Skiing

This blog is rapidly turning into a list of winter sports and things not to do in the rain in Scotland. So, to continue it in the same vein - this weekend we've been skiing.

Or, more precisely, falling over in the snow.

We braved the rain in the hope that it would be snowing on the tops and it was. The Lecht Summit was all white and snowy. Winter Highland has pics from yesterday taken while we were there.

It was actually my first attempt at downhill skiing - I had a go at nordic skiing last winter - but I don't think it went too badly. My shoulders are sore from falling and dragging my arms backwards, but no real bruises.

We had to get towed out of the carpark by JCB, but the roads were gritted so it wasn't too bad getting home. I wasn't driving though.

Speaking of driving, I had a near miss in my lesson last week. A bus ran a red light while I was halfway over the crossroads. I only know how close it was by the fright my instructor took as it went behind us.

Cycling through rivers...

... is not necessarily a good idea.

This is me nearly falling in the river on the way back from Slugain Lodge. I cycled perfectly through two fords before he decided to photograph me.

bad weather cycling...

We didn't go walking in the end. The weather was just too miserable. We did manage to cycle as far as Slugain Lodge though. It would be very pretty up there in good weather and there are some good spots for wild camping.

It would be nice if the Lodge was in a useable condition. Even if it wasn't a proper bothy, just a sort of shepherd's shelter of four walls would help.

We meant to get up to Beinn a'Bhuird and tick another Munro off, but we'll have to try again. Maybe in the snow...

We didn't camp in Braemar overnight, after failing to find any room in a B&B we came back to Aberdeen. I drove as far as Ballater - my first drive at dusk - where the headlights got the better of me. Random Ballater fact: The Deeside railway line terminated there after Queen Victoria bought up the land along it's intended route to Braemar so that the tourists couldn't get too close to Balmoral.

Bad weather walking?

We're supposed to be going walking this weekend, over near Braemar. We're aiming to get up into the back of the Cairngorms.

Just one small problem... The weather is howling round Aberdeen and isn't supposed to get any better. And we've intended to wild camp on Saturday night.

The plan also includes going orienteering on Sunday morning. But maybe it will have rained itself out by then...

New Job

I also have a new job!

I started on staff on Monday after being on contract for a month.

House hunting

We've been starting to look for a house up in Aberdeen now the sale is going through on the one we had in Chesterfield.

We've been using the ASPC website. It has almost all the property for sale in Aberdeenshire on it.

Tonight we've seen two in the west of the city. Both 1950s granite bungalows to the same layout. They're both quite attractive. The first is cheaper and we can make more of a mark on it because it needs completely redecorating, the second is move-in-able, bigger and nicer but quite a bit more expensive.

Do we stretch ourselves to the expensive one we could stay in almost forever? Or do we go for the one we can afford to change to our taste?

A Dilemma.

Hopefully the Scottish system is slower than the English one, so we'll have a chance to think...

This is St Ninian's Bay, on Bute.

We went this weekend with some friends from Glasgow and stayed in his parents' holiday flat in Port Bannatyne.

Blogging again?

I have been meaning to blog again for absolutely ages... Getting a comment has prompted me to actually do it.

Well, we've been in Aberdeen for nearly four months now and I may be on the verge of finally getting a full time job. No conservation work, but hopefully a variety of building type and age - refurbishing nursing homes. I may be becoming an Architectural Technician... Same as my Dad...

We still haven't sold our house in Chesterfield. I'd really like it to go so we can get somewhere permanent up here. Our flat's nice, but renting isn't great when we've had our own house.

In answer to Zoe's comment question my husband doesn't work for BP. He's a Safety Engineer for a consultancy company based onshore. He won't have to go offshore very often which is probably a good thing - I get bored and watch far too much TV when I'm on my own.

!

That was easier than I thought!

New Life New Title?

I suppose I ought to change the title of this blog now I've moved house. My husband has gone and got himself a job in the oil industry so we've moved to Aberdeen. The Oil Capital of the North Sea (or something like - discounting any Norwegian claims).

Perhaps I should include a reference to being unemployed. Okay, it's only been a week but I want a job. I want one now. If any building conservation specialists who just happen to based in NE Scotland are reading this there's a spare architectural assistant with three years conservation experience sitting here...just waiting for your e-mail...

As for changing the title can I change the URL too? Without losing the archives and stuff? Hmm...will blogger help tell me how?

Exams

Oh, how I hate exams. Thankfully these will be my last for a while. Just a small (ahem) thesis to do next.

Four exams:
Building Pathology
Structural Engineering
Conservation Technology
Building Services

Starting tomorrow. Eek.

When the thesis is finally done and I can graduate, I just have to do two years work in an 'appropriate' job followed by the Assessment of Professional Competence. Then, maybe, I'll finally be a qualified Surveyor...

Give her a break

Maybe she just likes that outfit. I expect that she wanted to be comfortable and sure of herself for her first engagements.

Just like anyone in a new job.

Fake bomb

BBC NEWS UK Fake bomb 'reaches castle area'

What's the chance of the Sun journalists being investigated or charged? Surely there's a whole bunch of things they could be charged with.

Let's see...The obvious one to me is trespass, but what else could the Palace and Police stretch to if they saw fit?

Threatening behaviour? They claimed to have a bomb, fake or otherwise. You could be done for carrying a fake firearm - can you be done for carrying a fake bomb?
Wasting police time? Indirectly I suppose, but a lot of time will be taken up with the Met's inquiry.
Obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception? I'll bet they've sold a lot of papers off the back of this story.

Is there so little going on the world at the moment that the Sun feels the need to invent themselves a story? They need to try watching the news sometime...

Blue Robin?

I never knew these birds existed.

And...

I'm going to see the Saw Doctors at Sheffield Octagon tonight.

Then I'll write my essays. Promise.

So long...So lazy...

Ellen left a comment on the last post after I commented at her blog, Brain Lint (which, by the way, is rather good). She's right of course, I HAVEN'T posted in forever. And I've been doing so many bloggable things.

Maybe that's the point...I'm too busy doing stuff to write about it!

No, perhaps I'm just a big lazy layabout. Yep, that'd be it.

So, what have I been doing since the middle of October?

Starting the 2nd year of my MSc (and failing miserably to get any work done. See above re. layabout)
Nearly fainting and throwing up at Sheffield Station
Walking and wild camping in the Lake District -twice - Blencathra via Scales Tarn and Sharp Edge and Helvellyn via Grizedale Tarn (bloody windy and horrid rain)
Cycling on the Tissington Trail
Pruning (read savaging) the roses and other garden pottering
Greenland Expedition Evening - his sister went to Greenland in July
Signing up for Snow & Ice (Scotland) and the Alps trip (West Lancs Scouts Mountaineering Group). The things I let him convince me to do...
WLSMG Peak Meet
Buying a down jacket. So warm...
Seeing Ladysmith Black Mambazo at the Phil

And I'm sure there's more. No wonder I haven't written my essays yet.

Just found...

via the Green Fairy a really fabulous Flash animation for Creep by Radiohead.

Do you know what your MP is up to?

Or even who your MP is?

I'd be willing to bet that a great many people have no idea.

So it's a good thing that the nice people at the Guardian have created Ask Aristotle, a database that will tell you who your MP is and what they do in Parliament. The good thing about Aristotle is that all the information is linked from the one site, rather than having to go through the different layers of the parliament and House of Commons sites.

A site to have a look at is the Register of Members Interests. This list that tells who's got their fingers in the most pies. "Remunerated Directorship" is the term to look out for. It also shows patronage of charitable organisations and the like, so gives you an idea of what an MP believes in (or, for the cynics, believes will make them look good). Some of the Lords' lists are particularly interesting.

Go and have a look. Find out what they're up to and how they voted and what committees they're on. And find out their addresses and write to them about things that bother you -locally and nationally- it's their job to represent the views of their constituents.

While we're on the subject of government, if you ever want to know what county or district or borough a place is in have a look at Oultwood.com. They provide links to local government information worldwide.

When computers eat your stuff...

Found this randomly on a poetry website. For everyone who's suffered at the demon will of the Machine on their desk.

Hemingway Never Did This -- Charles Bukowski

Certificated Copies...Hmph.

According to the person at a certain internet bank an original (written in register office standard blue-black parker ink) marriage certificate isn't a "certificated copy" for account opening purposes. What? Why?

My bank (no not them) don't seem to see it that way. Marriage certificate plus Switch card was fine for them. Or perhaps that's because I already had an account and was just changing the name.

The only difference in the information these two banks have about me is CCTV footage of me in the branch.

The dificulty is that I don't have anything they'll accept in my married name yet. So, I have to wait the real bank to send me a statement in my new name so I can send it to the internet bank. The ID they want is the kind of stuff that could have been stolen out of someone's rubbish. Official (government) documents won't do.