind.  Strangely though, they were all painting with Cotman paints which are deemed to be student quality.  I’ve used a wee white Cotman box for years, but prefer the fuller colour of the artists quality paints now.  Only two of us were using artists quality paints and we were rather ignored my Ms King.  I’ve read one of her books before on painting flowers, in fact I’ve got one at home.  Like most of these people, meeting her in the flesh was a bit disappointing.  I got the distinct impression she was teaching this course as a kindness to those less able than herself.  Maybe she sees it as a charitable action.  She probably doesn’t even know she’s a dobber!

Lunch in the ‘cooncil’ restaurant and it was really good.  Too much again.  I must watch my intake.  I don’t want to be rolled down the gangway at Southampton!  After lunch, during which I’d been joking about how to cause a riot on a ship was to shout “DOLPHINS!” or even better “IS THAT A DOLPHIN OR A WHALE??!!”, we went for a walk round the ‘blunt end’ (Technical Term), I suddenly spotted a dolphin jumping clean out or the water.  I shouted “DOLPHINS” and Scamp said “Aye right”, that famous Scottish Boolean double negative that is a positive.  (Two wrongs never make a right unless you’re NANDing in Boolean).  Anyway, I was right.  We were just passing a school of dolphins, and not just one, there were two or three.  Must have been a school outing!

Maybe as karma for those bitchy thoughts about Ms King, but after lunch I got struck down with a ‘dose of the runs’.  Nothing serious, and it might have been from breakfast.  It also might have been what the Captain said in one of his talks yesterday.  “If you’ve touched something that other people may have touched, wash your hands before they go anywhere near your mouth.”  Sound advice.  I took it to heart this afternoon once the ‘Di Horrea Hi Hay’ as Billy Connolly called it had been washed out of my system by copious amounts of water.  I know this probably falls into the too much information category, but just remember: “Let he/she who is without sin cast the first stone”.  Karma will always get you in the end.  Mixing my religions there a bit.  Sorry Neil D’.

Went to a Cha-Cha dancing lesson later and enjoyed it.  Scamp had already been to a ballet class.  Opera singer yesterday, ballet today.  We’re quite the culture vultures.

Tonight was a formal night, so it was highland dress for me and gold and black cocktail dress for Scamp.  Enjoyed dinner.  Even sampled Scamp’s lobster and haven’t felt any side effects, so it will probably be ok to order it for myself next time.  The show tonight was a dance spectacular and spectacular is what it was.  Sea is a bit rough tonight, so is the price for WiFi on board.  Two hours would cost the unwary £35!!  I will try to find myself a cafe advertising free WiFi tomorrow and for the price of a cup of coffee and a pastry will post this.  If you’re reading this, then I probably have been successful.

Update:
Posted on 10th June from Cosmos café in Vigo.  Sitting here with a beer or cerveza I should say.  Scamp, of course has a red wine.  Sunny and warm after a rather rough crossing of the Bay of Biscay.

A very early rise–8 June 2016

Posted on by Zogman

9 June

4.15am. I didn’t think such a time existed, but here we are sitting in a bus of grey hairs ready to head off for Southampton in search of more sun now that ours looks as if it will soon be in short supply. I just hope we don’t have to wait for anyone who has made a last minute decision to stay at home and luxuriate under grey skies.

Well, it’s just after 8am and we’ve just had our first stop near the lakes in a heavy mist. We did get away on time although one pair had decided to fly down rather than slum it on the coach. Unfortunately they didn’t tell the company. I was impressed by the fact that the driver made the decision to leave on time rather than wait. THEN the second driver phoned the folk to tell them he had left without them. That’s the way to do it.

Big holdup outside Manchester. Seem to be making up time now. By the Time Now is 10.35. Glad I’m not driving today.

Despite our holdup, we arrived only 15 minutes late in Southampton and with P&O’s usual efficiency were boarded in no time at all.  Our cabin is quite small, but bright and airy.  It was worth holding out for an outside cabin IMO.  Wandered round the ship to find lunch and shared a table with a London(?) couple who were also veterans of cruising.  After that, the inevitable lifeboat drill that is not the best part of the trip.  However, it is a necessary evil. 

When the drill was completed, and we returned our ‘Mae Wests’ to the cabin, we went on deck to watch the ‘Sailaway’.  P&O almost seem embarrassed to take part in this.  They say there is a sailaway party, but apart from a DJ playing music, there’s no ‘party’.  No enthusiasm, no flag waving, nothing. 

We were doing Freedom Dining for the first time and it seemed to work.  Some of the people at our table were a bit stand-offish to start with, but once got started chatting they were fine.  From there we went to the theatre where Scamp wanted to see an opera singer.  He was a New Zealander and very good.  Then I realised I didn’t have my camera bag.  I’d left it in the dining room.  Dived back to the other end of the ship and, after explaining to the person in charge, found it where I’d left it under the table!!

We went and watched the sunset after that and then had a drink in the piano bar on deck 16 (top deck).  Scamp had a Strawberry Daquari and I had a Mojito.  Then it was time for bed.  Clocks go forward an hour tomorrow.

Blackout – 7 June 2016

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E6070097- flickr--159Today we were due to have heavy rain in the afternoon. It’s 5.30pm now and it’s still not rained – touch wood. We were also promised thunderstorms and again, touch wood we have had none. We had initially intended having lunch at Vecchia Bologna, but then Scamp suggested we just wait for a while and go to Milano instead. We waited, and then I noticed that the wifi on the laptop had switched off. I checked the modem and there lay the problem. The modem was off. Switched on the lights and they refused to light. Then I realised that someone’s house alarm was wailing away somewhere. Oops, it looks like it’s a power outage. So it didn’t look like we were going to Milano because all of Cumbernauld was out. Also, it was too late to go to Vecchia Bologna now. What I did was try to complete today’s Sudoku (failed!) and Scamp soaked up what might be the last of our June sun. I was amazed at the total quiet (once the house alarm had switched off) with no electrical appliances. You get so used to the hum of the fridge, the freezer, even the TIVO box. Such a lovely quiet. After about an hour, the freezer chugged into life and immediately switched off again. So, they were at the problem and working on it. Less than 30 minutes later the power was restored and the peace was broken by the combined hum and rattle of the various electrical appliances starting up again. The distant house alarm added its wail to the cacophony. Too late now to go to Milano. Oh well.

Took a walk over to St Mo’s to get a PoD and saw Mr Grey gasping rather than basking in the sun. Not a lot of sun by then, it was getting a bit cloudier and felt a bit close too. Uncomfortable. I actually felt sorry for Mr G. Saw more dragonflies, but they were busy flying around and attempting to make more dragonflies for next year and too quick for me.

Didn’t get to Milano. Didn’t get to Vecchia Bologna. Just about to tuck in to Charlie Bigham’s Fish Pie..That will do nicely.

Extra! Extra! – 6 June 2016

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6 june bI got the train in to Glasgow today.  The fast train, but also a bit of mystery tour.  What should have been a 15 min journey took just over half an hour.  The reason was the closure of the tunnel at Queen Street Station.  They are electrifying the line and are using that as a chance to repair the tunnel that hasn’t had any decent work done in it for over forty years.  I knew it would be a long journey, but I wanted to experience the trip through stations I hadn’t been to in ages.  Ashfield, Dawsholm Park, Maryhill.  All names from the past.  I quite enjoyed it.

I’d gone in to Glasgow to get a 37mm UV filter for my new toy, the 12-32mm lens.  This 37mm diameter piece of glass cost me £18 in Merchant City Cameras in Parnie Street.  That’s almost 50p per millimeter.  Ok, pedants, I know it’s not really 50p per mm, but 3.4p per mm² doesn’t have the same gravitas!

While I was coming to terms with the hole this filter had made in my finances, I noticed the crowd outside the Trans Europe Cafe in Parnie Street.  It looked like a Lights, Camera, Action thing and after talking to one of the extras, well, I think he was an extra, it wasn’t Johnny Depp.  I’m sure I’d have notice him if he was there.  Anyway, the extra told me that it was a comedy being made for Netflix.  I don’t think I’ll ever see it, because we don’t have a Netflix, just a ‘cooncil telly’.

Got the rattliest bus ever home and sat in the garden to soak up as much of the sun as possible while Gems went through their paces.  Thunder storms and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow.  Coming home from salsa tonight, even the CITRAC signs were forecasting heavy rain and they are never wrong (sarcasm).

Down Glasgow Green – 5 June 2016

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5 JuneIt was such a beautiful day, we just drove down Glasgow Green and wandered through to the McLellan arch and back along the river on the park side this time, not the Gorbals side like we did a few weeks ago. That was a bit strange. It seemed to be Ladies Day on the river with only a very few men out rowing.  We’re sitting in the People’s Palace now. Near the door to get the benefit of the cooling breeze. We usually avoid these seats because of the cold draught. Not today.

After that gentle exercise, we drove home and while Scamp did a bit of sun worshipping, I went out on the bike and cycled down to Auchinstarry (because I reckoned I wouldn’t get parked – I would have) and from there along the canal which is where I was and photographed Mrs Mallard and her seven wee ducklings out for a paddle.  I simply couldn’t pass up that opportunity now, could I?  From there it was all uphill.  Up the first tough climb from the canal to Twechar itself, then the long slog up to the Drumgrew bridge.  I stopped off there for some water.  This was the first stop from the canal at Twechar and I’m quite proud of it.  Had a wee rest in the garden after my run.  My legs are sore tonight, but I enjoyed it.  May go in to Glasgow tomorrow to get a UV filter for the new lens.  Saves me using and losing the tiny wee lens cap.  Best make good use of the sun as it looks like drizzle on Tuesday.  Oh dear!

Testing Again – 4 June 2016

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4 JuneThe new lens was due to arrive between 3pm and 4pm so we had time to kill today.  The day had started with heavy cloud, bit without the rain that had been predicted.  However as the day wore on, the clouds lifted and the sun shone, but there was a cool breeze, so rather than sit in the garden as we’ve been doing recently, we did our phase one packing.  Just to see how much we could lob into these canvas bags.  How more efficient they are than the big heavy rectangular boxes my mum and dad had to drag on holiday with them.  No rolling wheels for them, no, they had to carry them.  Going on holiday was a tough business in the old days.

<Technospeak>
The lens arrived on time and I took a two or three shots.  They looked as good as the reviews had predicted.  This lens is a 12 – 32mm zoom and this equates to a 24 – 64mm in 35mm terms.  On a 35mm camera, a standard lens is anything between 35mm and 60mm, so this lens covers this with a little more on the short end.  In other words, it’s a wide standard lens, a kit lens.  It doesn’t do anything very special, but it does it very, very well.  Those two or three shots showed that it was really sharp.  It provided the sharpness of a prime lens with the versatility of a zoom.  It looks like it’s going to be locked on to one of the Olys for some time to come.
</Technospeak>

All of the photos in the matrix were taken with it today.

JIC and Hazy: The one top right is all that’s left of the Adventure Playground on the path to Condorrat.  They’ve taken out all the old stuff.  Now we wait to see what will replace it with.

Spent the rest of the afternoon coaxing, first the Mac and then the new Linx tablet, to work properly.  The Mac problem is iTunes.  My least favourite Mac prog.  I applied an update this morning, something I rarely do.  After that I kept getting a popup telling me that something to do with the dock had crashed.  After checking on the net, it turns out that everyone else who has the problem links it to the same iTunes update.  Apple, I don’t expect this of you.
The Linx problem was that some of the apps wouldn’t load any more.  When Control Panel failed to load with an error that looked like the progeny of half the alphabet and an international telephone number, I knew it was time to restore it.  Unfortunately the restore got to 95% and got stuck.  I restarted it and it worked a bit better.  The apps loaded, but Control Panel still failed.  I’ve downloaded  the restore from the Linx site.  If I have time tomorrow, I’ll install it and see if that helps.  Microsoft, I do expect this of you!

Looking for warm sun tomorrow.

The Gas Man Cometh – 3 June 2016

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DSC_5892- flickr--155The Gas Man came to fix the (Not So) Smart Meter that would not only mean no meter reading for us and no estimated bills either.  The actual meters had been installed about a month ago by another Gas Man, but he couldn’t get the electricity and gas meters to talk to one another.  This GM, after a couple of hours work and frustrated phone calls, got them to talk to one another, but they resolutely wouldn’t talk to the server.  It wasn’t his fault.  As usual with these things, it was the server that was down, so he apologised and arranged yet another appointment to (hopefully) complete the installation.  We have volunteered to have these gizmos installed and it’s causing all these problems.  How many more problems will rear their heads when the whole country has them fitted as the Gas and Electricity companies seem determined to do.

Once the Gas Man had gone, we went out for a run.  Scamp wanted to go for coffee to her usual place at Robroyston and maybe drop in to Staples to get a memory upgrade for the Windows 10 tablet.  Instead, I took her to the Tea House on the Loch in Gartcosh.  Tea and Cream Scones on the veranda with a sunny view over Johnston Loch.  Hopefully we’ll be back, but not until the dandelion parachutes or the willowherb fluff that was blowing in the breeze have gone.

Spotted Mr Grey waking from an afternoon roost in the trees surrounding St Mo’s pond later and got a few decent grab shots with the Nikon and the Tamron lens.

New lens on order from MPB (yes, another one!)  Should arrive tomorrow.  Looking forward to using it.  Don’t know where we’re going tomorrow.  It depends on the weather (light rain forecast!!) and when the lens arrives.

Another hot day – 2 June 2016

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2 june bAnother sunny day although in the late afternoon and evening the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped significantly.

Back in the morning, I went to meet Fred and we had a couple of coffees while we set the world, the education system and some of our previous colleagues on a better path to success. If only people would listen to us …!

In the afternoon, Scamp and I went to Glasgow and it was almost uncomfortably hot in the car. I really must get the air-con fixed before we head south. I was going to get a bit more memory for the new tablet/laptop and a hard disk to back my photos to. I got myself another pair of shorts, because I do need them in this warm weather. Scamp talked herself into a new pair of sandals. We both had milk shakes in Nero, although mine was more of a cafe freddo. I’m going to start making cold coffee again in the jug Hazy got me. What I didn’t get was a hard drive or a chunk of memory.

Went for a quick walk over to St Mo’s later to get a PoD. Amazed to see that the adventure playground on the path to Condorrat had been completely dismantled and the ground levelled. It had been fenced off for a week or so, but I assumed that things would progress at the usual NLC speed. That meant I expected work to start after Christmas. There’s no indication of what, if anything, is to replace it. Surely not more houses?

It was fish suppers for dinner tonight and the strawberry vodka was delicious.

Back To School – 1 June 2016

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1 june bBack, but just visiting. A bit like the jail in the Monopoly board, it’s ok to visit, but I don’t want to go there. It was good to speak to former colleagues with a lot of friends among them, but it was even better to leave. I was only going to sign up for a retiral dinner for a two teachers who are making the best move they’ll ever make. Well, it is for Scamp and I anyway.

Other than that, I got some photos while I was out on a walk, but nothing spectacular.

The strangest shot I got was the one of the moth. I spotted it last night as I was going to bed, but it flew off before I could get a photo. I did get one clear photo this morning but I still can’t identify it. The unusual thing about it is the way the tail hooks over almost like a sting. It could be like the scorpion wasp that looks like a scorpion, but has no sting.

Today was another scorcher with temperature of 13.4c when I got up to make the breakfast this morning. The temperature increased to over 19c later in the day.

Looking forward to tasting our Strawberry Vodka tomorrow.