I uploaded the pics I took over the last week and while they seem to look okay on Flickr, the quality isn’t very good. They are quite grainy and this shows up badly on the few I had printed from Photobox. I was quite miffed because usually my camera takes great little pictures. Then, I remembered I messed about with the settings for the Edinburgh Tattoo and never changed them back. Grrr! Obviously, the ISO setting was too high, hence the noise. I don’t usually print my pictures anyway so it doesn’t really matter. I did think about getting a photo printer but the are total ink monsters and I decided it wasn’t really worthwhile if I was uploading the majority of the time. Besides, it is cheaper just to upload them and order prints.

Some photos are open to the public, while others are private so you will have to friend me to see them if you haven’t already. Flickr

I also finally found a graphics programme for the Mac that I like called Pixelmator. It is still very basic but it does everything I need and doesn’t require a NASA degree to operate. It looks very promising and hopefully will continue to grow.

I finally succumbed to the Twilight hype while on holiday and stayed up until 2 am on Thursday to finish the first novel. I’m a huge fan of the vampire genre and have read many, many books with Anne Rice still solidly perched at the top of my all time favourite list, even though the last novels failed to grab me. When she stopped writing her vampire series, it left me searching for another author to fill the void left behind. I like my vampires sexy - that cannot be denied.

The fact that the Twilight series is aimed at young adults doesn’t phase me at all because if a book is well written, it will eventually crossover into the adult market anyway and that is exactly what has happened here. The comparisons to the Harry Potter fandom is inevitable but I don’t think that is fair to Stephenie Meyer who is a very talented writer. Twilight, the first in the series, is an easy read but it definitely doesn’t lack substance and you can’t help falling in love with the characters. From a personal viewpoint, I would rather the vampire be the main protagonist and as such the Cullens interest me more than Bella, our heroine, but that’s just me being biased.

I was a little afraid the books would be too teen-orientated for me and the whole high school thing tends to bore me to tears but thankfully that wasn’t the case. Yes, the whole teen angst thing is there but Meyer refreshingly doesn’t focus on the usual themes of sex, booze and drugs.

It’s been a while since a book hooked me so thoroughly and I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series but what’s even more exciting is that Stephenie Meyer has just released her first adult novel, The Host. If I like a series of books enough, the author has a dedicated reader for life.

I’m heading over to Ayrshire tomorrow to stay in my parent’s caravan so won’t have access to the internet for a week. Egads! I’m taking my laptop anyway and my iPod Touch so may sneak on if I find a wifi hotspot. So, today I have to make sure everything is charged up and my iPod is loaded with my music. I’m taking The Sims with me and plenty books to keep me occupied.

The previous times I’ve been to the caravan, it has rained non-stop and I’m preparing myself for anything. Right now, it is pouring with rain and windy. So like winter! At least the new caravan has double glazing and heating if we need it.

I’ve been promised visits to historical areas so expect reports when I come back. I’m even going to the Ayrshire Flower Show at the weekend. I sneeze just thinking about it but it is happening on the Rozelle estate so I will put up with the itchy eyes to see that.

Catch you all in a week!

I had a really hectic weekend so it is a good job I’m off for two weeks otherwise I would’ve been dragging my heels at work. We got back quite late from the Tattoo on Friday night and as usual I couldn’t fall asleep straight away so I watched the first episode of The Tudors S2. I have a love-hate relationship with this show because the historical inaccuracies annoy me to death so I have to kinda watch it without thinking too much.

I still got up quite early in the morning. I guess I’m too used to getting up for work. My nephews and niece were staying over on Saturday night so I decided to take them to see Wall E in the afternoon. I don’t go to the cinema very often because it is so expensive but I don’t often get the chance to take the kids anywhere. The film was actually quite good, although I was starting to get bored by the end. The kids really enjoyed it though so that was more important to me.

Afterwards, I took them to McDonalds which is alien territory to me since I’m a vegetarian. Normally, it would be last place I’d take them because I’m not a big fan of fast food but we were short of time and it was the best solution. They are such fussy eaters though and it drives me insane. I ordered their Happy Meals but nothing for myself because I know their vegburgers are cooked in the same fat as the meat burgers.

By the time we got home, the late night was catching up with me and I really had no energy for much of anything. The kids kept themselves amused while I chilled out on the couch with a growing headache. I am so tired of these headaches but there’s not a lot I can do about the weather. I actually went to bed at the same time as the kids which they thought was funny. I never really got into a proper sleep though because I automatically start listening out for them. They were quite restless sleepers when they were babies so I guess old habits die hard. They are also early risers which is so not a good thing on a Sunday morning.

I had a good time with them though but it is always great to give them back to their parents!

I’ve been thinking about moving all my posts about Scotland to their own blog and I’ve finally done that today. I’m not going to give you the link just yet because I’m going to get a custom design made for it and want it to be spruced up for first time visitors.

As well as doing all the usual posts about castles, I’m expanding to other areas as well. It’s going to be a big year for Scotland next year with the first ever Homecoming and I want to continue to offer my readers a glimpse of Scotland. I don’t really want to overwhelm yours-truly.net with all Scottish posts but they will probably overlap on occasion.

However, one thing I will not be discussing is politics because I simply don’t feel qualified to do so and I really have no desire to turn my blog into a rant for independence. Some people will probably wonder how I can blog about Scotland and not touch the subject of independence but honestly, I want to focus on other things.

The gods smiled on us last night and Edinburgh was perfectly dry for the opening show of the 2008 Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Royal Mile and surrounding streets were jam-packed with people but we just camped out by St Giles Cathedral and waited until the crowd had thinned out before making our way up towards the castle.

Once we got settled in our seats, it was really hard to believe that all those people were packed into such a little space. The event kicked off with the Massed Pipes and Drums consisting of The 1st Royal Tank Regiment; The Royal Scots Borderers; The Royal Highland Fusiliers; The Black Watch; The Royal Ghurka Rifles; Scottish Universities Officers Training Corps; The Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums; Queen Victoria School Pipes and Drums and the Singapore Police Gurkha Pipes and Drums.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos because the lights on the esplanade make it too hard.

The rest of the programme consisted of bands visiting from different parts of the world, including The Golden Eagles from S E Missouri State University; Highland dancers from Canada along with the Tattoo’s own Highland Spring Dance troupe; the Singapore Police Force Band; the Lochiel Marching Drill Team from New Zealand; the Indian Army Chiefs Military Band from India; His Majesty the King’s Guard and Drill Team from Norway; Queen Victoria School, Dunblane; massed bands from the Royal Marines of Scotland, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

The highlights for me were the Singapore Police Force Band who also had dancers in traditional costume and their very own dancing lion (not a real one!). The costumes were lovely. The King’s Guard of Norway, all of whom are doing their year’s national service, were also really excellent with the award for the shiniest shoes in the whole show. They began with noisy Vikings (on skis) pouring out of the castle and proceeded to do a lot of fancy rifle displays. They also sang the first verse of Loch Lomond which earned them a cheer from the crowd.

The grand finale saw all the cast come together to commemorate the American War of Independence and the British casualties with the theme from The Last of the Mohicans. The bands all joined together for a rousing rendition of Auld Land Syne after the national anthem. It was also the 100th anniversary of the Territorial Army so they were honoured along with the armed forces currently serving in different parts of the world. The Evening Hymn was played and then a Lone Piper played a Centenary Toast from high on the castle ramparts. The bands all marched out to Scotland the Brave and other traditional Scottish songs.

The whole show is spectacular and you can’t help but feel proud of how Scotland has influenced other cultures around the world. However, the true star of the show was, as always, the castle itself which looked beautiful lit up with braziers and other lights. It truly is a jewel in the crown of Scotland.

It is the first day of August, the first day of my two week holiday and it is pouring with rain. It wouldn’t really bother me that much but I’m heading off to Edinburgh tonight to see the Military Tattoo for the first time. A whole lot of firsts happening there!

According to the tickets, I’m only due a refund if the event is cancelled due to inclement weather and that has never happened. I guess they must be used to the unpredictable nature of our weather then. I did check the forecast and it looks like it may clear up in Edinburgh at any rate this afternoon so that can’t be bad.

To me August represents the slide into autumn but since we haven’t really had a summer yet - it just seems to bring more of the same unpredictable weather. I actually like the autumn days with the nip in the air. I’m such a winter baby.

However, a mild winter this year just may save a lot of lives because of the situation with the utility prices. Scottish Gas have hiked their rates up by 35% but those who pay by direct debit (like us) have had their rates raised by 40% to compensate for the poorer families on meter rates. Now, if that were really the case, I wouldn’t mind as much but a lot of meter households aren’t poor - they just have meters because that’s how the power was installed in their house.

So, now the direct debit we pay has risen from £39 (approx $75) to £53 (approx $100) per month. Add the continuing fuel misery on to that and you have a pretty unhappy country. It isn’t made any easier when you learn that Centrica (the company controlling British Gas) have made record profits this year and their directors are going home with bonuses of £80,000 ($150,000). The govt don’t seems to be taking any action and that is making people unpopular - esp Gordon Brown.

Last week, one of the safest Labour seats in the whole of Scotland was lost to the Scottish Nationalist Party. No one saw it coming but it seems there is a definite rise in nationalism in Scotland and their party is getting stronger rather than weaker. I guess independence isn’t as far away as it looks.