Some info before I post properly about our Islay trip

So I'll be doing a separate post for each day, and changing the post time so they publish as if I've posted on the actual day rather than now, if that makes sense. This means they won't be at the top of the blog - the easiest way to look at them will be to click on something relevant in my label cloud on the right-hand side (the bit with all the random-ish words in) such as "Scotland" or "Islay". If you're using an RSS reader (all one of you) then I guess they'll just arrive as I post them.

This map might help if you're wondering where the photos were taken, or where the hell I'm talking about. If I can be arsed I'll put together my own map, showing the places that are relevant.

I've listed the birds I saw over the entire week, starting once we got to Kennacraig. As it's a week list, if I saw the same species on several different days I've only listed it the first time I saw it. Don't go thinking that I only saw one swallow or something on a particular day. Mammals similarly.

And in case you're wondering, my parents took care of Summer and Basil. Summer's caravanning with them in Wales as we speak - they went on Wednesday and won't be back for almost 2 more weeks. I miss her. My dad made sure Basil had plenty of food and water until we got back Saturday night. And Kay bunnysat Neo for me - a good time was had by both by the sounds of things!

Right. Off to upload photos.

Right. Off to upload photos of Saturday.

On my way home

I'm on a train somewhere not far outside Edinburgh, using free WiFi. Cool.

I did try to email using my phone but didn't seem to get a really good signal all week... enough for calls and texts but not email, apparently.

We've had a great time and didn't want to leave, but it will be nice to be home - hopefully the garden won't have suffered too much in my absence. Hopefully.

I'll do a proper holiday report later, when I'm not using an impressively slow connection and Michael's laptop which only has Internet Explorer. Hate.

Hope you didn't miss me too much!

Woo hoo! Scheduled post! I'm posting and I'm not even here!

By now I should be on Islay, relaxing after a hard day's travelling.

If I can get to an internet connection I'll post a quick update sometime during the week, if not I'll post via email on my phone. Yay smartphone.

Sayre, recipe's on its way. Might take a week or so, but I'll definitely post it. Hope you still have eggplant left!

Kay, please don't change your name, sex, nationality and skin colour and steal my bunny.

Have fun without me!

xxx

Holiday plans!

So as usual, something I promised to do, I haven't done (i.e. posting photos of Scotland last year).

If I have chance tomorrow I'll see what I can do, but not promising anything as I'm expecting to be busy.

Saturday we're off to Islay again, because we liked it so much when we were there last year, and thought it was a shame that we only got to spend two days on the island.

So now we're having a week - well actually 6 days and 7 nights, because travelling there takes a whole day.

Here's a rough plan of the travel arrangements for Saturday.

7.00 Taxi to train station.
7.30 Train to York.
9.00 Train to Haymarket (Edinburgh).
12.00 Train to Glasgow.
13.30 Coach to Kennacraig.
18.00 Ferry to Port Ellen.
20.30 Pick up hire car at Port Ellen, drive to accommodation.
21.30 Arrive, decide whether or not we're too tired for a quick walk, and collapse.

Sounds a bit gruelling, but it'll be an adventure. The reason we're doing the public transport option is that Michael didn't fancy driving for 12 hours in one day. Can't say I blame him.

Islay's a beautiful place, full of wildlife and whiskey. Not that I care much for whiskey but the distillery we went to last year was very interesting.

I'm planning active stuff, walking and birdwatching and pony trekking and so on, along with some whiskey-related activities for Michael.

Only problem is I'll miss Summer, as she'll be camping with my parents. We're away a week, they don't come back until we've been home two weeks! What will I do without my dog for three weeks?

Anyway, still have loads to do so I'd best be off. Wish us good weather and lots of interesting animals!

Yeah, so my motivation is a little lacking

I've realised I never posted pics of our holiday to Scotland last year. And I really meant to.

I'll try to get them up ASAP because it would be a bit ridiculous and confusing if I posted them after our next holiday.

Can't be bothered

Bah, again I have a few things I want to talk about but it's not going to happen because there's actually too much and it's over-facing me, and if I did everything in the one post you'd all (well all like three of you) die of boredom. I know, that last sentence is grammatically suspect, but I don't care.

Anyway. Garden. There was a bit of a surprise frost earlier in the week, which has somewhat upset my poor squash and potato plants. The potatoes range from no damage at all to almost all leaves dried up and black, and every squash plant except one has lost all its mature leaves in the same way. Baby leaves and flowers are okay, strangely - maybe the big leaves provided some sort of protection. Either way, they'll get over it. Half of the sweetcorn plants have snuffed it, but there's still plenty of time to sow some more, they'll catch up. Strangely, the bean plants are fine, with one plant showing a tiny amount of superficial damage to its seed leaves.

On the plus side, I can see 4 tiny baby courgettes forming. And we've eaten loads of baby leaf salad. All other plants are doing well too.

SingSoc's now over for the (academic) year, which is rather sad. I'll miss the guys, and I'll miss singing. And our concert last week was great - best I've ever heard us sing. Some mistakes, but nothing too awful, and the sound we made was excellent. I'm proud of us! My family unanimously agreed that we sounded great but they hated African Sanctus. Fair comment really.

We're planning another trip to Islay in July, probably for three reasons.
1) We really liked the place when we went last year as part of our Scotland birding trip, even if we did only have 2 days there.
2) Great place for wildlife. I'm hoping for choughs, grey and common seals, oystercatchers, curlews, gannets (as seen from the ferry last year), golden eagles (not much chance), hen harriers (maybe), corncrakes (umpossible to see but might hear them) and otters (might get lucky).
3) Michael likes the whisky. And we both really enjoyed the distillery tour of Ardbeg last year, even though I hate whisky. Seeing how it's made is fascinating.

Right. Now I'm off to make curry.

How exciting!!

Pippa sent me a copy of the actual menu for the formal, which looks fantastic. I'm not sure I'm allowed to show it to you, as it hasn't been shown to SingSoc members yet! Maybe after tonight's rehearsal?

Oh, and I've added some recipes here My Recipes at i-ERM.com!, and I'll be adding them here as well at some point.

We had a great time in London at the weekend. I'm still organising photos (translation: I haven't even started yet) but I'll get them up as soon as I can be bothered. While you wait (with baited breath, I imagine!), have a raven.

Hi everyone

So I'm getting a bit disillusioned with blogging at the moment. I think to myself, "I really must blog about that, and catch up with my blogroll, and comment on all the blogs I love." But then I realise that there's a problem with that.

I can't be bothered.

I've got out of the habit of doing all my "internet stuff", and finding it very difficult to get back into it again. It's no reflection on you guys, simply a reflection of the battle I'm currently losing with my own inertia.

And I hate to just come on here and moan about how crap things are, so I won't do that. Just know that I am thinking about all of you and there are quite a few of you that I specifically want to address comments to and reply to, and I will do it eventually.

Just don't anyone mention anything about uni. Because I'm trying very hard not to think about almost certainly having to repeat the year again.

On a completely unrelated note, we're having a little holiday next weekend. We're off to London to see the Lord of the Rings musical, which looks truly awesome. We'll probably spend Saturday doing touristy things, and see the show. More touristy things, come home Sunday night. I want to go to the Tower of London, for one reason and one reason only - ravens! One of my favourite birds, and I'd love to see one closer up.

And I realised that after 7 months, I've still not put up the photos from Scotland last year. I'll get on it. Just give me a minute.

Christmas meme

Pete tagged everyone, so here goes.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I like to use wrapping paper, and I'm always a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to getting the corners straight, etc. Which is stupid, as they just get ripped up.

2. Real tree or artificial?
I'd prefer a real tree because I love the smell, but I hate the idea of killing a tree just so I can hang baubles on it. So until I find a nice small living tree in a pot that can live outside the rest of the year, I'm using a little plastic job.

3. When do you put up the tree?
When I can be bothered. Certainly not til halfway through December, often only a few days before Christmas. I don't see the point of decorating in November!

4. When do you take the tree down?
When I'm bored of it, usually around New Year's Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Never had it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Don't remember really.

7. Do you have a Nativity scene?
No, I don't do religion.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
Dad. he's got everything he wants, with the exception of a Subaru Impreza, which is a little out of my price range.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My brother. This year, he told me exactly what he wants.

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received?
A gift box containing shower gel, body lotion and bath foam, from an aunt who seemed to have a selection of similar products as I'd received at least two virtually identical presents the previous years. So I took it back to the shop for a refund, only to be told that they couldn't refund it as it had been bought 4 years previously on sale for £1. Needless to say, I was not happy.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail, although I haven't bought any yet this year so they may well go out late.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Don't really have one.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Mid-December. I'm disorganised like that.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No. If something's crap, I don't want to inflict it on someone else.

15. Favorite thing to eat/drink at Christmas?
I rather like Christmas cake. Also pomegranates, mulled wine, and those little bacon-wrapped sausages from Christmas dinner.

16. Clear lights or coloured on the tree?
White, definitely. Much classier. I don't mind coloured if they're all one colour.

17. Favourite Christmas song?
In the Bleak Midwinter (the Holst version), but I rather like Hark, Hark, What News (also know as Swain Hark) which is a local Sheffield carol, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, and In Dulci Jubilo. I like loads of Christmas stuff. But I hate Handel's fecking Messiah.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I've never been away for Christmas. But I'd quite like to travel.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Of course I can. Even if most of them do have stupid names.

20. Angel on the tree top or a Star?
Star. Both are equally religious I guess, but I've always liked the shape of stars.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Morning. It used to be very early when I was a kid as my brother was an early bird and couldn't wait, but now it tends to be closer to midday.

I tag... Attila, Kate, Kay, Rob and Sayre. And whoever else fancies it.

Dolphins

To whet your appetite a little, here's Michael's short video of dolphins in the Moray Firth.

I'm in Glasgow!

Just got here a few minutes ago. It's 23.25 and I'm knackered, but there's a computer in the room so I'm taking advantage of it and doing a short blog.

The bits of Scotland we've seen are lovely. We especially like Islay (we just left there today), unfortunately the contrast between an island with a population of 3,500 and a fairly big city is confusing my poor tired brain.

So far, seen quite a few birds, also red squirrels, dolphins and seals.

I'll check in again when we get home.

Holiday!

We're off to Scotland and the Lake District tomorrow, my first proper holiday for about 5 years.

So prepare for loads of pics when I get back!

Wish me good weather, and all the birds on my wish list, okay?