ISLE BE BACK WHEN I GET MY COFFEE!

It always amazes me in the Uk how we/they (bit confusing living on an island, identity crisis) are constantly surprised when it snows in winter. Yes it snows, because of where the UK is positioned in the Nothern Hemisphere. It's basic geography, not complex now get a (snow) grip. So why the constant gasps and worse the lack of gritters on the roads, salted areas and plan of action in place before we get the pretty damp white stuff! Why am I banging on about this? No reason apart form a vague connection to my real gripe today, Island supplies during TT.

Blah Blah, the TT for those that don't know is the oldest motorbike Road Races in the world. They take part here. This means this tiny island swells to giantic visiting human proportions. Sadly however island supplies don't. Like the snow, the TT occurs each year. So why aren't we prepared. Suddenly the supermarkets become like a war torn outpost. Locals buying 10 loaves of bread a time on day one. It 's only for a bloody week. As for home delivery, no chance. That would involve using the roads that the TT doesn't. Again not complicated, you don't need sat/nav, it's the opposing roads to the ones used, you dummies, ie not the Mountain road. So Shoprite I had better find full shelves tomorrrow or else you are getting it with both (blog) barrels.

The TT has eaten shot and left. That then, inhabitants of bloggosphere out there( we all know I'm out there!) has been the absence of malice(oh smug of smugness, but was puntastic.) of the hazy purple one who is now running up that hill at full throttle.

Another poorly siskin for your viewing pleasure.

WALLABY WATCH!
Last seen trying to hitch a lift off the island and move to a country that does not have a food supply problem.

A BRIDGE TO FAR

Euromanx, the sorry excuse of a flight company ceased being as of last friday. Claiming high rises in fuel charges and mounting debts as the main reasons. Duh! Who hasn't been affected by rising fuel costs. Perleeeze spare me the sob story. Bad manangement, as usual is the likely culprit. The famous Manx procrastination, or as they so quaintly term it "time enough" came to the fore yet again. Sticking your head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich, and neglecting to pay the other businesses Euromanx were dealing with was always going to result in the collapse of this shoddy outfit anyway. Good riddance to a complete waste of (air) space. My thoughts are with the poor buggers who duly turned up for work , to be shown the door. No prior warning given. It takes forever to get another job on the island. The very least they could of done was forewarn the staff of the likely outcome!

Going off at yet another tangent( non sequeters and typos at the ready Lola,LOLA LIFE you are quite right) brings me to Ramsey Swimming Pool. Yes we do have some form of entertainment, besides pubs( the ratio of pubs to residents is disproportionaDte), well we do at the moment. We presently have a perfectly good swimming baths and large cheap and cheerful cafe. A unobtrusive building tucked away at the far side of town, accessible to all, adequate parking prime location overlooking the sea. Why the hell then are they tearing it down to build another one!

We need and requested a cimema. Obviously the typo went through that we need a new swimming pool. Where then is this to be? Demolish the old and rebuild because it's the perfect location. Oh no, that would be sensible. No the new shiny sterile building is to be built next to residential flats over the bridge. Why is this a problem. A whole host of reasons. Lack of parking, it's a residential area it's going to disturb the migrating birds and the clincher it's over the bridge. You're not getting this are you? You think the Boo has finally lost all rhyme and reason of the plot banging on and rocking backwards and forwards, dribbling and repeating obsessively it's over the bridge.

The reason it's the worst idea in the world(ok there are some marginally worse ones) is that this is the bridge that at ceratin times of the day cannot be accesed. It's called the Ramsey Swing bridge for a reason. It swings out to let the tall ships and boats through about 4 times a day, thus preventing car/pedestrian access at these times for up to 30mins. So bang goes the kiddies swimming lessons for starters. Also the early morning workers swim, the ladies early swim. Don't even get me started on the poor old dears who can just about struggle to waddle to the baths now. Don't think they want to be huddled on a bridge for the 30 mins in the bracing winds and high tides. Disabled access anyone? Wheelchairs can do without the extra hike and the indignity of being stuck on the bridge for eons at at time. Not everyone wants or is capable of going the long away round, through town and over the main road with traffic lights that are a law until themselves. Accidents will happen, and I will say I told you so.

Ooh that was good. Dying to do this one but I have had laptop woes that have prevented me monopolizing anyones pc to do the mega rant. Back on track now, so this demonic blog will continue apace.

The photo is of the cheeky cat who came looking for birds a few weeks ago. He found a jug of coldwater instead and hasn't been back since.

WALLABY WATCH!
Last seen heading out of town, rather than be stuck on the bridge trying to decipher what the cryptic traffic lights are trying to signal. Why did the wallaby cross the road? To go swimming of course.

THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON?

I know Ramsey and the Isle Of Man in genreral is basking in glorious sunshine, so hell I should be happy a pink fluffy bunny. Well not quite. Firstly I don't do pink, despite a few of those pink tinged Niarbyl images, more accident than design, it's just not my colour. Bunnies are quite frankly cute, but ultimately dumb animals, and again not a genre I fall into. So we have established I am enjoying the sunshine, but not in a fluffy( I can be fluffy, but with talons) girly pink Peter rabbit kind of way. So what on earth is wrong now?

Well for starters it's the title. Bear with me on this, it will make sense. Right, the song goes "the sun has got his hat on hip hip hip hooray, the sun has got his hat on and is coming out to play." Look, if the sun had his hat on, it would cast a shadow across the land, therefore no glorious sunshine to bask in and I or he/she/ it for that matter certainly wouldn't be out to play. Surely the song should substitute the word hat for sunglasses. Now that would make pefectly logical pragmatic Vulcan sense. Your thoughts please, of which I will discount on the grounds I am always right.

The other main bugbear, which I am still steeling myself for a verbal onslaught this week is Euromanx. No, means nothing to you, but they were one of the few flight operators actually flying to mainland Europe from the island have just gone bellyup. More on that as and when I find out the "Skeet", which is Manx for gossip. Basically though loads of Manxies were stranded abroad. Not all bad then. One more thing not to feature on my other blog.

By the way the Politics show remebered they had a wbsite this week and actually mentioned Barker and featured his cartoon. Here's the link, if you want a peek, it's the called The Brown Stuff. BARKER GALLERY BBC

As it's so sunny, I decided we needed a winter shot today. This was last years 2 day snow flurry.

WALLABY WATCH!
Bad news folks. The wallaby is stranded somewhere in France awaiting the next available flight with any airline, well any airline that accepts fee playing wallabies.

PICTURE THIS!

I know it's been a few days again, or should that be several if you want to get all technical with the machinations of the english language. If it's not cones hampering my way( the evidence is on the other blog), supermarkets not replenishing goods or kamikaze birds throwing themselves into the patio windows, it's now the turn of photobox to complicate my life.

I've been using photobox along with imagekind to sell my work. Lots of reasons but lets just say logistically its the best option for worldwide domination, when you live on an island. The good news is they have closed their books to new professionals. Yippee! The bad is, they have changed to a new sleeker website. Whoopee doo! Put the champers glass down. Never that simple. Basically I now straddle two sites (not in the literal sense, that would be too painful) the old and the new link, which is confusing to customers. They have also lost/misplaced 2008 sales.Perhaps a lawsuit winging their way will spur them on to find said sales pretty sharpish.


Well you know I love too complain, so yes they have had it with both barrels, and still getting it. New improved site my derriere! It was perfectly hunky dory before, they used to be heroes, but no more golden years with them. We may have to part company unless they get their act together. Have you ever noticed when something is new and improved it's gobbly gook for we have made a mess. Terminal 5 Heathrow. I rest my (suit) case.

The photo is another from the nature reserve. I must take 200 a week here, and they are all so different. Not as moody as some I've used for skywatch, but not bad.

WALLABY WATCH!
Lost somewhere in the ether betwixt parallel photobox sites.

NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND

Actually, that should be "Notes from small island that think it's big." Small island syndrome. Akin to a Napoleon little man complex, but applied to countries. Do you want further proof that my comparisons are correct. Cats. Remember those powerful little men who invade countries, Napoleon, Hitler and Tom Cruise. Ok, not Tom Cruise he has cuban heels. If only the other two had discovered cuban heels, but I digress cats wasn't it?

Well you know the old chestnut about little men dictactors having the cat phobia, well I think the island does too. Take the Manx cat. It's a tailess cat. I mean only the island that has a three legged flag could produce a tailess cat, and yes some islanders are wary of them. So you see, little dictators persuing world domination, but fear the kitty cat and little island persuing financial industry world domination, but fear of the kitty cat. I rest my case.

It's been a busy old time lately. I took my eye off the ball for a wee while and the wallaby left the island, and the cones moved in closer. I now have the photographic evidence of the cone infestation. Quick, call in Mulder and Scully, it's an x file.

One more thing. This blog isn't supposed to make sense, it's light hearted, tongue in cheek, ranting and raving of my far too clever for her own good alter ego. So please newbies, don't be snippy. You have to admit the Tom Cruise gag was good. Just click and your'e away from the nasty blog.


WALLABY WATCH!
Kidnapped by aliens, rumour has it. Remember folks The truth is out there!

WHAT'S IN A MEME?

As a nubie blogger the Meme game is a new phenomena to me. When I was recently tagged(not at all painful) I thought I had better check this neme lark out. Quite a harmless online game of tic/your'e it/tig that has several different formats. This particular one being meme your memoir in 6 words. Not at all easy for someone like me, who uses far too many. Ahem.

So the rules(I am not good with rules)

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog; include a visual illustration if you'd like.
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible.
4. Tag at least five more blogs with links.
5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

So, the person who kindly tagged me is the lovely Gerald of HYDE DAILY PHOTO
to name one of his many interesting and varied blogs.

Receivers of the Meme

1.For her wonderful book reviews, a true wordsmith, this will amuse her APLOMB
2.For lovingly written music reviews that shoud be read JAMJARSUPERSTAR
3For constantly pushing herself in the running world and getting my humour LILY
4.For being a blogger amongst bloggers with some really good insights into life FAIZAL
5.For very individual scary photography, and wittty posts TOM FOOLERY

So receivers, it's not compulsary. Ignore, play along, forget about or dither, over to you. I'm going to suggest at least one of you may have previously done one of these and is probaly getting very bored with them now.

Oh Mine. I was hoping you'd let me get away with it.

"Perpetually confused being a cynical optimist"



Tomorrow of course it would be six entirely different words, for tomorrow is another day. Five words.

ISLE OF MAN , PC GONE MAD

The eagle eyed(no that bird pun wasn't intened) may have noticed that this photo is also on my daily blog. Now I do usually try and have differing ones, but the bloody files have gone walkabout and well, I can't access anything new. So all the other photos I have taken in Raw are lurking somewhere mysteriously on my PC. Why they would run away undercover of older files I don't know. That has been the week in general though, hence my absence.

I get one post done, nip over to this blog, but no, server down. Then MY LAPTOP JUST KEEPS MISBEHAVING. It keeps going to sleep. Goodnight, just going to standby. Then it's the hiding of files. I have obviously done some heinous deed towards it I am unaware of, but for the sweet life of me I have no notion of what that would be. It's being well very Manx. No you don't want to work, there's time enough, I'm going to sleep. Er, no you are not. You are my laptop, now do as you are told or else I will feed you to the cones.

Oh yes, before I go, or my narcoleptic laptop passes out I have been dared to do something a little mad when the TT is on. Get a T. shirt with one of my photos on with my website details printed and wear it, sort of free advertising for my sales site. Should be fun. Epecially if I could get on one of the TV channels covering it, just to wave to you all.

The photo is the baby cormorant of the one I photographed earlier this year. Check out my other blog for more info and semsible wrting. RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO

WALLABY WATCH!
Trying to get a flight anywhere off the island when TT is on. Motorbikes and wallabies don't mix.