Melting

Two words to describe the last few days... BLOODY HOT.

But, despite the heat, I've still been busy. Great disappointment on Friday night, when Andy failed to collect/deliver the CD and MD players for the studio - I was hoping to have them all sorted out for the weekend, but it wasn't to be. Got home in time to watch another Big Brother eviction, and then had a drink or two.

Saturday was just a massive rush - shopping first thing for a father's day card (massive con that). Then down to Barrowby to ring the bells for a wedding. Then back home for a haircut. Then up to North Muskham to ring for another wedding. Then home to meet Helen and Clive who were staying for the night, having been to a kit car show at the showground. We'd booked a table at the Indian again, so a nice hot meal, and then home to cool off in the garden.

Sunday wasn't much less busy. While I was at the Congregational church, Shelagh, Helen, and Clive went off to enjoy the weather. So I went down to Grantham to give my father his card, and also see Jackie and Dave who were visiting my parents. Then home for evensong and another rush to the studio for a training session, grabbing a Chinese on the way in. Got home to find the bedroom was a meer 36C - far too hot to sleep, but there you go.

Monday was a bit easier at work, but the evening was just as busy. Again, no CD/MD players, which really annoyed me... how the hell am I supposed to stick to my work plans when all my dependancies fail? Had a reasonable training session, and managed to move the home directory on the file server onto a new disc. I then set up a new file area, and linked it into the home directories. I just need to set up a backup cron job now. Finally finished at 00:30.

Some good news this morning. Andy has actually picked up the CD/MD players, so they might appear in the very near future.

Continued slow progress

Another week passes, and I suppose I'd better write something, because while progress has been slow, there has been progress.

I managed to get Matt into the studio last Thursday to start training. Some catching up work to be done, but I think it'll sort itself out gradually.

During Friday, I received a message informing me that the extra memory and new disc for the server had arrived, so after choir practise, I picked them up from Andy's, and proceeded to try to install them. Not a very good start - the memory was of the wrong sort, and the disc refused to format...

Saturday was designated "drive day", and I spent a couple of hours relaying some of the loose flag stones on the end of my drive, so I can start using the drive again. I hope the neighbours will stop parking infront of it now. Later, with Duncan's help, I removed the dead disc. I then spent a couple of hours showing Duncan everything that horde could do, and how to really use it.

Sunday was mostly taken up with a mass of organ playing and shopping as usual. Then a late session in the studio trying to build the new editing computer, taking the network card out of the old studio computer... with no success.

Monday was faily non-descript, work by day, radio training in the evening. It seems some cat has dumped what I can only descibe as "a huge one" on my freshly mown back lawn. I'm not impressed.

Tuesday's training session was cancelled, but I ended up treking to Grantham with Andy and Michele to go hunting for polo-shirts... and not managing to find anything suitable, so went for dinner in a local pub, and ending the evening giving Michele some advanced tip on using horde. Do'nt know why, but went through the entire day feeling very tired and exhausted.

Things didn't improve on Wednesday. Trying to keep track of what's coming up this weekend is turning into a problem. Spent most of the day juggling with my appointments to try not to make them clash. Managed to book a haircut too - really need my hair sorting out - I could probably tie it in a small pony tail at the moment. A quick ringing session in Barrowby, followed by a fairly standard session at Radio Witham closed the day out.

Thursday was a bit better. An early start to swim 28 lengths, then a busy day at work. Learned that the gyus at TWC down in Melton have been awarded a community license, and 3 stations have been awarded in Nottingham. That's going to make the band very congested I think. Also heard news that the CD and MD players that boundary sound were having serviced are ready for return. It appears that a long blonde hair was preventing the MD player from working! Spent the evening training, and not having time to do anything with the computers that are not currently working... I'll look into getting them sorted out this weekend.

Slow progress

Oops... I've been intending to write something all week, but have put it off, and done something else, and then forgotten. I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles when you've got a workload that you can measure in "shitloads".

Last Friday, after a slight push from my parents, I phoned a gardener to have a look at my private jungle. I haven't touched the lawns for 3 weeks, let alone pull up any weeds or keep the flower beds in check. No, gardening isn't my strong point, although I do like to be able to sit and enjoy it when the weather is nice. Charges are £50 for a half day session to bring it under control, and then a further £15 for a fortnightly lawn trim and checkup. No drinks with Dave on Friday... can't remember why now either. Ended up watching Big Brother, and going to bed.

Back to the studio on Saturday to have another swear and curse at the new editing computer. Managed to boot it in Linux to find out what the network card really is. Not much help though. I still can't find any Windows drivers for it. I spent some time replacing the audio cables for the CD players. They've consisted for a couple of UTP cables for 2 RSLs now, and I only intended them to be a temporary measure to test the mixer after it was first delivered. I also placed an order with Maplin for some plugs for the remote controls. Ended up going for an Indian with Shelagh, as I couldn't be bothered to cook.

Another busy Sunday with organ playing, etc. Spent the evening with Mark in the studio, while I dismantled an old PS/2 keyboard to make up an OTS remote. More success than last time! The solder joints are very fine though, and I'll need to get a project box to keep it safe. Had another attempt to sort out our BBC reception with Sky... still no joy there either, the picture breaks up on a regular basis.

Monday was lovely. Sun, and a cooling northerly breeze. Gave Ela her first training session of the season, which meant I wasn't able to go to the radio club to help out with a contest (not that I'm all that keen on contesting it has to be said).

Tuesday saw the arrival of a package from Maplin, with all the plugs and hoods I ordered. The evening's studio session was with Simon, who's making progress, and will be ready for a demo programme next time. I took the opportunity to solder up the new plugs while I listened. The car parking situation in front of my house is getting worse. In the evening, our new neighbour had parked one car blocking the drive, and another car in front of the garage. Shelagh, rather undiplomatically parked so that she blocked in the car that was blocking our drive. I suspect they think that Kate's car is one of our cars (we only have one car), as she parks it infront of our house, rather than on the drive for fear of having it blocked in. So next door block our drive, probably in a tit for tat retaliation of "their" parking space being taken (except it's not theirs, they have no divide right to park there - it's a park of the public highway... their parking space is, in fact, infront of their garage). So basically, because of the current arrangement of cars, Shelagh and I are being stuffed. This has to change. I've not even introduced myself to next door yet, so I'll probably try to invite them round for a drink on Friday evening, and get this mess sorted out.

Wednesdays don't get any easier. News that the White Swan have lost another Crib player (Keith Clements died suddenly over the weekend). A rushed bellringing teaching session between 19:15 and 20:00 before dashing off to the hospital for 90 minutes of 50s music. The only nice bit was the garden has been seen to, and no longer looks like a jungle! It's a shame I'm at work all day and can't enjoy the lovely weather.

Productivity

This week has been rather odd, and somewhat "pants". Only having 2 days at work has lead to rather less than anticipated being done, so I'm not feeling particularly wonderful about that.

Bit of excitement on Wednesday, as we appear to have new neighbours. The house has been empty since January, was to let, then for sale, and last week went back to let. The problem now is with parking... I'm going to have to get the drive sorted out to make it useable again, which will help, as long as no one blocks it (which is what is begining to happen rather too regularly at the moment).

Thursday was rather different - a day in London for the Broadcast Production Show. Ok, it should have been called the Television Production Show, because there was, quite frankly, bugger all for us radio people to see. Fine if you want to buy a steadicam or a video editing suite, but not really for us. We left after about 2 hours, and spent the rest of the day wondering around London (which, by the way, still smells, is dirty, has too many people, everything is over-priced, and is most unlike the rest of England (it's rare to hear anyone else speaking English) - if you're planning on visiting England, don't bother going to London - it's crap).

The only other thing of note, is that I haven't been to the studio since Monday, and I've got no real reason to go in until next Monday... a much needed break.

Feeling unwell

Normally weeks have ups and downs, but last week has been a steady downward slope. In between a never end of people looking for radio training, the highlights of the week were as follows...

Wednesday evening - managed to teach some bell ringing at Barrowby before my regular trip to the hospital.

Thursday - donating blood, making me faint yet again, and then getting home in time to go to the radio club in Lincoln for an enjoyable evening out.

Friday - choir practise and the start of a new series of Big Brother (!)

Saturday - no, I can't remember what happened either... I think I spent the afternoon on my own at the studio pulling a keyboard apart to see if I could work out how to wire a remote control for the mixer. Had a bit of a fright in the evening, having just finished practising hymns for Sunday, my organ crackled, and emitted some smoke. I opened it up, but I can't find anything that looks burnt out, nor can I find any faults - it all seems to work... so I'm not sure what to think.

Sunday - another flurry of church services, etc.

Monday - utter chaos with 2 training sessions in the morning (and getting to meet a new presenter at Boundary Sound), followed by a nice meal at Zizzi's (good Italian food), then a trip to Chesterfield to see Shelagh's parents at a canal fair thing.

Tuesday - woke up dead. Well not quite. Either my busy lifestyle, or some nasty little virus, or maybe both, caught up with me, and I spent the morning shivering on the sofa. Phone in sick, and tried to sleep it off. Perked up by lunch time, and ended up doing some work on my work laptop. Had a parental visit in the evening for a show of holiday photos... not 35mm slides, but digital pictures piped onto the TV... but probably just as boring. (Actually I'm dead jealous that they go on holiday so often).

I'm going to have to start to take things a little easier before I completely burn myself out... and I don't think I'm going to find that very easy :-/