This studying sure takes your time!

Well At last I find time to update my blog, wow haw time goes (as said before) I now have almost a full-time job updating the social network sites, My Space Facebook, elgg, bebo.......etc.
Not to talk about all the other blogs we get involved with at work. Never mind it doesn't waste paper just time.
Anyway my piccy on Facebook was done (inabsentia) by my daughter she liked it so I put it up there, I may be somethings but I'm not proud. My Myspace space was also done by my daughter and I will see it when she remembers my password. Have done one module to hand in minor changes needed the big one for this term yet to be started in earnest.21st December the time to beat. Looking forward to Next term mind hopefully I will manage my time more. Have enjoyed this term relly except for the minimum amount of people I have encountered on the course. Imagine managing to achieve a Masters and the whole faculty standing in wonderment of who this person is (as they have never seen you before) Tis a strange time we live in. Bring on the technology (communicating[verbally] with computers that's the next thing)

Studying again

Wow what a start to the term (semester if your at Uni:-)). I just have not been able to catch my breath, the Handheld conference was good, lots of interest in our product, and then I started University MA Ed Res at Newcastle University and WOW am so out of touch with learning. I am adamant that I will only take notes digitally and so when I sign in I have to borrow a pen :-). The cut and thrust of Academia is lost on me a little as I still have a job and that comes first. ANyway I am managing to read more(it isn't going in though) and I am learning how to use "end note" what a life saver that will be come the dissertation.
So I have had my first Personal tutorial the person seems friendly enough and has already emailed me with advice from our meeting. I have been trying to read this afternoon at work but to no avail. I will try tomorrow. I am having trouble connecting with the University so I need to go in and access my account until I get that sorted could be port access I guess.
ANyway time to go home and find out hat the rest of the family have been doing today and maybe find time to watch the football on tele. Great result for United (Newcastle) against Spurs ealier in the week.

Studying again

Wow what a start to the term (semester if your at Uni:-)). I just have not been able to catch my breath, the Handheld conference was good, lots of interest in our product, and then I started University MA Ed Res at Newcastle University and WOW am so out of touch with learning. I am adamant that I will only take notes digitally and so when I sign in I have to borrow a pen :-). The cut and thrust of Academia is lost on me a little as I still have a job and that comes first. ANyway I am managing to read more(it isn't going in though) and I am learning how to use "end note" what a life saver that will be come the dissertation.
So I have had my first Personal tutorial the person seems friendly enough and has already emailed me with advice from our meeting. I have been trying to read this afternoon at work but to no avail. I will try tomorrow. I am having trouble connecting with the University so I need to go in and access my account until I get that sorted could be port access I guess.
ANyway time to go home and find out hat the rest of the family have been doing today and maybe find time to watch the football on tele. Great result for United (Newcastle) against Spurs ealier in the week.

Illness and how to guard against it

This week has seen illness hit the household, apart from she who will be obeyed. I have started again with a rasping cough almost bronchial, the eldest has had time off college as she got gastroenteritis? The youngest, managed to faint twice once on Thursday at cadets and again today just before marching in the Battle of Britain remembrance event. She has stayed in bed all afternoon. I think you can't beat a bit of sleep when your ill, tends to solve lots of aches and pains but then if you stay in bed too long you end up getting weak and bed sores appear and you end up worse than when you started. Just goes to show, moderation in all things and you will come to no harm.
Christmas reared its ugly head yesterday when I was asked if I had sorted anything out for the meal. We usually do this each year ending up at a hotel swanky do drinking too much wine and having too much to eat. I didn't realise that I had not done anything about so I had better get emailing and ask if anyone wants to do anything. I think this year it would be just worthwhile having a nice meal somewhere and just catching up on the news. We all rush around all year tending to the offspring that we seldom have time for ourselves, this event for me is a time when we can talk about the things that have happened to us since the same time last year.
OK I've talked myself into getting something organised.

Where does the time go

I was wondering this when the words from Sandy Denny came to mind "who knows where the time goes" and isn't it true. I woke at 4.15 this morning and then turned over and the next thing I remember it was 6.55 in what seemed like 5 minutes but then it couldn't have been unless of course I am a time traveller and I don't know it.Anyway the last entry was about the concert well the girls absolutely loved the band and they spoke Danish to them and they got a tee shirt and a CD so they were happy.
Since then which is not last Monday but the Monday before I have done all sorts of things we are looking to get an extension done if I can find the time to ring the builders or find an architect and if we can afford it extend into the loft and fins a place for our books. Last weekend I managed to get out on the water once that was on Sunday as we went looking for kitchens I think we are going to go for a free standing one then we can buy the basics and then add as we go along.
My mate Gerry is back from hols, he got the ferry back with his children while his wife flew, very sensible.

I am busy working hard on a presentation I am doing at a conference in London on handheld learning, there is so much potential but also so much hype, why don't people tell the whole truth when they say that apps can do certain things.
I also thought the mobiles I bought had GPS but guess what... yep they don't (the next version does though released two weeks after buying the "latest version")
Well it is Wednesday and no doubt I will look at the blog next week and wonder where the time has gone, my mobile is calling me from the other room so I guess I had better go and use up some time effectively.

Concert at the Cluny

Just by accident I spotted an advert for the Kissaway Trail at the Cluny now being as they are from Denmark and my daughters are into all things Danish (pleasing their Mum) I booked tickets for them onlne.
They are on tonight so go to Kissaway Trail
and check them out seem really cool (but then I would say that!)

Holiday Blues

Well after the shores of Loch Ken, we had a week of here and there, more here than there. I took my daughters friend to start a work experience year at a firm in Chester so took his bike and boxes of stuff down for him. We had lunch in a really nice bar just at the end of his street and watched the Newcastle game against Middlesbrough. In my opinion they both wanted talking to as both sides were as bad as each other.
Anyway all the family went down to Burnley to visit my mums grave and clean it up etc. we try to all go down together, but we had a great drive around Pendle, stopping in Newchurch to buy stuff at the small Witches shop there
Pendle Witches
We then drove up through towards Kendal and then to Brough and back to Newcastle for about 19.00. We ended the day with a Chinese Take away, always goes down well.

On Saturday I had a great day blasting across the Ladyburn lake up at Druridge bay, the wind was excellent and I stayed out for about 3 hours in one spell knees arms etc really tingling with the Adrenalin rush of windsurfing still pulsating around my body.A wonderful end to the annual holidays.
Anyway back in work and raring to get my teeth into new projects and support the people I am getting paid to offer a service to.

Friday

Took Louise to Dumfries today what a lovely town centre. I like the idea of disc parking free for 2 hours. The buildings are fantastic. We had a quick look around then uo to the station to get a ticket for Louise the station is shockingly signposted though Scot rail should do something about that. We had a meal in a Smith and Jones what a spectacular meal it was made all the better because we bought a Discount card and got two meals for £5.95 and they were substantial. 10 out of 10 for that Smith and Jones.

We left Louise to get the train and drove to the coast this area of Scotland is just ful of lots of different things to do. The views were spectacular across to Cumbria and as we were listening to the radio of tales of the M4 motorway and the queues on the A38 in Devon and Cornwall I waited for the next car to appear either infront or behind me as we headed to Dalbeattie. Oh stress free driving returns once more.

Thursday

Well the boys went off early this morning, 6.30 to get the ferry to Larne. The wind has been intermittent and not helped by the trees and the vakly in which the Loch is situated however after umming anf aarghing all day I managed to get good session in after we came back until about 9 0'Clock.

Wednesday

Louise is having such a good time that she has decided to leave on Friday. The guys in the next caravan are from Newcastle in Co. Down what a coincidence.

The girls are getting on very well with them. Maria is in her element and they seem to be very friendly. Their parents are friendly as well got chance to tlak football then watched the England v Germany match... lets move on.
The boys are going back tomorrow so I guess the girls will be staying up late on the veranda to play poker again, not too late I hope.

Tuesday

Had a great meal in Dalry the service was great and the food very hot but delicious. Louise is going back tomorrow so will have to take her to Dumfries to get the train.

Off to Scotland

Well the annual holidays are here (almost) and we are off to Scotland. The first time we are going to stay in a static caravan. Now after the wet of Ullswater this should be fine as we are not on the ground. I don't mind anyway as I will be windsurfing most of the time. I have managed to get an old mast for the 370 Vinta but I have only one buoyancy aid and I don't think the thought of going onto the water without an buoyancy aid has gone down too well with Bodil so I may only take one windsurfer.
I will of course write a running commentary of the week so I can look back and laugh etc....
The weather today has been great, windy and sunny just what you want.I have been working form home and so have missed it but I did go to the library and enroll as I have been accepted onto an MA course starting in September Wow what was I thinking! I'm apprehensive and yet excited at the same time, I just hope I can get back into the academic side of things after 30 years since graduating.Others have done it so why can't I? (well said!).

And talking of graduating Louise my eldest has just got her AS results, better than she hoped for but not absolutely fantastic but hey she has another year to improve and rack up the points so she can then decide what she wants to do. Maria my other daughter is away at the coast getting wet no doubt and having a great time with her friends.

Celebration time beckons I think!

Ullswater

Start of the hols and what a kick. We went to Ullswater and stayed on the lake shore at a campsite.
The weather started out really warm and we thought we were in for a great time. But by Thursday the weather had won. From Sunday to Thursday though we packed a whole lot of fun and exercise into the days.

We cycled quite a few times into Pooley Bridge, Three pubs, Three shops, One church, a tea room and public loos with a ferry port for the Ullswater Steamers. One day we cycled to Howtown a small Hamlet on the lake side we had morning drinks at the Howtown Hotel what a lovely place. The room we sat in was like a "snug" with oak panelled walls and stained glass and tea and coffee in real cups, a change after drinking wine from a plastic cup from a well known Swedish furniture store. We cycled down to the pier and we were just in time to see the ferry pull up alongside. Quite a few German hikers kitted out in the finest of walking clothes disembarked. I can't help wondering what they thought of us waiting to get on with not a Berghaus item anywhere to be seen. Anyway the trip up the lake to Pooley Bridge was magnificent the Steamer I was reliably informed was 118 years old. We passed another steamer going in the opposite direction which was the oldest in the 4 steamer fleet at 130 years and they were both in pristine working order hats off the to Steamer Company of Ullswater.

We also visited Glenridding where we had an enjoyable rest and game of hide and seek in the long grass. The views are incredible made all the more exciting when an old bomber came over the hills and flew low level over the lake in true Dambuster style.

The lake looked very serene but we heard tales of paddlers going out a short way and then losing their footing over the ledge and drowning, not so serene then. We had great fun at the Camp site playing a few games we had brought with us Yes/No game, Tangrams and Guess Who all traditional none electronic which allowed the younger people to make up variations of the themes.
The campsite was well run and although the amenities were basic they were well cleaned, the lady on toilet duty went about her job with a passion and was obviously a perfectionist which was appreciated especially the morning I saw her frantically trying to rid the toilet block of its many flies. The windsurfing was great if gusty, a particular facet of Ullswater I was told by a fellow wind surfer who flew across the lake like a dart when the wind was in the right direction.
I found the waves from the streamers particularly challenging but learned a great deal. My Gybing is improving no end and as soon as I get proper harness lines I am sure I will be able to hook in without using my hands to do it.
The kayak we brought along was great the kids loved it. We had a trip to Keswick which I think was the thing that prompted us to come home, The previous night I had been awake with the pounding rain and wind I thought at one point the tent was going to end up in OZ ( and I had no red shoes).
The Campsite was obviously awash with water, not a bad thing but walking around Keswick, a fine place nonetheless was really what made us decide to come home.
We have become expert tent erectors and dismantlers though and what took initially 3 hours to work out is down to about 1 hour still 20 minutes shy of the 40 min's the manufacturers say it takes to erect though but you know what they say "practice makes perfect.
Would I do the camping thing again? Yes.
Would I take as much stuff as I did this time? No.
Would I go back to the lakes again? Without a doubt.
We had a really good time all round. See the pictures to get a feel for the place, Berghaus or no it is a wonderful place.
Photos

Blogging in Media rich world

Just tell me how do people find the time to write a blog when there are so many other things around for them to do, social events, family events and I include supermarket shopping here, leisure events. The list is endless, I am writing this now because I saw I hadn't written anything since my first post shameful I know but I lead a busy life... well I don't really I just like to think I do, as most of us we can readily put off doing the jobs we know have to get done because we are so busy.
Changing banks now that is a chore when you are fed up with the bank you have been with for 15 yrs because they were not there for you when you needed them. It is only then that you realise how mean they can be. So it is their fault that you are changing banks but they make it as hard as anything, they want all correspondence in triplicate you have to have written consent from both parties of the joint account even though you have already furnished them with that information.
I am at present the proud owner of two bank accounts an old one which has no direct debits as I have cancelled them all with my salary in and a new one from which my direct debits are going to come out with nothing in. Interesting state of affairs eh? What's the bet that direct debits come out of the wrong place and I end up paying for the privilege. Anyway that's the world we live in. I look at the world and hear of children killing each other whilst starving. I hear of people blowing themselves apart in the name of religion, of parents searching in vain for their children who have gone missing whilst on holiday and I think that my bank problems are minuscule in comparison. Well that's that off my chest... I do feel better now and I am resigned to keep up this blog ( the road to hell is paved with good intentions) I suppose only time will tell. Compare the times of the next post and that will give the answer.

Starter Session

This is my idea of relaxation, the only problem is being able to find areas where you can experience the thrill of the wind and the sea.