Billy Young's Blog, page 24
October 7, 2011
7th October 2011
The long nights are coming in fast now. It’s even dark as I head out for work in the morning. Dave, one of my work mates, bemoans the lack of light saying how hard it is to get up in the morning. I suppose that it is just the internal clock telling us we should still be sleeping as it isn’t yet day time. Then again I don’t seem to suffer as much as Dave from the morning struggle to get going. The hardest part for me is reaching out to switch off the alarm and put on the light.
It makes me wonder though how hard it must have been in the past before the wonder of the electric light. To add to the problem of the dark morning was the longer working hours. Sixteen with few breaks. Over the winter months you wouldn’t have seen much of any daylight with that long a working day. But getting up to scramble around for a match so you could get the candle to offer some visibility to your surroundings must have been a nightmare. No wonder men left the women to get up first more often than not. If it hadn’t been for those ladies’ the world may have come grinding to a halt.
Of course times were different then. Women had few rights other than what the got from their men folk. On top of looking after the house and kids they often had to work themselves. We often take our modern wonders for granted. As we also take our fewer working hours. Having worked twelve hour shifts in the past I am grateful not to be doing so now. It does drain you in more than a physical way. Your whole life becomes one of work and little else. Even the joy of the family seems to slip because your too tired. Yet some people thrive the more work they have, don’t they?
It makes me wonder though how hard it must have been in the past before the wonder of the electric light. To add to the problem of the dark morning was the longer working hours. Sixteen with few breaks. Over the winter months you wouldn’t have seen much of any daylight with that long a working day. But getting up to scramble around for a match so you could get the candle to offer some visibility to your surroundings must have been a nightmare. No wonder men left the women to get up first more often than not. If it hadn’t been for those ladies’ the world may have come grinding to a halt.
Of course times were different then. Women had few rights other than what the got from their men folk. On top of looking after the house and kids they often had to work themselves. We often take our modern wonders for granted. As we also take our fewer working hours. Having worked twelve hour shifts in the past I am grateful not to be doing so now. It does drain you in more than a physical way. Your whole life becomes one of work and little else. Even the joy of the family seems to slip because your too tired. Yet some people thrive the more work they have, don’t they?
September 30, 2011
30th September 2011
I will be bottling up my gooseberry wine this weekend. I meant to do it last week but it went out of my mind with all the hassle of getting things back in place after the new windows were fitted. I’ll also have to get to grips with the next to modules for the SVQ, another thing that got forgotten about. I was only reminded of that when the examiner turned up at work on Monday. To be fair I didn’t know when he was due back at the work as he didn’t say last time but I wasn’t expecting to see him again until the end of next month as that was what some of my fellow workers’ thought. He didn’t even say when he would be back on Monday so he could turn up anytime so I’m in for some more frustrating study. It isn’t like it is hard. If anything it is overly simple to the point that you are left feeling that the answer to the questions can’t be right as it seem more like common sense. This causes me to doubt that it could be the right answer. So I end up re-reading through the module looking to find the correct reply which of course I can’t find because I already have it. You can see why it’s so frustrating. Well no use in moaning about as I still need to get it done.
Teen angst has filled my house this week in the form of my daughter Tammy. She thinks that I put my son first in everything. This came even after she got the cash out of me to go to the cinema with her friends last weekend. What did Calum get? Nothing. Well he is seventeen in just over a month and gets his own money for staying on at school. In the past I always gave to both equally so I was taken by surprise by her outburst. Really I’m hoping she doesn’t truly believe it and hoping it is just her way of expressing her teenage rebellion. If so I’ll be luckier than some…
Teen angst has filled my house this week in the form of my daughter Tammy. She thinks that I put my son first in everything. This came even after she got the cash out of me to go to the cinema with her friends last weekend. What did Calum get? Nothing. Well he is seventeen in just over a month and gets his own money for staying on at school. In the past I always gave to both equally so I was taken by surprise by her outburst. Really I’m hoping she doesn’t truly believe it and hoping it is just her way of expressing her teenage rebellion. If so I’ll be luckier than some…
September 23, 2011
23rd September 2011
It’s usually hard going back to work after a long weekend off but not this week. Though the work was a bit of a backbreaker, filling the baskets ready for the boilers, it flew past and getting up in the morning seemed routine. Even Tuesday morning wasn’t the problem I thought it would be. Other good news was that the council have finally fitted the new windows that we were supposed to get back in July. It was all completed in one day while I was at work. Magz had the joy of putting up with the noise and dust. The workmen were just finishing up as I got home which was a blessing. I’m not sure of the new double glazing yet. They seem bigger so let more light in but the livingroom ones only have small upper windows you can open. The main expanse can’t which would be good in the winter but in the summer heat you would like be able to open it up. Well be grateful I have them now.
I’ll need to get my grass cut this weekend. It may be the last of the season so I’m hoping for one good day. I also have all the garden furniture to move back after moving them so the workmen could get access to the back windows. While my blueberries are rapidly vanishing from the bush though I doubt now if I will have enough for making wine, maybe a pie though. While my apples are fattening up nicely, Magz is looking forward to making an apple pie which is her favourite. I must admit I prefer crumble, especially with custard, yum.
I’ll need to get my grass cut this weekend. It may be the last of the season so I’m hoping for one good day. I also have all the garden furniture to move back after moving them so the workmen could get access to the back windows. While my blueberries are rapidly vanishing from the bush though I doubt now if I will have enough for making wine, maybe a pie though. While my apples are fattening up nicely, Magz is looking forward to making an apple pie which is her favourite. I must admit I prefer crumble, especially with custard, yum.
September 16, 2011
16th September 2011
What a week for stormy weather. One of my apple trees now need some added support. I have a post that I can use which I shall need to do tomorrow. The wind also stripped some of my blueberries from the bush. I salvaged what I could and there is still hopefully enough still on it to give me enough to make my wine.
Magz went for more scans this week but as usual we are still left in the dark. Doctors can be so insensitive and not very good at keeping patients in the loop. I know they have to check over the results of the test before making their diagnosis yet it would be good if they could ease our minds a little. It would stop us, the concerned family, worrying as much as well as keep our imagination from adding to our anxiety. I suppose it is their way to avoid becoming to engaged emotionally. Unfortunately that doesn’t help us or make them look that helpful. If anything it makes them look rather cold and insensitive. Well until we get the result we’ll just have to put it to the back of our minds.
I’ve been trying to keep up with the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, sadly though the coverage on ITV has been less than perfect. Last night as an example the highlights were only on for half an hour of which only fifteen minutes were actually highlights from the game between the USA and Russia. Most of the time I have to use the internet to keep up with what is happening as with work I’m usually in bed early so miss the highlights. Where is the early evening coverage? I know that the games are played in New Zealand so there timing is at local time but highlights? If this had been soccer the outcry would have meant someone was looking for a new job. Anyway I’m of until Tuesday so hopefully I get a chance to see some good games. Thankfully I won’t be sitting up till the little hours, as I did when Scotland played Romania. Instead Magz has set the Sky box to record the ones I like the look of. Sadly not got the time to watch them all, which is a pity as the USA/Russia game looked like it was a good one from the highlights.
Magz went for more scans this week but as usual we are still left in the dark. Doctors can be so insensitive and not very good at keeping patients in the loop. I know they have to check over the results of the test before making their diagnosis yet it would be good if they could ease our minds a little. It would stop us, the concerned family, worrying as much as well as keep our imagination from adding to our anxiety. I suppose it is their way to avoid becoming to engaged emotionally. Unfortunately that doesn’t help us or make them look that helpful. If anything it makes them look rather cold and insensitive. Well until we get the result we’ll just have to put it to the back of our minds.
I’ve been trying to keep up with the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, sadly though the coverage on ITV has been less than perfect. Last night as an example the highlights were only on for half an hour of which only fifteen minutes were actually highlights from the game between the USA and Russia. Most of the time I have to use the internet to keep up with what is happening as with work I’m usually in bed early so miss the highlights. Where is the early evening coverage? I know that the games are played in New Zealand so there timing is at local time but highlights? If this had been soccer the outcry would have meant someone was looking for a new job. Anyway I’m of until Tuesday so hopefully I get a chance to see some good games. Thankfully I won’t be sitting up till the little hours, as I did when Scotland played Romania. Instead Magz has set the Sky box to record the ones I like the look of. Sadly not got the time to watch them all, which is a pity as the USA/Russia game looked like it was a good one from the highlights.
September 9, 2011
9th September 2011
Magz didn’t make the blueberry pies last weekend. No, instead my daughter got there first. Unfortunately she isn’t the greatest chef so the pastry was a little on the thick side. She is going through a stage where she feels she has to experiment in the kitchen. I think it has something to do with Magz not keeping very well. Her Diverticulitis is causing her a lot of pain at the moment. She had some more blood test this week and is now to go for more scan in a couple of week’s time. Sadly I will be at work so my sister will go with her. Of course that doesn’t stop Tammy from making the kitchen an eye sore or trying hard to give me indigestion, hehehe.
She was also going to steal the rest of my blueberries that I’m earmarking for wine. I just managed to stop her. I will need more but there are still plenty on the bush yet to ripen. My apples are also coming on well and I’m pretty sure which is which now. Well it isn’t hard as you usually find that the cooking apples are larger. Magz is determined that Tammy won’t get her hands on them but that will probably change by the time they are ready for picking in a week or two, at least that is my guess.
I’ve been quite pleased with the produce from my garden this year. Though it may be small I do manage to get a lot out of it for its size. Though it would never be enough to feed the family you can’t beat the feeling of growing something for the table. It also taste better though that could just be me.
She was also going to steal the rest of my blueberries that I’m earmarking for wine. I just managed to stop her. I will need more but there are still plenty on the bush yet to ripen. My apples are also coming on well and I’m pretty sure which is which now. Well it isn’t hard as you usually find that the cooking apples are larger. Magz is determined that Tammy won’t get her hands on them but that will probably change by the time they are ready for picking in a week or two, at least that is my guess.
I’ve been quite pleased with the produce from my garden this year. Though it may be small I do manage to get a lot out of it for its size. Though it would never be enough to feed the family you can’t beat the feeling of growing something for the table. It also taste better though that could just be me.
September 2, 2011
2nd September 2011
Autumn is officially with us though the leaves have hardly started to change colour, though I have begun to harvest my blueberries for Magz to make a pie with. I’m also hoping for enough to make some more wine with. I have decanted the gooseberry wine off of its leas last weekend again, hopefully for the last time before bottling in a week. I put it on to the cold-stone, yes you still find them in some houses, in our kitchen cupboard to help draw the sediment down to the bottom of the demijohn. This weekend I’ll just leave it to clear some more while I collect more blueberries for Magz then I’ll see if I have enough for myself, which is as long as the invisible man leaves them alone.
The reinstall of Windows went well, better than expected really. I was reconnected to the web within three hours which is good for XP. It did take a bit longer to get my system fully equipped with most of the main programmes that I use most. I did make or almost made a rooky mistake and forgot to put on my antivirus, firewall, etc. I only remembered as that self satisfied feeling of achieving the difficult began settling on me. At which point I felt a rising panic before reason took hold and guided me to the sites to get them download afresh. At that the crisis was over but it did teach me for being so self satisfied in future. Well maybe not.
I might have a game of Civ5 this weekend. I have that old yearning to conquer again. You know how it is, you don’t play a game for ages then suddenly the bug bites again and you just have too…
The reinstall of Windows went well, better than expected really. I was reconnected to the web within three hours which is good for XP. It did take a bit longer to get my system fully equipped with most of the main programmes that I use most. I did make or almost made a rooky mistake and forgot to put on my antivirus, firewall, etc. I only remembered as that self satisfied feeling of achieving the difficult began settling on me. At which point I felt a rising panic before reason took hold and guided me to the sites to get them download afresh. At that the crisis was over but it did teach me for being so self satisfied in future. Well maybe not.
I might have a game of Civ5 this weekend. I have that old yearning to conquer again. You know how it is, you don’t play a game for ages then suddenly the bug bites again and you just have too…
August 26, 2011
26th August 2011
There was a lightning storm as I left work today. The sky just opened up and the roads were awash to the point it looked like we were driving in a river. Of course my worry was for my computer after the last time though I shouldn’t have as Magz was at home. The storm though continued for over an hour which I think is the longest I’ve ever seen it last. Usually it’s all over in less than half an hour.
Well tomorrow is the big day to wipe my drive to reinstall Windows. Hopefully that will then let my system get back to the way it was before. It would be good to get back to a stable, running system. Rather than the graphical glitches, sudden slowdowns and system freezes that I have suffer of late. I’ve even experienced these on start-up, which would suggest something isn’t right. As I have said in the past I don’t think it is hardware but rather problems caused by the way I fixed my problem the last time there was a lightning strike over the back door. Well I’ll find out if I’m right or if there is something worse that needs tracking down on the hardware side. That could be expensive and would probably be cheaper just going for a complete rebuild. Unfortunately it isn’t something that I could afford at the moment as the money I have saved so far has Christmas written on it.
Yes I’m already thinking of that time. Magz has wanted a PS3 for sometime so I’m getting her one. Mind not to tell her though. Anyway because of that I’ll not have the money to put to the computer for a bit. I’m hoping that the over time I did to day will give me some extra cash towards it. Of course I will have to get her something else as she’ll be playing the console as soon as I get it. Well how else would we know it was working, hehehe.
Well tomorrow is the big day to wipe my drive to reinstall Windows. Hopefully that will then let my system get back to the way it was before. It would be good to get back to a stable, running system. Rather than the graphical glitches, sudden slowdowns and system freezes that I have suffer of late. I’ve even experienced these on start-up, which would suggest something isn’t right. As I have said in the past I don’t think it is hardware but rather problems caused by the way I fixed my problem the last time there was a lightning strike over the back door. Well I’ll find out if I’m right or if there is something worse that needs tracking down on the hardware side. That could be expensive and would probably be cheaper just going for a complete rebuild. Unfortunately it isn’t something that I could afford at the moment as the money I have saved so far has Christmas written on it.
Yes I’m already thinking of that time. Magz has wanted a PS3 for sometime so I’m getting her one. Mind not to tell her though. Anyway because of that I’ll not have the money to put to the computer for a bit. I’m hoping that the over time I did to day will give me some extra cash towards it. Of course I will have to get her something else as she’ll be playing the console as soon as I get it. Well how else would we know it was working, hehehe.
August 19, 2011
19th August 2011
I was asked to do overtime tomorrow but turned it down as I had already agreed to go into work next Friday. I’ll still be off on the Monday following so I still plan to wipe my drive to get my system back to some sort of normality. Of course that will take a few weeks as I find all those little programmes that we all install to our systems and then forget where we got it. Usually it’s on a USB drive some where in a drawer or on a disk. Sometimes we have to go find it on the web. But these are seldom used programmes I’m talking about so you know that it could be weeks before you realise that you need it again. CPUZ is one I have in mind at the moment. I only ever need it when my system is acting up, as it has recently. I keep it on a USB drive in the bottom of my drawer where it is forever getting lost. This in turn leads to a major rummage through said drawer to find this useful little programme which shows some basic info on my system and how it is performing. Really it will only take me a day to get most of the main this back up and running. The rest of the weekend will be getting my system running as I like it.
Well that is next weekend, this I have some potatoes that need pulling up or should I say emptying from the sacks. I may even pull up my beetroot, they’re just about the right size for pickling. Magz loves pickled beetroot, as does Tammy. I’m sure whiles I’m in the garden I have a nose at my apples and the blueberries. I know the berries won’t be ready yet but the apples were looking good last weekend so need a close eye kept on them. Magz says the tomatoes are looking good but still need to ripen, though the weather is starting to show signs of autumn. I may need to pick them and leave them on the window sill to redden them up.
All of this and still I have to find some time to do the next module in the SVQ. Another busy weekend ahead then, would I have it any other way though. Well maybe sometimes, hehehe.
Well that is next weekend, this I have some potatoes that need pulling up or should I say emptying from the sacks. I may even pull up my beetroot, they’re just about the right size for pickling. Magz loves pickled beetroot, as does Tammy. I’m sure whiles I’m in the garden I have a nose at my apples and the blueberries. I know the berries won’t be ready yet but the apples were looking good last weekend so need a close eye kept on them. Magz says the tomatoes are looking good but still need to ripen, though the weather is starting to show signs of autumn. I may need to pick them and leave them on the window sill to redden them up.
All of this and still I have to find some time to do the next module in the SVQ. Another busy weekend ahead then, would I have it any other way though. Well maybe sometimes, hehehe.
August 12, 2011
12th August 2011
I have more studying of the modules for the SVQ. I made a start last weekend but didn’t get as far as I was planning. You know how it is with things getting in the way. We all have these plans though when we plan too much we usual have to cut them back. Well last weekend it was the SVQ work, lucky I have till the 5th September to get through them. To tell the truth I didn’t find it easy getting my head into the study which is new for me as I have always found it easy learning new things. If fact I can’t remember struggling to focus as I did last weekend. It just means that I have to put more effort in this weekend. That should be easy as I am planning to basically do little else as I have had a long hard week. My ankles are in sore need of a rest after all the heaving and carrying I’ve done this week. Today was especially tough on my poor feet for some reason yet I don’t think I worked any more than the rest of the week. I suppose that my tendonitis is flaring up again so a couple of days with my feet up should help. Most of the time it isn’t as bad as it is tonight so I tend to ignore it. Really I need to get my feet checked again and possibly get new insoles, I just keep putting it off. I know I should but when it isn’t that bad, you know what I mean. I will get an appointment but I think rest will be enough this weekend. And it does give me the time to study.
August 5, 2011
5th August 2011
My work has put me forward for the SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification) in Food Handling. It is a job related qualification that you do in your own time which means I have some homework, feels a bit like school, this weekend. I have the first two modules to read through and fill in the answers, all pretty straight forwards really. The whole thing is over the next year and at the end I get a certificate to show for the effort. One thing that it seems to show is that I should be working this time next year as well as the time in between as until now I haven’t been told or even given a contract of employment. Not that every job I’ve had came with a contract but it does give you a more settled feeling. Saying that the place I work isn’t that bad, in fact it is rather relaxed which I enjoy. The work isn’t really that hard either unless your doing Dave’s job of loading the baskets, a right back-breaker that job is. Most of the other jobs around the factory are easy compared to that. Well at least doing the SVQ gives me some security in these uncertain times.
My peas are flowering again so I’m looking forwards to a second crop in a month or so. I’m glad I put netting over my blueberries this year as the wife saw a bird trying hard to get at them. I don’t think I’ll have as good a crop as last year but there’s a month or two before they’ll be ready so who knows. While my potatoes are now pushing up out of the soil in the sacks I’ve got them growing in, so they’re promising a bumper crop this year. All this talk of the garden reminds me I need to get my hedges trimmed tomorrow if the weather is with me. I also need to get more weeding done around my strawberries and fruit trees. It shouldn’t take me long, of course that all depends on the weather which it’s looking like rain from where I’m sitting just now. Hopefully it won’t come to anything.
My peas are flowering again so I’m looking forwards to a second crop in a month or so. I’m glad I put netting over my blueberries this year as the wife saw a bird trying hard to get at them. I don’t think I’ll have as good a crop as last year but there’s a month or two before they’ll be ready so who knows. While my potatoes are now pushing up out of the soil in the sacks I’ve got them growing in, so they’re promising a bumper crop this year. All this talk of the garden reminds me I need to get my hedges trimmed tomorrow if the weather is with me. I also need to get more weeding done around my strawberries and fruit trees. It shouldn’t take me long, of course that all depends on the weather which it’s looking like rain from where I’m sitting just now. Hopefully it won’t come to anything.
