Colcam

It seems an appropriate day to write something, Friday the thirteenth, here in this corner of the Highlands at the ass-end of the bit of the world God forgot to finish, with the rain pouring down for the third day in a row and the wind blowing, the back garden flooded again and every light in the house on all day because it's darker than Hell with the fires doused outside.

It's touch and go with blogging. If I had a bugle I'd put the cigarette in the ashtray, swallow the last dram in the bottle, take a deep breath, then another between coughs, and sound the last post. Or write it, at least, because I'm fed up of the bloody thing.

The general consensus of opinion around here among those who know me, that is the Mongrel, the dog and the cat and, of course, myself, is that I am suffering from SAD, or Seasonal Thingiemajig Disorder. I used to laugh at "experts" who suggested such a thing existed, but I've noticed the way I have felt over the past couple of winters in the months of darkness and perpetual gloom that descend on this godforsaken place, have asked around, done a bit of research, and the symptoms fit exactly how I feel. Thankfully I seem to have the mild version, and it'll pass as the daylight hours lengthen, and when the sun starts to shine, if it ever does here!

Anyway, 'nuff about that. Thanks Kats for asking about my absence, and for the beautiful Christmas e-cards. I really enjoyed them, and I hope you and "him indoors" had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year. I hope '06 brings all you wish of it.

Elizabeth, and Sarkasmo. I wish you both all the best for the future - love you both. A lum is a chimney, so it depends on whether you have a coal or log fire in the house whether you have a lum. The old Scots saying, "Lang may yir lum reek wi ither fowks coal", means "long may your chimney pour forth smoke from the coal which others bring to your house as lucky first foot offerings."

Mushsis, you shooter of wonderful images. Continue, please, to inspire me with your work, which gives me much pleasure. Thanks, and all the best to you this 2006.

Elektrofly, greetings to you in freezing Texas. I will be commenting soon, as promised, on the episodes - hope you have them finished!

And everyone else, too many to mention - may you all have a safe and happy and prosperous year, whether you have lums or not.

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My Mac Mini, which tends to be underused because I prefer using a laptop, despite the Mini being faster, has got a new lease of life. Apart from the fact that I got a nice new 17 inch flat screen monitor for it, I recently discovered it makes a fine mat for a whisky glass and the bottle to go with it. Some people might be alarmed at anyone setting liquids on a computer but, being Scots, it isn't a danger provided it's only the amber nectar that gets sat on it. We never spill whisky! Coke, vodka, gin perhaps, might topple over and drown Twiggy, but never a whisky.

Twiggy? Oh yes. Delving deep into things nobody needs to know about their computer, I found, among other things, a code number and the name of the cute little beauty right alongside the code - Twiggy.

Of course I looked in the same place on my PowerBook, found the code - and no name. It's such a shame. My beloved portable baby has no name!






The drinks mat.


Proud to be Scots - except that's a bottle of Irish whisky, spelt whiskey as they do over there in Coleraine, but it's pretty good stuff - despite the typo on the bottle!

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And while I'm here.......




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Kaspy the Collie went to the beach on the West Coast of Scotland - too much energy, and high speed play all the way.



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Near Mallaig. Damn Collie was here a minute ago!

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Despite my lethargy and need to sleep 24 hours a day at the moment, I dragged out the vacuum cleaner yesterday, because the Mongrel was working and I had to do something about the muck and dog hairs covering everything in the house. Spike the big brave tomcat headed for the kitchen sink at first sight of the infernal machine.




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Look at the disgusting mess of that sink!

Didn't clean it. Spike was in there.

G'night.