To Boldly Go...

[Highlander]

Who me, keep people posted...?

Dave... that's Demento'd ...

... and as for "Astronomy", a simple classic, and with those nice clean Highland skies, and all those stars... and no jokes about clouds, rain, sleet, snow, blizzards, fog, Scotch Mist, midgies, etc...

Forgot to add, Roshina mentioned would I be happy if they asked me to travel over to Lewis for work...? What, get paid to visit family...?

Hmm... does my grin look big in this...?

[Pilgrim]

Hmmm.  From the old-timey US point of view, I think Ken is saying "Don't t'row me in dat brier patch!"

[Highlander]

The pain... ...

[Highlander]

Packing complete a whole day early and our home is in a forty-footer heading up to Scotland...

Presently three people and a cute furry alien in an empty house ... now just past 0100 and completion scheduled for circa 1200-1300 BST, then driving north...

The shed and the squirrels are all looking somewhat stunned and forlorn, and the robin ... best not go there ...

... and in the best of Scott (of Antarctica, not) ish traditions, I'm just going off line ... I may be gone some time...

[Dave W]

We'll keep the light on for you. 

[Lightyear]

Ma late lamented......

Forgot to add for Buzz... I often "joke" about my 1,000,000+ miles of driving over the 32+ years of being a road-based engineer, mostly round the south of England, and follow that comment with "people get less for murder..."

I hear you Kenny, I just ran a quick number on my mileage and 34 years at about 36,000 miles a year ( this is a very conservative estimate ) I racked up 1,224,000 miles without more than few minor fender benders   I seriously was starting to think my number was going to come up as I had really beat the statistics.  I finally was talked into a promotion this last July and now I drive a desk in my spare bedroom as I am now "virtual"  I do still have a company car, goodbye nasty ass Ford Transit Connect, hello anything else in the world, I really have to push myself to get my minimum 1000 monthly miles in. 

Kenny, just be careful out there!

[Highlander]

Ah, that Hill St Blues moment ...

Sitting here, knackered, glass of single malt in hand (gift of a bottle of Glen Morangie from one of out old neighbours), with a view to die for ... took a leisurley stroll up the hill into the local forest to chill out today, prior to the chaos that will ensue with the arrival of circa 250 boxes and furniture, not to mention several instruments ...

Sadly, I must report that of the 20 of us that moved up (16 fish, furball, daughter, wife, moi), all of the golden orfe (all measuring a foot long) keeled over and did a dead parrot... rip...

[Dave W]

Too bad about the fish. Glad the rest of you are all there. Now don't overdo anything.

[Highlander]

Message received and understood Mr W ...

A further three fish have gone the same way... rip 2... or 3...

Now surrounded by lots of boxes and all the gear has arrived ... time for a new family portrait in the near future...

Ps... shattered...

[Dave W]

Too bad about the fish. All pets are stressed by a major move. Guess there's not much you can do counteract it in a fish.

[Highlander]

Do you thinks some malt would help ...

Planning to dig the survivors a temporary pond today and bury the old fish that didn't make it under it ...

Jackie's busy sorting the kitchen ... Roshina will be helping her, and the dog will inspire cuteness... 

[Alanko]

That was fast work! Welcome up here, though you are a bit more up than I am.

[Highlander]

Taing...

[uwe]

What possessed you to take the golden orfes with you into the land of the salmons of all places?  You should have just taken them to the nearest decent park pond.

They are normally hardy little creatures (and sure prevent goldfish/koi overcrowding in your garden pond, little carnivores they are), but if the water got too warm ...

Seems like garden pond days are approaching for me again, we're buying a house with a huge garden close to the woods that just cries for a pond. Golden orfes will certainly be included in the population, but my favorite pond fish are these guys:



Though you'll hardly ever see the tenches in your pond because they are nocturnal and bottom-dwelly, quite unlike the golden orfes which always dart around close to the surface. But ever since I kept a pair (the greenish glimmer twins!) of tenches in an aquarium as a kid for years, I've grown attached to them as a species. In the 60ies and 70ies they were mainly a food fish in Germany, but eating them has gone out of style.

[Highlander]

Mission Control...! Mission Control...! The SSS Squirrel has landed...! Repeat...! The SSS Squirrel has landed...!

There was I, busily sorting myself for a trip out to Loch Ness and Culloden Moor (to pay respects to family that fell there) as part of a trip to see some of the area for Roshina and her boyfriend when Jackie comes flying out of the office/craft dept/dining room/disaster area shouting "It's a red squirrel! It's red squirrel...!"
Sitting at her desk (a prerequisite to operations here) she sees out of the corner of her eye and red (not grey) bushy tail disappearing from view and does a double-take; peers round, and that third most elusive of British mammals, comes clearly into view, in the garden, running along the fence, and into one of the eight pine trees in the garden...

Ah yes...boldly gone...

Uwe... indeed, a mistake, and agreed... but hindsight is a marvelous thing and we did not want them released in just any-old-pond, as we considered them part of the "family"... the guilt-trip over desertion of the old garden critters is immense and we still wonder at their fate with the new residents, who I think will be doing a turn-around on the property to make a "quick buck..."
The metre deep pool is now being enjoyed by the survivors, including a pair of green tench that we've had for circa 20 years (yes, they are that old, and one survived an escape from the pond in the summer sun... no idea to this day how it got past a wire mesh and how it survived being "cooked", but although smaller than it's partner all the physical scarring is gone) and I've always had a fondness for their tenacity and survivability ... biggest of them is circa 300mm or more... Orfe, we will get again, as the "sharks" (as we nicknamed them, due to their "attacking" their food) were always a spectacle at feeding (frenzy) time...

Hmm... now to source a supply of hazel/cob nuts, which is the red squirrel's fave food treat...

Oh yes, fine weather, yet again... I've been posting some pics over on FB but will sort some for here too... Sunrise over the Beauly Firth has been rather enjoyable, albeit circa 0600 to catch the best light for pics... we have a direct easterly view...