Category Archives: Uncategorized

(better?) After several deeply unpleasant nights shifts, during which I also manage to infect Chris, we are (finally) both clear (two cheers!). Fortunately, I go straight onto very long dayshifts, so I have no time to mope about feeling happy for myself. I do manage to clear some space in the garage on my “bitContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(Bleugh!) Sometimes it does not rain, but it pours. My mum remains in hospital, happily secured from the conditions that took her there, but now seriously underweight and weak, oh and she has covid (she’s also 86 and tiny). Meanwhile at work, several colleagues must face their own family trauma or illness, while others areContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(is it safe?) Due to something of a family emergency, I was unable to attend 101 songs for 101 years of Dalmally. Going by the photos, the sun shone, the midgies were fierce, and the music was good. Meanwhile, I am tasked with some preparation for my mother’s hoped-for, return from hospital. Some kind ofContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(re – cycle) My bicycle has been hiding in the garage since it was lent out for the “can we cycle the west highland way?” [No!] debacle last year. There are a number of reasons for this; some protracted ankle/knee injuries, the endless tyrany of nightshift, the wet wet wet… also Geography. In my previousContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life….”

( Weak week) If this typing is a bit slow, it’s because I staved my thumb. Or sprained my thumb…or strained my thumb. Gradually the years have taken from me some of my “bounce-back-abilty”, so that a tumble down a flight of stairs now hurts enough to require a lie down. Actually, these days, aContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life….”

(solstice) Happy “standing still of the sun” (that’s the actual translation). I hope you had a delightful midsummer longest day (I worked 11 hours – inside). As a West Coast of Scotland resident, I am legally obligated to observe – the solstice having passed – that; “the nights are fair drawin’ in”. In which case…Continue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(Public service message) My roof still leaks, musical events loom but we cannot agree rehersal time, I appear to be working nightshift for the entirety of summer, there are heavy things to move, and holes to dig in the garden. All situation normal, and I have little new complaint, however I was reminded it isContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(weights) I frequently write some throw away quip about “didn’t I used to play guitar” in my next week IaDL. So in fairness I should note that some considerable guitar playing took place. Checking back, I see that a “Clubhouse Session” was actually threatened in my list of likely events for the year, and itContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(Complaint) A regular reader (viewer?) suggested that I had not given a sufficiently fulsome or entertaing report on Japan. Well, let no-man say I am indifferent to audience input… Did you know that roughly 60% of Japan is forest? No, me neither. Not only that, but roughly one third of the trees are “primary temperateContinue reading “It’s a Dog’s Life…”

(Perspective) Our roof leaks. We’ve spent quite a bit of money on it with a firm of builders which I hope never to see again, (of course, they were the only game in town – after 2 years and 20+ attemps to find someone) and it still leaks. Our chimney is pronounced “Dangerous” , butContinue reading “It’s a Dogs Life…”