What are you Doing Today?

  • smudger's Avatar
    Well folks, I have just got back from the week long work party on board HMY Britannia. This was our second one, as last year was so successful.

    All us old crew go there and help the association team in their effort to keep the old girl up to the standard it was when it was commissioned.

    We all had a great time, as its more of a reunion for us really, anyway, whats been happening here then;)
  • 4685 Replies

  • Watcher's Avatar
    Britannia

    Well folks, I have just got back from the week long work party on board HMY Britannia. This was our second one, as last year was so successful.

    All us old crew go there and help the association team in their effort to keep the old girl up to the standard it was when it was commissioned.

    We all had a great time, as its more of a reunion for us really, anyway, whats been happening here then;)

    Hi Smudger - not had a party on board, but Mrs W and I did "the tour" a couple of years ago and we were quite surprised at just how, well, basic the furnishings, etc were! Seems HM & Him didn't live in the sort of luxury we imagine! And how anyone ever managed to cater for hundreds of foreign dignitaries from that galley I'll never know!!!

    (Loved the slide out car though - brilliant)
  • smudger's Avatar
    Cheers for that Watcher, glad you enjoyed the tour. We made a good start of renovating the old escort boats, but ran out of time, so the staff will have to finish them off.;)

    Today, I managed to clean the alloy wheels on our car, before the rain came.

    I use a big bottle brush for doing that, it works a treat, especially on the front wheels where the break housing is:cool:
  • smudger's Avatar
    Geez! its quiet in here tonight, where is everybody?;)

    Today our lad helped me to raise the height of our driveway gates, as one of them was hitting the ground while opening.

    They are just wooden ones that I made ten years ago when we first moved in here, but the G/Kids have been climbing all over them, don't you just love them!;)
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Geez! its quiet in here tonight, where is everybody?;)

    Today our lad helped me to raise the height of our driveway gates, as one of them was hitting the ground while opening.

    They are just wooden ones that I made ten years ago when we first moved in here, but the G/Kids have been climbing all over them, don't you just love them!;)

    Wish I could say my life was as interesting! I've spent last two nights taking down minutes as a volunteer and last two days typing them up, plus catering (unannounced) for several very hungry late teens/early twenties whilst at same time endeavouring to prepare food for said youths and my Mum and get all the camping gear together for two nights away in Fort Augustus - and we've had frosts the last two nights! Brrr! :-)
  • smudger's Avatar
    Geez! that sounds a lot more interesting than the life I lead, and it sounds like you keep yourself really busy, good luck with it all.;)
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Geez! that sounds a lot more interesting than the life I lead, and it sounds like you keep yourself really busy, good luck with it all.;)

    Not really Smudger - when rallies aren't on, can get pretty dull! And rallies are hard work - if I do a control it can take nearly a week to get myself familiar with it and if I'm marshalling takes a good couple of days to do the homework. But it does keep me going - as Mum gets increasingly frail, I can't do the part time work I started after Dad died, so gotta do something to keep sane - not sure radio controlling is the answer though!!!

    Being on the Britannia must have been interesting - I was only her once a long time ago as a very minor guest and I keep saying to myself I should go on a tour one of these times I'm down in Dun Eidean but time is not on my side on those occasions at the moment.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Aye! its worth the trip to see it.;)

    I had to do a shopping run today, and as I forgot it was Friday, the place was mobbed!
    (I suffer from anxiety which makes me nervous in crowds)

    Our lad had to come and sit with his Mum, as she tends to take breathing panic attacks, as she is terminally ill with emphysema, amongst other problems?
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    Smudger, in an effort to stop you dying of boredom, I wonder have you tried programming your computer. Here are a couple of simple programming languages (free) to have fun with.
    The first (Scratch found at http://scratch.mit.edu/ ) is actually designed for children but has a big following so there is lots of information available on its forum, it is presented in a Lego like form, bits plug together.
    The other one that is easy to get going with is Microsoft Small Basic found at http://www.smallbasic.co.uk/ This is just a simplified programming language but is more like mainstream languages, again there is a big following and a forum so there is lots of support.
    Finally there is Stick animator found at http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multime...Animator.shtml again a big following so plenty of guidance and examples, no programming just patience required.
    I hope one or all of these ease the boredom.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Not quite sure what to make of that Wagolynn, are you having a pop at me?;)

    It took me ages to get used to using that Guide ML language I had to use on the BBC web site that I write short stories for.

    I was only trying to get a new thread going, as its quite a popular thread on another ex service site I visit a lot:cool:
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    Ops, sorry smudger that was not the intention, I just thought you sounded bored. Writing programs is rather like a self created puzzle, the prize is making it do what you intended.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Today was spent re-installing "everything" onto my desk top computer? I found out that my copy of Windows7 was "dodgy", so the new disc arrived today and I had to install it.

    I was lucky that the company I bought all the other "hardware" from, sold me the disc, otherwise I wouldn't have got it?

    Its been a Long day for me:rolleyes:
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Today was spent re-installing "everything" onto my desk top computer? I found out that my copy of Windows7 was "dodgy", so the new disc arrived today and I had to install it.

    I was lucky that the company I bought all the other "hardware" from, sold me the disc, otherwise I wouldn't have got it?

    Its been a Long day for me:rolleyes:

    The day you wrote that Smudger was a computer day for me, too. Got nothing done as was on waiting for online support that took ages after an essential download failed. Download still won't work and am not a happy bunny as I lose tech support in just six weeks time. GRRR!

    Today is a lovely day outside, and I've been trying - whilst waiting for a company to phone me - to get my leeks split up, some more cauliflowers in and earth up the potatoes and then I find that the eejit who I paid for three growbags has sold them. I'm well in trouble now as can't get to mainland for another ten days.

    Had my first road rages of the season today! On returning from the abortive mission for the growbags (got money back and two large bags of compost in compensation!) so wasn't in that bad a mood I encountered the typical non-researcher, know-it-all and veteran of ignoring police signs visitor. On the third clear straight of STR, despite the usual flashing and indicating, the driver did not pull over. I very rarely get to the point of full beams and horns, and never use my orange flasher, but this ignorant driver just stuck to the road and even tried to make a bus give way.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Aye! even the most tolerant drivers can get angry, if pushed to breaking point!:eek:

    Today I cleaned our car, then because the weather was so good, I spent the rest of the day pottering about in the garden.;)
  • smudger's Avatar
    I just knew I should have power washed our patio that day last week, when we had glorious weather!
    As its been raining non stop now for the past two days.:rolleyes:
  • smudger's Avatar
    I cant hang about for long on here tonight, as I have to re-log in to all the sites I use, after I gave this lap top a complete system restore, and its going to take ages?;)
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    I cant hang about for long on here tonight, as I have to re-log in to all the sites I use, after I gave this lap top a complete system restore, and its going to take ages?;)

    Computers are the bane of my life - hope you get it sorted! FJ
  • smudger's Avatar
    Aye! well we were FJ, until it came to the router? That's why I am back on the desk top again tonight?
  • smudger's Avatar
    Just bought my wife one of those Apple I-Pads recently, what a thing that really is!

    Its fantastic, and worth every penny, as she is terminally ill, and cant get out of the house, so that will keep her interested, as it has so many Apps on it.

    It can do so many things, she is off to bed now to read a book, one of the 300 I D/loaded and installed today.(the whole lot of them only took up 30Mb of space!)
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    It would be interesting to know how she/you get on with reading a book on it Smudger, let’s hope she finds it comfortable to use.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Hi wagolynn, she has started one already, and when you turn the page, it does it exactly like it does when using a real book.

    Its so realistic, its scary!
    You can change the brightness and use soft colour paper backgrounds as well as change the size and type of text.:cool:
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    It will be interesting to see your opinion after the honeymoon is over Smudger. Is it possible to read like you read a book, for hours? I find it difficult to read text off the computer screen (yes I have had new specs ;)) and other people have said the same but I cannot curl-up with a computer screen, like I can with a book.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Aye! it does feel like a real book, (especially when you turn over the pages)

    The screen is H/D and my wife, who cant read a computer screen without her reading glasses, can read the text on it, without her reading glasses!

    To give you an idea of just how good they are, go into a shop that sells them, and try it out for yourself, but I just know if you did that, you would buy one;)

    The cover we bought on Ebay arrived today, and now she can leave it sitting up, at any angle she wants, without having to hold it!
    (£7.99, with Free P&P:cool:)
    And a Free screen protector as well.
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    Sounds like the bees knees Smudger, I had better not go looking otherwise Mrs Wagolynn will be complaining about our budget...;)
  • smudger's Avatar
    Well, it was expensive for s to buy, but if it keeps my wife happy, and gives her something to do to pass the time, its OK with me;)

    Our lad says we will still be finding Apps that it can do, even after we have had it for weeks!:cool:
  • smudger's Avatar
    I have just spent the past two days digging out the cement I had put down at the house edge of the patio.

    I had filled it in, while grouting the patio to tidy it up, but then I noticed that the rain water wouldn't drain away when it rained.

    Not such a good idea after all:rolleyes:

    (Plus the fact that who ever laid that patio, had sloped it towards the house, what a plonker):confused:
  • MrDanno's Avatar
    I've just read this and got curious about the device, I thought you was talking about an Amazon Kindle.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Aye! MrDanno, the I-Pad does a lot more than the Amazon Kindle. You can surf the Internet with it along with a lot of other things that computers do.

    It doesn't have a DVD/CD drive though, but you can Stream music/films and photos onto it, you can even stream a film from it directly to your TV.

    In fact it can do so many things, that even after using it for a week or so, we are still finding other things it can do, they really are amazing things.

    We only got it for my wife really, as she cant get out of the house much these days.
  • MrDanno's Avatar
    They look great but, I'm not a fan of Apple products.
  • smudger's Avatar
    Your welcome tracyk859, hope you get stuck in and get some posts up;)