Freelance Propaganda

Bonnie Scotland- So I've fought

Bonnie Scotland-

So I've fought the oddities of the BT phone system, learnt which pairs on a phone cable carry signal and phaffed around trying to pay somebody for internet access for a few days now. Without a doubt the help desk at Time Warner in the States was the crappiest followed in a sedate and dignified, albeit totally useless, fashion by BT internet services.

Finally I called my 11 year old cousin who had me up and running in no time at all (on FreeServe, Lee). I feel old - should have thought of that right at the start!

So I'm back and enjoying a week with me Granny here in Gourock - on the west coast of Scotland along the Clyde river. My grandfather brought the family here from Glasgow many moons ago for his work as a pilot - they used to navigate the shipping up the Clyde to Port Glasgow.

Sadly the big boats are rare up the river now but there are plenty of ferries and sailing boats to watch out the window. I'm looking over at the Holy Loch and, if I stick my head out of the window, Loch Long. No one can remember exactly why the Holy Loch is Holy but then again it is across the river and I can't find anyone who has been there in living memory.

So I ducked down to the Yacht Club for the Saturday lunchtime cocktail party, forgot by yachting blazer and was generally confused by many people claiming that they knew me as a kid and smiling and drinking gins. Just the normal I guess. doesn't appear that much Sailing gets done anymore ;)

Then it was off to the Cricket Club to spend some time with my Aunt and Uncle who are right into the Cricket (Scotland now has a team - and Rahul Dravid is going to play for them). Roger and Trish also are big in the "Light Opera" and are taking their production of South Pacific on the road to the Irish Waterford festival next month so they are busy organizing that. Of course I don't think that much Cricket get's played because of the rain but I'm assured that, on its day, it is beautiful :)

It's been a fabulous week so far - a lovely lunch with my Great Aunt Margaret (who is my Granny's twin) at a fish restaurant. I get to drive the little Rover and it is fun being back on the left hand side!

But I must get back to a bit of work - damn PhDs rudely don't end at the end of the semester.