Sunday 29 July 2018

Photo on Sunday 2018-18

What do you mean? I needed the room to stretch and that bear was in my way!

Saturday 28 July 2018

Lost and (hopefully) found

Yesterday I had to work. Nothing new in that. I do that on occasion. I had to pick up a group to take to a racecourse. Now, when I hear racecourse, I think cars or motorbikes, but here in Northern Ireland it means horses (or possibly dogs). 

Anyway, it was horse racing we were going to see and I wondered whether I would get any look in. Usually I don't, but this time I got the chance to see as I was parked within the course. I took photos, I filmed it and after three races I was a bit bored and headed back to my coach to read. 

Instead of reading though, I decided to phone a friend and me and Yamini spoke for nearly 45 minutes. It was lovely hearing a friendly voice and as we usually e-mail, this was a bit of a novelty for the both of us. 

After that I got back to my reading until it was about 10, at which point I drove to where I would pick my group up, because nature called. I took the keys to the coach, I took my phone and went to answer. 

I got back to the coach and after about five minutes I realised something was missing. My phone!!!! I had left it in the toilet. Well, not in it itself of course, but you know! I ran back, looked inside, but the only thing I saw was a handbag. I asked the bar staff and the bouncers, but no phone had been handed in. 

I went back to the coach, looked in my bag, just in case and I tried phoning my phone with somebody else's phone, but it went straight to voicemail (it will do that after 10pm, just so you know). I ran back to the bar again, asking again, and then leaving my email address just in case.

As I got home last night though, I realised about the voicemail thingy and also realised, I might have more luck during the day time. This morning, I located my Norwegian phone, rang my number and somebody answered! He had to go back to that bar anyway and was willing to drop my phone off. And then I got an email as well, saying they might have located my phone!

Now I just have to go and get it again, so I can get all the other horse racing photos!

Friday 27 July 2018

Ehm...

Also at the Seaforde butterfly park
Do you know, with a full working week, you would think there would be enough to write about, yet I seem to have difficulties finding anything. Unless you want to hear about the fuzzy slipper phenomenon, which seems to grip a lot of women nowadays. I see them everywhere and they just look like they should be in the bedroom!

I did have a question to the city of Glasgow (in my mind) about their lovely sign. Apparently they are the proud hosts of the European Championships! Brilliant!! In what though? Nose picking? Can't see that becoming a very popular spectator sport. Cherry pit spitting? A bit better, but still not something that will draw the large crowds. Football? Oh no, it was the world championships this year and they have those alternately. 

Fortunately somebody on the bus knew it was athletics, which made sense as they were going to close some roads in the center because of some running race. I just hope I won't have to work on either of the days they close the road!

And this one too!
I nearly gave a coach load of people a heart attack the other day. I told them we would be back in Belfast by about 10.15 at night, which I thought was good going! Until I realised I was doing the early run (I usually do the late one) and should be back at around 6.15 in the evening. Whoops. 

At work there is a day by day calendar with quotes and fun facts. For Monday, July 16th the fun fact was: 1965-The Mont Blanc road tunnel, linking France with Italy, was opened. Not that remarkable really, but it was the quote that stuck with me. 

To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer. Which says it all really doesn't it? 

Anyway, hope you have a good weekend. I should be off. Both Saturday and Sunday! Bliss...

PS: Miss Oswin is back to her old self fortunately. All weeds gone, no whiff anymore and the puncture seems to be healing fine. Pfew!

Monday 23 July 2018

AWOL

While settling in a week or so ago
On Sunday I was off and I spent it sorting through my yarn, doing the laundry and calling for Miss Oswin.

Early in the morning I had let her out for the first time. The previous two times she had moved to a new place, I had followed her every step of her way around the property, before scooping her up and bringing her inside again. This time I didn't. 

I guess she went outside at around 11 in the morning and I started calling for her from about 2 in the afternoon. Nothing. Not a peep, a miaow or anything! I figured she was busy chasing swallows and such, and gave her another hour. 

The silly puss!
And another and another and yet another. By the time I went to bed at 9.30, she still wasn't home. She could be lost: not able to find her way to the new house again. She could be dead, hit by a car. She could be drowning in the marshes that surround us. I fell into an anxious sleep. 

At around 2.30 I woke of the noise of fighting cats. The neighbours have several outside cats and they all know each other and don't fight. Which meant: a strange cat, ie Miss O! I didn't fall asleep again, but about an hour later, another fight broke out. 

When my alarm sounded at 4.15, the first thing I did was open the front door and there she was: hiding under the car, feeling sorry for herself! She had tufts of hair sticking out everywhere, those awful round sticky weed things all over her fur and there was a slight whiff of something. 

Still feeling a bit on the down side...
After giving her some extra food, I left for work and when I came back, she was still feeling a bit sorry for herself. It will be a while before she goes out again!!

Sunday 22 July 2018

Photo on Sunday 2018-17

Well, it might be my dirty mind, but I found this image to be quite disturbing (in a very funny way). Which meant I had to take a photo of it. When the place had the audacity to close (at 8pm already, while I had to wait until at least 10.30), I told one of the people who worked there. He looked, saw, realised and moved the offending items. 

I was the first to ever comment on it.

Friday 20 July 2018

Library

What to do with the large amount of books I own. Well, after much deliberation between me and myself, I have decided I will not buy more bookcases. Nor will I put up the ones I own already. The books still need a room to sit though and it was staring me in the face!

As I go down (or up) the stairs, there is a wide ledge on one side, which is perfect for books. Yes, the furthest ones are a bit difficult to reach (I will get a tall person to remove them for me for my next move), but most of my books have found a place. There are still three small crates with books left and they might just stay crated as well, as I have picked my favourites from those as well. 

The other crates containing craft, cookery and travel books will find their way into my home soon as well. I hope....

Thursday 19 July 2018

Driving around

When I first got my new car, I was told it would need an MOT before the end of July. Basically a check to see if the car is still safe and roadworthy. In the Netherlands it had to be done every year, in Norway every two years and here in Northern Ireland (and UK general) it's every year again. However, where in the Netherlands and Norway you can get it done at your local garage (not all, but most), here in Northern Ireland it needs to be done at an MOT center*. Of which there are about a dozen in the entire country. 

This morning I made my way to one of them to get mine checked. I arrived a little before nine o'clock and after a few minutes wait, I was allowed to drive in. They checked the exhaust, lights, tires, brakes, windscreen wipers and probably some other things as well. But only ten minutes later I was told: passed!

Totally unrelated, but I like the new guest bed!
After that I made my way into the office for a related yet unrelated question. As you know I lived in Norway the last five years and last December I received a Norwegian driver's licence. The law in Norway states that you can drive with an EU driver's licence until it expires, at which time you will need to renew it to a Norwegian. Which I had done. 

In the UK however, it's a bit different: I have to have my licence exchanged within a year, but preferably as soon as possible. It should not be a problem, but I will need to do some extra research before exchanging it. After all, I have about 9 months left in which to do it.

In other news: the paperwork is nearly sorted, I just need to find my hole puncher and then it can all be put in my new folders. And yes, they have butterflies on them!!

*Only in Northern Ireland, in the rest of the UK: your local friendly garage will provide the service as well.

Wednesday 18 July 2018

Paperwork

Find the critter (yes, there is one!)
At the Seaforde Butterfly park
Once upon a time, the first computers started making their way into our lives. It would be easier to keep up with our lives they said. It would be easier to see what we do they said. It would be environmentally friendlier they said. 

I don't know who those 'they' were, but I am not so sure they were right. I mean, look at me: moving to another country and finding out that paper is all around. For everything I do online, I get a paper confirmation it seems. I try to go paperless and they send me a letter in the post to tell me I have now gone paperless! 

In the garden at Seaforde
Today however, I needed to sort some of my life. I had to change my address for several things. I wanted to register for the electoral roll, even though I can only vote in local/regional elections. The amount of paperwork I had received needed sorting through and I realised quite late in the day that I had an MOT (EU-kontroll/APK/annual vehicle check) coming up tomorrow! What with work and the move and stuff, I had completely forgotten all about it.

Other than that, I am rumbling along nicely. Miss Oswin is asleep at the moment (guest bed, would you know) and is about ready for her first foray into the new outdoors. Well, she was ready on day 1, I find it best to wait about two weeks for her to get her sense of the building she lives in. It worked well before.

Monday 16 July 2018

Sunday

I have been in my new place now for a week and to celebrate that, my sister and I went to a not so far away garden. Not just any garden either: a butterfly garden. Well, greenhouse really, because they were tropical butterflies. It wasn't big by any means, but it kept us occupied for part of the afternoon anyway. 

The best shot I got of the large blue butterflies
The other one I got was of two of them, with their wings closed!
We saw some beautiful butterflies and we were able to photograph most of them on our phones (I had conveniently forgotten to take my camera, sigh). There was however one butterfly that proved to be a bit elusive, although we both managed to capture it eventually. 

After the butterflies we made our way outside (in the drizzle) to visit a pheasantry (not a pheasant in sight) and a maze. As you may remember my sister has a system that always works in mazes. Apart from in this one, because there were so many dead ends. We did finally manage to find the center and then had to find our way back out again, which took nearly as much time as finding the center did!

Entrance to the maze. Not big, but difficult!
Then it was time for tea and a scone/cake, since halfway through the maze, the drizzle had turned into rain and we both needed something warm and filling. 

It was a lovely afternoon to celebrate my new home. 

Sunday 15 July 2018

Photo on Sunday 2018-16

Waiting in Glasgow to drive back to Cairnryan to catch the ferry to Belfast.

Thursday 12 July 2018

Welcome!

Do you remember what my second bedroom looked like? Apart from the desk area which was all done, the rest was just a jumble of mess and boxes. But over the past few days I got to it. Since everything comes from a well known Swedish furniture store, everything has to be put together yourself, but I did and the result is okay. 

It is not completely finished though. I still need my stay-over book, which is in one of the many boxes still in the garage. But before the first guests (probably my parents) arrive, that will be found as well. 

On another note, a couple of real big pluses about living here: 
  • It's close to work. Like five minutes!
  • It's quiet during both day and night. 
  • It's dark at night. No street lights at all.
  • And the best one? I can watch television from the toilet! 
Anyway, if you want to come and stay the night: there is a bed waiting and ready. And don't worry, before any guests arrive, I will make sure the bed is cat hair free!

Tuesday 10 July 2018

Miss Oswin is on the move again

Miaow

Would you believe it? SHE made me move again! That is the fourth time I have moved to live with HER. And she says it probably isn't going to be the last time either! Another move?? Horror!

I mean I get why she wanted me to move to the little cottage in the Norwegian countryside. I was after all the MBC in the WWU and I needed a really lovely place to move to. And I also get why we had to move out of there again. When the landlady said I had ruined the water supply, I knew she must have been sniffing glue and it was better to move to another place.

Our next place wasn't as nicely located, but it was a good place nonetheless. And our landlord was really nice as well, looking after me when Mara went on holiday and such. Plus there was plenty of room outside for me to explore. But then SHE decided to move again!

This time the move wasn't as nice. Big loud noisy things, even worse then the regular torture visitor (ie car to the vet) and there were three of them! I moved in with her sister Gera who is really nice, even if she only fed me once! (we had decided early on to only let me feed Miss O)

Looking out over the street at Gera's
The house was nice, there were windows I could look out of and a window sill upstairs so I could even get outside. But of course, that was not good enough. I was moved again. I mean, don't get me wrong, the place is quite nice, although there is a lot of mess. And Mara has promised me that soon I will be allowed to go outside again. Meet the neighbour cats, roam about in the wooded area and check out all the birdies. It had better be good.

The ONLY window I can look out of!
And about any other moves: keep them! I am fed up with them!!

Monday 9 July 2018

We're in!

Along the bank of the River Liffey in Dublin
Waiting for the Michael Bublé concert to finish on Saturday
After five long days, today I had a day off again. Fortunately, because I really really really needed it. Not just to get my breath back (hasn't happened yet), but to finally move in! So, when I woke this morning at a ridiculously early time (09.45, I had only gotten to bed at 04.15), I fed Miss O, packed my large suitcase, grabbed food from the fridge and headed to my new place. 

Brom is in place as well!
There I proceeded to make my bed, look around me, do not much and then decided to head to the shops. I got a thingy that helps me get online with my own proper computer and a cable to watch television. The first works, albeit slowly, the second one does not. Ah well, it will be an early night for me tonight anyway. 

My new desk and lovely and comfy new desk chair
In the guest room
I got food and other 'stuff' and then I drove back to my sister's. I packed the small suitcase, grabbed the computer and the last thing I did was pack up a certain feline. She was not happy and she let me know that the whole way coming over! She is however relaxing again right now and getting used to her new place. Which honestly is a shambles at the moment. 

My bedroom is most advanced. There are still some bits and bobs that need to be removed from there, but most has been put in its place, hung up, laid down, put away. The bathroom is the same really. It contains two toilets, one for each of us and everything else has been tidied away. 

This is too messy even for me!!
The kitchen/living room is only partly tidied. Only half of all my stuff has made it upstairs: there is not enough room! I will tidy away the foodstuff tonight and/or tomorrow, then there are ornaments to place, dvd-player to be set up again, tv to be made working, table to arrive (have to collect it from my sister's). 

Miss O didn't want to look up: she had to smell the old chair!
Mind you, several of my large photos are hanging throughout the place, so that is mainly done. But there is other stuff to be gotten up, because it still looks quite clinical to me. 

Can you see the bed? It's in all those boxes!!!
The second bedroom is only half done as well. Well, quarter done really. Two bookcases need to be put together and then there are the bed and the side tables to do. When it is finished it will have a light Scandi-feel to it, helped by the three photos I took in Norway. There might be even more photos floating about somewhere, but I will have to find those first.

The head at Marlay Park near Dublin
Waiting for the (open air) Queen concert to finish.
I didn't see them, but I did hear them: great fun!!

Saturday 7 July 2018

Update

Well, even though it's the summer holidays here in Northern Ireland, it is still as busy as ever. As I mentioned last time, I am in the middle of moving into my new place, but I have been so busy, it's hard to find the time to do anything other than sleep. At my sister's place! Anyway, I hope to be in next week. 

Now you may know that I suffer from headaches and I blamed anything from cheese and chocolate to sitting behind the steering wheel of a bus. Physio did a bit to alleviate, but in my view not nearly enough to really make a difference. And then I moved to NI and even though I have had a couple of headaches in the early weeks, since then: nothing. Well, almost. I had a slight headache the other day, but it wasn't anywhere close to the degree of bothersome as it was before. I don't know whether it's sitting at the other end of the bus or whether it has to do with the bed my sister has me sleep in. 

My sister's guest bed is hard and I was sort of dreading it. But two mattresses on top of each other and I am quite okay. And now the headaches have nearly disappeared as well, so I figured it might have something to do with the bed being a lot harder than my own. So, I got myself some new mattresses as well, a lot harder than before. Fingers crossed it works as well as my sister's bed!

Other than that: not much news! I may be able to write a post, however, I am still so busy that reading them is nearly impossible. So, please forgive me. I will get to you as soon as I have a bit more than half an hour to my name!

Tuesday 3 July 2018

Birthday weekend

It was my birthday on Saturday, but this year it was not spent in a leisurely manner. Instead me and my sister went over to my new place early to get things done. We sorted through all the furniture bits to gather everything belonging to one piece of furniture, we lugged some of them up the stairs to the apartment and we put the new chest of drawers together. 

I was supposed to be off the whole weekend (my first really), but alas, another driver had a death in the family and I was asked to step in. Since I had dropped the group off, I at least I knew where to go, but it was a shame as now the Sunday was completely gone. 

I did get Monday off though, which meant that I really got cracking with the bedroom. All my clothes and linens are now unpacked and sorted. Good feeling. Today I have another day off: more furniture will be delivered today and I will get my kitchen stuff sorted as well. Plus hopefully put some other pieces of furniture together. 

So, that was my weekend. Next week my sister is going on holiday for a week and by the time she gets back, I will be living somewhere else. It will be very strange, but there will be some good things as well: closer to work; all my own things again; Miss Oswin (after a couple of weeks) can finally go outside again. 

Of course now I have hardly got any money left at all. I had a fair buffer fortunately, but I will need to start saving again if I want anything else like gold plated chair legs and platinum tooth brushes. I don't want either, but you know...

Oh, and finally, some of the zoo photos! Photos of the new place will follow soon. I hope...