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Today, I started listening to the talking book,"Antartica" by Jonathon and Angela Scott and read by Sarah Sherborne, who reads very well. It is easy listening, very informative and I am enjoying it.

One advantage of being off work is that I've managed to contact cousins with whom I haven't been in contact for years. I'd had a telephone number of one for some time but, when I dialled it, there was a digit missing. However, when I was going through some other papers, I found the correct no and, by calling it got some other tel numbers and even addresses. Inevitably, all news wasn't good news but I will try to telephone some others at the weekend.

Tomorrow is the big day, when I go into hospital for the operation, possibly on Thursday, to remove the bit of disc protruding into my spinal cavity. Hopefully this will eliminate the pain,get me mobile and back to work.I managed to walk about 300 yards today, the furthest for over 11 weeks.I've missed dancing and will have to miss the salsa party on 27th January.
Next week, new dancing classes start at the sports club in Fox Lane.

Happy New Year everyone!

I took part in a webinar organised by the Chartered Institute of Linguists yesterday. It was about translating and was very informative.

Today, we had a builder in to put a trapdoor and ladder to the loft at the back of the house. There was a trapdoor from another room but it wasn't practical becaus of built in furniture. We now have easier access to a large amount of storage space and the builder, who had done work for us before, did a good job. Scott and I removed a great deal of builder's rubbish some time ago but we need to do some more and generally sort the storage space out.

Recently, I discussed my web site with Scott and we agreed, that it was due for a change and I spent some time today changing it. I really ought to do it more often.

Your holiday will be much more enjoyable, if you can speak even a little of the language. To learn German or Spanish contact me!

With the assistance of Scott and an article in "The Linguist" magazine I am now able to use macros to just click on the accented letter or symbol needed when word processing in Spanish or German. Now that I've got used to it, it is much quicker and easier than the old method I used to use.

I worked through the information about Tenerife that I found on the internet, found it interesting and learnt a little. I'm keeping up with the weather forecast there and the weather there seems to be very good at the moment. On Wednesday, I missed the salsa class at Leyland Sports Club because of an injury but hope to get back to dancing soon.

As we intend going to Tenerife on holiday, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and got tourist information about the island in Spanish on the internet. This will enable me to learn about the ialand and improve my Spanish at the same time!

I have just finished reading the novel in Spanish, "Los Cadaveres De Callander Square".I looked up new words, as I came to them but will go through them again and look up associated words. That should keep me occupied for some time but, by the time I have finished, I will have learned a great deal from this book and it is much more interesting than the rather boring topics covered at evening class. 

On Friday, we hitched up the caravan and drove to Kendal for a long weekend. The weather was dry and we got set up in a good spot. We then went out to lunch and, when we got back, foung that the electric power had gone off. I had a screwdriver with me  and managed to borrow a pair of pliers. I made sure everything was tight and that seemed to solve the problem, as we had no more trouble.

The weather forecast for Saturday wasn't good and we spent the day in Kendal.

The forecast for Sunday was better and we planned to travel by ship to Ambleside, lunch there then return by ship to Boness. However, when we arrived in Boness, the weather was atrocious. Cold, sleety rain driven by a strong wind and poor visibility so we drove to Ambleside for lunch.

On the way back to the camp site, we stopped at a cafe for coffee and cake.

This morning dawned bright and fair. We breakfasted, hitched up and drove home.

This will be out last outing with the caravan this year so, after we got home and got everything out of the caravan, I drained the water system and Edna took all the taps off in order to avoid possibe frost damage during the winter.

It is nice to learn that you are having fun in the theatre. I spent many hours in the garden, yesterday pruning back the summer growth. I planted bulbs for the spring, including blue ones for you, Miranda. I could not get Scott to come out. He stayed indoors watching Babylon and getting ready for vike. He set off for Hastings, yesterday.

This week is a short one, as I was on holiday and returned to work on Wednesday after a few days in York. The weather was dry and sunny while we were there but we drove home in torrential rain. We have a builder in today replacing our front window, which has seen better days. This weekend, we will need to see to the caravan,s faulty water pump, which would not work, while we were away.

It is said that the weather is the most talked about subject in the world but nobody does anything about it. After our few weeks of good weather, we have a rainy day. 

I have read several books about Scott of the Antartic but I've just finished "Captain Scott" by Ranulph Fiennes and it is the best yet by quite a considerable margin.
Not only has he been to the Pole himself he has done more and better research than anyone other writer.

Today has been mostly sunny and the builder arrived early to start work removing the wooden cladding beneath the front window (which was beginning to rot) and replacing it with stone. He got that done today and covered it up for the night. He still has to come back to finish up and clear up. As he has been working on another house in the close, we know that he does a good job.
I started to paint preservative on to the fence on one side of the house. I had done one panel, when our neighbour helped me to lift a panel out, which made it much easier to do. Later, the builder helped me to lift out two more panels so I was able to finish the job. I then got some cement from the builder and cemented round a drain. I just need someone to help me to lift three panels back in to finish the job.
Edna has been taking cuttings and doing other jobs around the house and garden as well as going shopping so we've got quite a bit done today 

Today, Scott and I travelled to the village of Aspull to join the Ramblers Assciation for a 5 mile ramble. Neither of us had ever been to this village before so that was something new. We found the start without too mch trouble and about 15 people turned up. The weather was very good and the route through very picturesque countryside. About half way round, we stopped for a snack and got back to the start after about two and a quarter hours. Once back at the car, we finished our sandwiches and tea before driving home. All in all a very enjoyable afternoon!!