Mrs Blethers and I have taken up swimming in the early morning in a vain attempt to ward off the effects of gravity and the march of time on our aged bods. It so happens I have to be in the vicinity of the baths at around 7.30 am these days and since she lives a hop and a skip away, we decided to take the plunge, so to speak (although actual plungeing is strictly verboten and has been ever since I can remember at our baths. There used to be a springboard but you weren't allowed to spring from it).
We both used to be pretty good swimmers in the past, but while she still has a fine style, I swim like an old lady with my head above the water these days. I really must try out some goggles. I just have this problem of feeling blind without my specs or contacts and adding goggles would be like insult to injury. I once tried swimming with contacts in - actually I forgot to take them out - but they swelled up to about the size of saucers and floated away. Driving home was interesting.
BUT - I feel all virtuous and exercised! Getting home to the dogs raring to go for a walk was a bit of a bummer, but I told myself it would be doing me even more good and off we went up the hill. As it turned out, virtue had its reward because I saw a cuckoo clear as anything (it looks a bit like a dissolute kestrel with droopy wings) sitting atop a pine tree. It obliged me by flying across the golf course cucking and ooing so I was able to pinpoint it.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Another life on the ocean wave (I suspect I'm going to become boring on this)
It's so long since I posted here that Blogger asked me for my user name and password, neither of which I could remember. :/
At last yesterday, Rob and I got out for a sail in Fidelio. We'd been waiting all weekend, but the weather was too poor. On Sunday the wind was really strong and gusty and even the seasoned sailors didn't go out, but yesterday there was actually some sun and the wind, although flukey, was manageable. During Fidelio's transportation from Loch Earn the wee arrow-thingy at the top of the mast got broken by an inconveniently placed tree and now is no use whatsoever in telling us which way the wind's coming from so we had to rely on the old fashioned way. This was fine, except it behaved in a most capricious manner, changing direction in an instant and going from flat calm to 'OMG we're going to capsize' in a way that certainly gave us some practice!
And talking of practice, I'll need to practise hopping nimbly onto the pontoon from her when we attempt to park - or whatever boats do - in our berth. Yesterday was a distinctly inelegant homecoming and we just managed to avoid ramming our next-door neighbour as I made it onto the pontoon but failed to put the rope round the cleat and pull backwards in time to stop Fidelio bumping her nose on the walkway. Fortuantely no damage ensued although I daresay our reputation in the eyes of the salty old guys who seem to live in their boats and view us and our bumbling around with amusement has been further lowered.
Oh and my sermon went okay on Sunday, as far as I know. I decided to do a little PR on behalf of the Worship Group, since it seems we are to blame for all the ills in the church according to some members of the congregation. I think they're under the impression that we take over every few Sundays out of choice, thus banishing the priest and forcing him/her to Rothesay in order to fulfil his/her sacerdotal obligations. Or maybe they think it's an ego thing. Whatever, it could hardly be further from the truth. But at leat one of the 'antis' came up to me afterwards and said, "If your raison d'etre is to keep the church open and available every Sunday then I'm all for it."
I'll take that as a positive then.
At last yesterday, Rob and I got out for a sail in Fidelio. We'd been waiting all weekend, but the weather was too poor. On Sunday the wind was really strong and gusty and even the seasoned sailors didn't go out, but yesterday there was actually some sun and the wind, although flukey, was manageable. During Fidelio's transportation from Loch Earn the wee arrow-thingy at the top of the mast got broken by an inconveniently placed tree and now is no use whatsoever in telling us which way the wind's coming from so we had to rely on the old fashioned way. This was fine, except it behaved in a most capricious manner, changing direction in an instant and going from flat calm to 'OMG we're going to capsize' in a way that certainly gave us some practice!
And talking of practice, I'll need to practise hopping nimbly onto the pontoon from her when we attempt to park - or whatever boats do - in our berth. Yesterday was a distinctly inelegant homecoming and we just managed to avoid ramming our next-door neighbour as I made it onto the pontoon but failed to put the rope round the cleat and pull backwards in time to stop Fidelio bumping her nose on the walkway. Fortuantely no damage ensued although I daresay our reputation in the eyes of the salty old guys who seem to live in their boats and view us and our bumbling around with amusement has been further lowered.
Oh and my sermon went okay on Sunday, as far as I know. I decided to do a little PR on behalf of the Worship Group, since it seems we are to blame for all the ills in the church according to some members of the congregation. I think they're under the impression that we take over every few Sundays out of choice, thus banishing the priest and forcing him/her to Rothesay in order to fulfil his/her sacerdotal obligations. Or maybe they think it's an ego thing. Whatever, it could hardly be further from the truth. But at leat one of the 'antis' came up to me afterwards and said, "If your raison d'etre is to keep the church open and available every Sunday then I'm all for it."
I'll take that as a positive then.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
A Life on the Ocean Wave . . .
My life has suddenly become incredibly full and busy this month, although mostly in a good way. It's exam month and my services are required at the school several times a week - maths today and I don't even get a lunch-break! But the exciting thing is, Rob and I have suddenly become boat owners thanks to the incredible generosity of a dear friend who finds she no longer has room for a boat in her life. So we are now the lucky owners of Fidelio, a 21 ft sailing boat - small but perfectly formed as they say.
Since we live on the shore it would seem sensible to put down a mooring outside the front door, but our particular bit of shore has rocks the size of double-decker buses under the water and the currents are dodgy too, so we've opted to berth her in the local marina where you just walk along a wooden pontoon and step aboard - infinitely preferable to getting your bum soaked in a rubber dinghy before you even set off IMO. I'm not sure how impressed the dogs will be with our new acquisition. They've been on her before and spent nearly all the time sitting on top of me. However, they weren't frightened of the sail, as a previous dog of ours was and I'm hoping we can persuade them to curl up below and snooze eventually.
I tried the extrovert test and I seem to be more extrovert than I thought! It must be the jollity of May.
Since we live on the shore it would seem sensible to put down a mooring outside the front door, but our particular bit of shore has rocks the size of double-decker buses under the water and the currents are dodgy too, so we've opted to berth her in the local marina where you just walk along a wooden pontoon and step aboard - infinitely preferable to getting your bum soaked in a rubber dinghy before you even set off IMO. I'm not sure how impressed the dogs will be with our new acquisition. They've been on her before and spent nearly all the time sitting on top of me. However, they weren't frightened of the sail, as a previous dog of ours was and I'm hoping we can persuade them to curl up below and snooze eventually.
I tried the extrovert test and I seem to be more extrovert than I thought! It must be the jollity of May.
| Your Extroversion Profile: |
| Activity Level: High |
| Cheerfulness: High |
| Friendliness: High |
| Assertiveness: Medium |
| Sociability: Medium |
| Excitement Seeking: Very Low |
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