Scottish Sundays: No rest for the wicked

Hebban olla vogala nestas hagunnan hinase hic enda thu.

No I haven't lost it. Those are the first Dutch words written down EVER (that still remain). Roughly it means something like "All the birds have started their nests except for you and me". If you look around... that's kinda true. Big bellies are popping up all over the place, and I think I've mentioned that before. Never mind that, look at this picture!

This past week, a female blackbird (I'm guessing) started ripping bits off of our vines and flying in tufts of moss to build this nest! How weird, it seems rather late in the season to start building. The nest has grown in size since then, but I haven't spotted anything in it. Yet.

Nothing much has happened this week, apart possibly from the fact that my job got extended for another 2 months. In spite of that, some more job applications have been sent. Luckily I had already decided to stop stressing out about it, as there isn't much point to it. Something will come up, eventually.*

So, while I was procrastinating this weekend, I got the pictures off my phone and stumbled upon this, which shall be the Scottish picture of the week. It was taken at the Ullapool Golf Club. it includes DH, who, I've decided, needs a nickname like every other DH mentioned in blogs. From now on, he shall be called the Photographer. He doesn't often appear in pictures because he hogs the camera.**

I want my summer back. With sun and time off. No more of this nonsense.

Back to knitting warm cardigans it is for now. I hope that bird can swim...

* So I've been told
** He will deny this

Scottish Sundays, WIP wednesday's pictures

This week hasn't been a great week for dreaming.

Two big events had quite a bit of impact, even though neither actually touch me in the current situation. DH had a serious bereavement at work and our step-son managed to throw in the towel before even getting started at his last real chance of making something of himself.

There's no better way to realise the distance between me and home (aprox. 5000 miles as the KLM flies). My brain took the week off to deal with that.

In between that mayhem, I did manage to send out a job application to the RSPB to most likely no effect. Before Tuesday, I need to send out another. No, I didn't actually work on that this weekend because I was too busy being tired while having sushi on Saturday and mom's birthday party today. Lucky me, I got to explain the situation once (twice) more to my cousins and other various guests at the party. Just what I needed.

Anyway, not to complain, we're all still alive and in (questionably) good health. That has to count for something. The glass being half full and such things.

In my last sorry-excuse-for-a-blog-post I did mention the absence of pictures. Well, here are some.

Storm Clouds

Because that's what the colours of the bat reminded me of. Both bats had greens, blues, whites and grey in them, making for a stormy outlook. It's plying quite interestingly, more on that on Wednesday.... (fingers crossed)

Suikerspin

The final object, not quite. But this is what I gifted, so it's no longer up to me what it becomes. It sure is sugary sweet though...

Eventually, this part of the blog will become less gloomy, promise. I tire myself out.

Glass. Half. Full.

WIP Wednesday, No Milk Today

My love is... well, you know.

There's something about meeting a deadline applying for a job you're not going to get that makes time slip away from you like milk through your fingers. (har har)

Between work, voting, trying to write a half-decent current job description and staying awake, I didn't have enough computing power to remember to offer some pictures of Works In Progress.

Maybe later. I need natural light this week.

Scottish Sundays, brighter pastures

Today my sort-of-stepson Ryan is off to start Basic Training so he can be a wheeled vehicle mechanic in places where people might shoot him before becoming his friend. I've decided not to worry about this too much until I have to. Good luck to him, and well done for sticking with his decisions. It won't have been easy.

Anyway, brighter pastures.

It wasn't too long ago that I emerged from the latest Big Dip, so to be complimented was a minor triumph. Apparently, I've made a few new strategies and gained some insights into how my brain works. Practically, I've found 3(!) vacancies to apply to, one of which closes on Thursday. Some urgency required, obviously. RSPB and Historic Scotland, you can expect applications by me and I strongly urge you to at least look at them before tossing them out. Thanks in advance.

How awesome is my tent?

Can't wait to be back.

Scottish Sundays, misplaced mojo

No, I didn't forget.

Not really anyway, it just slipped my mind. Trying hard to keep on track, and applying to more underpaid jobs at organizations I know and appreciate. It's not easy to keep the enthusiasm levels up all of the time. I had better do it quick too, because I'm not getting any more positive about them over time.

In the mean time, I'm turning down teaching gigs I can't and won't do. Just the thought of it fills me with dread, and that doesn't seem like the way forward.

I know it's the me being tired to the bone who is typing this, but in many ways it feels as if I'm back to where I was, only a bit more aware of it.

Yes we're hoping for things to work out soon, which means me making plans for me is futile. It's not futile, I know that. We've been hoping for almost 2.5 years for things to work out soon. Going by the assumption (the truth) that things will change at their own pace (making a snail seem F1-like), I need to make plans for me.

The fact is that my current job will end by 31-03-11. That is in 6 weeks. As the sole earner in this family, this means I need to find another source of income and I need to find it soon. And then, in 4 months, I'm supposed to be in Scotland, where I think I belong and need to end up. Right now, all I'm finding are jobs I'm hopelessly overqualified for, jobs that disappear from websites and jobs that would suit me, but "please send your cv next year."
Previously mentioned by-lines and side-tracks have been abandoned as fast as they were conceived, going downhill with the positive vibe. My sorry attempts at designing knits are not far behind.

I can't believe I felt positive about all this just a few weeks ago. I wonder when I'll get it back. I'm running out of time...

Scottish Sundays, on the road (sort of)

Dear reader,

I'm afraid this is another blog post with lovely pictures but not a lot to say for itself. Scottish Sundays was called into this virtual world to keep me on track, to have a reason to work on achieving my goals. I have to say, it hasn't been easy to stay on track as it's so easy to stray. Straying means doing things I truly enjoy, but which can only be a by-line, at least in the foreseeable future.

However, in an attempt to keep on the road, I did manage to find a job opening that sounds mightily exciting, hopelessly underpaid, but seemingly satisfying. I've sent enquiries. Fingers crossed, light a candle and help me hope.

A narrow road, not very travelled

Anyway, I think too much. And I do it often. Often, it doesn't do me a lot of good. I sure hope this thinking does, for once. Also, if you have any advice on sticking to the road, it's very welcome!

Not my Thinking Face

Sometimes I think not the right thing, but I'm working on that. I bought a book.