Away day for a Network Engineer.

The day after Boxing Day.  27 December 2012

Every once in a while I get a call from a company in Wiltshire for me to attend a clients site as a network engineer.  Seems that they had a server  that was playing up. Normally the sites I get sent to are in East Anglia or the Midlands but this time it was to the Cornish town of Redruth.

So arising at 02:00 off I set to drive from the Sussex Coast to Redruth in Cornwall.  What a pleasure it was to drive in the middle of the night, the roads were empty and the full moon gave good visibility of the passing landscape. Calling in to their office in Wiltshire (24/7 operation) to collect kit I arrived in windy Redruth at about 09:00.  The job took quite a while to do and I left Redruth at about 15:00, first port of call was fuel both for me and my car.

The turkey and stuffing sandwiches had long since disappeared on the way down together with a few "finger sized" pork pies and a mincemeat pie.  So I settled for a McDonald's Big Mac, not quite what I wanted but it had to do. I stopped for a half hours sleep and arrived back home at 22:00, 20 hours after I first got up and 783 miles travelled. Not a bad day at all I thought to my self as I got into bed, Not a bad day at all.

. . . and the next day, 28 December 2012

M and I went to Eastbourne on an errand and on the way back called in to the National Trust tea room at Birling Gap for lunch. Its only about 25 feet from the cliff edge but makes really good cheese scones. Well worth it, Tea and scones whilst listening to the wind and the rain lashing down outside.

Just time to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year. Take Care.

That's it from me Folks,

Simple of Sussex.

Christmas 2012

 

2012

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth.

 

 

Rector Phillips Brooks (1835-1903) of Philadelphia, wrote the words to O Little Town of Bethlehem in 1868, following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was inspired by the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine especially at night time hence the lyrics of O Little Town of Bethlehem. His church organist Lewis Redner (1831-1908) wrote the melody to O Little Town of Bethlehem for the Sunday school children's choir.



Work in progress

Here I am and it is the 3rd of October 2012 and Autumn is upon us. Now autumn is my favourite time of year, the cooler mornings, the dew, spiders webs with dew drops on them and the like are all things I like to see.  I also get strong urges to make like a squirrel and stock up my larders and the freezers. 

I am pleased to say we seem to be getting prepared earlier this year, M has started talking about having Christmas at home this year instead of away at her mothers on the side of Dartmoor as it is her brothers turn to stay down. We both could go down but I am not built for sleeping on the floor anymore.  We will go down the week before!  Other lines of festive conversation is  who is coming over Christmas day for lunch & supper ( Tom our son and Chilter his girlfriend) and the desire to get the presents before the shops are jammed and full to bursting.

My part in all this is what the Christmas lunch will be, this year I fancy either Pork or Lamb or even both!  Together with Roast potatoes and parsnips, minted peas and another green vegtable. I shall decide on that later. Dessert is another question to think about. For sure this year I will be going for a walk along Seaford seafront for excersise and fresh air. (more later)

Olympic Games 2012.

Olympic Games 2012.

I sat down to watch the opening ceremony with a certain trepidation. I remember the closing scene in Beijing where we had an aging rock guitarist playing on an open top double decker red bus and David Beckham kicking a football into the watching crowd. It was not a good sight. 

The London Olympic Games opening presentation was a lot better than I expected. For the most part I thought it was well done and interesting. Though I was puzzled why it started so late in the evening, it was late for the UK and even later for Europe but seemed to be just about fine for the US television Networks.

Some aspects of the ceremony I did find puzzling such as the inclusion of such a long piece about the NHS. I am a big fan of the NHS, I think they do a fantastic job. Sure in any organisation you can find things that could be done a bit better but on the whole I think the NHS walk on water. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere a subtle political point was being made by someone but I am not sure who!

Bond and Bean stopped us from taking it all too seriously. In my view it was a bit leftie and a bit too PC and a bit short on the Welsh and the Scots. And did we have anyone else apart from Paul McCartney available? However at the end of the day is was quirky, stunningly visual and way way better than I could have imagined.

The Debt Crises.

Work in progress 01/08/2012

Just a few photos for Fiona.



Glen Nevis Cottages looking at shoulder of Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis Range with dusting of snow.

Just north of Kyle of Lochalse on the mainland

North West Coast of Skye

Cullin Mountains

West edge of Loch Ness

Ben Nevis range & attractive gate

Bad hair day

New Bungalow - I Like it.

Sitting in my living room I can see both the valley with its green field and walking paths and the channel with its ferries and passing ships, and I love it. It is just a few feet down from the top of the hill but still gets a good blast of winds on stormy days, as well as lots of sunshine on a summers morning. Seaford head rises in the distance looking green and white at the same time.

The room faces due east and I see the most amazing sunrises go from deep deep powdery pink through to bright blinding sun.  Perfect for blokes and tomato plants. I could even keep a couple of chickens . . . .

Yesterday I put on the mirror over the welsh dresser in the living room. Its a heavy mirror but it is fixed to the wall with side screws and mounting plates.

It was a rainy day yesterday and I watched the seagulls surf the air currents, no need to flap, just glide on their stiff wings.  I have taken the top of the welsh dresser and put it in my room as a cabinet for my files and papers.


Homer the cat is beginning to like the garden and M likes the new cooker and fridge in the kitchen. Still got lots to unpack but thts what weekends are for.

That all for now , Folks.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

The Jug's, the food, the chat, and the sun.

Yesterday was the only day for all my office colleagues to be in together before I leave at the end of next week. They very kindly took me for lunch at the Jugs in Kingston near Lewes. There has been a pub there since approximately 1640. The beams are very low and the bar has an uneven floor and darkened oak beams a plenty. 

It was a nice day, with clear blue sky and the sun was very warm, so we sat in the garden basking in the warmth. The food was lovely and it was so nice just to sit and chat away. I suspect that it was good for team spirits as most of them will be abroad for most of the next few months attending recruitment fairs. I certainly enjoyed it.

My son and his girlfriend have moved into their flat with views across the village green and the southdowns. His friends helped carry stuff up to the third floor; it is quite nice now that all of his boxes and stuff are no longer in every corner of my house, where they have spent the last week waiting for their move in date.

Thats all Folks

Simple of Sussex

Bits and Pieces from Sussex

Hello, finally back after several months and what a few months it has been !  Lets take the changes in time order.

I have left the CBT course in Eastbourne, I loved the job and really really liked working for the lecturers but it was only 18 hours a week and a 76 mile round journey every working day. I should have gone in the summer of 2010 but I so wanted to see it through to the end, in April 2011.  Loads of money going out, very little going in. Even so I held out till mid January 2011 when I could hold out no more. I started in the Overseas office of a local University and have been there coming up six months. Its a nice place to work and only ten miles from home which is a change.
On the last day I never got to say Good-Bye to my favourite lecturer, but we are having lunch in a few weeks time, so lots of gossip to catch up on.
My son has moved out and now lives with his girlfriend. It feels a little odd. He has been with us for twenty four years apart from the odd holiday or long weekend. It was a little bit strange for the first few days. . . . food stays around longer, the washing basket is hardly full and there is always plenty of hot water! 

They have been back a several times and we have developed an easy pattern of Sunday lunch every fortnight or so which is nice. They often pop over, it was only a few days ago that they called in as they were walking up to the village and dropped of a fruit loaf and had a cup of tea and a chat.

I was driving over Ditchling Beacon and was surprised to suddenly see a hot air balloon sail over at treetop height. It was so close I could read the phone number on the side of the basket.Had about six people on board.

Well that's it all folks

Simple of Sussex.

Christmas 2010

Smoke curling from chimneys,

A white windowpane,

And dear thoughts return

And old joys remain.

The tinkle of sleigh bells

Across a still night,

A warm, shadowed hearth

Whose embers burn bright.

Sussex snow from my house.

Wednesday evening
outside my front door.

The garden table.

A bit more snow
on the garden table.

Yes - Still snowing.

Looks a little deeper.

Even the bench tucked up
close to the house
is getting snow.

The drive Thursday morning.

The garden table
Thursday morning
in all it's glory !

Just like the table,
I'm not sitting there
for a while.

. . . looking up the back lawn early Thursday morning.

You can just make out the sun lounger.

We never used to get any SNOW at all !!

Here is a picture of one of the roads in the  village where I live. We do not often get snow and it is rather cold for Sussex, tonight will be about -3C.

I took my wife to her office today as she does not like driving on snow. I must remember to collect her later on this afternoon.

There have been lots of trains cancelled and some roads closed and a lot of the schools are closed. I lived in Canada for several years and they took several feet of snow in their stride. I guess it's what you are used to.

Thats all Folks,

Simple.

All is fine with pine . . .

The weather outside is about minus 2C, which for southern england is quite cold, but I am warm and snug in the dining room. My son Tom re arranged the room recently and he has made it a lot better to use and be in. I am sitting at a long pine table polished in bee's wax which is placed in front of the window so I can look out at the side of the house and the hedge and trees. Its dark now and I just have a small lamp on so it is quite atmospheric. Now the dishwasher has turned itself off next door its quite quiet as well.  I need to tidy the dresser sideboard to my left, its got quite cluttered so I will go into housekeeping mode tomorrow.

My mate and I went down to a Photo Gallery ( Elektra ) at  Brighton Marina and while we were chatting away making coffee I took a quick snap of Kirsties desk, she the owner and also the owner of the smartest looking hammer I have seen. 
The car in the back ground is a solar powered, peddle powered full size east german travant. The carrier bag labeled summer was empty and lets face it every one needs a roll of gaffer tape within easy reach. Note the christmas baubles !! Not long now folks.

So will I wake up to a winter wonderland or will it just be freezzing and a good day to be asleep in front of the fire.
 
It's a little post today but I'll be back tomorrow, thats all folks.  Simple.

Two self jacking barges moored at Newhaven

Waves crash into this corner of the Harbour

More shots through the open car window

Inbound wave, quick close the window.
Note the lighthouse at the end of the wall.
and the waves draining off of the walkway
after coming over top of the twenty foot harbour arm.

Friday 5th November

Normally it takes me an hour to get into the University but due to a crash on one of the back roads on my route it took three hours.

The police had closed the road up from Exceat towards East Dean and were diverting traffic up a near single lane towards the A27.

Suffice to say it soon became clogged and I spent a pleasant forty-five minutes looking over fields in the morning sun. I pulled over into a forestry park and walk area and took these two shots.

Both photos were taken on my iPhone, the one of the river was taken into the sun. Oddly enough the one of the trees could only be saved on it's side then it would upload right way up. Most odd !

Outside my window here in Uni land I can see the lawn with it border of mature trees wearing the brown, reds and gold’s of mid-autumn.

It is slightly misty and I am beginning to feel like a squirrel with an empty larder. I get this urge to fill it up with tins and packets so as to be ready for a long hard winter! So tins of soup ( I can and do make my own ) packets of pasta, tinned tomatoes, baked beans , cat food, packets of oats for porridge and tinned this and that will all be appearing shortly.

The freezer gets a good filling up as well. Tom my son hunts rabbits with a mate on some land the farmer wants kept as free as possible from rabbits so we have the occasional rabbit stew as well. Did I mention pigeon pie. . .

Well, thats all Folks

Simple of Sussex.