Billy Young's Blog, page 26
May 20, 2011
20th May 2011
I got a new poetry note book, well six actually. Though I’m only using the one at the moment. Six for a pound was a good bargain that I couldn't turn down. WHSmiths want over three pound for one so I went to the pound shop and was glad I did. It doesn’t replace the stuff I lost but I can now at least make new verse as they come to me.
Rain has fed the weeds in the garden all week so I need clear them out this weekend. Most of it around my strawberries as well as at the front where Magz’s flowers are. My son did the grass during the week on the only really dry day which was good of him though Magz had to nag him to do while I was at work. Typical teenager then. Of course we all remember it being different when we were sixteen don’t we. The things that distract teenagers now may not have existed back when we were younger but they still act as we did. Always thinking that some how the parents are just making life hard for them as if it were something we would set out to do. That the world just likes to throw work at them that drag them away from what they want to do. Chores are the evil that parents burden their children with. Yes in time they will see it as we now see it but it still brings a smile to your face when you think about it, doesn’t it? Well it does for me.
My friend’s re-enactment wasn’t quite as large as I expected but it was still a nice day out. Really I only spent a half hour at it before heading into town with the wife and daughter. Not the greatest idea as it cost me money. Though really it was just me wanting to splurge my meagre savings. Magz has been hinting for a new camera so I picked up a second hand one at the pawnbrokers with twelve mega pixels. My daughter managed to get a game out of me for the playstation, which she just had to have. In the end it was a good day out. And I did get the note books.
Rain has fed the weeds in the garden all week so I need clear them out this weekend. Most of it around my strawberries as well as at the front where Magz’s flowers are. My son did the grass during the week on the only really dry day which was good of him though Magz had to nag him to do while I was at work. Typical teenager then. Of course we all remember it being different when we were sixteen don’t we. The things that distract teenagers now may not have existed back when we were younger but they still act as we did. Always thinking that some how the parents are just making life hard for them as if it were something we would set out to do. That the world just likes to throw work at them that drag them away from what they want to do. Chores are the evil that parents burden their children with. Yes in time they will see it as we now see it but it still brings a smile to your face when you think about it, doesn’t it? Well it does for me.
My friend’s re-enactment wasn’t quite as large as I expected but it was still a nice day out. Really I only spent a half hour at it before heading into town with the wife and daughter. Not the greatest idea as it cost me money. Though really it was just me wanting to splurge my meagre savings. Magz has been hinting for a new camera so I picked up a second hand one at the pawnbrokers with twelve mega pixels. My daughter managed to get a game out of me for the playstation, which she just had to have. In the end it was a good day out. And I did get the note books.
May 13, 2011
13th May 2011
I washed my poetry note book on Tuesday. It was my fault, I forgot to take it out of my pocket when putting my jeans in the wash after a bath. Magz found the remains when she emptied the machine the next day. Most of the notes were lost though I did manage to save nine or ten pages. Not a lot I know but better than nothing I suppose. A lot of it wasn’t even typed into the computer so a lesson learned. I’ll get a replacement for it tomorrow as I have to go down town anyway as I’m going to see a work colleague doing a re-enactment cookery thing to do with the sixteenth century. It’s taking place at the Dick Institute in the town centre and my wife, and daughter are going as well. It should be interesting by the sounds of it. Richard, that’s my workmate, was talk today about it. He said that back in the sixteenth century that there were a lot of herbs that we don’t use today.
Talking of herbs mine are doing well though my mint is still not doing as good as I would like. My carrots still haven’t come to anything and something has been at my lettuce. Half of the lettuce has vanished in the last week or given up the ghost for greener pastures, hehehe. The joys of grown things.
My pet rat also did this week, Kismet or Kisy for short was almost four so not a bad age for a rat. Yes I know a lot of you might think of rats as dirty but pet ones are very clean and make great pets. Kisy was quite a little character as well as very shy. Or was the shyness just his excuse for being the laziest rat I’ve every known. He did give me a nip or two over the past few years though it was more my fault than his. He’ll be missed. Where his cage used to sit seems empty now.
Talking of herbs mine are doing well though my mint is still not doing as good as I would like. My carrots still haven’t come to anything and something has been at my lettuce. Half of the lettuce has vanished in the last week or given up the ghost for greener pastures, hehehe. The joys of grown things.
My pet rat also did this week, Kismet or Kisy for short was almost four so not a bad age for a rat. Yes I know a lot of you might think of rats as dirty but pet ones are very clean and make great pets. Kisy was quite a little character as well as very shy. Or was the shyness just his excuse for being the laziest rat I’ve every known. He did give me a nip or two over the past few years though it was more my fault than his. He’ll be missed. Where his cage used to sit seems empty now.
May 6, 2011
6th May 2011
Well there is a turn up for the books, the Scottish National Party have won a landslide in the Scottish elections for Holyrood. I had head the polls but didn’t think they could be right though I do support the SNP and did vote for them yesterday after work. Five years ago, even five weeks ago nobody would have thought it possible. Of course now the real work begins as they will have to prove that with the majority they can run the country well and guide us through these difficult financial years. It will also mean that as a nation we will for the first time in our history we will really be looking at our place within the United Kingdom.
Over the next five years we could see a lot of argument over independence. What that would mean, if we could stand, and if we would still be within the European Union. In the past that is one of the arguments that has been used to “bash the Nats” as the saying goes. Of course with this election victory Scots have proved that those scare tactics don’t work as well as they used to. The Labour party tried in vain to raise the fear of independence as they had in the past near to the end of campaigning, gladly nobody was listening. Or at least the majority weren’t.
Enough politics though. My garden is doing well. I gave my plants a feed last weekend and with the rain the past two days they should start to shoot up in no time. My carrots still haven’t show. I planted some more though it could be a bit before start to show. Hopefully sometime this week if the seeds are still viable, if not then I will need to think of something else, maybe another visit to the garden centre. I have to get another tub for some more of my herbs anyway so I can have a nose about and see about that at the same time. I might need more compost for that as well.
If it’s dry this weekend then I’ll get some weeding done around the strawberries. I have a problem with Japanese knot weed which keeps showing its ugly head. I dig it up as best as I can unfortunately when you have it you can’t really get rid of it. It‘s just a matter of keeping on top of it right through till winter. At the same time I have to be careful not to disturb the plants to much. Not really that easy when the knot weed’s roots go so deep, which is another reason you can’t get rid of it.
Over the next five years we could see a lot of argument over independence. What that would mean, if we could stand, and if we would still be within the European Union. In the past that is one of the arguments that has been used to “bash the Nats” as the saying goes. Of course with this election victory Scots have proved that those scare tactics don’t work as well as they used to. The Labour party tried in vain to raise the fear of independence as they had in the past near to the end of campaigning, gladly nobody was listening. Or at least the majority weren’t.
Enough politics though. My garden is doing well. I gave my plants a feed last weekend and with the rain the past two days they should start to shoot up in no time. My carrots still haven’t show. I planted some more though it could be a bit before start to show. Hopefully sometime this week if the seeds are still viable, if not then I will need to think of something else, maybe another visit to the garden centre. I have to get another tub for some more of my herbs anyway so I can have a nose about and see about that at the same time. I might need more compost for that as well.
If it’s dry this weekend then I’ll get some weeding done around the strawberries. I have a problem with Japanese knot weed which keeps showing its ugly head. I dig it up as best as I can unfortunately when you have it you can’t really get rid of it. It‘s just a matter of keeping on top of it right through till winter. At the same time I have to be careful not to disturb the plants to much. Not really that easy when the knot weed’s roots go so deep, which is another reason you can’t get rid of it.
April 29, 2011
29th April 2011
The big new today of course is the royal wedding. I must admit though I didn’t watch it but I did see the dress. It was the one thing that Magz insisted keeping the TV tuned to the BBC for. I do wish them well, it’s just that I have never really been a royalist. I’m not against them, so the wedding isn’t really something that grabbed me other than getting an extra days holiday because of it. It was nice to hear that the weather held out for them though.
I got the lawnmower working again though I’m not sure what I did. I took the air filter off, cleaned the sparkplug but nothing more. When I put the filter back on and pulled the cord it sprang to life. So I took advantage of the opportunity to get my grass, front and back in order. Hopefully it will work when I need it again, I just have to wait till then to see.
My strawberries are in flower as are my two apple trees. My cherry trees though are now shedding their petals. The rest of my plants are coming on well. I’ve caned the peas so they can start climbing as they grow. With the aid of some garden twine they should do well. My replanted cauliflower is now sprouting though my carrots still haven’t shown any signs of life. I may have to get fresh seed as the ones I used were left from last year so my have caught a touch of frost over the winter. I’ll see if I have some more left and give them another go but if I still don’t get anything I’ll need to get some more.
I bought two tomato plants last weekend with some lettuce and a bell pepper plant. The lettuce has had me worried that it wouldn’t take but it is looking a little better today. The tomatoes are doing very well at the moment as is the pepper plant. With all of those I should hopefully get some good salads this summer. I just need to pray I get the weather for it.
I got the lawnmower working again though I’m not sure what I did. I took the air filter off, cleaned the sparkplug but nothing more. When I put the filter back on and pulled the cord it sprang to life. So I took advantage of the opportunity to get my grass, front and back in order. Hopefully it will work when I need it again, I just have to wait till then to see.
My strawberries are in flower as are my two apple trees. My cherry trees though are now shedding their petals. The rest of my plants are coming on well. I’ve caned the peas so they can start climbing as they grow. With the aid of some garden twine they should do well. My replanted cauliflower is now sprouting though my carrots still haven’t shown any signs of life. I may have to get fresh seed as the ones I used were left from last year so my have caught a touch of frost over the winter. I’ll see if I have some more left and give them another go but if I still don’t get anything I’ll need to get some more.
I bought two tomato plants last weekend with some lettuce and a bell pepper plant. The lettuce has had me worried that it wouldn’t take but it is looking a little better today. The tomatoes are doing very well at the moment as is the pepper plant. With all of those I should hopefully get some good salads this summer. I just need to pray I get the weather for it.
April 22, 2011
22nd April 2011
Well I planted out my seedlings but some of them haven’t done so well. The lettuce, tomatoes, and cauliflower both failed to take to the outside even though the weather has been good all week. I’ll replant as I still have seeds left over other than the tomatoes. Everything else seems to be doing well including my peas. In fact their doing better than everything else to the point that I will need to get canes for them this weekend. Well that will give me a reason to go to the garden centre so I can get tomatoes while I’m there.
My lawnmower is playing up so that is another job for this weekend. It’s good to know that it is to be a dry Easter weekend and Monday being a holiday I’ll have plenty of time to figure out what is wrong with the mower. It starts then cuts out as if there might be an air blockage or something. It doesn’t have a choke and I had quick check of the air filter last Sunday, when the problem began, work though meant I didn’t have time during the week to look further into it. I’m hoping I won’t have to strip it right down though it hasn’t been properly serviced before. It was also given to us by Magz’s brother Tam and I know he never stripped it when he had it so it is overdue a right service. I haven’t worked on a petrol engine in years so it should be fun.
The thing is Magz was brought up around car engines. Her dad and other brother both worked on cars for years. She even was roped in too, so she knows more than me. I’m hoping for her help as you can imagine as my own experience in such things, other than using them, was in my YTS days. And if you were ever on the Youth Training Scheme you know that it wasn’t that great a training. I must admit though that I did enjoy the experience at the time even if I learned only a basic understanding of construction and mechanics with a bit of welding thrown in. One year split up among those and landscape gardening (cutting grass) didn’t really mean much to employers. At least it has given me a rudimentary understanding of what I may have to do this weekend.
My lawnmower is playing up so that is another job for this weekend. It’s good to know that it is to be a dry Easter weekend and Monday being a holiday I’ll have plenty of time to figure out what is wrong with the mower. It starts then cuts out as if there might be an air blockage or something. It doesn’t have a choke and I had quick check of the air filter last Sunday, when the problem began, work though meant I didn’t have time during the week to look further into it. I’m hoping I won’t have to strip it right down though it hasn’t been properly serviced before. It was also given to us by Magz’s brother Tam and I know he never stripped it when he had it so it is overdue a right service. I haven’t worked on a petrol engine in years so it should be fun.
The thing is Magz was brought up around car engines. Her dad and other brother both worked on cars for years. She even was roped in too, so she knows more than me. I’m hoping for her help as you can imagine as my own experience in such things, other than using them, was in my YTS days. And if you were ever on the Youth Training Scheme you know that it wasn’t that great a training. I must admit though that I did enjoy the experience at the time even if I learned only a basic understanding of construction and mechanics with a bit of welding thrown in. One year split up among those and landscape gardening (cutting grass) didn’t really mean much to employers. At least it has given me a rudimentary understanding of what I may have to do this weekend.
April 15, 2011
15th April 2011
It has been a bit of a stressful day at work. I was just in one of those bad moods, you know what I mean, when everything seems to lie on your shoulders and adds to the mood. At least it’s the weekend now so I can relax and get ready for next week.
I have a lot to do in the garden planting wise. My seedlings are ready to go out into the tubs. The weather isn’t to be too bad so I’ll get that started after I paint the hut. I did the garden fence last weekend with the help of my son. It’s looking as good as new now. I also fixed my side gate, they were a little worse for wear after the winter but a few screws and some small bracing bits of wood at the corners sorted it out. Of course I fixed it before painting it some the repairs aren’t noticeable.
My peas that I planted out the other week are doing well though I did lose two to birds strangely. They broke the stems maybe getting a bus or something that had crawled onto them early in the morning during the week. The rest are fine though and growing quickly but it will be a couple of months before I think about getting canes to tie them up. I haven’t grown peas since I was a kid, a long time ago.
I’m going to take time out of thinking about my next story and have a weekend playing Civ5. I think after today I need the de-stressing effect of conquering the world. Let my megalomaniac side loose for a night and make the world seem better. Sounds good.
I have a lot to do in the garden planting wise. My seedlings are ready to go out into the tubs. The weather isn’t to be too bad so I’ll get that started after I paint the hut. I did the garden fence last weekend with the help of my son. It’s looking as good as new now. I also fixed my side gate, they were a little worse for wear after the winter but a few screws and some small bracing bits of wood at the corners sorted it out. Of course I fixed it before painting it some the repairs aren’t noticeable.
My peas that I planted out the other week are doing well though I did lose two to birds strangely. They broke the stems maybe getting a bus or something that had crawled onto them early in the morning during the week. The rest are fine though and growing quickly but it will be a couple of months before I think about getting canes to tie them up. I haven’t grown peas since I was a kid, a long time ago.
I’m going to take time out of thinking about my next story and have a weekend playing Civ5. I think after today I need the de-stressing effect of conquering the world. Let my megalomaniac side loose for a night and make the world seem better. Sounds good.
April 8, 2011
8th April 2011
I’ve been on holiday this week from Wednesday. Unfortunately I’ve also caught the cold from my daughter and it has been a stinker. One thing is that at least that I was on holiday so didn’t lose time at work but it has got in the way of my plans for my time off. Today though I spent time digging the front garden under the window so Magz can get her flowers planted for this year. I was also given some rhubarb which is now planted out the back near my fruit trees and strawberries. That area of the back is turning into a good fruit garden what with the two apple trees, two cherry trees, strawberries, blueberry bush, gooseberry bush and now the rhubarb. There is also a Kilmarnock willow in one corner. For a small space I have managed to squeeze a lot into it though without truly planning it all out. Maybe I may have used the space better if I had, then again can I really complain with all that is now there.
My seedlings are doing very well and I should be planting the peas out into my back-garden tubs. It may be a week or two before I plant out anything else though. I also may need to see about replanting my parsley as what I had in my garden tubs seems to have died complete over the winter. Luckily I have seeds from last year. It’s just unfortunate that the parsley didn’t survive, that’s the way it goes sometimes though.
Writing has been stifled by the blocked nose so not much to say on that front. I did send a review copy of my new book to LLbookreview.com which is at least something. Now I have to wait and hope that they enjoy it. Those awful nerves again, what can you do though. I was hoping to get started on my next tale, at least the first chapter. Still I might do that this weekend.
My seedlings are doing very well and I should be planting the peas out into my back-garden tubs. It may be a week or two before I plant out anything else though. I also may need to see about replanting my parsley as what I had in my garden tubs seems to have died complete over the winter. Luckily I have seeds from last year. It’s just unfortunate that the parsley didn’t survive, that’s the way it goes sometimes though.
Writing has been stifled by the blocked nose so not much to say on that front. I did send a review copy of my new book to LLbookreview.com which is at least something. Now I have to wait and hope that they enjoy it. Those awful nerves again, what can you do though. I was hoping to get started on my next tale, at least the first chapter. Still I might do that this weekend.
April 1, 2011
1st April 2011
Finished working out the plot for my next story. I also got word back from LLBookreview.com requesting a hard copy of my latest book Banshee Fires of Revenge. I still have to send a email so I can get the address to send it to. I’m always nervous about reviews, which I suppose isn’t surprising. You just never really know if what you’ve written is as good as you think until strangers give you good feedback. You just might find you get the kind of review I got for my first book Teddy the Bear. That one got torn apart and really knocked me for six. In the end though it allowed me to look at the story in another’s eyes and see its flaws, though I still think it is a good story and my kids did love it when they were young. Well you can’t hide from criticism if you wish to improve as a writer.
I set out my seed trays with tomatoes, carrots, tarragon, basil, beetroot, sprouts, and cos lettuce. Some of the seedlings have already started showing their heads above the soil. I also planted a couple of sacks of potatoes; they were one of the things that turned out well last year. I’ve also started preparing my tubs and gotten in some extra soil to top them up. Still need to get some fertilizer but I won’t need that for a month or so, which is good as I don’t have much money left after getting the seed last week. Still it is worth it as is getting reviews for your books.
I set out my seed trays with tomatoes, carrots, tarragon, basil, beetroot, sprouts, and cos lettuce. Some of the seedlings have already started showing their heads above the soil. I also planted a couple of sacks of potatoes; they were one of the things that turned out well last year. I’ve also started preparing my tubs and gotten in some extra soil to top them up. Still need to get some fertilizer but I won’t need that for a month or so, which is good as I don’t have much money left after getting the seed last week. Still it is worth it as is getting reviews for your books.
March 25, 2011
25th March 2011
Approved my new book for distribution through Lulu.com this week. Now the wait for it to appear on Amazon, B&N and other retailers. My sister claimed my proof-copy to read and others want to read it after her which is encouraging though I don’t get any sales out of it. I need to thing of promoting the book now. I have made a start by applying to LLBookreview.com and is now under consideration so fingers crossed. They have reviewed some of my previous books including Banshee Angel of Judgement, this makes me hopeful.
I’m planning to head to the garden centre this weekend. Yes it’s that time of year to start thinking of the garden again. I’m hoping to plant some peas or bean this year as well as some cauliflower and of course taties. I noticed that my fruit trees have started budding this week and my strawberries from last year are still doing well even though I don’t have them under a cold-frame. I’ll also need to look at what herbs I will grow this year though some have survived the cold weather. Already the thyme, oregano and American broadleaf cress is shooting up. The cress is even flowering which is a surprise. Not sure if I should nip the flowers? Whilst the thyme is not looking to healthy, hopefully it will pick up over the growing season. Yes my tubs will be busy again this year.
I’m planning to head to the garden centre this weekend. Yes it’s that time of year to start thinking of the garden again. I’m hoping to plant some peas or bean this year as well as some cauliflower and of course taties. I noticed that my fruit trees have started budding this week and my strawberries from last year are still doing well even though I don’t have them under a cold-frame. I’ll also need to look at what herbs I will grow this year though some have survived the cold weather. Already the thyme, oregano and American broadleaf cress is shooting up. The cress is even flowering which is a surprise. Not sure if I should nip the flowers? Whilst the thyme is not looking to healthy, hopefully it will pick up over the growing season. Yes my tubs will be busy again this year.
March 18, 2011
18th March 2011
I’ve started working on the plot for my next story. It’s only four chapter’s worth so far but it is a start. I also wrote down some notes for my next Banshee tale at work. They aren’t a lot just a few lines about the concept behind it and the way in which the banshee rises again. I was quite excited with the idea at the time so had to make a note in case I lost it. That happens very easily when you don’t have access to writing material. Even when you do there is always the risk that there isn’t the time when your working. You just have to squeeze a moment if you can to make a note which isn’t easy in a factory setting. Still we have to work is important as it is what pays the bills so we need to bend our penmanship around it and not the other way around.
Looking forward to the rugby tomorrow, Scotland v Italy. It should be a good game and Scotland need to win it or it will be the wooden spoon. The way Italy is playing though they might just steal this game so we have a lot to do.
I still have a little work to do in the kitchen but it isn’t much so shouldn’t take long. Famous last words as the saying goes. Really it is just removing some loose, blown plaster so we can get the council to repair the walls. Taking the artex off the walls brought a lot of the plaster with it, which isn’t really a surprise. It also revealed someone had tried to replaster the walls and did it very badly as well as with the wrong kind. They use a rough one rather than what they should have, finishing plaster. This was also not sealed on top of being the wrong kind. That meant that the artex was even harder to come off but I got there in the end. I suppose who ever did it was thinking the artex would cover it which it did, though if they had use a little more care the job would have looked better. I still would have had to remove the artex though, Magz doesn’t like it and it was a mess.
Looking forward to the rugby tomorrow, Scotland v Italy. It should be a good game and Scotland need to win it or it will be the wooden spoon. The way Italy is playing though they might just steal this game so we have a lot to do.
I still have a little work to do in the kitchen but it isn’t much so shouldn’t take long. Famous last words as the saying goes. Really it is just removing some loose, blown plaster so we can get the council to repair the walls. Taking the artex off the walls brought a lot of the plaster with it, which isn’t really a surprise. It also revealed someone had tried to replaster the walls and did it very badly as well as with the wrong kind. They use a rough one rather than what they should have, finishing plaster. This was also not sealed on top of being the wrong kind. That meant that the artex was even harder to come off but I got there in the end. I suppose who ever did it was thinking the artex would cover it which it did, though if they had use a little more care the job would have looked better. I still would have had to remove the artex though, Magz doesn’t like it and it was a mess.
