http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/en-NZhttp://backend.userland.com/rss092http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/1c/382ca7db80acdce4ffc40be6cfa8c6_160x200.jpg <p>I confess: I am never very good at getting to bed before 11.30pm. Which is why I am so often over tired. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> This last week has been worse: not before 12.30am...<br> Not for any reason. I start thinking about going to bed at 9.30/10.00 - then proceed to faff around a few hours...</p> <p>So, even though it was a friday night, I decided that <em>I didn't want to be like the walking dead any longer</em>. Especially not since we have our party tonight! So, <strong>OMG!</strong> I went to bed at 9.30pm! can you believe it? <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> I was really looking forward to a good night's sleep. <img src="/img/smilies/graysleep.gif" alt=":zz:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><img src="/img/smilies/graysigh.gif" alt=":**:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Unfortunately, I was not counting on a visit from my old friend <em><strong>insomnia</strong></em>. Drat and damnation. 12 hours in bed, with the light off and my eyes shut, and I got possibly 3 hours sleep?</p> <p>I got up at 9.52pm to watch the fireworks across the way for a few minutes.<br> Then I got up for a drink of water at 10.34pm.<br> This was followed by listening to my neighbours going up and down the stairs for 15mins.<br> At 11.17pm S. rang the door bell, having forgotten her keys. From my bleary eyes and wounded expression, she must have thought that she woke me up. Um, no, unfortunately not.<br> I checked the time at 12.20am.<br> I opened my eyes in boredom / exasperation and the smoke alarm flashed at me for a while until I tried shutting my eyes again.<br> F. got home at 2.30am.<br> One of them got up at some point to use the bathroom.<br> The smoke alarm over my head continued to wink it's little "I'm still functioning" green light at me.<br> R. got up at 8am and went out.<br> I finally gave up at 9.17am and got up, feeling somewhat creaky. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/15/rock_a_bye_baby~2983011/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/15/rock_a_bye_baby~2983011/Sat, 15 Sep 2007 09:48:53 +0200 <p>They have computers right? Funds are just information, and information is just numbers flitting down fibre-optic cable...<br> So <em>why on earth</em> does it take <strong>5 days</strong> for my bank account details to be transferred from one part of the banking system (accounts) to another (internet banking)? Infact, with the number of people who now utilise internet banking, why is internet banking not set up when you set up your account?<br> I requested internet banking when I first got the account. I was told that they would transfer the information across and I would need to ring and set it up, a few days later. So I rang and the info hadn't reached their computers yet. I'm sorry I fail to understand: I watched the guy entering my details <em>on a computer</em>...<br> Anyway, since you can <em>only ring during work hours</em>, and <em>hello?</em> I'm working during work hours, I let it slide for a couple of months. I rang the other day, and they <strong>still haven't transfered my details!</strong> WTF? The bank guy said that he'd send through a work order to the <em>tech department</em> (say what? can't you just click a button that says 'transfer information'? no, it's so difficult that they need an IT Department to do it...).<br> So, I rang again a couple of days later: "no your details aren't on the system yet". Oh. "It does take 5 working days, you know."<br> How?<br> Why?<br> Look, I'm sorry but it doesn't in New Zealand.<br> This is ridiculous, honestly I am steadily becoming convinced that they <em>print off the information, send it by 2nd Class mail to the other department, where it gets stamped and filed, before some geeky IT trainee who doesn't get to see daylight very often, re-enters the information on a different computer...</em><br> sigh... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/15/the_continuing_story_of_a_bank_that_s_go~2982942/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/15/the_continuing_story_of_a_bank_that_s_go~2982942/Sat, 15 Sep 2007 09:32:19 +0200 <p>My final task was then to work out how to get to Euston train station with the Tube on strike!</p> <p>It turned out that there was a very straightforward route (well a couple of changes but at least no buses nor walking from hither to thither) on the Silverline. P. dropped me at South Acton Station and I paid nearly £8! for a ticket to get me to Euston - that'd get me to almost to Edinburgh and back again! <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0"> FFS. </p> <p>Luckily we had set off at 9am so I was running half an hour ahead of my preferred time to arrive at Euston, since the first leg of my Silverline journey picked me up on time but dropped me at Willesden Juntion a few minutes too late for the the next leg and then<br> the next train due for the second leg was 10mins late, and <em>also</em> ran slow so I didn't arrive at Euston until just after 10am - with my train to Glasgow leaving at 10.28am - perfect timing. There were quite a few empty reserved seats so I think that quite a few people were not so fortunate.</p> <p>Back in Glasgow mid-afternoon - and needing my jacket again <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> - and then <img src="/img/smilies/graysigh.gif" alt=":**:" class="middle" border="0"> back to work the next day... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/10/london_calling_finale~2953295/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/10/london_calling_finale~2953295/Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:08:30 +0200 <p>Monday September 3rd</p> <p>I caught the Tube (by overground not underground and not in a tube!) from Turnham Green to Richmond; and from there <em>I walked to Hampton Court.</em> It took about three hours and was well worth it.</p> <p>The route was partly along towpaths, but also through the old townships of <strong>Richmond</strong>, and <strong>Petersham</strong> and past <strong>Ham House</strong>, crossing the <strong>Thames</strong> at <strong>Teddington Lock</strong> and then through Teddington. The weather was perfect for the walk, and in fine weather I'd recommend it to anyone.</p> <p>If your interested the route can be found in detail at:<br> <a href="http://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/hampton_court_walk.htm">http://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/hampton_court_walk.htm</a></p> <p>On route you pass<em> a working dairy herd of authentic, but apparently uneconomic, cows</em> grazing in the Petersham Meadows near the Thames, adjacent to Ham House - just like in the Middle Ages! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>The walk reachs Hampton Court via Chestnut Avenue through <strong>Bushy Park</strong>, which still has the Royal deer herd, who were at times <em>oblinging enough to stop and pose</em> for my (over exposed) camera. I stopped here to have my lunch, on a bench in the sun, watched by the curious deer - or was I watching them? either way it makes <em>a pleasant change from pigeons!</em></p> <p>The Chestnut Avenue brings you to the Lion's Gate, which enters the grounds of Hampton Court at the Wilderness and by the Maze. I walked though the Wilderness to the Rose Gardens - oh! the perfume on the air! heaven - to find the ticket booth and the main entry. I've been to Hampton Court before, but it was <em>cold, dark, rainy and generally miserable</em> when J. T. and I went in 1999, so we just did the inside and left the gardens for another day - which monday, finally, was for me! and <em>I couldn't have had a better day.</em> So I had a quick recon inside - picking up some spices for mulled wine on the way - before heading out into the formal gardens. </p> <p>The gardens are very lovely, and I had a very pleasnt afternoon exploring them, although I was disappointed that you can only look into the pond gardens not walk around them - as I thought that they were very beutiful. <em>Gardeners were constantly at work and their effort certainly shows</em> - it must be a very peaceful, rewarding job. I have often thought that being a gardener would be a good job. Well, I think that on sunny days, not when it's raining, funnily enough! I saw the Great Vine and the Banquetting Hall - which I liked very much, looking out over the water of the Thames. The Great Vine is the oldest (eating grape) vine in world - and the grapes that it produces are sold at Hampton Court, and they are beautiful, by far <em>the best grapes that I have had in a long time</em>.</p> <p>The Great Fountain garden is also very pleasant - with it's mushroom trees (and a tired father telling his wee daughter that she musn't climb them!) and big luscious flower beds to the sides. The main fountain is quite delicate, and beautiful in a un-demonstrative way. From there you look out on the Long Water - a long flat sheet disappearing into the horizon. <em>Unfortunately truncated</em> in recent years by the Jubilee Fountain added in 2002(?) for Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee; <em>fortunately only periodically</em>. The new fountain is located at the end of the Long Water. The problem with this is that it gives the Long Water an end point, cutting off the 'infinte' view and foreshortening the Long Water. When the fountain is not playing, you can still see the Long Water as originally intended - which is more beautiful and certainly more impressive although less dashing than the fountain.</p> <p>I then made my way back around through the Wilderness to the <strong>Maze</strong>, where I spent <em>a good 20mins trying not to go back to the beginning</em> (and the exit!) as I tried to find the <strong>centre</strong>... So naturally after all that effort I took myself off to the pub for a cold beer (there is a couple just outside the Lion's Gate which, handily, is just by the Maze).</p> <p>Then via the Rose Gardens again (so lovely) to the main gate to find the bus back to Richmond. On route I found myself <em>tempted by a Kiosk...</em> so I gave in and had an ice-cream in the sun by the side of the Thames. The bus ride back to Richmond was fine - though I had to try not to fall asleep! </p> <p>Then Richmond Tube Station: I didn't find out until after I had paid, that the <em>District Line was no longer running</em> due to the <strong>Strike</strong> that was due to start in half an hour.<br> Okay...<br> There's a bus right.<br> From the other side of the road, should be only 4 - 7mins away.<br> So along with a whole crowd of people I <em>stood on the side of the road for nearly three quarters of an hour</em>. There were buses going the other way, and cars. But the only cars or taxis that passed on our side ofthe road had done 'U'turns further up the street... So there's all these stranded commuters gazing with envy at the stops on the other side of the road - it may not be greener but it's certainly faster!</p> <p>N.C. and I had been hoping to meet up, but besides the fact that transport was a nightmare with the Tube on strike, our mobile phones appear to have been playing silly buggers: I texted her, called her, no reply, she ditto's that but my phone tells me nothing, though hers told her that I was not on the network - huh? (all this established a day or so later via Facebook).</p> <p>So I had dinner with P. and her friend, who was wearing bright orange overalls and has just returned from living in New York for many years, which was all very pleasant.</p> <p>The photos from this day can be found at:<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13572&l=7e828&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13572&l=7e828&id=536389399</a><br> I should note that these - and the others from this weekend - have a tendancy to be overexposed (very badly in some cases) as I had unwittingly set my camera very very wrong... doh... I have done what repair was possible but the skies that look overcast with white cloud should infact be brilliant blue with streaky white clouds and plane trails, as is visible in some few images. So use your imagination <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/10/london_calling_part_iv_take_a_glorious_b~2953272/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/10/london_calling_part_iv_take_a_glorious_b~2953272/Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:01:29 +0200 <p>Sunday September 2nd</p> <p>Meet up with N.C. at Kings Cross. She has just moved to London from Holland - prior to that (a long time ago now!) we went to University together.<br> It was the usual deal of phone calls -<em> "where are you?"</em> - while standing about 25m from each other! After hugs and exclamations and general catching up and discourse on where and what, we determined on the Design Museum where N.C. was <em>sure</em> that there was a Zaha Hadid exhibition. So we then caught the Tube to Bank and then (due to engineering works) had to walk to the Design Museum on the other side of the Thames, across Tower Bridge. Which actually was rather lovely with the sunny blue sky. Especially since I hadn't seen the Tower in the sun before nor with leaves on the trees before! So that was nice. </p> <p>On the other side of tower bridge there was a PETA protest - <em><strong>Bare Skin Not Bear Skin</strong></em> - regarding the Beefeaters hats. So naturally it was young ladies in the nude (almost) with<em> Union Jacks on their cheeks</em>, butt cheeks that is. For their sake I was glad that it was warm and sunny. Well I was glad for my sake also, but...</p> <p>There was indeed a Zaha Hadid exhibition at the Design Museum. It was very good, but I am inclined to dispute the argument, posed in one card, that her recent built projects prove that <em>contrary to earlier critique</em> she is <em>a builder not just a painter</em>. I think it is just that now she has staff to turn her artistic vision into built reality. By which I do not mean to denegrate the power of her artistic vision, nor the influence that she has had on architecture internationally. I just think that the staff should get a bit more credit - they are not, afterall, merely drones...</p> <p>There was also a Graphic Design exhibit: a group devoted to anti-brand, anti-globalisation and naturally anti-war. There was some very good work and some hard-hitting political / social critique - but of course, the irony is that <em>they have become a Brand themselves...</em><br> Perhaps that accounts for the shift towards anti-war?</p> <p>I confess to shopping: <em>four little porcelain tumblers, like crumpled plastic cups</em>, each one different from the others. The location of the crumple on each though, is just perfect for a thumb hold. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>We then had a pub lunch before I had to rush off to meet J.D. (ex CSP) at Oxford Circus. With lunch running late, and then the engineering works on the Tube (requiring the hike back to Bank) I was 1/2 an hour late but had forewarned J. so that was okay - infact, I wound up waiting for him. We walked across to Soho where he introduced me to a <em>nice little Kiwi run cafe </em>- the best hot chocolate that I've had since arriving in the UK! and they do a flat white...</p> <p>It was very odd though, it seemed <em>everywhere I went I was being served by antipodians</em> - and when N.C. and I were working out the best route for the tube, who should stop to help but a <strong>Kiwi</strong>, <em>complete with MacPack backpack...</em></p> <p>We then just walked and talked, around Soho and down to Westminster and back to Picadilly Circus.</p> <p>Then back to Chiswick for dinner with P. and M. After which I showed P. the photos I have from the wedding (I had my iPod on which they are - and since it is set up as a hard-drive I could access them to show her - neat eh?). </p> <p>Speaking of photos - the pics from this trip can be accessed at :<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13456&l=4a8dd&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13456&l=4a8dd&id=536389399</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_iii_it_s_all_clear_n~2952908/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_iii_it_s_all_clear_n~2952908/Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:04:07 +0200 <p>Saturday September 1st</p> <p>Woke to a <strong><em>stunningly blue sky</em></strong>. Had a shower and dressed, ready to go for a walk in the neighbourhood - and <em>the sky was horribly overcast</em>.<br> Of course, naturally.<br> So I went for my walk anyway.<br> Down to the Thames through Chiswick and past Chiswick Parish Church. Which was preparing for the inauguration of the new priest when I stuck my head around the door - but they were very happy for my to have a look around; and <em>a big chap with the <strong>most</strong> impressive moustachios</em> gave me a brief history:<br> Cromwell's Daughter and her Husband, as well as Hogarth are buried in the Church;<br> and there are some who believe (M. told me that this particular theory has been discredited - but it's a good story anyway) that Cromwell himself is buried there. After the Restoration his head was kicked around the place a bit - from here to there - finally winding up at Cambridge in Sidney Sussex College (which Cromwell had spent some time in after his father's death). There is no firm record however, of what happened to the body. Some believe that his supporters somehow transported it to Chiswick Parish Church and buried it secretly there.<br> Chiswick Parish Church was the only church under Cromwellian Rule that got new bells - as they didn't approve of bells - a wee bit of nepotism due to it being the church where his daughter worshiped;<br> The majority of the building only dates from around 1880(?), but the belltower is 17thC and the presence of the church goes back before 9thC (according to the man with the moustachio's). But they did grind up the bit's of the old church into the mortar of the new (current) church - which is kind of nice.</p> <p>From there down to the water, where I rather fell for the water edge garden plots on the other side of the road to the house they're attached to - and the same width as the house plot, so if the house is very skinny then so is the garden plot, alovely idea.</p> <p>Finally, back through Chiswick to the house - to meet my cousin's wife and son for the first time. Unfortunately, the man himself had a wedding to go to (W. felt a bit too pregnant! she is due this weekend). The wee boy is a lovely bright kid. Then cousins H. & J. turned up also which was lovely. </p> <p>J. and I went to lunch up in Chiswick as the others all went in various different directions. It was really very nice to have that extra time with just her - not something we often get.</p> <p>After which I caught the Tube to Southwark to meet K. B. (who used to work across the kitchen from my old job in Auckland), and we went to the Tate Modern. We mostly just talked as we wandered rather than getting serious about the art. But we were quite agreed that the exhibit with two beautiful Macaws, caged away from daylight and fresh air, was just not right. We then wandered about a bit before finding a nice pub and getting a beer in the sunshine.</p> <p>Unfortunately, I didn't have anything to on Saturday night as everyone had various other plans already. So I went into Picadilly Circus and wandered about, along Carnaby Street and such. I did have some thoughts of going to a show (I had heard that Wicked was very good), but I was pushing it on time and anyway I would have coughed all the way through (I've been fighting of a rather malingering cold) and didn't think that that would be fun - so I just walked, and got a bite to eat, before heading back to Chiswick - on the Tube with everyone else again...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_ii_slow_time~2952827/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_ii_slow_time~2952827/Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:49:35 +0200 <p>Friday August 31st</p> <p>Having decided that catching the first subway at approx 6.40am to get to Central Station for a 7am train was pushing it a bit, I called a taxi at 6.20am.<br> At 6.30 I get a call to say that the taxi is there.<br> Well I am standing outside and I can tell you it's not.<br> Turned out the taxi-driver had gone to the wrong street! So they'll send another.<br> Arrived at 6.40am - but got me to Central Station at 6.50 so that was okay <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The train ride down to London was great - lovely views and to top it off I had a fantastic book (refer my earlier blog "Open Your Eyes").</p> <p>At the other end, the tube ticket to Turnham Green cost me the same amount as my taxi fare to Central Station, Glasgow.</p> <p>Running on memory only, I recalled that I had to catch the District Line to Turnham Green and turn Left. Um no, that was supposed to be turn Right, I realised sometime later...<br> So met P. and had soup and tea before we went out for coffee with her friend. Dinner at the house with M. and then a walk around the streets. Which was all very relaxed and family like <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> - something I've been missing...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_i_down_the_road_a_pi~2951883/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/09/london_calling_part_i_down_the_road_a_pi~2951883/Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:52:37 +0200 <p>"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak<br> An wonderful (and uplifting though shattering book). I have just resurfaced on completion of this tale of a girl growing up in Germany during the war. The book is narrated by Death, and we are informed at the start (and reminded at points) of how this turns out. So that it is the journey that counts rather than the event. It is a journey beautifully and lovingly told - if somewhat sadly at times. The are - it being wartime - moments of great tragedy, but there are also sequences of humour and joy.</p> <p><a href="http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1983080,00.html">http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1983080,00.html</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/08/open_your_eyes~2947557/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/08/open_your_eyes~2947557/Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:09:13 +0200 <p>Perhaps it was just the weekend that I chose to go to London, but my overwhelming impressions of <strong>London</strong> (other than the famous <em>Brown Brick</em>) was the <strong>stifling, repugnant heat of the tube, and the black dust pollution</strong> throughout the centre - leaving you parched and desperate for quiet, cool, and some form of / any form of thirst-quencher - and the <strong>shattered longing of stranded commuters</strong> gazing with blank envy at other platforms and other stops, where trains and buses are running on time. As they wait for transport, which, it is becoming increasingly apparent, may never come. At least not in time for the next connection, or that all important meeting, or just quite simply, <em>to get the hell away from 'here'.</em><br> Oh the Glory of the London Underground: all the pushing and shoving and hurrying that goes with that <em>desperate need to be somewhere other than 'here'.</em> All the pushing and the sighing and the elbows and the rolling eyes and the gritted expressions - and the tragic American trying to 'grin and bear it' making little "we're all in this together" type jokes, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that the blurred commuters (who're just trying to get somewhere without the experience being too hideous) are envisaging her dire fate...<br> Having said which, <em>I thoroughly enjoyed my time in London</em> - just not the ridiculous amount of time spent crammed onto Public Transport - or worse - waiting for Public Transport... It certainly helped that <strong>the weather was lovely</strong> - and much warmer than Glasgow.<br> Also noteworthy is the startling revelation I had one afternoon on the Picadilly Line - with the heat unbearable and the claustrophobic press of people - that (somewhat like Dorothey) "I want to Go Home!" and <em>the home that I was thinking of was Glasgow...<br> </em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/08/title~2945373/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/09/08/title~2945373/Sat, 08 Sep 2007 13:09:23 +0200 <p>I had to go to the Post Office again today - more packages to NZ.</p> <p>The lady at the counter was the one from outside, yesterday morning, and, recognising me, asked if I had recieved her message? To which I had to reply: I gave her the incorrect number... So she turns away, and <em>from behind the counter gets a plastic bag...</em></p> <p><u>O - M - G</u></p> <p><strong><u>It was there!<br> It was there!<br> It was there!</u></strong></p> <p>So now I just feel generally daft - but relieved. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>And my flatmate is vindicated: he told me that my iPod would have been handed in because (and I quote)<em> "people who use post offices are more honest than the general public."</em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/18/the_end_result~2826991/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/18/the_end_result~2826991/Sat, 18 Aug 2007 02:16:34 +0200 <p>So, this morning I went to the post office before work. I figured that it probably wouldn't be open until 9am, by which time I needed to be at work, but figured that it was worth trying. It was closed. But there was a <em>friendly postal worker</em> (no-longer on strike) waiting outside to be let in. I told her my story and she was very sympathetic, so I wrote down my number for her - with my <strong>99p pen that had caused the problem to start with</strong> - and she said that she would check, for me, whether or not my iPod had been handed in, and call me to let me know.</p> <p>I didn't hear from her. But then I hadn't really expected to. It wasn't until I was <em>on my way home</em> (late again) that I suddenly realised that <em>I had writen down 'xx23' instead of a 'xx32'! </em> In fact, I think I've been doing that a lot lately... </p> <p>So anyway, now I am convinced that my iPod wasn't pinched, that, infact, I forgot it and some <em>kind person</em> handed it in, only for me to give <strong>the wrong number</strong>, the <em>nice postal lady</em> to ring said wrong number and leave a message, and <em><strong>some other person has walked in and claimed my iPod!</strong></em></p> <p>Of course, I have absolutley no basis for this analysis, other than Murphy's Law, but, well, it would be typical of 2007! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/16/and_round_and_round_we_go~2820631/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/16/and_round_and_round_we_go~2820631/Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:30:28 +0200 <p>Don't leave your iPod on the counter and turn your back to put rubbish in the bin! Or for that matter to weigh your postal package!<br> whatever, it's gone...</p> <p>sigh.... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/15/i_am_a_moron~2814231/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/15/i_am_a_moron~2814231/Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:40:30 +0200 <p>But unfortunately, it didn't. Infact, it got <strong>worse</strong>. So <em>half way up <strong>Ben Lomond</strong></em>, I joined the dissenters, and headed back down. I was cold, wet (not damp: <strong><em>WET</em></strong> - and this is wearing full wet weather gear), tired and miserable. I had had to remove my glasses as they were fogging up. But I still couldn't see - not just due to bad eyesight - the mist was, well the mist was Highland mist.</p> <p>So, so much for <em>my First Munro</em>!</p> <p>We had a good day though for all that. There is something so comfortable about being <em>inside in the warm with a hot meal and a wee dram</em>, while some other fools are off <em>climbing a hill in the mist and rain</em>.</p> <p>I have done walking or touristing, or similar, in the cold and wet, or the hot and uncomfortably humid, before and had a great time. But once you decide that you're <em>not having fun</em>, there is really no way to undo that... So, I realised that there was no point perservering - other than <em>machismo</em>, which is not really me... For some people <em>the point, the whole point and nothing but the point</em> of hill-walking is (and I use this term with deliberation!) <strong>obtaining the summit.</strong> For me it's about enjoying the outdoors and seeing new places and things - and I couldn't see, and I wasn't enjoying myself. Point: <em>Nada</em>.</p> <p>So, one day - when the weather is fine - I will go back to Ben Lomond and do it again - all the way to the top!</p> <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10643&l=620cd&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10643&l=620cd&id=536389399</a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/12/rain_rain_go_away~2797811/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/12/rain_rain_go_away~2797811/Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:31:52 +0200 <p>well, and so (having done the dishes, swept the floor, cleaned the stove...) I have sat down to the MacBook to do a few emails etc, and have bethought me that I have <strong>still not described the Water of Leith Walk!</strong> And we are going up <strong>Ben Lomond</strong> tomorrow so I will be very behind <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0">.</p> <p>I may <em>just have enough battery to do it this time!</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I had intended to get early to bed on the Friday night (I will tonight!), after going to the shops to get bread, ham lettuce etc for sandwiches for the walk. However: one of the admin staff at work has retired and that Friday was her <em>last day.</em> So, of course we had to go out for a few bevys.</p> <p>I meant to go home. At many stages of the evening. Yet somehow <em>I did not make home until 2am or something silly. <strong>Oops</strong></em>. I did actually stop drinking at 11pm - no, really! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> The wine was <em><strong>awful</strong></em> and I suddenly decided that I really wasn't enjoying it, so why was I drinking it? But we were dancing... <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> By this stage actually it was only myself an 18 year-old ex-receptionist, and one of the lads from work.</p> <p>So in the morning <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> I crawled out of bed after 3hrs sleep <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> no I don't know why I got up so early. I didn't have to, but for some reason I was awake, and I couldn't get back to sleep; and <u>since the weather looked good</u>, <em>I took some panadol, had breakfast, picked up some lunch, and stumbled off to the train station.</em> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>Dozed on the train to Edinburgh - missing the scenary... <img src="/img/smilies/icon_confused.gif" alt=":-/" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Then a bus ride through Edinburgh to Balerno. A short walk through the streets (I could have sworn that we went in circles once or twice - turn left and lef and left again - but we didn't pass anything twice, so I guess not) and then along the canal. Well, they told me it was a canal, but <em>I've never seen a canal with wee waterfalls in it before!</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The walk along the water was all flat and very pretty. It was a very different crowd, as the majority of that day's crowd don't like the hill-walks (at least the ones I spoke too). I don't really understand this clear diferentiation that people seem to have. I like walking - I like going to new places and seeing new things, regardless of whether it's flat or hilly or rocky or by the sea, or whether there's a pub or not...</p> <p>The group was much larger than for Leum Uilliem - <em>nearly 30 people</em> - which I felt was too many. It makes it harder to slow up for people who might need it, or simply to stop and take pictures, because those at the front setting the pace are too far away to know that someone is struggling or simply wants to stop for a good shot. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Leith is very pretty and I'd like to go back to have a proper look around.<br> We just walked in, <em>found a pub, got a beer and waited for the kitchen to open.</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Well, the fresh air and excerise was undoubtedly good for me, but we <strong>didn't get back into Glesca until 10.15pm</strong>, and then home and straight to bed and <em>didn't get up until the next morning</em> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> when we all had to go and email our mothers... <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/10/hmmm~2788367/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/10/hmmm~2788367/Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:11:57 +0200 <p>I was just dropping off to sleep <u>midnight</u> Tuesday night when my phone went <em><strong>brrrrr</strong></em> at me. <em>"Sorry so late texting - want to go to a proper scottish ceilidh in a proper scottish castle?"</em><br> Why of course! - but, of course, that was when my phone chose to play silly b*ggers.</p> <p>Then at 2am the phone went <em><strong>brrrrr</strong></em> again?! a message that Flatmate R. sent at 5.55pm only just then decided to come through. <em>Poor me was very tired by morning.</em> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> And I still couldn't reply to V. re the ceilidh! Everytime I tried to text her, the message failed to send and I got a screen message saying "unrecognised number". Acting on a hunch, I put some more money on it - no, I don't know how to check my credit limit <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> - <u>this worked!</u> So, I learnt something yesterday: "unrecognised number" means "not enough dosh".</p> <p>On the train to Linlithgow, I decided that it was well past time and due to do some weeding of the messages saved on my phone (or in other words: there was no memory left to receive new messages!). While doing this noted an old reminder that I had sent to Mama, regarding some of my photos from Bolivia. Seeing as the required action had yet to be enacted, I reminded her again. Then looked at the time <em>"Doh!"</em> - it was <strong>6am in NZ!</strong> <em>Sorry Mama...</em> But I had my comeupance this morning when R. texted <em>me</em> at 6am... After <em>I didn't get to bed until 1am!</em></p> <p>From which you may correctly surmise that <em>the Ceilidh was very good</em>. It finished at 10.30, but the train back to Glesca wasn't until 10.50, then it's 1/2hr trip - and then I always take forever to get ready for bed... <img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The <strong>Ceilidh</strong> was at <strong>Linlithgow Castle</strong> - where Mary Queen of Scots was born - mostly a ruin now but I had great fun investigating all the remaining gallerys and passages, and the winding stairs - right the way to the top! It was an absolutely beautiful evening: <em>clear blue sky and everything glowed.</em> The outlook from Linlithgow Castle is superb. There were also wee ghosties running around in the castle. Including a particulary scary - and particularly wee - blonde one in a pink dress with a bow at the back. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"><br> Oh! and vampiric pigeons! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>They have <strong>tea and shortbread</strong> at the interval, and explain the steps for each dance before doing it. Not that I knew what I was doing even so, but I had fun - and <em>I didn't stand on anyones toes!</em> V. knew a couple of guys there from her Cerroc classes - and they are part of a larger group that does the <em>Edinburgh Ceilidh Circuit.</em></p> <p>But definately, a Ceilidh ain't <em><strong>No Place For High Heels!</strong></em><br> (I figure that's a good enough excuse to go shoe-shopping. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> ) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/09/dance_with_me~2783376/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/09/dance_with_me~2783376/Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:56:36 +0200 <p>After an uneventful week (getting up early to be at work by 7.30am to be picked up by the boss to get to a site vist (somewhere?) North of Glasgow by 8.30am, does not, I think, count as an event <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> ) I joined the G.R.U.F.F. crowd again for a 'social': <em>goin' doon the watter</em> on the Waverley, yesterday. </p> <p>The Waverley is one of the last ocean going paddle steamers in the world (<em>and you can go down to the engine room and see all the shiny pistons going and the steam!</em>), and goin' doon the watter (down the River Clyde) on it to Rothesey, on the Isle of Bute, is something of a Glesca tradition.</p> <p>The boat ride is the main point to the trip (with bar and ceilidh band) but I'd have liked a little more time in Rothesay. The 3hrs left was only enough for lunch and a wee wander. Which was a pity as there were a few places I'd like to have gone. So I am thinking that an over night could be the goer: catching a train from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay and then the ferry to Bute, and spend the night at a B'n'B. That would then give time to do some sightseeing there - of which there looks to be plenty to do. One or two of the others seemed also to think that this could be a good plan...</p> <p>I was told by some of the others that it <em>wasnae a proper ceilidh</em> - but it was all good fun and everyone had a grand time. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"><br> V. and a couple of the guys are quite good dancers (they do cerroc in their spare time) but the rest of us - well... - but it was fun <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0">. I was asked to dance at one point, by a nice (tall!) polisman. He was unfortunately married, however. I kinda got the feeling that he just desperately wanted to escape his drunken friends - and the trials (responsibilities) of being a. a polisman, and b. the most sober one. It was, naturally, a stag-do, you see. I am thinking that maybe stag is short for stagger... </p> <p>You may be familiar with the expression '<strong>steaming</strong>' for drunk?<br> One of our women <em>told me that she had heard</em> that this had come from the practice of goin' doon the watter on the Waverley on a Sunday. The Waverley being the only place that sold alchohol on a Sunday. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> Some of those around us certainly did <em>nothing to put the lie to that one!</em></p> <p><em>Drinking on the way to Rothesay, drinking in the pubs at Rothesay, drinking on the way back</em> certainly a most concerted effort <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> - but they were, by and large, cheerful drunks. One group had brought a couple of guitars with them - and while I'm not saying I'd buy their album or anything - they were entertaining. There were unfortunately, a few belligerant drunks, but they were generally ignored and everyone else just carried on having fun. Dancing and singing and flirting and dancing some more...</p> <p>I cannae see a boatload of day-trippers in NZ (on their way to and from Tiritiri Matangi perhaps?) drinking and dancing on board! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> Thumping on the ceiling and stamping their feet...</p> <p>I had been talking to a couple of the GRUFF people about Rotu-vegas (that's Roturua to the uninitiated) and the sanitised tourist experience of the <em>'Traditional Maori Pa'</em>. Complete with face-painted warriors dancing around. The thing is that a proper haka ( as any rugby officianado knows) is a challange and is <em>supposed to <strong>scare</strong> you</em>. Recently there were a couple of performers at a park in Roturua who were reprimanded (and had their contracts 'not-renewed' if I remember aright) for doing just that: scaring the tourists! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> The Waverley is of course advertised as a Tourist Experience! So V. commented later that any tourists who had come along may very well have been scared by this <em>Traditional Display of Glesca Culture</em>. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Well, it was all very entertaining, and the scenery passing by was fabulous. Even the decreipit abandoned wharfs and the scrap heaps and wreckers yards on the Clyde-side in Glasgow. <em>And the big cranes!</em> </p> <p>Oh! and the Waverley departed from outside the Glasgow Science Centre - so I even got in a bit of architecture! so a very good day indeed.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/05/in_this_river~2760727/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/05/in_this_river~2760727/Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:23:56 +0200 <p>After some days of acting bewildered, I have finally sorted this photo business satisfactorily:</p> <p>so instead of posting photos here, where I have limited storage space, I've put them on Facebook, and I can post a link here.<br> so:</p> <p>Doon the Watter on the Waverley to Rothesay:<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9848&l=cafb0&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9848&l=cafb0&id=536389399</a></p> <p>Glasgow Science Centre<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9837&l=0d1ea&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9837&l=0d1ea&id=536389399</a></p> <p>Water of Leith<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9835&l=14bb7&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9835&l=14bb7&id=536389399</a></p> <p>Leum Uilliem<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9833&l=69b77&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9833&l=69b77&id=536389399</a></p> <p>you've see the Leum Uilleim ones already, on this site, but...</p> <p>also:<br> summer in glasgow:<br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7355&l=af26d&id=536389399">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7355&l=af26d&id=536389399</a><br> which is on going and I will continue to add to.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/05/oh_so_that_s_how~2759025/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/05/oh_so_that_s_how~2759025/Sun, 05 Aug 2007 15:14:58 +0200 <p>As promised, and after <em>much</em> effort - no <em>really</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> - I have uploaded photos from my walk up Leum Uilleim the previous weekend.<br> They are only accessible to my friends sorry, as I don't want everyone to be able to download and use my photos as and how they please. It'd be nice if there was an option for public view but not download, but there isn't. So those of you back home who haven't yet signed up as my <em>friend</em>: yah boo sucks to you <img src="/img/smilies/graybigrazz.gif" alt=":P" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Oh and they go backwards... I don't know - I guess next time I shall have to upload in reverse chronological order to get them in the right order in the album...</p> <p>you see?! it's very hard work! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/01/leum_uilleim~2741013/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/08/01/leum_uilleim~2741013/Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:37:54 +0200 <p>being slack I know...</p> <p>but i have 'flu tonight <img src="/img/smilies/graysigh.gif" alt=":**:" class="middle" border="0"> and my head is in no fit state to think <img src="/img/smilies/graydead.gif" alt="XX(" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>So briefly: I went on a very nice walk with very nice people, on saturday: the Water of Leith walk in Edinburgh. Followed by dinner at the pub, of course.</p> <p>Oh, dear and the battery is about to go on my MacBook... <img src="/img/smilies/icon_neutral.gif" alt=":|" class="middle" border="0"> so I shall have to tell this story (better) later. And with pictures - I promise! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/31/painkiller~2735054/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/31/painkiller~2735054/Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:53:15 +0200 <p>I was measuring up an empty office this afternoon - preparatory to doing space-planning schematics - and as part of this I had to position the existing aircon units (so that we don't have walls running through the middle of them!). Sounds easy enough? well yeah... except that to do it I had to lay the tape on the floor - from wall to wall - then eye up the centreline of each of the 3 the aircon units and line them up with the tape, which is fine. Apart from the bit where I was standing directly under the cold blast - right on the frontal lobe. Urk - major brain-freeze... Cracker of a headache when I got back to the office. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/25/chill~2701818/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/25/chill~2701818/Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:43:56 +0200 <p>Well my legs are okay today. My thighs don't ache anymore. </p> <p>I went for a hill-walk up Leum Uilleim (909m), a Corbett on the north edge of Rannoch Moor, on Saturday, with the Glasgow Region Under Forty First Footers. </p> <p>It is a bleak but very beautiful place: from afar it all looks browny green and desolate; but as you get closer purples start to come through, and when you are right up in it, there are little white and blue and orange flowers and mosses and lichens, tiny purple alpine orcards and teeny tiny frogs.</p> <p>The one downer was, in all this beautiul landscape, tucked under a rock I spotted a plastic Coca-cola bottle. Someone had taken the trouble to stuff their Twix wrapper inside it, and then thrown it away?! It is now in my rubbish bin at home. Funnily enough, the fact that it was the only piece of litter that adorned the otherwise pristine landscape, made it worse. Some places you get used to seeing rubbish everywhere, but there had been nothing...</p> <p>It took me a while to work out why the walk / climb was so much harder on my legs than I would have expected - I know that I'm unfit, but not that unfit. but then I realised: the ground, being moorland, is covered in mosses and heather and similar and so is really springy unfoot (good to cushion a fall, if you fell) - it's like running on sand, uphill...</p> <p>But the views were lovely, and we were very lucky and it did not rain. We followed this up with dinner at the pub / B'n'B by the train station. By the by that's all that's there: train-station, tracks and B'n'B... So a cheerful time had by all we caught the last train back to Glasgow and were home by 9.30pm. </p> <p>F. was having a dinner party, and tired as I was, I was lured by tiramisu into joining. Once ensconced in the corner, with my legs up, and a glass of wine, there was no way that I was going to move for a long time. So I don't know what time it was that I finally dragged my tired limbs off to bed.</p> <p>Since the internet was down again on Sunday, so I couldn't do my blog - I went and bought the final installment of Harry Potter: I won't bother to deny that I am a Potter-ophile, not after one of my workmates guessed that that was why I was overtired this morning, saying sagely: "you look like a Harry Potter fan." I'm not sure what that means...?</p> <p>I have many photos from the weekend - so will sort them and put a sprinkling of the best on-line later in the week. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/24/spring_clean_for_the_may_queen~2695997/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/24/spring_clean_for_the_may_queen~2695997/Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:17:08 +0200 <p>I have just realised that <em>my NZ Visa Card is about to expire</em>! eek it's all I have right now... Well it'll last me till next week anyway and hopefully by then I should have my Debit Card. And money in the bank! <strong>woo hoo!</strong></p> <p>But, oh! Speaking of visa's! My workmate, R, has a valid work permit, sponsered by her previous employer. Said previous employer closed up shop, hence her move to us. Being good and conscientious, she contacted immigration to notify them of her change in employer. </p> <p><em><strong>Bad Move... </strong></em></p> <p>They subsequently noticed an error<em> (which they readily admit is theirs not hers): </em> UK Registration is done in Parts (Including Uni Study) Part I, Part II, and Part III. R. is Part II equivalent and never pretended otherwise. The chap filling out the form, however, made a typo and wrote III instead of II. So now they want her RIBA certification (Part III) which she doesn't have and doesn't <em>need</em> to get a visa! </p> <p>As a result she has had to stop work, and go back to India for a couple of weeks and then return and get her Visa re-stamped (I am not actually sure what this is supposed to achieve?) <em>even though they admit that its their fault!</em> </p> <p>The biter bit of this charming story is that R's sister recently had her engagement ceremony, and R didn't go, in order that she could afford to attend the wedding in November (in India). Now, because she is going back this week, she won't be able to afford to attend the wedding...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/18/only_bending_when_you_break~2659431/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/18/only_bending_when_you_break~2659431/Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:28:57 +0200 <p>And so after an hour at the bank this morning: I finally have a UK Bank Account! Don't I feel special! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/16/electric_hum~2647863/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/16/electric_hum~2647863/Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:12:57 +0200 <p>After the <em>traumas</em> of Thursday day, it was nice to meet up with my new friend S.C. for coffee in the evening. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>I was<em> a wee bit cheeky:</em> while flat-hunting I met S.C. when I went to view her ex-council flat. She has done it up very nicely, I just decided that <em>I couldn't bear to live in Dennistoun</em> - for some inexplicable reason it reminded me of <strong>Avondale</strong>... So I declined, and moved to the Westend - much more my scene - but asked her if she would like to go for coffee sometime? She was very happy to do so, and <em>doesn't seem to hold it against me that I didn't want her other room. </em></p> <p>Well, we had a lovely evening, and got on very well. And then she invited me to her friend's flatwarming the following (Friday) night!</p> <p>So a month in Glasgow and already I had <em>a social event clash!</em> Heavens! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> But I decided that the Flatwarming <em>definitely</em> had the edge over the Walking Group Pub-night.</p> <p>The party was lots of fun, and I met some nice, interesting people: a chap who builds submarines, someone else who works in a paint factory, more people who work in forensics (with S.C.), and a pair of apparently inseperable, bottle blondes who could have come <em>straight from the streets of Parnell!</em> Also S.C's new flatmate: G, who is a paramedic and a very nice chap. </p> <p>But what with <em>having been to the pub earlier</em> with a few people from work, and the <em>very odd drinking game</em> that the host decided everybody <strong>had</strong> to play, sometime after midnight. Oh, yes, and embarrassingly enough, <em>somehow succeeding in slamming my head in the taxi door</em> on the way home? <img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"> I had a wee bit of a headache yesterday...</p> <p>Nevermind: today was <strong>beautifully sunny</strong>, so I got out and about with my camera - and have uploaded a few photos of Glasgow summer. (Which I realise are a trifile soft having been reduced for uploading. I shall have to work out an optimum file size!)</p> <p>ka kite ano </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/15/title~2641444/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/15/title~2641444/Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:25:48 +0200 <p>I got myself in a <em>bit of a lather</em> on Thursday: the most <strong>irritatingly, ridiculous piece of bureaucracy</strong> - but it does seem to be about to be sorted, tomorrow morning hopefully it will all be resolved. So, anyway, this is what happened:</p> <p>I went to the bank to try to open a bank account. In order to bank my very first pay cheque, and to hopefully start functioning on Bristish Pounds rather than NZ Dollars - which unfortunately don't last long in translation...</p> <p>I had already found out that I needed proof, not only of identity (no sweat, passport can do that) but also proof of address. Also that only certain forms of evidence are acceptable for this. I assumed that the letter confirming my NINO - ie from a Government agency - would be acceptable. No. </p> <p>I was told very clearly, and shown little leaflets to prove it, that the only things that are legally acceptable for proof of address in the matter of opening a bank account are:</p> <p>- Council Tax bill or payment book. <em>(that's my flatmate's concern...)</em><br> - Utility Bill <em>(ditto - no, mobile phone bills are not acceptable)</em><br> - Full UK Driving Licence <em>(well that'd be a long time coming!)</em><br> - Bank Statement <strong><em>(ha bloody ha!)</em></strong><br> - Original mortgage statement <em>(ditto)</em><br> - Current local Council Rent card or tenancy agreement - private tenancy agreements are not acceptable <em>(but you can't get a Council House without verification of a bank account!)</em><br> - Original HM Revenue and Customs issued tax notification and correspondance<em> (I thought that was what I had - apparently not...)</em><br> - Benefits book or original notification letter from the benefits agency and/or job Centre Plus<em> (who sent me my letter with my NINO)</em> confirming the right to benefits at present <em>(well I suppose that I could quit work, go on the dole and get a bank account - but that would seem a trifle extreme...)</em><br> - Solictor's letter confirming recent house purchase or land registry confirmation <em>(well that's highly unlikely)</em></p> <p>I confess I was fuming. <strong>There must have been steam coming out of my ears</strong>! </p> <p>I explained all the above to the Accounts lady at work, saying that if I couldn't resolve it before the end of the month, I'd have to give her my NZ Bank Account details. Anyway, one of the Partners overheard, and later asked her to contact the bank that the firm uses and see what could be done. Anyway, they have agreed that the firm can guarantee me: writing a letter confirming my address and salary. So I have an appointment tomorrow, and with luck thatll be the end of it!</p> <p>So then, my next Herculanean Task will be tackling the NHS...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/15/i_put_that_envelope_under_that_garbage~2641432/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/15/i_put_that_envelope_under_that_garbage~2641432/Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:23:46 +0200 <p>Having spent the day dimensioning (no! make that <em>re-dimensioning</em>) the plans I have to <u>revise and resubmit</u> to SAC, I was <em>very much in need of a drink.</em> Thank god there <em><strong>was</strong></em> a bottle of wine in the fridge. I am feeling <strong>much</strong> happier now! <img src="/img/smilies/grayrazz.gif" alt=":b" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I think it's also a bit of the anti-climax thing: just been a bit <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wth.gif" alt="|-|" class="middle" border="0"> today. Everything is ticking over now: so it's <strong><em>"and then? now what?!"</em></strong> </p> <p>But on a good note!: my sister and brother-in-law are having a baby - in December - and had the anatomy scan yesterday: and it is a healthy, (we'll assume) happy, (yellow) baby boy! (in <em>a bag of goo</em> according to the father to be!).</p> <p>And the <strong>sun is shining</strong> here! <u>finally</u> better weather than Auckland! - not that I'd wish <em>a month of rain in one night</em> on anyone...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/10/neurotic_like_a_yo_yo~2611230/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/10/neurotic_like_a_yo_yo~2611230/Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:33:06 +0200 <p><strong><em>Finally</em></strong> back on line again after R. did - well, <em>something?</em> - to the way his wireless was set up and only F. could access the web. So, in trying to remedy the situation, he left none of us with access for nigh on a week...</p> <p>Having explained my absence / silence, I have to admit that I've <em>sweet f.a.</em> to write about: <em>I get up, have breakfast, go to work, get lunch at lunch time, do work, come home, eat dinner, have shower, go to bed. Get up again in the morning...</em> oh what a <strong>scintillating</strong> life...</p> <p>You know, I <strong>never</strong> thought that I'd say this: Glasgow's footpaths are <em>at least as bad</em> if not <strong>worse</strong> than Auckland's. <em>Rumpty, bumpity, cracked and dishevelled</em>. Sections and strips that get dug up are resealed in a different finish, with little blobs of tar that'll go all sticky and soft if the sun ever gets hot enough - perhaps it doesn't here... It's kinda nice, makes me feel at home. <img src="/img/smilies/grayrazz.gif" alt=":b" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Speaking of the sun: it's actually been a very nice weekend. No, now don't be so surprised: it is <strong>summer</strong> here after all!</p> <p>I was a (very) trifle hungover this morning - which is a bit lame seeing as I'd only had 3 glasses of wine over the evening. It just goes to show how little I've drunk over the last month. But it was a good night last night: I went to a pub night of a walking group I'm looking at joining. I didn't know <em>anyone</em>, but then that's the point isn't it - get out there and meet people... </p> <p>So all fine and dandy, <u>until I arrived</u> and realised that I <em>hadn't a clue</em> who, out of all of these people at the bar, I was actually there to meet! So, I got myself a drink, enquired of the barman if <em>he</em> knew, by any chance? No luck there... Thinking that it was better than standing around looking stood up, I went over to a big group of people, who <em>looked a bit hearty</em>, and about the right age, and asked if they were they? Very blank looks. Actually, one young man looked at me as if I was slightly deranged! By a very fortunate chance however: a light-bulb lit up over one of the women - "are you here for the walking group?" Yes, actually, I am... By <u>shear coincidence</u> she had run into a friend at the bar earlier, who said that she was there to meet others from a walking group, but that no-one had turned up yet. So <em>she took me to find this friend</em>. And two other lost women trailed along behind having over-heard my query and subsequent revelations. So it all worked out quite nicely!</p> <p>So I met quite a few people, as various members turned up. One of them turned out to be<em> another architect</em>; and the woman who had initially aided me (I ran into her again later at the bar), is the <em>daughter</em> of two architects. Well, I guess that's typical: if there is alcohol, there are Architects... Although usually, it's builders that I seem to meet everywhere? Especially ones with wee chips on their shoulders about <em>F*ing Architects!</em></p> <p>I have also <strong>finally</strong> replaced my camera, and am subsequently in a <em>very good mood.</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graysmilewinkgrin.gif" alt=";D" class="middle" border="0"><br> I got a Pentax K10D, and am still learning my way around it, as it is markedly different, in some ways, to my old Pentax IstDs.</p> <p>Oh! and I have a <strong><u>NINO</u></strong>! <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> I can't believe that something so <strong>critical</strong> has a name that <em>sounds like a manga character!</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>Since I have a camera, finally: some photos of my new home!<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1774033" title="C. St"><img src="http://data4.blog.de/media/033/1774033_bce36cd81e_s.jpeg" alt="C. St" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1774034" title="First on the Left"><img src="http://data4.blog.de/media/034/1774034_83174b46f0_s.jpeg" alt="First on the Left" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1774035" title="Tennament Stairs"><img src="http://data4.blog.de/media/035/1774035_791e9fd0f9_s.jpeg" alt="Tennament Stairs" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/08/in_the_suburbs_they_are_sleeping~2598282/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/08/in_the_suburbs_they_are_sleeping~2598282/Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:47:37 +0200 <p>Further to my last: I was rudely awoken yesterday morning by one of the same likely lads who had been making all the noise the night before (and before that!) - oh! and rattling on my doorhandle... So having not been able to get to sleep until after 2am, and then sleeping badly anyway, I was <em>woken at 5.45am by this twerp knocking on my door</em>, I said (all bleary, still half asleep) "yes? what?" and he just <u>kept</u> knocking. Thinking that it was later, maybe 9.30am, and maybe the Guest House staff wanted to take my towels or something, I opened the door. To be <em>met by a tall fat man in his <strong>underwear</strong> </em> looking past me at the room in curiousity!<br> I said "Can I help you?"<br> He grunted something unintelligible, so I said "This is my room - what do you want?"<br> I repeated myself once or twice, and then <em>tried to shut the door</em>.<br> He took hold of the door and pulled it open further so that he could step inside - thereby forcing me backwards in to the tiny room, with nowhere else to go?!<br> I repeated<em> "This is MY room!"</em><br> He stares around myopically and then says "wrong room" and leaves! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_crazy.gif" alt=":crazy:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I was sorely tempted to go after him with something heavy - like <strong>a baseball bat! </strong> Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately!) I didn't have one to hand just then...</p> <p>Ah well - I am now out of the Guest House and into the flat! and as soon as K. has moved out the last of her gear, I can move in proper!<br> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"><br> I am <em>SO relieved...</em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/01/it_s_my_room~2551697/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/07/01/it_s_my_room~2551697/Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:10:25 +0200 <p>I had my first client meeting today - seemed to go okay. Although I suspect that the client is one of those who wants an architect for the status of it. To be able to say "oh, yes my <em>architect</em>" - note the possessive... To take you out of your little box when required/wanted, rather than for any reason to do with, oh I don't know... expert opinion? </p> <p>The architect as <strong><em>Pet Parrot</em></strong>...</p> <p>I have been SO tired today. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> I will be extremely glad to move out of here on Sunday.</p> <p>In the middle of last night, for some unknown reason, some very irritating persons were taking turns, as they roamed the streets, to sing songs from <strong>Oliver</strong>. They were coming back and forth for <em>over an hour and a half! </em> Which naturally, left the songs in my head all day! <em>Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah...</em> <img src="/img/smilies/graydead.gif" alt="XX(" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Then after <u>they</u> shut up and went away:<br> The lads in the other rooms on this floor, spent the next hour thumping up and down the stairs; rattling my door-handle (maybe they thought it was the loo?); calling out to each other; laughing and generally making alot of noise. Interspersed with one of them giggling and saying <em><strong>"SHOOSH"</strong></em> in a very loud whisper...</p> <p>And, just in case you missed it all last night: they're putting on <strong>a repeat performance tonight...</strong> <img src="/img/smilies/grayupset.gif" alt=":##" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I think that I'd rather have the <em>donkeys on Isla del Sol...</em> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/06/30/just_a_gigalo~2545055/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/06/30/just_a_gigalo~2545055/Sat, 30 Jun 2007 01:00:47 +0200 <p>Just got back from dinner with new flatmates, preparatory to moving in this weekend. Apart from any more social purpose, I needed to get a letter from R. who owns the flat and rents out the other three rooms, to give to the National Insurance 'hingamie tomorrow to proove my address, along with reciepts to prooev my current accomodation, proof of employment, all past dates of travel to and from the UK, both passports, and probably whether or not my hair is it's natural colour... </p> <p>The appointment is way-the-hell down past the Gorbals on the otherside of the river, somewhere on Pollockshaws Road. That's a long road. How I am supposed to do this in my lunch hour is beyond me?!</p> <p>Anyway, dinner was lovely, thankyou R., and conversation and company was great.</p> <p>Work is going well. So far. Spent today learning how to detail lead roofing! More fun than that sounds actually - or am I just a geek? <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>BTW - for any who may be interested, a very interesting speech re. the dumbing down of culture:</p> <p><a href="http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/june20/gradtrans-062007.html">http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/june20/gradtrans-062007.html</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/06/28/school_s_out~2533216/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://yellowbutterfly.blog.co.uk/2007/06/28/school_s_out~2533216/Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:10:10 +0200