smokingboot: (frustration)
[personal profile] smokingboot
Right. After much arsing around, I have fixed the problem of my post turning up on someone else's lj.

Hey! I fixed something!

Having re-read it, it really isn't worth the bother. But thanks to lots of you for advice etc, and letting me know when my last supposedly private post turned up public. I think I have that figured too.

Bloody hell, how hard can it be?

I record my last post here because eventually I know I will want to remember it. Today I am sick of the sight of the dratted thing. It's enough to put you off Devon.



Having had unpredictable weather for millenia, Britons are able to cope with anything the elements can throw at us except snow, excess rain, excess wind and sunlight.

The longest lasting farce outside the west end continues to play at railway stations up and down the country, as BR struggle to find new and interesting reasons for why the trains don't run. Of the yoof turning up for this celebration of [profile] larians father's 60th, I was the first to arrive, delayed by a mere hour and a bit. Others found themselves missing connections and enjoying aeons stranded at various depots. The roads, it seems, were worse even than the rails as [profile] larians, finding the roads too horrendous for further travel less than 40 miles south of Manchester, was forced to abandon the motorway and seek a hotel for the night. I believe they threw in a powercut for free.


There was no snow in Devon, but the endless rain more than made up for it. Snowdrops and crocuses are everywbere and the wind blows, and the house sits snugly lodged between Dartmoor and Exmoor. Logs were burning in the stove when I arrived, filling the front room with a delicious scent of woodsmoke. And people did eventually turn up, bringing pets with them; the house found itself with a collie overload, seven of them plus one dalmatian, one german shepherd cross and one lurcher. Food was good and plentiful, too plentiful perhaps; this is monday morning and I can't even consider breakfast.

I found myself enjoying the garden. It's about an acre and a half, with a small apple orchard and a wonderful vine, but what I enjoyed most of all was the view between two tall eucalyptus trees towards Dartmoor. Much as I love my job, I didn't want to come back to London right away. My train could have taken me on to Cornwall, to St Austell, where research awaits, and from there down to Truro and Penzance. Or I could just have wandered gormlessly on the hills, looking for old ghosts and strange beasts.

It was while ruminating on these choices that I noticed how my boots, valiant in the days of Nepal treks, were leaking somewhat. They've reached the grand age of 14, quite venerable for boots. Perhaps I could repair them, but they still have chunks bitten out of the foam above the ankles, remnants of a rodentine repast long ago on the Annapurnas. Time to replace them (the boots, not the mice) before my exploring zeal introduces me to the wonders of trench foot.

Now I am back in London. The adverts I did in December are being aired, and I suppose I should look at them to see if there is any useful footage; but I know I'm just going to wince. I have too much to think of. I never trust people who generalise by gender, but one particular myth that irritates me is this thing about women being better at multitasking than men. I just can't do it; one obsession after another, that's how I get things done, and my latest demented dream is dragging me out of the capital again...


[Amended to add] My new icon, courtesy of [personal profile] caddyman is a perfect depiction of my current state. Thank you maestro!

Date: 2007-02-12 11:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] caddyman.livejournal.com
Details on how to create the icon are on my response to your question back on my LJ!

Date: 2007-02-12 11:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
Thank you:-)

Of course, the way lj matters are going for me this morning I may be gone some time...

Date: 2007-02-12 11:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] caddyman.livejournal.com
Or you could just copy it from here:
Smoking Boot

Re: Thank you!

Date: 2007-02-12 12:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] caddyman.livejournal.com
Ye be welcome!

Date: 2007-02-12 12:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadeent.livejournal.com
We finally got Sky TV installed this morning. I had it switched on for less than five minutes before I stumbled across your advert while channel-hopping!

Date: 2007-02-12 02:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
*Groans*

If you can't avoid my shining fizzog on a five minute channel hop, you are destined never to escape me!

Date: 2007-02-12 05:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jadeent.livejournal.com
Why on Earth would I ever wish to escape from you, my deliciously delightful Boot? I accept my destiny happily.

Date: 2007-02-13 03:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
You are most gallant - I saw some of the footage last night, and it just made me cringe!

Date: 2007-02-12 12:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cat-that-walks.livejournal.com
I always thought 'the wrong kind of snow' was the best excuse BR came up with.

This weekend's mayhem was brought to you by

Date: 2007-02-12 02:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
'particularly sticky flakes' according to the press!

Re: This weekend's mayhem was brought to you by

Date: 2007-02-12 07:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] november-girl.livejournal.com
Not so much the wrong kind of snow as too much of it! It's difficult to drive through something that's deeper than the ground clearance on your car!

Re: This weekend's mayhem was brought to you by

Date: 2007-02-13 03:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
Certainly the rail nonsense seems to pale into insignificance compared to what the road users went through.

Re: This weekend's mayhem was brought to you by

Date: 2007-02-13 06:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] november-girl.livejournal.com
It's usually the other way around - time you got your revenge!

Date: 2007-02-12 07:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hybridartifacts.livejournal.com
Suzette laughs at us when we get messed up by a little snow. I guess Canadians know what real snow is like. She keeps on looking at our cars when it snows and asking why they dont have snow chains...
Me-I would love it if we could get some Canadian style snow down in the South of England. I love snow.

Rain can be miserable-especially with leaky boots. Try not to catch a chill, ok?

Date: 2007-02-13 03:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smokingboot.livejournal.com
*LOL* too late! My immune system is a pathetic entity!

Date: 2007-02-13 04:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hybridartifacts.livejournal.com
I know the feeling...

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