Still off line

When computers work it is great, but when they do not , it is a real pain.

Both home PC desktop and lap top are still off line,
Had to delete everything in both , AOL seem to think I have a fault on the line ,

Grant has got the lap top working on a wireless link in the shop so I will swop in a minute.

Have just moved over to the lap top, still in the shop - so god knows what is wrong in the house. will need to try later.

Now off to OSM Soutra Isle with Sparky Mark, then into The Mercat Bar where it is busy with the rugby crowd for the Scotland and All Blacks, New Zealand game this afternoon.

Friday I was at home most of the day , trying to get computers working of course, but was hetting all psyched up for the 720 Annual Ball last night, it was excellent, lovely meal, full house, and we both enjoyed ourselves. It was good that Ricky ( Pirate of the road) gave us a lift down and Sparky took us home.
He is now fund raising , looking for sponsors as he is going to do the Mount Killiminjaro climb/ walk in February 2009 in aid of Marie Curie Hospice. That will be the same time as we are off to Thailand for three weeks.

This man Grant is a bit of a "Billy the Whiz" he has all my bits and pieces up and working when I am getting nowhere.

Must flee in the meantime

Normal service will be resumed as soon as

Morning , or whenever,

Soda law, i have to computers and both fail me at the same time . We spent ages last night trying to get the wireless router up and running only to discover that it was faulty , then when we tried to reset the PC it would not connect, so one down. Then when I tried the Dell lap top on the other system , with the ethernet connection, nowt, it just refused to let my login through , so it is going back to PC World this morning to see the Doctor.

talking of which , i had my scans yesterday , having gone in a different entrance to the hospital, due to full car parks, I ened up in the Simpson maternity wing , and saw the sign for ultrasound !!! but they soon chased me to the other part of the building and the correct unit . So it was quick and there was apparantly nothing untoward withing the fabric of the Mr. B. thank goodness. all I need to do is behave myself for another five weeks beofre I go back to see the Consultant.
Presently using the PC in The Mercat Bar, not that i was supposed to be in today !! but here i am once again.

Friday , the funeral of Joe Wilson , past master of Roslin 606, who died of cancer on Sunday past, we all thought he was in remission and fine but it was sudden at the end.

Friday night attending the Dalhousie 720 Annual Ball in my finery as official representaive of Laird o Cockpen RA 500 - so that should be a good night .

Anyway , work to be done meantime.

Panic in the ranks - and more

Monday ended up being fairly quiet - made it home, had a swim and then spent the evening trying to do some paperwork.

Had a note from Carolanne and dennis who have already booked up for the Blue bay Villas in May 2009 - so I thought a wee glimpse of the swim up bar might give them something to look forward to.

Today ( Tuesday) was up sharp again , this time to head for the hospital for my regular chat with the neurologist - who was happy enough to let me carry on as normal in the meantime - no changes to my medication in the meantime , or till I hear how my next visits go - tomorrow being the hot on the heels, with a liver and kidney scan.
Headed off via Bonnyrigg to see Grant @ photogenix for a quick chat and then off to The Mercat via Booker Cash and Carry. Bought a few goodies for the pub and eventually made it there for 11.30 a.m where as usual RGB had a few more jobs for me, however we had three big deliveries at the same time so it was abit hectic.

The two draymen (delivering beer) were telling me about the time they thought they would get on with a delivery before a publican arrived, so they forced open a hatch to a celler and went in , but set off the alarm. They then ran off and sat in their lorry reading the paper and when the Police arrived they denied all knowledge !!!

Planning ahead to next week when I am flying down to Birmingham , and might need my passport, I phoned up the SIA to see where my passport and application forms were in the sytem - big surprise - they apparantly had not received my stuff , so it is NOW LOST IN THE POST. So I have spent the evening contacting the Lothian and Borders Police: Royal Mail; and UK Passport and Identity Agency. In the process I made a mistake by calling one web site which I thought was the proper Passport Agency but it turned out to be an advice set up, charging £1.50 p a minute - bloody criminal and a swizz.

I also got back onto the SIA as during a good read of their paperwork they were asking for lots of personal information which if lost and in the wrong hands could cause problems - just as it may be for me.
BMI Baby will let me on board provided I have alternative ID, but obviously will need a new passport before I go abroad again, serious nuisance value.

Now have a few things to get on with.

Tried to reverse the charges !!

Lovely sunny morning , but once again very cold as the dawn broke - in fact there was more frost in Edinburgh than there was in Penicuik when I left at 6.45 a.m.
Into the Mercat bar, supposedly to do some jobs , but there was a change of staff rota so I ended up doing an open and waiting for others to arrive.
BUT in the meantime , Robbie @ Upside Down boy, and his wonder women , Caitlin , called from Australia looking to wish Mrs. B. a belated happy birthday - and despite his best efforts I refused to accept a reverse charges call - only kidding , then he suggested I buy her a drink and put it on his account !!! God loves a trier, anyway it was lovely to hear from them both again , although they do speak to Graham regularly . Both are still down at Melbourne , but Robbo's boss had a job there for him so it worked out fine.
He wanted to know if I had bought Mrs. B. flowers for her birthday , but as Sparky had raided the local graveyard on Saturday night , there was no need.

Anyway , work to be done.

A day of contrasts, happenings and things

Lots of things occurred since this morning , and on such a bright day with the sun belting in the front door.

Mrs B. had a musical birthday card on the computer from Carolanne and we could not stop the music !!! then I headed off over the back road to Gorebridge stopping off at Rosebury Filters where I took some lovely photos.

Had my OSM meeting at Gorebrige, where a bit of a problem has arisen and we will just have to see how it works out, if they cannot change the date of the installation in March '09 I will have to let someone else take the chair for next year.

Home via Teco to fill up the car and claim my 5p a ltr discount - quite a saving, then a quick change and off totown with Mrs. B. I had decided that as a birthday treat she could go "window shopping" and that we could have the central heating on for the day !!!! not that she was so amused by that. Anyway we made it to John Lewis where she had a good wander and in the end it was me that spent money.

Talking of Lewis - it was very exciting to see Lewis Hamilton come in 5th in the Brazilian Grand Prix and therefore become the youngest ever holder of the F1 World championship, very well done.

So from the shops we arrived at The Mercat Bar, which was busy, but we did manage to get out dinner - Mrs. B. had a special birthday steak, followed by her chocolate cake, both served complete with candles, and accompanied by music , much to everyones amusement.

Graham Allan senior was there and had photos of the scan his daughter in law Allison has had, showing that she is to have twins next year. Well done Allison and Graham Jnr. - certainly going to give the babysitters a headache.

Hannah, Jonathon, Ailsa and Chris arrived so we had a wee tipple and a blether before Chris and Ailsa headed off on their weeks break to Centre Parcs.

By the time we made it home it was dark time and cold, with minus 3c forecast for the night. Certainly a night to keep ones bum covered. Judging from the sound of Sparky Mark who has just called he needs to take heed having walked for miles through Edinburgh in the early hours of this freezing cold morning.

The sun has got........

This morning it is the frosty hat, beautiful morning , but freezing cold, with the cars that baree in the shade all frozen over.

Mrs.B. hid her head under the blankets, onther year older and as they say , time waits for no man. Young RGB kind of upset her by adding another 100 years to her age in her card, but Go.Jo. amended things by sending a lovely bouquet and a nice gift.

Sparky mark was supposed to head off to Gorebridge with me in a few minutes, however, a session of over indulgence has left him in no fit state to go anywhere, let alone into the company of men !! He called me late on Friday night for a chat , but managed to wake me up from my slumbers !! so he has to make amends.
So need to dash , more news later, when hopefully Lewis Hamilton may have done the business in Brazil.

The culprit , amongst other things.

So Saturday, back to normal, bloody sleepless night, and up early again as RGB wanted me to go and help in the Mercat. It was like a convoy as we all left a few minutes apart for the town - but the roads were quiet and surprisingly , the sun was shining - it was a lovely morning.

So whats happening , well i forgot to commiserate with Anrew Murray who crashed out the French open tennis, big time, bit of a thrashing.

Young Mr. Lewis Hamilton has only qualified in 4th position for the Brazilian grand priz with Massa in pole position , so Hamilton has to get his finger out if he is wanting to get the title tomorrow.

Rangers ran riot at Ibrox with a 5 - 0 win over Inverness Caley Thistle, a hat trick fror Boyd, so much for him sitting on the bench for months.

Bit of reminiscence here, watching Strictly Come dancing on the BBC , they were playing Singing in the Rain, by Fred Astair, which reminded me of a visit to the cinema when I was very young , I went to the picture house in Fence Houses, County Durham ( while living with my granny), we gave them jam jars to get in and sat on rows of benches at tghe front which meant you had to crane your neck upwards - anyway I dozed off and fell off the bench.

So back to today, I had a bit of an investigation in the pub with regard to Jeff having his bum groped, so I asked for a show of hands in the kitchen and found a culprit !!!

Eduardo called in for a visit, and wants me to help him build a bed, Tam Findlay arrived with Katherine, went out in a hurry but had given her a surprise by booking her in for treatments at Imarnis over the road. As a group they are off with Chris, Ailsa and co to Centre Parks.

So as I left about 1.15 to head up to Currie for a RA installation i saw that the Tramworks people had moved the cones back and opened up palmerston Place to two lanes - wonder why !!!!! I stopped on the way to get a photo of one of my former homes at "St Lawrence" which I left in 1963 - then went and took the picture of Currie Kirk, which was my "local" for many years and holds lots of memories for me, ie. Sunday school ; final day of school service ; parents funerals and my sisters wedding.

Small gathering for the installation which was very well done and the 1st Principal was going into the chair for the 4th time. Left straight afterwards but with there being daylight I took a run up to East Kinleith Farm, where I lived for three years from 1954 to 1957 - during this time we were snowed in for a couple of weeks one bad winter with massive snow drifts blocking the roads, so we walked over the fields to school.

Home to get feet up - and have now got my taste back for red wine , I was beginning to panic - having lost my taste for the same.

Bloody farce, these so called questions you have to answer to win prizes on STV , " how many judge are there on the x-Factor", so it costs you a £1 to phone in.

Carolanne has sent in another picture of her gpups, this time - greyhounds . ------------------