Friday frets

You would think people would be happy when you get to the end of the week - not so in here - this morning's meetings have been very fractious with some in-fighting and bitching going on. There's only one female present so that can't be the reason (joke!) - maybe it's biorhythms or the time of the year or the weather - who knows?

On to happier tmes - yesterday we received the following postcard - from the Utah Valley Tourist Board - we must have left our details at one of their visitor centres:

Doesn't this just look like Jo and I out on one of our walks last year? Obviously, the couple in the postcard aren't as fit, strong, or as well-prepared as we were, but otherwise it could be us. Oh happy times.

I had a busy afternoon yesterday - got my watch fixed (the back came off again), had a haircut, got my car washed and also managed a quick trip in to Meldrum House Hotel to have a look at potential accommodation for the wedding in October. All the rooms were occupied so I couldn't see inside any of them, but I got a nice feel for the place - it's lovely. They're currently doing up the rooms in the main hotel building so I was advised to come back in March to look at them - and also the separate stable block opposite. I saw round the function room, but the marquee won't go up until March so I'll see that then as well. My main reason for visiting was to see where the lodge house is - it's a 5 bedroom place, with separate lock-offs and a central living room and kitchen area, so it's good for a large family to stay in. It is, however, right at the entrance to the grounds and must be 500 yards or so from the other hotel buildings - it would be a long walk back and forwards. I've played the golf course there a couple of times - but not for a few years. That would definitely be weather dependent, however.

Just had a text from Kelly - she's arrived in Melbourne and says it is "freezing" - yeah, right! That said, it's a lot warmer here today - which means we have positive degrees C for a change!

Jo and Ross are heading off to see Avatar 3D this afternoon and I'm hoping to get a game of squash later on - if I can get out of this particular hell-hole in time.

All that's left is Word of the Day - DISTRAIT (dis-tray) - adjective - Divided or withdrawn in attention, especially because of anxiety. Quote:

• Yet when she stopped for a cup of coffee, finding herself too distrait to begin work, the picture was in the course of being removed from the window.

— Falling Slowly, Anita Brookner

The groundhog was right!

We missed Groundhog Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog) on Tuesday, but I understand the groundhog saw its shadow so winter is apparently going to continue for another 6 weeks - we should be so lucky! At this rate, it'll be another 6 months before the grass is visible again! It's a bit milder today but it's going to take several days of this - plus some rain - before the snow is all gone again. I travelled cross country to Fraserburgh this morning and the inland roads are still snow and ice affected - "passable with care" I believe is the official phrase. No snow at all at the Broch itself of course - it's surrounded by sea.

Another 2 episodes of The Wire last night - that's us on to number 10 next, I think. We're enjoying it and we'll certainly see the first series through, although the jury is out as to whether we'll be as devoted viewers as Colin and Johanne and watch every series - I guess much may depend on whether each series is discrete and has a logical end or not.

I re-booked train tickets to Edinburgh for Colin and I for Sunday's Scotland - France rugby match last night. When I originally booked the tickets back in November, the best price I could get was £33.50 return, but, since then, they've opened up the 55 + Club again and we can get tickets at just £15 return. Even with a cancellation fee of £10 for the original booking, that's still a saving of £8.50! We might even use our bus passes and get a free ride in to Aberdeen as well - that's the good bit about getting old - but there's not much else good about it.

Today's Word of the Day is PECUNIARY - relating to money, monetary. The example given was:

• He lacked the finer element of conscience which looks upon Art as a sacred calling, she remembered, and because of "pecuniary necessities" he "scattered his forces in many different and unworthy directions".
• Accomplished in All Departments of Art, James F O'Gorman

Weary Wednesday

Check the headbang blog for last night.

Today has been Aberdeen - Fraserburgh - Aberdeen - and a lot of travel frustration.

Word of the day - AUBADE - a song or poem greeting the dawn.

Terrific Tuesday

Bright blue skies this morning - very pleasant - and the roads are fine, although there is the possibility of more snow tomorrow apparently. I didn't go to Fraserburgh yesterday - I postponed the guy that was coming up from Edinburgh - so it's now tomorrow morning that he's coming. The plus side was that I managed another trip to the gym yesterday instead.

Last night, we watched another 2 episodes of The Wire - that's 7 in all now. There had been a bit of a gap since we saw episode 5, and we were both struggling a bit with the story line and the characters at first, but had got back on track by the end of episode 7. We must make sure we watch an episode every other day, I think.

Tonight, it's back to the movies, so I'll just stay in town for tea - I'll meet up with Colin and Gary (Grant) and his brother somewhere for a bite and a beer.

I've also finally committed to doing the West Highland Way (well a bit of, anyway) this year - some accommodation now booked and deposits paid - no going back now! This is the plan:

• Thursday evening 16th September
• Drive over to Fort William
• Friday 17th September
• Train down to Bridge of Orchy
• Walk 12 miles to Kings House Hotel, Glencoe
• Saturday 18th September
• Walk 9 miles to Kinlochleven
• Sunday 19th September
• Walk 14 miles to Fort William
• Monday 20th September
• Walk up Ben Nevis (possibly)
• Home

I know it doesn't look very onerous, but remember, it's not just a stroll in the park - there's some big hills to climb too - and none of us have ever done any hill walking before - and we're not getting any younger either! Colin Kilgour, Dave Williamson, John McWhinnie and Ian Sharp will be my walking companions. We're not sure how we'll feel on Monday morning and whether we'll be up to climbing Ben Nevis or not. Certainly, we'll have to put in some training first of all. I've never been up Cloch-na-Ben so that could be our first challenge. The Hill of Fare and Lochnagar are also possible local walks for us to try.

I'm also tempted by the possibility of going to the Roland Garros stadium for the French Open in May/June. That's the second of the tennis "Majors" this year and hopefully Andy Murray will be making a challenge again. There are direct flights to Paris from Aberdeen, and Dave Williamson is now spending most of his work time in Paris, rather than Reading, so that's why the idea first arose.

To do these things, it obviously means sacrificing some golf this year - I'll need to think carefully about my schedule.

Word of the Day - Gelid (Jel-id) - adjective - extremely cold; icy. Very appropriate.

Monday again

Mixed weekend on the sporting front. Terrible performance from Aberdeen on Saturday and the Jags lost too in Inverness - kind of glad we didn't go in the end. Andy was well beaten on Sunday morning, but I'm sure he'll be back, stronger than ever - hopefully to wipe that ever so slightly smug grin off the Swiss ace's face. Much better in the afternoon with Man U taking Arsenal apart.

We had lovely steak fajitas at Carole's last night, and a nice little chat about plans for the wedding. There had been snow flurries all day however, and, when we drove over to Inverurie, the wind had blown the snow on to the side roads and they weren't easy. We decided for our return journey to come back in to Aberdeen and then head out on the North Deeside from there. I was driving, but it was Jo's car (it has the car seat) - and I had left my driving glasses in my car! We made it OK, but it took us a fair while to get home and then, of course, the kitchen had to be cleaned up. Finally, I settled down to watch a bit of the late night golf from Torrey Pines - a course I had played when we were in San Diego - but no cup of tea for me - no milk left! I made do with a glass of wine, but then fell asleep sitting up on the sofa. Jo eventually came down to see if I was OK, so I headed up to bed to watch the end of the golf up there.

Today, I'm in the Aberdeen office awaiting a visitor from Edinburgh. We're then supposed to be going up to Fraserburgh, but it's likely he may have to cancel as the journey would probably take too long and we wouldn't achieve what we wanted as there wouldn't be enough time left.

It's all been a bit dull diary prose from me recently - I'll need to get some photos taken to brighten the blog up visually at least. Meanwhile, what about a Word of the Day? I've got a few new apps for my Blackberry and one of them is a Dictionary/Thesaurus - it would be very handy if I was still doing crosswords. Anyway, they have a word of the day feature in this app, and today's word is MONDEGREEN. What does it mean? - "A word or phrase resulting from a misinterpretation of a word or phrase that has been heard." It further goes on to say:

• Mondegreens can be found in every area of the spoken word, from the record buyer who asks for a copy of the Queen single "Bohemian Rap City" to the schoolchild who is convinced that the Pledge of Allegiance begins "I led the pigeons to the flag."

Think of anyone close who daily uses Mondegreens?

Nervous Sunday

Why am I blogging at this time on a Sunday morning? I watched the first set of the Aussie Open (Andy lost) and now I'm too anxious/nervous to watch the rest. The TV's on, but it's background now. Not looking good.

Luca will be over soon so that should cheer us all up - and Kelly has just been on Skype so that was nice too.

What else to look forward to? Well, dinner at Carole's this afternoon, then a trip to the movies on Tuesday - Oil City Confidential - the story of Dr. Feelgood.