Days off coming up, not a moment too soon. Off to a French film tomorrow night, there's a festival of them at the Filmhouse. We're going to see Loin. The alternative was De L'Amour. I looked it up on the Internet Movie Database, where one of the reviews said: "Great movie about four youngs living in the suburbs. This is not an apology of rabbles like a few movies based on the same subject are."

Loin is set in Tangier, where truck driver Serge is in love with Sarah, but is in some trouble of his own. "Film generally concerns Moroccans with various relationships with the country: visiting staying, leaving & contemplating." Sounds a bit more interesting than a film about four Paris youngs, even if they aren't an apology of rabbles.

Other than the movies I'm going to try and do some gardening, some DIY and some computing. Try. What I really want to do is go to sleep and wake up refreshed on Monday morning.

A seasonal complaint: Christmas starts earlier every year, I know that, but this is crazy. Edinburgh's Christmas lights are up. Fine. But part of the show is weaving fairy lights through all the trees along Princes Street. And most of the trees haven't lost their leaves yet.

It's still autumn, people! It's not Christmas yet!

This parking business is really getting up my nose. Yesterday I brought my car in because I slept late and walked the dog late and generally did everything late, including leaving for work. No change for a parking meter, no time to get change for a parking meter, so I parked where I've parked unmolested before: on the verge (paved, not blocking the footpath) outside the work garage. I could/should have gone back and shifted it into the garage at 6pm but I was busy so I didn't.

At about 10.30 I was in the canteen when a woman I swear I've never seen before said to me: "Is that your car that was out by the garage door?" Was? "It's just that the security guard came in earlier and asked whose car it was, he said the police were going to lift it." Aieeeee! "I thought it was yours, so when I saw you there I thought I'd mention it..."

I sprinted out on to the balcony and phew, the car was still there. So I asked the security guard about it and he said yes, the police have been coming down hard on cars illegally parked outside buildings like ours, in the interests of security. Fair enough. I raced upstairs, grabbed my keys, raced back down, moved the car and breathed a sigh of relief.

Then this morning on my doormat I found a little yellow calling card from the police. I didn't notice it last night, not sure when they left it. Apparently my car was found abandoned last night! And they'd like me to contact them urgently about it! As if.

So today my car has been abandoned in South Queensferry and I'm getting a taxi home. It's so, so, so annoying!

In other news, I got Pinky's birthday present in the mail this morning -- Thunderpants! And a bottle of sparkly lilac nail varnish called Angelic. Perfect.

This morning the weather was ... weatherful. I don't know what the word is for this; say if it's fine and sunny all day, or rains steadily or whatever, that's not weatherful. This morning it was sunny, but there were big purple-bellied clouds hanging ominously in the west and north. Their tops were gleaming white castles, towers of foam. After 20 minutes or so a few spots of rain fell and bingo, a brilliant rainbow formed over the river, a double rainbow in fact, vivid against the darkening cloud. We turned tail and headed for home. Sure enough, in minutes heavy rain was pelting down. Later in the afternoon we ventured back out and had a wonderful walk in bright sunshine. The clouds were still threatening and it was bitterly cold, but it's great weather if you're wrapped up warm.

Only half an hour of my birthday to go.

"Born today, you come under strong influences of Mars, Uranus and Neptune, and this combination will instigate you to travel abroad and even have a desire to migrate. This birthday, the Moon is in Scorpio, and this is a good sign showing that for the remainder of the year, you will be able to bring to reality all that you attempt, especially if you are the ages of 22, 26 or 27; 31, 35 or 36; 40, 44 or 45; 49, 53 or 54; and also 58, 62 or 63, as you will enjoy the benefit of your positive planets and be able to do well in all areas of your life."

Apparently next year won't be too good though. "Try to finish or complete your ventures or plans before you enter the year 2002, because then, the situation turns erratic and volatile bringing about a weakness in contracts and agreements."

I got some lovely presents: a beautiful mohair rug from Faye, and a Shrek video from Andrew. Plus I've been treated to two slap-up meals, a movie and a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Bertie got a packet of chocolate drops. Not from me, I might add. Birthday presents for dogs! Bah, humbug.

Tuesday: Drove up to Cawdor, stopping en route at Dunkeld for lunch, in a cosy little cafe featuring home-made everything. We had stovies, Scottish comfort food. It's sometimes made with mince, but this one had sausages. Arrived safely at the farm to a lovely warm welcome and a cup of tea.
After letting Bertie out for a sprint around a field and freshening up, we headed off to the Cawdor Tavern, where Jenny and John treated us all to a birthday dinner (Andrew's birthday is the same day as mine). It was a wonderful meal -- I had pork on a bed of leeks in a creamy blue cheese sauce. Mmmmm.

Wednesday: After breakfast, Faye, Bertie and I went on a family pilgrimage to Urquhart, the village where Mum's granny was born. It was raining heavily, so we stopped in Elgin on the way and bought umbrellas. It stopped raining immediately. It was still cold though. We had a brisk walk around Urquhart and visited the cemetary before heading back to Elgin for a late lunch. Then we visited Jenny at the Nairn Museum, where she's manager. It's closed at the moment so they can treat dry rot in the roof. Back at the farm I had a lie down for a couple of hours -- I was fighting off a cold -- so I'd be fresh for the evening's activities. Which were: a delicious meal cooked by Andrew and his special birthday treat, tickets to Harry Potter! We went to an evening session so as not to stand out too much. Heh.

Thursday: On Wednesday I somehow thought I had another couple of days left. But no, it was already time to head home. We had a walk round the garden and the farm, and Bertie had a last romp in a field -- so many smells, so little time. Then we had lunch with the whole family and finally packed up the car and left. We drove straight back, no stopping, because I was feeling pretty bad by then. Faye and I made a nice simple meal and ate it. Had a bath, took Bertie for a ramble, watched The Sopranos and fell into bed.

So I had a great time, Faye had a great time and Bertie had ... not such a great time. He enjoyed the walks, but apparently barked and cried all night. I say apparently because he was in a faraway part of the house, next to Andrew, who didn't get much sleep. Bertie doesn't eat when he's upset, so by the time we got home he was famished. He threw himself on his food and ate and drank hugely, then flung himself down and slept like a dead dog.

I'm pleased to be home too!

New phone, hurrah. It's a Trium Mars, nice and tiny and cheap too. I'm waiting for it to charge up so I can play with it. I've still got the same number, they just swap the chip over.

Faye arrived safely and on time, but I just had time to shove her on the bus and dash off to work, so we haven't had a proper yap yet. I phoned her a little while ago -- she says Bertie was thrilled to bits to see her. He looooooves having visitors.

Ahahaha!! I've just been subbing an article about the World Toilet Summit in Singapore.

Talk about po-faced!

"As such, toilets are no longer viewed as just a 'common-place' for waste discharge, but evolving as resting spots for mind-relexation and energy-recharge, taking into consideration the psychological and environmental aspects. Interestingly, one things remains a big challenge to be reckoned-etiquette.

"So would it thus be effective to propose a semi-exposed toilet towards the making of a more gracious society?"

Ah, no, I don't think so. Keep Oor Cludgies Closed!

Maybe I'm generating excess static electricity or something; whatever, all my electronic equipment seems to be fritzing out. Latest victim is my mobile phone. OK it's old, 18 months old at least, and clunky as all get-out, but hey! I've still got credit to use up.

Today it completely blew a fuse -- I was en route to Anthea's and there was a huge traffic jam (road works), and I was phoning to tell her I'd be late. I had trouble accessing the phonebook, then it all sloooooowwwwed right down, and finally it said: "empty list". I switched it off and on again, dialled the number manually and finally got through. (By then the traffic was moving and I had to cut the call off short as I was being cut up by a huge bus.)

Then tonight when I was talking to Andrew up north, it cut off the call with the message: "Insert card". There's nowhere to insert a card!

I guess it's Vodaphone's way of saying "This phone is terminally uncool. Buy a WAP-enabled Nokia with 254 annoying ringtones immediately."

I've just been to the bar of the hotel across the road (during my break, I'd like to emphasise!), hoping to catch a glimpse of an All Black -- they're staying there. No such luck; though the bar was full of men who look like they were once rugby players -- thick necks and broken noses. Today Argentina pasted Scotland, and they're playing NZ next. My boss is an Argentine, so that should be interesting ...

The amazon stushie has escalated somewhat. They still haven't refunded my money; the last email from them says they will once they receive the USB hub back from me. The email I sent back in reply had flames coming off it. No rude words, but lots of capital letters. I'm so annoyed with them! They made a mistake, why can't they just give me my money back?

I went in to PC World and bought a USB hub there. Pure torture -- they have Christmas muzak playing already! Argh! I had a browse around of course, and came away with Myst III: Exile, the sequel to the Riven computer game. Like I needed another reason to stay up all night getting RSI. I've had one play with it and it's pretty good, though it's as creepily empty as the other Myst games. You end up shuffling around these beautiful landscapes, all alone apart from an occasional animal, trying to solve puzzles. It's absorbing, addictive even, but somehow oppressive.

Anyway yesterday I installed the new hub, with great results. Everything works fine, whew.

I also took Bertie to Blackness for the first time since he cut his leg. He was ecstatic, ran around like a crazy dog. Just before we left he did exactly what he did on the last visit: ran out over the mud chasing seagulls and came back plastered in it. Mud that is. Blech. I'm going to have to check the tide tables next time we go out there. Back home I dragged him out into the garden to cool his jets while I filled buckets with warm water. I shampooed & rinsed him thoroughly then dried him off, after which he raced around hysterically, tearing up the lawn.

Yesterday I also finally fixed the drawer of the Ikea cupboard I broke while constructing it (I hammered in a dowel too enthusiastically, driving it through the front and knocking off a chunk of veneer), did several loads of laundry and all the ironing, hung a mirror, washed and/or vaccuumed all the floors, washed a week's worth of dishes and went to the supermarket. This last was complicated by my discovering at the checkout that I didn't have my purse with me. They were very good about it, apparently it happens all the time.

So all in all it was a busy day. I bought some salmon for my tea but couldn't be bothered to cook it and had takeaway Chinese instead. Today I'm at work again, next days off are Tues/Weds/Thurs. Faye arrives tomorrow and we head off up north on Tuesday.

Today's totally annoying incident: the USB hub arrived from amazon.co.uk, I tore open the parcel eagerly only to find ... a portable keyboard. If I had a Palm Pilot I'd be ecstatic, those things cost about £80. But I haven't and I wasn't.

I want a hub! I need a hub!

I did this test and this was the result.

You scored 70
Not only do you think, eat, breathe, sleep and eat Science Fiction, you have no idea where fantasy ends and reality begins. You honestly believe that aliens make corn circles, bad weather is caused by Ming The Merciless and that dressing up as a Sontaran will get you dates. You have broken your mind with space nonsense, and, if you ever left your bedroom you would be gunned down in the street by the Freak Police. You are building a teleporter in your shed and will probably

Probably what? We'll never know. Jeez, you watch a few episodes of Star Trek and next thing everyone's harshing your mellow.

Today as I arrived at work I was stopped by a couple of American tourists.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question? Could you tell me what this means?"

"This" was an Evening News bill that read: "ROYAL MILE A DEATH TRAP".

"I don't know, I'm sorry, I haven't read the paper."

"So what's your feeling about it? What do you think it might mean? Is it a death trap for tourists?"

Ah. OK.

"I think it's probably about traffic, I haven't heard about anything that serious."

"But you don't know?"

"No."

They went away off in the direction of the Royal Mile, presumably discussing whether to risk death to see a bunch of old buildings. When I got inside I looked up the story in the paper. Here it is.

I was right, it's about traffic. But the crazy thing is, the street is supposed to be a death trap because part of it is pedestrianised. Sorry? If the story had been this one I could understand.

In other news, my scanner has stopped working as well as the printer now. I think the problem is the USB hub, so I've got a new one arriving in the post tomorrow. If that doesn't fix things I'm looking at a long gastly process of uninstalling and reinstalling and tearing my hair out and talking to support folk. Windows 98 is supposed to be stable!

Eeek, I checked last night and there's a horrendous big bruise on Bertie's chest from being dragged through the fence. It's official -- I'm a bad mother.

On the brighter side his cut has almost completely healed up, vindicating my fresh-air-and-exercise theory, and he's full of beans and the joy of life. A very happy puppy. Apart from the big purple bruise on his chest.

I finally got a new answering machine today to replace the one that broke a couple of weeks ago. The old one was the cheapest I could find at the time, 1993 or so, it cost £30 at Ali's Cave. I got one today at the BT shop for £13. Currie's had a slightly cheaper one but the salesman patronised me, so kaching! No Sale. Poor salesmanship is one of my bugbears. The woman in BT was pleasant, knowledgeable and efficient -- plus she was a Kiwi!

Speaking of shopping, my order of Thunderpants arrived in the mail today. They Don't Go Up Your Bum! Brilliant concept! They don't either, and they are wonderfully comfy.

I got mainly plain pants, but some with patterns -- my favourites are the orange ones with rockets.

Jings, I let that mad pooch off the lead for one minute and he's up to his oxters in trouble.

I was making yet another attempt to find the footpath to Newbridge. We'd come under the main railway line and then under another, into a big field. We were away from roads, so I unleashed Bertie for a run. He sprinted off around the field for a while till that got boring, and was dashing back when something caught his eye on the railway embankment. Rabbit!

Off he went, in full mad mode. Deaf to all commands, determined to get the rabbit. The embankment is, I don't know, 15ft high or something, covered in those special railway rocks and blackberry, with the line running along the top, and it's fenced off. The fence is plain wire, four or five strands, chest-high. He couldn't get over so he squeezed through. And bounded straight up on to the line.

By this time I was hysterical, bellowing at him to COME HERE THIS MINUTE but he ignored me. Until he'd looked everywhere for the rabbit, up and down the railway line, and couldn't find it and got bored with walking on the hurty stones and wanted to come down again. Except now he wasn't all hyped up and couldn't get through the fence.

Sigh.

He couldn't even get close to the fence, on account of all the hurty blackberry prickling his dainty feet. So he stood on the slope looking pitiful, waiting for me to rescue him. I had to squeeze through the fence, drag him (resisting hard) down to the fence, stand on one strand of wire to press it down and lift the one above. Then, with the remaining free hand, I had to lean down and put his legs through, one after the other. The trickiest bit was getting him to move forward after his front legs were through, because his chest is so deep. That hurt, apparently.

After that we went straight home.

At least it wasn't the main line -- there weren't any trains down the line he was on during this little crisis, but there were three down the other line. I learned my lesson early on that one: he ran on to the main line not long after I got him. I had to scramble up the embankment and down the other side to get to the line, where Bertie was standing looking dopey -- those damned sleepers and hurty railway stones are hard to walk on!

Then after I got home I heard the news from New York & had to rush in to work early. An unbelievable story -- bad enough in normal circumstances, but now it's another hammer blow sending the world off in this disturbing new direction. Brrr. Personally I'm not any more afraid to fly than before; the risk is pretty much the same it seems to me. Even less maybe, now there's better security. This latest disaster may be an accident anyway. For me scariest things in the long term are ones we don't even reallly notice at the moment, little bits of freedom being whittled away, options lost. And amid all the militaristic drum-beating it's harder still to feebly bleat: "Give peace a chance."

Bertie's leg is finally healing, touch wood. Letting the air get to it seems to be offsetting the danger of him licking at it. We had a good long walk today - it's not as cold as it was, but it's still dry.

The visit to the vet today was free, gratis! No treatment required. There was no bandage on Bertie's wound, I'd given up even trying. It's healing up ok, but Fiona (the vet) said to keep the bucket on his head to stop him from licking at it.

I can't! I just can't. It's too awful. He'll have to take his chances. Sure, I'll feel bad when he has his leg amputated and has to use a little trolley to get around, but it's easier in the short term.

After the vet we went to Pets At Home, shopping for treat biscuits. Then on to visit Anthea, who has just acquired a digital camera.


Bertie shows Anthea something interesting in the garden

I want one. A camera I mean, not a dog.

We all went to the Braid Hills for a walk. Lots and lots and lots of dogs there, all breeds, sizes, shapes.

Anthea took some pictures with her instant gratification machine, I mean digital camera.


I actually need a digital camera.

Now we're home, sheltering from the fireworks. I thought it was all over last weekend, but someone's letting off rockets just up the road. Bertie's really agitated this time, because we went for a walk earlier and the rockets started just as we were coming home. He broke into a run, dashed through the gate and up the path and banged his feet on the door, desperate to get in. First time he's done that. Since then he's been pacing around crying, won't settle at all.

I made a start today on posting some more pix to the website. Slight complication when I discovered that somehow, the backup of the site I did before buying a new computer was out of date. I had to download the newer version off the web! That took forever, of course, and then suddenly I was running late for work. So maybe tomorrow. The redesign project has made some stuttering progress as well, but don't hold your breath.

No wait ... it's back again.

Weirdness ... the all new talkback facility has disappeared...

The Big Bandage Derby

Bertie: 273
Me: 0

Today, the damned dog managed to get his bandage off a) while I was in the house and b) with the bucket strapped to his head.

Sigh.

Tomorrow we see the vet again, for the last time I hope. The cut is actually not looking too bad, but I'm sure it will heal faster if he would only stop licking at it. It looked much better last night, when he removed a dressing that had been in place for over 24 hours. It was a simple stick-on breathable gauze pad. You'd think he could put up with that! But no, he's not happy until he's made the cut bleed again.

Another clear, freezing day. Ice on the puddles, brrr.