Wednesday 18 December 2013

Tidal Waters

I feel I am on the tide line, The waves are rushing back and for making the day pass so fast and the weeks disappear too quickly. My old job is in a wind down for Christmas, the place has a vague feel of hibernation, of getting this finished and wound up, of marking time as a new topic or thing is not to be started now. The decorations are up, the dinner has been had, the parcels are out, and the hours, too close, are being counted, a slow down of the world. My new job is running at full pelt, cover in place, and  cover organised for the opening over Christmas, alternatives in place for computer cover, job cover, and line management organised, meetings planned for the first week back, new staff, new job applications, new timetables and work plans.

The Waves come and I am being tugged about and tossed around then the wave goes out and the calm descends and the sky is all you see until suddenly like the waves washing back I am picked up and shaken again! I think I didn't realize just how calming the peace and serenity was, and just well I have admitted to being bored in the past! Life couldn't stay the way it was, and I enjoy the challenge and work at my desk, but occasionally I get a two minute break and I think of what I used to do, and how much time I had to think in!

I have enjoyed various Blog posts this week, best has to be this one which I have been looking through all day and crying over some and laughing over others, from the letters of note (and yes I have ordered the book) looking at the most popular over the last year, number 10 had me sobbing in my keyboard! while number 14 had me giggling but unable to explain why! My Fave posts were both raising funds or profile, the incredible edible group raised its money to publish its book! woo hoo so pleased. while Jack Monroe who blogs as a girl called jack, (who I got off another blog originally) raised thousands of signatures to get a debate on the state of the welfare and food banks in Britain!

This time of year we are spoilt for sunsets and sunrises! I am not sure they occur in the summer months but as I do not get up early enough or stay up late enough any more to know you will have to just accept that this time of year is best for sunsets and sunrises!
This was Monday afternoon, around 2.30pm! cause that's sunset time round these parts! we gain so much and love it so much but this is our down side and I can live with this but I am not fond of the dark. The latest bell has gone and we are yet another class closer to the end of term.

I doubt I will get time to post over Christmas as my mother has no internet connection and I can get limited else where but my machine is at home and the Laptop I use not mine only borrowed. I hope we all have a peaceful and restful Christmas and a happy new year or Hogmany depending on your choice.

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Strange Times of a Cat Lady

Who forgot to turn over my calendar and how dare it be December!

Sadly I have most of my Christmas cards done and out, and even went round delivering them to my neighbors on Sunday, but with an ulterior motive! One of my kittens went missing, no surprise, she wanders often but always comes home for tea, maybe late occasionally wet and windblown and one memorable night in a state after what we later found out was a fight with something bigger, which left her with a hole in her leg and very poorly and flat for a few weeks. Of the four cats we have had one to the vets more than all the others together and if any of them have an issue its her! but we love her and she is ours, we have had her from her birth (on my sofa!) she is pushy and loud, she starts fights and often breaks things, if something gets broken its her, directly or indirectly! But I spent a horrid sleepless night worrying about her and the day walking round checking empty sheds and garages, knocking on doors and asking passing folk. At 9pm on Sunday night someone I had chatted to during the day rang to say there was a lost cat on caitness.org, I checked and yes they describe her well but it may not be her! a benny hill esque series of phone calls led to a trip in my car at 10.15 at night to find that yes they had my Midnight, I gathered her up and hugged the stuffing out of her! The people had worried when she hadn't eaten! but as she is a madame and turns her nose up at all but one brand of sachet I wasn't too surprised! I could moan about folks who pick up cats who are not homeless or lost, and I could wax lyrical about people who care for even stray animals.
But Midnight is Home and now my husband isn't sure he will ever let her out again! Give that until Wednesday when she finally gets on his last nerve. :-)

Work is chaos and the weather is threatening 8 inches of snow later in the week when I have to be in Inverness! so we shall see what happens, we could do with some snow to make us feel christmassy!
Watching my pupils trying to write CV's and they have so few things they think are important! they run a social life and have a big social media presences and do not think they have skills! More in doing CV's and planning choices that are months off but more they do now the better they are aware come the spring choice forms. It is amazing how much they can find to do that isn't related to what they should be doing. I love being in contact with the pupils and their ideas and mindsets, keeps me on my toes.

I have been a part of the Good Reads web site for a while but haven't been as active as I should have been, and now I am catching up and enjoying reading for myself again. I even got some of the titles in the good reads for this year already read :-) the winners are here, and they look good there are some I really must read! When I went to Kindle I found I read more online and little formal books, but I now am trying to balance it back again. I even tried to read the Man Booker Prize list and got oms done :-) but sadly not the Luminaries as it was too thick! yes as a librarian I try to read thinner books! I do plan to get the Luminaries on my kindle for my Christmas read.

I also read this in my blog feed and it has given me ideas, both to do one for myself and to run something similar for the pupils in school!  A group of us used to meet up and share things here in the highlands, we used to call it tear and share, or more like steal and reshape as most things do not one size fit all, we have to adjust and develop our own resources, but I do object to reinventing the wheel! I will take it and make it fit us or use what I can but I do not like making from scratch!

Just been and signed a change petition, not my normal act but this was worth it. Set up by A Girl Called Jack, to debate the causes of the increase in use of food banks, and her quote that gets me every time...
In the words of Desmond Tutu: "There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in."
So I have signed and if you feel that way inclined please do so as well. #JacksPetition Thanks

Just to finish a quick shot of my much missing cat, who refused to look at the camera that day!

Monday 25 November 2013

New four letter word for me, Time.

This last week has been one of retrospection, I have been looking back over a series of interactions to try and identify the point I could have made a change, could have made it different. My current job is so very different from what it was only a few years ago, I know I have talked about change and moving forward and I have been. What I need to do is the part of the reflective practitioner where you then look at what you would change and do that. I have let myself become an only forward looking person, this has been needed but now I must start looking round, I felt I could not in all honesty tell others who depend on me to do things if I wasn't doing them myself. So the current work I am doing is more of an assessment of my world and finding my own balance point, then I shall be off again like some manic toy!

Instead of whats new I am revisiting some of my old favorites, my blog of the week must be the History Girls, like any good site sometimes the post does not speak to me, but like any adult I can accept this and move on with out writing off what is a fun read most days. I often find a topic that I would have passed over contains lots of things of interest, and it helps to know you have value no matter who you are from the past. Another Blog I have been enjoying is by Michael Logan about writing and writers, again a well balanced blog, which covers all sorts of info, latest post is about how and how not to accept an agent and what you must think about when doing it. My final for now I shall mention is Letters to a Young Librarian which has the power to make me stop and reflect on my own world. Their latest post is on writing papers for conferences which is new to me so I got lots from it, even if I am not a new librarian.

After doing some homework and realizing that the one missing piece is now in place to apply for my fellowship of CILIP, I must now consider all the other parts, like my aforementioned Time. Until I sat and looked at what I do and what I don't get done, I hadn't realised how little time I get to do 'other' things in. My creativity and my craft things are now home focused and practical, I do not do an art class any more (no time and local college changed what courses offered) My design of things for the kids at school and my displays of facts and new books have gone almost completely, my plans for making the extra things more exciting has again gone. I hadn't felt their loss until I sat down and started to think about it all. I do wish I had more time to do this, but the challenges that have come about due to the changes are fun to me and the rising to the challenge have given me a whole new way to be fulfilled.

Why I do what I do?, what do I get out of them?, what could be done better? apply to my world. The basic steps for reflective practitioner. I enjoyed doing the CPD23 and I hope to get my own group of this going in the new year, so that others can get something out of it, even if it just these tools are not for me. The new North branch gives me the chance to potentially do more for others and to learn for myself, again I have plans and hope to make more of this and run events for all come the spring. But I must sit and do the 'why am I doing this' bit first! and then more on. A timely reminder that I need to support all I do and not go off tilting windmills as I no longer have the time to make big mistakes and still get my work done.
The Road is ongoing.

Monday 18 November 2013

Keeping going

I spent most of last week running on auto pilot due to a nasty cold. In the past I would have curled into a metaphorical ball and hibernated in my work chair so I was here but not very active. Last week was the first week I was ill and couldn't do this. Now this week should be quieter, operative word being should! I also have a meeting in Edinburgh to go to in march and another in February in Inverness and best of all one possibly in Glasgow in January! hmm all of these are during our snow time, I am planning already...

Talk of planning, my oldest gets very worried ahead of anything and we do lots of relaxation things and how to cope things, but he had his driving test today. The instructor and I organised it and made the date, we made sure he was ready and kept him totally in the dark, at 9.31 he was directed to park by the test centre, and told that he would be taking his test now! I made sure he had his paperwork, and between us we kept it quiet, he may have slept well last night, I woke several times. The whole smoke and mirrors worked and he passed with flying colours which I am thrilled about but then I realised I have now lost my car!

This happened when the new post came up and I was lucky enough to get it, I spent ages planning the interview and the way I would help and do but didn't think what I would do if I got the job, I didn't want to jinx it!  of course all that happened was I sat at my desk the next day and realised that all that work was now mine! took my normal paperwork pile from a small pile to a much bigger one overnight and made me the one who gets called if there are issues, and there have been. I had no idea just what would cross my desk with this new job, little things that I wouldn't dream of taking to another but others bring to me, to massive employment rights and peoples lives. There are some things I write down at night to stop them becoming things that haunt my sleep. But I now feel I make a difference or know if I can make a difference, I have some control over life and what gets done, and I feel I can make a difference.

Sometimes the most fun things come with out plans, some come from hard work and minute planning details. The best skill I have learnt is to keep going, when ill I keep going, when challenged, I keep going. I am looking forward to Christmas though, then I can stop even if it just a few days! As long as I am enjoying life I shall keep going :-).

I did try to register for revalidation the other day with Cilip but they had a note saying applications suspended so I shall have to wait. I have been through it and I seem to have enough to go for the fellowship, which is strange but when broken down I have done enough to try at that level. The revalidation is only 250 words showing reflection! plus 20 hours over the year! When I listed what I have with bullet point just for the last year I am at 184 words :-) so I may just jump straight into the Fellowship application. Scary though... watch this space.

The winter is trying to settle in this week and our first snow warning is out for today, I like snow through the window! I do not mind it if I can keep me warm, but the cats hate the snow, they sulk in the house unless it is crisp and clear then they can sneak along and catch more prey! but as the ground gets cold and hard the litter trays become a battle point, as does the water bowls and the food bowls. I have no idea why my cats fight so much, everything is a battle, last night I had one in my arms and my lap was clear, the other kitten came for my lap, the one in my arms just had to start a fight so they both got tipped off and dumped on the carpet! I sadly predict more of this as the nights gets darker and the ground gets colder.

This morning I drove in to a sunrise not yet up, and the sky looked cold but clear above a line of cloud on the horizon. by home time it is getting dark, this is the time of year that gets the hardest, the getting to work in the dark and the coming home in the dark, weekend are precious, but I had a lie in Sunday and that meant by the time I got up I only had 4 hours of light left for the whole day! The flip side is this picture I took on Friday night on my way home.
It is one of several, but each time I upload one I chose a different one to see.
And even though this was before 4pm like everything else I just kept going :-).


Wednesday 13 November 2013

Differences and similarities

I am a day or so late as I had the pleasure of being considered as a person to be job shadowed, I was flattered and scared, and I ended up enjoying it but making some realizations of my own. The point was to allow my colleague an overview of the differing jobs that all come under the same job heading!

My own desk is not a great example of all the tasks but is a good example of working with the different staff and their needs. Also due to a prearranged visit I got to take her to another venue and another library visit. Which allowed me to think about how we are all individuals and while we all do the same job the actual on the ground things done varies so much! I can't think of another profession where so much of what we do is not outlined or pinned down, where the person and their own strengths and weaknesses makes such a difference.

We are due a new school build in the not too distant future, I would like to say a date but they have changed it and I fear that may yet occur again. Current plans are for summer 2016, and the plans are getting shaped and knocked together so fast now. The changes and differences in my own work life will be immense, I have no idea how it will be once I am there and I could worry about it but I have learnt to only worry about what I can change. In hope to keep a handle on my worry and stress I go to a regular Yoga class for Hatha Yoga where the emphasis is on meditation and relaxation, and gentle stretching, 'only as far as you feel comfortable'. The teacher is a retired school Librarian from Edinburgh way and is a very calming lady, sadly for my rather generous body she can get her nose to her knee or both hands flat on the floor, while I 'only go as far as you feel comfortable' quite often!

The email call went out this week from the Cilip Scotland for a request for shared practice. The plan is to make a database of shared practice for us all to tap into when we need and to hold a record of our own shared practice for when we want to promote an idea or an event that worked. The page asks for either a detailed return or a form to fill in, which ever is the most successful for you. I will be looking over my own work and seeing what I can put up and hopefully once it is running I can go and find ideas to bring back to my own library world.

The difference between my fairly neat desk and my home work space was illuminated by the kitten when she flopped over my desk and I took a picture, then I looked at it and realised it was a mess! but the kitten looks so good!
She was on my lap but found my hot water bottle on the top and just curled up, her tail end was on the keyboard, while her head is propped on my Mouse! her belly is being warmed and I just hadn't got the heart to move her. Another difference, at work the kids think I am a scary lady who makes them follow the school rules, at home my own teens just roll over the top of me, and the cats.

Monday 4 November 2013

Who keeps stealing my weeks?

I am sure it was mid October last week! now its November, where is my autumn going, it nearly winter!

I missed a week of blogging, I have no real reason but I just forgot. I had so much in last week, I had things planned to go in and I didn't get them in. I shall re-find them for today I hope so a double issue to try and make up for the lack last week.

First up a smile I have found, and one of my main giggle sites, Fake Library Statistics and the Halloween post. I love the pseudo stats and how they are presented, the cat lover one that was posted earlier still gets me sniggering into my coffee! I am part of the school literacy committee and when I saw this I had to save it and give the group a copy! Literacy at its best! Its from the Savage Chickens Site that also also linked to amazon for you to buy copies of his very funny books (mine are all on Kindle to allow me to have a quick smile while travelling, and to stop random passers by and share my humour, sorry if you get that from me.)

On  more serious note I saw this from Infoism and it made me worried, I was a child in the days of 'tell sid', and the public companies sell of times. It was heralded as the way to go the way forward, and now I look at my energy bill, my phone bill and now the post and wonder if we got it wrong?

A recent meeting included a feedback note from someone about MOOC's which made some of the group scratch their heads and frown. I love MOOC's and the flexibility you can get from dipping in and out when you get time but the community you get around you! Joeyanne explains it well in her post.

One of our Teachers won the talk talk digital teacher of the year for Scotland and they made a little clip to celebrate it. Here. I am not sure how I embed it, new skill to learn!

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Head down and aim for Christmas

We are back at school and I am getting my head down and planning for Christmas. I always get my cards and start writing by the 1st of November. I have my stamps and various gifts already put aside, and I have some idea what I still need.

This all might sound very organised but if I don't so much gets forgotten, one year I forgot to send cards, another I forgot presents! With my increased work load I need to be organised more than ever. I have used the increase to do an big throw out, things I wanted to do but not now, stuff I kept in case I wanted, and old information out of date but unchecked till now. I threw away over 2 cubic meters of paper work, more if I count what had to be shredded. The shelves and desk look so much clearer, I hope to keep it that way, and it allows me scope to change things and set up work for my cover to do when I am away!

My tidy mania got taken home, and i sorted a third of a very full dump ground garage out so my car has a home when the temperature drops below freezing, and I found I was ditching the kids toys from over ten years ago :-( but they were moldy and manky which was sad, but I was ruthless. I let them keep the odd item if they could tell me why, otherwise it went in the bin or if decent off to a friends kids who are smaller and will have fun. I didn't get very far into it but managed to get my husband to do a bit later. So between us we will clear the garage.

I also had to sort all my clothes out, we had a leak in the roof above my bedroom, well we had a damp patch when bought and moved in 20 plus years ago. two or three years ago the damp become more a drip, and finally a trickle, and when it rained a pour! We have got used to living with buckets, sleeping to a gentle rainfall inside, wrapping up to keep the damp out of the bed at night, and emptying the buckets regularly in rainy times. We finally found the part needed to fix the wee flat roof and earlier this month husband climbed up and fixed it. We waited with bated breath and the ceiling dried out, the rain fell and the buckets stayed dry as did the ceiling! Success, then the realization that I needed to go through all my clothes and dry them out too. I have a smallish pile of clothes, oh all right a great big pile of very little used clothes. I bribed my daughter and we spent the best part of ten hours turning out and sorting the mass, I generated four very full bin bags of clothes for the local charity shops (as my daughter had the gall to say "some fat women will be very happy with you mum.") I didn't know had so many clothes. I am will not need to buy any for ages and already have an expanded work wear selection.

I saw this post about web apps and was intrigued and now have some new ones to play with. I tried the IFTTT which seems to be a bit complicated but was actually easy to follow and to make seamless, I hope that this post will appear in my blog post with out me having to add it! Another blog to catch my eye was a short but telling post from Ian Clark about how Cameron says you should check for the best deal online for power! but no allowance for those who have no computers. A nice reply from Ned Potter about how he works, which I tired and found that when I need to get some things done and focus on a good music playlist really helped!

My new job is making me more aware of my own time and things I waste it on, I love some of them so will be keeping them but others are not worth it, in the same idea I saw a note from Brian Solis, pointing out that change happens to you and because of you. I strive to be a good manager, to make working with me and for me as smooth and supported as I can, but as Brian says you must also be aware of your legacy, I would hate to not be remembered or dismissed easily, 'oh her, yes she was okay!' so I must be bolder and may be put my head above the parapet, or make a stand occasionally. Life is hard standing up for your beliefs but ultimately very rewarding.
Smokey standing for what she believes in, which is extra loves!


Monday 14 October 2013

Deep breath time

I am on holiday! I have a week off, and have plans to sleep in eat well and knit often! I am also trying and getting the world in balance. I am very guilty of burning the candle at both ends to get things done, I let things happen as its easier then fighting for my own rights. I am all for compromise but I need to get this in balance, I am now someone who sorts out others issues and I can't be seen to be accepting one situation while stopping this in other places. I am having to reassess my world and work, which is not so much fun but I did get a load of old paper work thrown out, some form my predecessor pre-2000, while a lot was from my early times and things I tried to get more library use from departments. That worked too well and I ended up being swamped and getting grumpy folks who couldn't get booked in, I am currently on the opposite but I now appreciate it is a passing thing and I have too much on my plate to worry about it. Some things do have to be let go and I can change.

I generated enough paperwork in the bin to fill a 2m by 3m bin by nearly a meter of stuff! as well as a full bag of shredding and a black bin bag of regular trash! I didn't get finished in the time so I will be dropping in and out to get some semblance of order back before Monday. I went through a two foot high stack and a 10 foot shelf area, I still have more to do, but I am now away form my desk regularly and need to have work for my cover to do if they can, and this can't be myself running round last minute grabbing things, so we do ahead!

I am so behind all my 'fun' things, my blogs I follow are in the three figures! my 'work' things that I follow for my own development are looking dusty and forgotten, but I am getting back through them.
I finally got back my computer and had a new drive but no info! all lost at that time, my IT person managed to find 80% eventually and if I wanted to send it off and pay lots it could all be found, sadly it isn't worth it to me, the first time my computer died and I lost info I sat and cried my heart out! The next time wasn't so bad and now I have a 'meh' attitude, I have things I would be sad to lose, but it isn't life threatening and it isn't life destroying. If I lost my work computer and my home computer at the same time I would be more upset, mainly due to lack of internet access. Now all I have to do is work out Firefox, after chrome was stripped out and not reinstalled due to it causing some of my problems!

If change is due you can sit back and complain or get out and change with it!
Just a quick pic of my lovies kitten, loving me while I had my camera out to take shots of her sister and mum!
She is a little monster and I love her, this morning she climbed my shelves and knocked the whole top shelf off, to get attention as I had slept in! some landed in her water bowl but she had knocked it over during the night in a fight with her sister! so no damp books (this time).

I am looking forward to the Highland Wool and Textile Fair at the Eden Courts Bishops Palace! I adore this venue and this event, I have a hotel booked for the night before and will take pics to share of the wonderful wool! I just hope my Lovies doesn't have a go at more shelves when I am away, to spite me!
Come and see if your any where near it :-).

Sunday 6 October 2013

Apologies for late posting, but so much happening!

I have been so busy and my home computer gave up the ghost, after repeat visits to my IT Guru whose is a star but sadly not psychic we have found the physical disc drive is needing replacement! but only after we have reinstalled all the software side and been back and fore a few times...

Work has been hectic, I have been promoted to a temporary part time acting senior post, which has already meant twice the paper work, and more meetings away. I am thrilled to be put forward for the highland representative on a new digital inclusion style group starting Scotland wide! which is scary and fun but also travel and higher thought then my usual desk job. And the new North Cilips branch is being discussed to up here very soon.

I spent two and a half days at my desk last week and may get less this coming week, so didn't get time to post last week end, nor during the week.

Normal posting will return very soon as I will be getting back my tower, and hopefully more time to get the new work done in the week. I live in hope.

Friday 27 September 2013

How Do I Work? (and you)

I saw the blog by Joeyanne Libraryanne about how she works and she asked for others to answer too, so this is my version of how do I work;

Location: Far North of Scotland
Current gig: Network Librarian
Current mobile device: ancient touch phone
Current computer: branded tower running windows 7
One word that best describes how you work: in fits and startsP

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?Chrome which allows me to check spellings in any windowP

What's your workspace like?Messy but changing as I sort and deal with all that crosses my desk each dayP

What's your best time-saving trick? dealing with emails as they comein so I dont miss things later.P

What's your favorite to-do list manager? made my own one, which I then bound into a book so I can check back and get satisfaction seeing work done.P

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?my Kindle which I take everywhere and read when ever I get two minutes peace.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?networking the right person into the right space. also prevaricating for team GB.P

What are you currently reading? The Man Booker Prize short list, and Ocean at the end of the Lane

What do you listen to while you work? Chatter as I am based in the library at all time.P

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert mostly but I do like peace as well.P

What's your sleep routine like? Aim for 9 hours a night get 7 to 8 mostly.P

Fill in the blank: I'd love to see ______ answer these same questions. Ned Potter As I am admirer of his work and blogging.P

What's the best advice you've ever received?  If you feel you can't do it, fake it till you make it, you will find you can from somewhere. Also do not be afraid to make and own up to mistakes, how can you learn if you don't.

Is there anything else you'd like to add? I like reading these done by others as I learn more things and how to cope with new issues.P

Sunday 22 September 2013

A Kitten or Some Beer, which would you choose.

I was checking blog posts today and came across this wonderful post about Kittens or Beer, and how you accept both as free gifts but each has to be looked at differently. I love the idea of looking at gift horses in the mouth, which of course you should never do. It looks at the art of accepting (or not) donations, and how the future costs should be checked when being offered 'free' things. I won't redo it here but I am looking at my kittens with a jaundiced look! :-)

Yesterday was the AGM for Cilip but I haven't heard any results yet, so I can't comment or otherwise on it, but I can note that the Cilips North branch is holding a meeting on Tuesday at the UHI in Inverness at 6pm with Virtual links available, all Cilip folks welcome. I am also looking at changes at work which I have no idea what is going to happen in the end so again nothing to say yet...

Another blog I love is the History Girls, which is done by history writers mainly in the YA genre and is a wide collection from snapshots into research to thoughts on the past and even appeals for help. The latter caught my eye and I wanted to share it here. It looks at remembrance and how pre-1914 doesn't seem to exist, but one thing we learn from history is those who ignore it are doomed to repeat it.

I also saw this article which is a discussion on Syria and the Sarin gas attack. Not sure what is true from the media these days and so much is spun to suit the writer, owner, political masters or even from its sources. We are no longer invited to read and make our own mind up, now we must believe and feel what we are told! Sorry I don't do what I am told because! I need to know its reasons, its aims, the whys and wherefores. Old fashioned I know but I sleep better like that.

On  lighter note I have been playing, I have been messing about with hair dyes and daughter and I have tinted the ends of my very white hair a bright green, due to how porous my hair is and how the colour goes,  the dye lasts less than a week! but its fun to have and I may just do it for permanent!
And just because I can a kitten picture or two, as I seem to fall for them and never seem to learn! Smokey wobbling and poor Midnight being angry squid for the kids!



Sunday 15 September 2013

Equinox and changes

The local area has been a bit blowy and down to zero! The equinox brings us storms and darker nights, the temperature drops and winter appears on the horizons. Of course the coldest windiest night is the one my midnight kitten decided to not come home for tea (again) making me wander round in the cold with a torch calling for her! Most of my neighbours no longer react when I wander past their house at night calling for midnight, or if they are out they smile and nod as both of us know she will turn up in her own time.

There is an advert of a man desperately looking for his cat in the rain, which is for selling cars I think, but the punchline is the man getting home soaked and miserable and the cat is sat in one of his cupboards with what looks like a smirk. I live in fear of wandering one night for hours only to find her watching me from the house!

I finally worked out the 'How to proxy Vote' for the Cilip AGM and made a great new connection through Twitter of a new friend who is going and has my vote there. If you are not going and need to Proxy vote do it as soon as possible! the closing date to get to them is the 19th September!
I used to feel very isolated in the Far north of Scotland but as social media and internet becomes more all encompassing the links to others becomes easier and the chance to be part of live discussion and participate in relevant and cutting edge debate and changes as they happen are amazing. Last week I had ordered the Man Booker short list through the catalogue before they announced it on BBC,  also managed to get some work by an author visiting the school new week which should be up on Tuesday!

I have an eclectic mix of places I get information from and people I chat with so sometimes find odd things that make me think or make me rant! I adore the blog by A Girl Called Jack and love new things from cherry heart, this though was a new blog based in america which caught my interest, the post made me laugh out loud, and the comments were most strange! Wait but Why is thinking about why we have unhappy people who have over inflated expectations, My friend mentioned it to claim his GYPSY status. Oddly even though he was at school with me I didn't find it meant me, as my grandparents were Victorians, my parents both just missed the war as they both hit 18 after it ended, but had that mind set and brought me up to accept what I had and not to expect what was unrealistic. I was always out of step in Thatchers Britain as a teenager, and fitted better with the 'adults' at uni than the drink every night/all night youngsters, so I find this very funny not me but sadly true.

The latest Knitting retreat has happened again and, like before, has happened without me :-( I wish I could wave a magic wand and get time off and funds to pay for it, I plan one day getting to this wonderful event, I hope it stays running for me :-) And if you wander to the shop you can see the one site that draws in me in and makes wish I could just click Buy on so much! I am setting myself a finishing challenge, I have things I want to start but not until I finish some others, I did manage to finish a scarf this evening and have hopes for more soon. Well I must go and fuss over my Midnight kitten.

Monday 9 September 2013

That time of year again!

And so that time of year creeps round again. The weather has been fine, and the sun shining as if it knows if it misses a day there are not many left. The temperature has been cold and last week saw the first almost frost, by the time I got up the dew was dew again and the whole world was covered in a fine gauze of moisture. The wind has been kind and we haven't had anymore of the leaf stripping gusts that blew a few weeks ago.

My mind is turning to Christmas and gifts and plans for cards and who and where. The birthdays are upon us, by the end of October two of my three will have had birthdays and my Nephew! Some of my best friends also are due soon or just gone and the one I like and hate has past! We don't do lots for Birthdays as when the kids were small we didn't have much money and while we have a tradition of a take out of meal for the birthday person this doesn't include many just family. We tend to get a single decent gift for a person, but not too big as kids do make comparisons! I got some wool, and a meal at the local hotel, which was lovely.

On Sunday I decided to make a cake, then found that all my eggs had been eaten! While I can make egg free cakes I didn't fancy the mess and hassle so muttered to my bread maker where upon I decided to make bread, this was brought to a swift halt by the lack of the beater in the bread machine. I hunted high and low and couldn't find the missing item, no bread for me. I was in and out of the kitchen as I was doing washing (how can 5 people generate so much washing in a few days I have no idea as I cleared it on Wednesday) I even got a load of towels out on the line and dried even if the day was chilly.

The knitting group I am in do a Christmas gift share system where we all make a one ball item and wrap it up and then choose one not ours from the pile. I have had some lovely things I wouldn't have done or got for myself in the past! this year I am ahead (just) and have started a lace work project for the gift and as someone pointed out no one knows who will get it so it doesn't matter who sees it being done. I used a ball of hand dyed wool from RipplesCrafts and found a pattern in a magazine I have never bought before, but it had a favorite designer on the front, called FuzzyMitten who designs easy to make kids toys that are just so sweet and soft and fun to make up. So new style, new magazine and hopefully new resolution to finish it on time!!!!



I have been playing in my one of my favorite places in the internet, Ravelry, if you knit or crochet, this is the place to be. This is a screen shot of the start of my library shelves, with lots of ongoing ideas as well as things I have made already. If I get no more ideas I will not run out of these until after I am due to retire!


I must also mention the Fab Target Who group who are getting books into schools, and I had the pleasure to be able to help this summer. We drove down to Devon and stop with family and when we came back I made a brief detour and collected the books for the highland region and the one set for Orkney which I recon I could pop on the ferry. Husband then took it as a personal challenge and he sailed over to Orkney with the books to hand deliver to the School in Stromness, luckily where he had berthed! and walked them over. He didn't get a decent school shot :-( but he had some fab film of sailing back past the old man of Hoy. The Target Who did a blog about the various Scottish schools and we got a mention, and some of my pics also got put up. My problem was I could deliver them as my school was shut but this meant that other schools also shut. So no kids, few staff and lots of Janitors :-) I will be taking a shot of mine when they are done, which will be soon!

I am up to my eyes in an online course from the US for libraries so that is taking a lot of my time up! But the change in view point is taking me a while to get my head round, and can only be of benefit to me in the end. Now I must go open a new dialog with my customers...

Monday 2 September 2013

And here come the back to school sniffles

No matter what you do by the end of second week back you start getting the bugs running riot, I went home on Friday sniffing and generally feeling pants! Spent the weekend wrapped in warm clothes doing little and napping often and I am back at work for Monday, sponsored by painkillers and supported by hot lemon drinks and multivitamin tablets. There are a few staff gaps today and more who are feeling rough. It always seems strange to me that kids get ill and parents send them in regardless, but staff ill is not good and if they don't come in they still have to make work for classes and are expected to do things. Too many staff out has seen the school in danger of not opening, or sending classes home. I will be getting my flu jab soon.

In the wonderful world of Libraries we have the build up to the AGM and the more local build up to The North Branch of CILIPS looking to start up again. Also I note that today they are looking for Nominees to serve on their Scottish committees, which would be really tempting if I didn't have a lot on my plate this year, next year I will be considering it   :-) may be even do some ground work now. The Autumn Gathering is during the school holidays and I would love to go, but work hasn't happened for my other half yet this school year so finances are tight. Ho hum another year I hope, I have been very very lucky this year with both the Dundee Cilip Scotland conference as a sponsored place and Umbrella booked well ahead keeping costs very low.

I am up to my eyes in the mop up work from the Library introduction. Lots of new cards to make and old cards to remake, children to find in the system or to get info from them if they are not in the system. We had a member of staff leave and they are much missed already, but it makes you look at your own job and work load and world, and I do need prodding now and then to appreciate what I have. The new intake have been a lovely group, best full year group in years and I can't wait to do more with them, roll on the Write Path in October, and roll out the Scottish children's book awards already :-) and maybe I shall get other plans done, now all I need is time and health!.

I saw this today and am in awe, I love Ned Potter's work and have mentioned him here before but this is a masterful work. I plan to share this prezi with all my English teachers and the management too! and maybe get it spread further afield.

Quick snap of Dunnet head and Orkney beyond it, the weather turning more Autumnal and the green being gradually replaced with the brown. Now I just have to get through my day and go home for an early nap! sniff.

Thursday 29 August 2013

Oh my, what a ride!

I was lucky enough to get tickets for the final event of Neil Gaiman's 'The Ocean at The End of The Lane' signing tour, it was up here (well almost) in Inverness, only a two and a half hour ride south of me.
The venue had 400 seats and sold out in such a short time it wasn't funny, I was just so lucky to see it when it was advertised. I had planned to take my oldest who adores his work but other pressures meant he couldn't come, so my daughter jumped at the chance and we went south.

I am a big fan of being early so we got to town in time to get some food and wander a bit as well as drop into Waterstones, she wanted a hardback copy of Coraline but we couldn't find one, so she took my paper version with her. I offered her a copy of the new book but she wasn't sold on it. We planned our arrival time and how long we thought it would take! ho hum I should have read the tickets closer, doors opened at 6.30 pm not started at then! so we were very early, humm very very early but we chatted to others in the queue and got more excited as time passed.

I saw folks I knew who had come down and up and over to see the event, I knew more than a dozen of the crowd well and more to wave and nod at, and best of all every one was chatty, welcoming and relaxed. One friend who brought her family down had her husband who was looking a bit like a fish out of water! he sidled up to me and whispered that the queue was 'made of Weirdos' to which I said yes wasn't it good! He wasn't impressed and stood like a spooked horse forced to stand in line with strange folk. My daughter and I giggled, as did his wife and daughter.

The doors opened but as we all had numbered tickets to seats there was no crush or push, very civilized and fun, I found our seats and went to get drinks, had mine bought for me by friends at bar which was nice, then got back to find daughter had moved us, to the right seats! My state of mind was suffering already. We found the row behind had other dear friends who we would have looked for if we hadn't seen them, but instead we chatted about mad things for the time it took for all to get in, get drinks and get settled and finally after 7.30 pm the stage lit up. In our chat I showed her my 'new' business cards, and she showed me hers (not like we don't live less than 5 mins apart!) and the people next to her asked questions and she ended up giving out cards! See mad things!

The stage was our focus as we first had the local Waterstones guy on doing the introductions and then the interviewer and Neil! My hands hurt from clapping and no one else existed. Neil read a passage from the book, we were transferred to another place, to a different time, when burnt toast was so much more important than lost cars and missing comics was a major crime, so what if it was found under a dead body, when could he get it back! This later led to a discussion in the queue for signing about Peanut Butter and when you got it in the UK easily, oddly I didn't find this an issue as the time for the book wasn't fixed, wasn't long past or when the rationing was or any such time limit. Also got daughter thinking about chocolate spread and I had to buy her some  on the way home.

The reading took no time at all and for ever, but we sat mesmerized for ages, He read it as he wrote it, the right pace and the right emphasis, always makes such a difference to hear a writer read their own work. Reading aloud is a lot harder than most people think, getting the pace and feeling right has been the downfall of many a reader. The interviewer had a series of questions he asked then threw it out to the audience, one of the first was what did he read as a child! Oh bliss another like me who read any and every thing, no one told me Frank Herbert wasn't for me at age 7 or 8, I too read Conan and other 'adult' books. In the back door to the Denbenham's in Exeter they had a remaindered basket, books reduced and marked down, they had yellow pen on the ends, or in some cases a chunk taken out so you knew at the desk at a glance it came from the cheap bucket. It was full of unknown and very much pulp fiction, my parents let me have a book out of the basket occasionally, and for me this was a dip into a magical world. I loved science fiction and fantasy so anything with a space ship or a dragon or a multicoloured planet view always got chosen. My world was formed by these windows of life lived by others. I long thought I was an oddity, my friends read Enid Blyton, I read Lovecroft! I rode with Haggard, struggled with Tarzan, sailed Westward Ho! I didn't know they were for adults I just knew they were fun, maybe I wasn't alone.

Neil told how he didn't mean to write a novel, how it was a short story for Amanda his wife, how he took longer than she was away to write a story for her while she was away. We listened as he explained how she liked this but not that and how he had written it for her likes and hadn't meant it to be  published book, until they saw it and loved it. We traveled with him on his journey and laughed and cringed with him, I was near the back but felt like I was just on the edge of his circle, he was talking to me. The questions from the floor were so good and such high quality that I shelved my rather silly question. The girl next to us, who we had chatted too when she sat down due to her amazing purple hair! a truly wonderful colour! asked how he felt letting what was a personal story almost a love letter out in to the world. How he felt sharing it with us all. his reply was so sweet and helped understand more of what he wrote it for.

He was asked what he wished he had written, and he spoke of reading the lord of the rings and how he kept a copy with him so if he slipped through a time space gap to an alternate universe where every one was the same but no Tolkien how he planned to get it published in his own name. And being only 12 at the time how he would then cover his tracks and kill the person who had helped him to keep the secret. The ideas for Coraline were so good, where he got them and how he put together different ideas at different ages, and again I wasn't to only kid who worried that parents would move, and forget to take them, while at school, only while he thought how to cope, I used to rush home to make sure I caught them! Daughter refers to her boy friends mother as her other mother! so we had a good giggle at the idea of button eyes and plans to defeat them.

He spoke of Neverwhere and how he has written a sequel/short story for the first time in 20 years, and how the idea of re-visiting is becoming more likely the more he thinks about it. He loved the Radio Four production and it had re ignited his love of the work and doing more of it since. He said that he wanted to write about the lost invisible people in London, the ones no one looks at in the street, but that no one would read a book that raw so he looked at the world we don't see under our very noses and how you become invisible and lost. He said that people have come up to him since and said since they read Neverwhere they have become more aware of people in the street and started giving money and time and respect to the 'invisible' people. I read an article about people with disabilities the other day which pointed out they are people first not a disability first! and that is true of so many groups in life.

He spoke for ages and my sore hands got another work out at the end, mind you we also got a smile when Stuart Kelly the interviewer fluffed his name. Called Neil, Ian and then had to change it fast. The queue then formed for the book signing, now most of the 400 people there had their books to be signed, Though I did see kindles, audio books, and strangely even a hair brush! in the signing queue. They had us filing round the hall, up the stairs  along the balcony and through the rooms to signing, and then out. They took small children, disabled and elderly first so they didn't have to wait or stand in the crush, one guy behind us kept getting so close he stood on our feet! and he was tall and big and my daughter was small and intimidated, but most was good natured and fun, we chatted to our in the line and one point we saw the film crew filming us so we waved, well two of us did to the embarrassment of the rest :-) much fun.

Time passed and I can only say how good he was, he signed until we were all done, he kept going no matter what and took the time to see us. He liked the worn books, and the read copies, he draw little creatures and things for the people, he made my daughters night when he drew her a little mouse in the Coraline book, she had the graphic novel and the previous person with one had lots of space and he drew a mouse pic, but daughters didn't have space and she was so upset, he heard her and when hers came out he drew a little mouse in the gap. He also wrote Dream in her copy of Ocean, which she hasn't let out of her grasp and went to bed with last night (or early this morning). At this point he had been signing for over an hour and had more than an hour left to go. So nice. He signed my book, and at the moment in time he saw you, to give each of us this attention left us quite giddy.



We came out on the street full of wonder and giggles, clutching our books too hyped to relax which was good as by the time we got out of town it was after eleven at night meaning we wouldn't get home until 1.30 am. Even having had just over 5 hours sleep I can honestly say it was an amazing night, Thank you to Waterstones and their staff who made it easy to worship, thank you to Neil for allowing us to worship, and also to the Ironworks who's venue allowed us all to see and hear easily.
Also if you look at the last picture you can see the kindle cover and hair brush waiting to be signed!

Monday 26 August 2013

What do you mean its not Monday!

Who took my week? First week back to school and I am already days behind, I am sure this was supposed to be Monday!

Oh wait it is, and now I am a week behind, I shall worry about the gap another time.
I have 5 classes of first year library skills to start, they are timetabled for this week and once done I can look beyond them, I still have to copy the main sheet they take away and get out the boards and things I use to help them. I need at least a week to get myself sorted but have less than 24 hours to my first class. Years ago I used to have two double lessons in the old timetable, that is 40 minutes times by 4 so 160 minutes in total, I spent 30 on intro, and 50 on fiction and how they are shelved and how to find them. I then had 20 minutes on why we stored non fiction differently and then 50 minutes to go over the Dewey and then 10 to let them wander and get paper work done for them. Due to time pressures and timetable changes my current crop will get 55 minutes on all that! but what will happen is I will gloss over the fiction and deal with that ongoing, I shall focus on practical Dewey and get them thinking subjects and like headings and then I shall do it all again after the bell goes! I have been into classes and given the intro's, I have already rolled out paper work! and have the hope to finish after they leave. Hurry hurry, no one wants to lose time from their own teaching, and English have an vested interest in them getting running in the library asap!

I have been chasing things this week, figures for a budget for the new build! data for the profiles, dates for the new accommodation in Thurso, dates for the MOT for the vans. My world is emails and phone calls, my sleep is dreams of excel sheets and proforma's, My to do list has so many things dependent on returns and information back I am in hurry up and wait mode! Another joy is the send of month information, the forms to make sure all get paid right, the expenses and stats, the hours open vs hours due to open! All due by the month end which is Saturday!

I am reading a draft of a book at the moment and I will be sharing it when it is finally published, I feel very privileged to read it in a raw form and I have made notes ongoing what catches my eye and what doesn't fit!
In a similar vein I saw this post in the history girls about words, I love how language changes and how the past words mean different things, I like how a word in my parents childhood is no longer so biting and critical and I love the idea that naughty means a tap on the wrist now but meant a whole different thing of wickedness in Shakespeare's time. I often wonder what future will think of our own words and usage. Will the really bad misspellings of the now become the accepted of the future? I saw these posters and wanted them, sadly the strong language means It isn't fully acceptable here.

I am awaiting the info to send my proxy vote for the latest round of cilip guess the new name game! No no I am not becoming cynical but the latest video was a little disconcerting, we are professionals and one of the issues the name change was to address was to find a way to acknowledge it, but then I realise this that is not Cilip done and quiet frankly talks down to me. Few who follow all the to and fro need to be told the details so dryly, and by a professional from another profession! Those who may be new to this deserve to hear from our own people in Cilip what is happening, I felt a bit sorry for the guy who was pushed over a parapet to be a figure head or scapegoat, which wasn't needed, and not appreciated. I am not saying we shouldn't change nor that the proposed name is wrong, just that for an information group we are a bit pants at sharing.

I finish with a quick picture of my curious cat, asking what I am doing? With her little Ginger mask and cute white paws! She will be waiting for food when I get home. And I hope I now have some idea what days it is! um Tuesday?

Monday 12 August 2013

No wait, it is a return to Normal!

The last few weeks have done wonders for my soul, days of getting up when I woke, going for a walk and just sitting still. The alarm went off this morning and I felt I had been dumped in cold water! The day was started, I actually managed to get up and out within the time planned and got to work with time in hand. The inbox was waiting and my white board is up full of reminders and job lists! Ring here, email there, get that done for then etc.
 The paths of Devon seem to be a long way away now, the physical distance eclipsed by the mental distance. I need to be back at work and in work mode, my brain needs to be firing on all cylinders, but the wonderful few weeks of no pressure, no need, tomorrow will do, seems to be just waiting for me to step back into but is too far away. I am checking and getting all my library skills classes sorted and ready, I have a pile of lovely new books to process and get on the shelves! Even a new one I won called the 5th wave! which I am so looking forward to.

I did a small detour in my journey home and collected all the Highland Schools books from Target Who and have been delivering or dropping at the van delivery place all the different bundles. This is a great idea and I think any one who is giving school books should be applauded! If I can do my bit by collecting them and dropping them, well that's even better.

I was reading my blogs I follow the other day when I came across this one and its story. Now I might add I love Ripplescrafts and their lovely wool! but she has raised the problems that Woolywormhead is having. Many years ago when I first came to internet shopping and was very tentative I ordered some hand dyed wool form a lass who loved wools, I kept a loose contact and bought a few wools from her, she then chose to move from dyeing to designing and I bought the odd hat pattern, and time past.Her community and world is now being threatened, I could wax lyrical and thump on tables but all I ask is you have a look and read for yourself about what is happening. 

Another blog I have been following also not libraries unless I am looking for an odd thing to celebrate is the blog of days, which is a daily blog telling you what tomorrow is in celebration of, I did love the middle child day last week and singer sewing machine day :-) The guy who writes also writes as Curmudgeon and occasionally misses the odd post, but overall it posts most days and makes my giggle.

The new name for Cilip is out and it still hasn't solved the problem, Here in Scotland we have (had) a system for the education department to support schools, that included emails and forums and space to share good practice, the system is called 'Glow' it doesn't stand for anything, isn't a short form or the initials, and means nothing special. But all the kids know it, know what it means and use it. I am not suggestion we rename us something random like the light keepers or gatekeepers or some other semi daft idea but I am needing to fall in love with the new suggestion yet...
Just a final shot of Devon, this yellow cottage was owned by a little old lady called Gladys who my mum used to go up and down to in her final years, but it never looked as good as it does now :-). The village had a scarecrow competition and their entry is in the top window.


Friday 2 August 2013

Dreamy Devon

I am having fun getting online, but that has been the only problem with being in the sunny and restful Devon. The sun has been almost too much, but the rain has been welcome. I have been taking pics and walking, and more walking! Even spent some nights under canvas on the Isle of Purbeck, wandered and enjoyed, and wished I had packed more chairs! The sun on the sea, the blue blue skies, I have no need of work or being at home (yet).

I am now in the last few days of away time and I am starting to wonder what is awaiting me, I have been and looked in on my emails but there are many, and my patience is not needing the challenge. I am checking my online world in the pub down the road and have nearly finished my pint. My teens will be asking 'what's for tea!' and my latest wash load will need hanging out. I will be posting more when I get back and in the groove but until then I shall go back to my restful sunshine and my dreamy Devon.

I can recommended the Norden campsite which was fab, not expensive and great facilities! I will get pictures up when I get a computer which connects and takes my sd card :-).

Thursday 18 July 2013

Smudged days

I am late and turned round, the lack of bells and the peaks and troughs of the last 2 weeks have left me not sure what day it is, I had a few high points of which one was today. I had the joy of meeting a gentleman by the name of Bob Pegg who came and did a music and story workshop for me, only a few there but everyone of us enjoyed it. We got to ask questions and to handle the different musical instruments, he played everyone of them for us and gave us a history and wove stories around them, truly mesmerizing!
The day was so nice, the beach below us so inviting, but the time with Bob flew by and I can recommend seeing him if you get a chance, my youngest said as we drove home that he was a 'real story teller!' which was a great recommendation from a geeky mine crafter like him. I may also be tempted by an Ocarina for myself! Also I have a new website to drool over and not buy the very pretty expensive things on but to dream :-) with early musical instruments.

The world of Cilip seems to be calm at the moment but I am following a thread in the mentors list about how much training costs when we give our time for free and often pay costs ourselves, but then get asked to pay more. I realise that they have costs and I know that Cilip can't just give for nothing, but with all the changes this is the time to raise the issue. I hope the restructure takes some of the thoughts on board and we have had another survey monkey asking about our thoughts.

In a different vein I am also getting ready for my Holidays, which are still in the air in places, like the last few weeks there are some unmovables, a flight to meet, a dinner booked, and some venues we must get too, as well and plans to make sandwiches and take lunches (even if we need help lifting enough food for four teenagers!) and walks on the moors, the beaches and the lanes of the west country. Other than that we shall see and go with the flow.
The cool lanes and walks near where I grew up and will be staying are calling!

I am also thrilled to see a piece of my writing is up online, I put in a piece about my favourite treasure. It is being run by the Scottish Book Trust, and it is up under my name. The piece is called Alexandra and the details are in the work, I took a couple of weeks to write it as I kept getting too emotional and far to close to it! but it is done, and up, I am so proud! Feel free to go and read, and if you want the date for submission of your own treasure is not until the end of the month! up to 1000 words, and has to be a thing not a place or person or time.

I plan to blog as and when while I am away, so forgive if the next few are less work orientated, and more 'oh look where I have been!'