It's a spleen venting thing...

OK. This is me pushing the poor ol’ Mac to it’s limits. Not only is it rendering video, playing music (track 370 in me Itunes list - Beethoven: Symphony #8 In F, Op. 93 - 4. Allegro Vivace - yes, it's not all Bowie and James), and has me chatting to mates on MSN (normally pronounced S&M by me for some reason!), I’s now doing some typing too!

Well today I’ve plowed into the Stockport video tapes and I’m (we if you include the Mac), are on the last one for logging. “Stockport” - because I now realise that anyone reading this and hasn’t spoken/emailed/texted... etc me in the last few weeks, is another video project Guy and I are working on for Network Rail. It involves another road over rail bridge being chewed up and replaced in next to no time type promo.
The shoot itself is done whenever NR say they have something worth shooting - often involving 24 hour shifts between us. Then all the tapes have to be “logged” i.e. put all the usable bits on to computer, 50hrs of tapes so far. Then the fun begins. Music selection, cutting, effects etc etc etc.

Any ways - today was a good day for logging the tapes, after all it rained all day - what else is there to do?
Well actually... catch up with Dan and Jens adventures travelling America and Canada in their Camel 110 http://usacanadatrip2007.blogspot.com/ - always good for a laugh, that and see if Sam is talking to me yet.

Dan and Jen, or Jan and Den as I inevitably say it, don’t know why, any ways - they seem to be having a good ol’ jolly, even if the last few days have been just covering miles an’ miles of nothing but corn fields. Reading that part of their blog reminded me of driving back through France and the miles and miles - actually lets put it into perspective - days and days of wheat fields. I was in a 90 - no rush!

BRB - tape to log...

OK - that’s enough of concrete being poured - get on with it Mr Mac...

News?
I told Nay I thought she was a user and should leave as soon as possible last night.
I don’t mind that she took the pyss when she was staying at my house (I do but we’re not on about that) - but to do the same thing at my mates house! Not On!
I don’t know why (yet - I will give it some thought and get to the bottom of it) but people can sh8 on me and I put up with it - for so long at least - but sh8 on my mates an I get all upperty. Like I say, I’ll try and suss it out.
Anyways - she didn’t respond immediately, which I was rather disappointed with because I had lots more to say, but she did ring me up today and appologise because as she put it “I never realised you felt that way” - can I just ??????? ???? ? !!!! for a mo?
I’ve hardly said a word to you in 3 months - get the hint?

OK - I’ve now realised how wary I am of blogs. As I said before, I think it’s good to have a space to let off steam, previously it’s been a note book, but this - I aint to sure about.
Having said that - I do feel better for airing my spleen. So, while the typing it out helps - the public domain thing is still a worry - hey ho, technology?

Laters.

Oooo - if I'm quick...

Well yes, if I’m quick I may just make it in to July. Then at least I’ll be averaging one post a month, not what I expected. I was really hoping to be more prolific than this - hey ho.

Years ago I used to keep a diary come note book of random thoughts, in fact, all thoughts - just blurted out, and I found that it was a really good cleansing process of the mind, very therapeutic. Needless to say, I haven’t done much of it lately and I was really hoping a blog (hate that word by the way) would really get me going again, and therefore cleansed, metaphorically speaking at least.


The only real development since getting the Camel Land Rover Discovery is that I appear to have made contact with my son Sam again. I say “appear” as we seem to have fallen out again already so soon. He’s in Toronto, Canada, and has been for about 3 years now. He’s 15 goin’ on 30 - and wants to fight me. Question is, can I be bothered to go into the details of why, sort of want to, if only for the reasons stated above, but having gone through it I’m not sure I have the energy or inclination to follow it through.
The above picture is one his mother sent me that I’ve “played” with - can you tell :o)

The other important change is that the house sale went through - I no longer own a house, and have no intention of doing so in the near future. A hermits life for me please, thank you very much. (note to self - subject change, what have we said about that?)

Camel Disco - The pick up

OK, having done the dreaded E-bay thing. Spoke to the seller, who by the way was glad it was going to a “good home”. Phew! My reputation doesn’t quite infiltrate the whole of the West country. Anyway, arranged to pick it up at the weekend.

For reasons I can’t be bothered to go into at the moment, I had to arrange a driver and a lift for us both. Ian (Tomb raider - Camel wannabe) offered kindly to drive it back, and Guy offered us the lift.

We’d arranged to set off at 10am on Sunday, and by jove we did - a first for Mr S I think. It was raining, heavily. Large puddles everywhere, and as is his way, Guy in his shiny Rangey had to hit all of them.

Word had got out that we where heading to the West country and several offer of meet ups and tea were abound. However given the weather conditions we just wanted to get in, and get out, and besides, I think it was just a ploy for the Keynsham Camels to ambush us and prevent them loosing a local truck.

We arrived, shook hands, exchanged paperwork and keys, and left. It really was not a day for hanging around.

Guy lead, Ian and I followed in the Disco. 30 seconds in and Ian says “Go on then, I’ll take it”. This was a reference to the many conversations I’d had with him to try and loan him the vehicle. He could do with one, growing family and all, and I can’t drive one at the moment never mind two. He was happy as a pig in poo.

Now then, Ian I should tell you, drives likes he’s driving Miss Daisy - Guy doesn’t. Ian was all over the road, even if it meant the opposite side, to avoid the puddles by the kerb side. Guy was straight through them, and yes, it did look spectacular from behind.

It was at a juction, about thirty minutes into the journey, when Guy just didn’t pull away in his inevitable style at the change of lights. Ian honked the horn, G crawled away. Soon after the Rangey was pulling into a lay by. P stop probably? Nope, he stayed in the car. We went to investigate. “I have no gears - it’s running in emergency mode.”, oops!

After much humming and arrring, it was decided that I and Miss Daisy would continue the journey home in the Disco, while Guy and the Rangey would opt for a Flatbed Taxi.

2 weeks later:
The Rangey has a new gearbox, Ian is in love with the disco and has put his Tomb raider on the market - he is however dreaming of a Camel 110 to replace it. And we’re all looking forward to the show season.