Accidental Pumpkin Pie and other news

When I got home from work I decided to defrost that lump of brown, solid matter in a plastic tub I thought was chili. Chili and bean burgers, perfect and easy. Dinners are not going to be fancy now that both of us are working full time again.

Turns out it was pumpkin pie batter! Ha ha. Guess when that was from. Frozen, unlabelled, and forgotten...

So, I will be making a pumpkin pie tonight. Along with those bean burgers.

In other news...

from the Oban Times, 2 February 2012

Oban High School aims to build fence to combat rising problems with strangers and dog dirt

Strangers walking through the premises, and pupils and staff clearing school grounds of dog mess before lessons can start, are becoming the norm at Oban High School.

Councillors hold talks on stopping the spread of Japanese knotweed

Stopping the spread of Japanese knotweed in Fort William will be the focus of discussions at Lochaber councillors' business meeting on February 13...
The invasive nine-foot shrub is capable of breaking through concrete and tar and can re-grow from a tiny sliver of rootstock, which can reach two metres down.

(Notice the mixing of Imperial and metric measurements in one sentence. Typically British -- where all systems of measurement apply simultaneously.)

from the Oban Times, 9 February 2012

Pair left in a hurry without paying for their curry

Two Caol people accused of trying to leave a Fort William restaurant without paying for their meal are due to stand trial at Fort William Sheriff Court on March 29.

Clan Donald members make annual pilgrimage to Glencoe

Clan Donald members will make their annual pilgrimage to Glencoe on Monday to mark the 320th anniversary of the infamous massacre of February 13, 1692.

Talk on 1752 Appin murder

The 1752 Appin murder of Argyll Factor Colin Campbell is the theme of a talk at the Free Church Hall in Oban tomorrow (Friday). The talk (in English) by Robin Banks is put on by the Comunn Gàidhealach and starts at 7:30 pm.

(Notice how stuff that happened 300 years ago still makes the newspapers.)

'No signal for 17 days' and other news

Here's a little portrait of Argyll for the last month. Pothole-filled roads, houses too damp to live in, frequent power outages, mobile phone masts blown down.

Winter as usual! Or not as usual, as the record rainfall reports indicate.

It's been one major storm after another since early December. Here's what the woods look like just down the path from our house:



The trees that only halfway blew over on December 8th blew over the rest of the way in subsequent storms.



From the Oban Times, 12 January 2012

Pothole patch-up prompts call for more roads scrutiny

An experienced roads engineer says Argyll and Bute Council must be more accountable for its roadworks after seeing four separate patchwork repairs in as many weeks outside his home.

Demolished Dunbeg homes were too expensive to repair

Four houses built in Dunbeg less than 20 years ago have been demolished after they were deemed too expensive to repair. The one-bedroom bungalows in Kirk Road came down just before Christmas after moisture built up inside the structures, making them damp and uninhabitable...
'These houses were one of the early timber frame structures, built to the standard at the time [1992], but building technology has moved on'.

Argyll MP calls for 'weatherproof' power system

Last week's power cuts across Argyll and Bute, caused by severe weather, has prompted a call for better preventative measures to be taken.

No TV for Taynuilt as lightning hits community aerial

Anyone who didn't rate the festive television schedule should spare a thought for the residents of Aldersyde in Taynuilt, who claim they had no signal for 17 days.

Long-term loss of Vodafone signal angers customers throughout Lorn

Vodafone customers have been quick to express their anger at the company's helpline following last week's prolonged signal outage in the Oban and Lorn area.

Record rainfall deluge recorded in Plockton

Plockton recorded 12 inches of rain during December - the highest in any month for many years. The deluge meant Lochalsh had 75 inches of rain during 2011, compared with 43 inches in 2010.

I find it odd that a house built in 1992 would be considered 'one of the early timber frame structures'. I mean, hello? What planet do these builders live on?

'Huge expanse of landlocked timber' and other news

from The Oban Times, 25 August 2011

Youths' rampage threatens future of popular show

The future of a popular agricultural show has been put in jeopardy after teenage vandals damaged a village hall and school on the night of the show dance. Police have charged five non-residents, aged between 15 and 17, in relation to the incident in Appin in the early hours of Sunday morning, which saw the village hall broken into and up to £700 worth of alcohol stolen, with the vandals using two wheelie bins from outside the hall to cart off their illicit haul...
The hungry vandals also stole food, including burgers, cheese and yoghurt, from the kitchen.

Coastguard alert after couple waved at passing ferry

A couple who were waving at a passing ferry inadvertently sparked an alarm after ferry passengers thought they were stuck on a cliff on the Isle of Mull.

New road opens up landlocked woodland

A new road on Mull has opened up a huge expanse of landlocked timber.

That's all the news from western Scotland for now!

'A shortage of loose vegetables' and other news

Here's our weather for the week. Just try to beat that for awfulness! (And it's been like this since the beginning of May.)

In local news: cleavage and short skirts = the end of civilisation. Also, local businesses are furious over a weekend street market coming to Oban this summer... the stingy bastards.

(The Oban Times, 12 May 2011)

High school head's uniform 'reminder'; Pupils told they must dress appropriately

Concern has been voiced about the appearance of pupils, especially when they are away from the school at lunch time or on their way home.
Girls' low cut tops and short skirts in particular have come in for criticism...
'A girl can easily undo her shirt or lift her skirt higher as soon as a teacher has turned their back'...
One mum said, "I would never put a 'half-naked' child out to school but I certainly get one home."

Oban traders' fury at open air market licence

Shopkeepers from Oban clashed with local councillors over permission given to a market trader for a licence in Station Square.
More than 40 shopkeepers and businesses demanded to know the reasons behind the council's decision to grant the market application for one of the busiest weekends in the summer - while they were struggling to make ends...
They asked... 'Why did you allow this to happen? We are all struggling to make ends meet and you bring a market into the town.'

(26 May 2011)

Geologist's year-long search for ancient rock ends on Barra

A two billion-year-old rock found on Barra is to form the centrepiece at the British Geological Survey headquarters in Nottinghamshire.
The pinkish rock, found this month at the disused quarry near the Vatersay causeway, is of a type known as Lewisian Gneiss, and is the oldest rock to have been found on the British Isles.

(2 June 2011)

Brilliant bridges - but what about isle's roads?

Argyll and Bute Council has spent more than £400,000 repairing four bridges on Coll - but the roads leading up to them are practically non-existent.
Councillor Donald 'Skye' MacIntosh discovered the bizarre scenario during a recent trip to the island, leaving him flabbergasted...
Skye said, 'What is the point in having these first class bridges but having no roads to get to them?'

Community council hits out at lack of loose vegetables on sale in Co-op

Ballachulish Community Council has hit out at Co-operative Stores after the branch in the village faced a shortage of loose vegetables.
Customers were forced to buy large multi-packs for a period, as individual vegetables were unavailable, although loose items are now available again.

Whew! All's well that ends well! Although, from what I've seen recently, shops can hardly give away their cucumbers.

'An accident waiting to happen' and other news

Where's the time gone? In just three weeks I'll be leaving for an extended trip home to the U.S. to see family and friends. It's been nearly three years, so it's time for a visit.

What will be happening on the blog while I'm travelling? I'm not sure! I hope I'll have time to post occasional pictures and updates, and I may even read a book or two.

I've been reading Watership Down (rabbits - cleverer than you think), and I recently finished The Thirteenth Tale (creepy, insane twins, ghossssssts, incest, mad relatives) and The Magnetic North (the Arctic, way cool). So I'm a bit behind on my reviews.

Meanwhile, here are some goodies from the Oban Times recently.

(12 May 2011)

School trip bug misery

Sixteen primary school children from the Isle of Islay are recovering after falling ill with a sickness and diarrhoea bug last Thursday during a trip to Edinburgh.

Safety alert after danger bridge fall

A man fell into the Black Lynn Burn at the weekend only days after Argyll and Bute Council were warned a bridge in disrepair was an accident waiting to happen...
Unwittingly Luigi Lopez, who lives near the bridge, was walking home after a meal with friends drinking 'no more than two small glasses of wine', when he tripped and fell onto the barrier and into the water. He hit his head on a concrete block before becoming submerged in the water.

Rusting barge is 'a vital cog' in thriving business

The owner of a rusting barge off Oban's Corran Esplanade says he will consider moving or repainting it -- if someone asks him to.
Tony R. is managing director of North West Marine, which uses the barge for temporary storage when docking space in Oban's harbour is unavailable.
While criticism of the rusting moored platform has been rife amongst locals and tourists alike, he says no individual has come to him with a complaint.

(from 19 May 2011)

Shifting sand helps transform town beach

Town centre improvement group BID4Oban staged a beach clean on Sunday.
The spring clean of the little bay on George Street helped clear up litter and marine debris as well as the usual weeds that grow up in springtime. It was replaced with 150 tonnes of fresh sand.

I heard that a beach volleyball game was set up for the afternoon after the sand got delivered.

'Residents flee hill blaze' and other news

Where does a five square kilometer brush fire count as a 'huge wild fire'? Where in the world can building plans for three houses be criticized as 'urban sprawl'? Where can a man be sentenced to four months in prison for carrying a screwdriver, or fined £160 for an 'act of stupidity'?

Yes, you guessed it... right here in rural western Scotland. Read on to find out what happened to the guinea pigs!

(From the Oban Times, 14 April 2011)

Ex-soldier punched teenage girls

A fisherman from Oban punched two 15-year-old girls during an unprovoked rampage at a house in - Terrace last month.

'Act of stupidity' results in fine

An Oban fisherman who went into an ambulance while paramedics were attending an emergency call out has been fined £160.

Acharacle residents flee hill blaze

Acharacle residents and their household pets had a lucky escape at the weekend when a huge wild fire spread across heath and grass land to within yards of their local homes.
Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the blaze... as flames, fanned by strong winds, destroyed five square kilometers of vegetation.
Police evacuated people, including young children... Goats and guinea pigs were among the animals taken to safety.

Homes get go-ahead - but there's no 'free-for-all'

Councillors have said there will be no 'free-for-all' for building near a Moidart settlement - despite giving permission for three new houses.
'Some people had concerns about density and urban sprawl, but we've sent out a message that there is not a free-for-all for building in Roshven.'

(from 21 April 2011)

Unsupervised parking 'chaos'

Car parking is going unsupervised in Oban at weekends - causing chaos...
Argyll and Bute Council confirmed: 'The parking attendant does not work every Saturday and Sunday but does work random weekends.'

Parents' fury as schools face the axe

The bell has tolled for 11 rural schools in Argyll and Bute after councillors voted to go out to consultation on closure.

TV chef reaches boiling point over restaurant rules

Celebrity chef Nick Nairn is at boiling point after being refused entry to two Oban restaurants because he had his young children with him...
Both restaurants... stand by their decisions saying licencing restrictions are not flexible - no matter how famous the potential customer is.

Man sent back to prison after carrying screwdriver

An Oban man was found in possession of an offensive weapon one month after being released from prison on licence.
S.W... was ordered to serve the remaining month of his sentence plus another four months after he pled guilty to carrying a screwdriver.

Andy leads 5k runners home in Oban athletics season opener



That's my Andy!

'Something untoward was happening' and other news

This is the oddest piece of news in a while.

The photo with the article shows two men cutting down a tree with a chainsaw. The article seems to suggest that cutting down the trees effectively removes problems of drinking and drug use in the area. And I love the added detail that the council is going to 'flatten down the area'--presumably sloping ground is also conducive to antisocial behaviour?

Honestly, now, is this really seeing 'the wood for the trees'?

(from the Oban Times, 31 March 2011)

Volunteers tackle 'junk' woodland in Soroba

A team of volunteers has been making sure residents are seeing the wood for the trees in Soroba.
After years of putting up with drinking and possible drug abuse in the woodland next to their homes, residents decided enough was enough.
The results of all their hard labour is a safer place for children to play and a nicer environment to live in...
'Week after week something untoward was happening right next to our houses. We didn't know what it was because the trees were so thick and there was so much junk lying about.'...
Argyll and Bute Council has agreed to come and flatten down the area.

This week's Oban Times has a few choice items involving non-human members of the community. There's a pet dog responsible for a stabbing, illegal immigrant turtles, and otters with their own road signs.

(7 April 2011)

Pet Alsatian to blame for 'stabbing' incident

A Mallaig stabbing victim has told the court his wounds occurred when his collie alsatian jumped on him, knocking him onto the knife his brother was holding.
W.G. told Fort William Sheriff Court he came home to find his 53-year-old brother S. drunk and making himself a sandwich. They started arguing, causing W.'s dog to become agitated.
The dog jumped on W.'s back knocking him forward onto the five-inch knife S. was holding. The court heard he had been using the filleting knife to cut cheese.

Illegal immigrants find sanctuary at Barcaldine

Illegal immigrants will be among the residents of a new refuge for freshwater turtles opening at the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary at Barcaldine today, Thursday.
The new facility will host 18 Mississippi Map [sic] turtles that are not endangered but that arrived in the UK without the correct papers.

Roadside reflectors come to aid of threatened otters

Otters in Wester Ross are to have their own road signs in a bid to avoid them being killed on the road by traffic at night. However, bad weather had threatened to stall the installation.
Reflectors have now been fitted at otter eye-level.

You might think we don't have much to do in a little town such as Oban, but clearly we know how to keep busy chopping down trees to improve our living environment, prevent alcoholism and drug abuse, and make the world safer for children!

'Wall-to-wall bracken' and other news

You may have noticed that I like collecting odd tidbits of news from our local weekly newspaper. I like to think of news excerpts as little glimpses into the pecularities of life in a certain place. It works especially well in a small town.

Here are some recent glimpses into life in western Scotland (from the Oban Times, 3 March 2011):


Town buildings fail to sell at auction

Two of Oban's most prominent commerical buildings failed to sell when they went to auction... last week.

Residents told to boil their water

Bridge of Orchy residents have been told their water is unsafe to drink by Argyll and Bute Council staff, who visited the area last Thursday...
The village has had a problem with its water supply since late November but there has been confusion over how to fix the problem, as no public authority has direct responsibility for it.
The council ceased responsibility for the water supply after the last council house was sold and the school closed down.

(From 10 March)

'Immediate' fix promised for Argyll potholes

Work to repair potholes on Argyll's trunk roads will 'commence immediately'...
However, in a blow to improvements for the trunk road through Oban, [councillors] heard the funding may be in jeopard [sic].

Oban's dental gap to be filled

A solution may have finally been found for investing in dental services in Oban...
Proposals will include space for six treatment rooms, almost tripling the capacity for appointments for NHS dental patients.

Oban man grabbed mother by throat

An argument over a midnight snack reulted in a man grabbing his mother by the throat, then assaulting another man.

EC ban on bracken spray could be devastating to hill farms

Agriculture, tourism and the west coast's biodiversity could be devastated if the EU approves plans to ban the only safe airborne chemical to tackle bracken...
'If bracken is not controlled, it grows rampantly, overtaking crucial grazing land and providing a habitat in which parasitic ticks thrive...'
'If it is untreated, it could also impact on the visual appeal of the area, which could become wall-to-wall bracken.'

Now if they could just come up with a way to get the midges under control...

'Fishing exhibition flounders' and other news

The wee green portacabin (my office) is creaking and groaning in the wind, while waves of rain lash the windows. The lights have flickered a few times and we've had deafening hailstorms in between fickle sunbreaks. Real spring weather.

There have been some groaners lately in the Oban Times. You know, I honestly think that they don't have a copy editor on staff. At least I hope they don't.

See what you think of these.

Hospital staff in fear of their jobs

Hospital workers in Oban are at their wits end with management after waiting months to be told where they are going to work.
(10 February 2011)

Mart witnesses a moo-ving ceremony!

It was a MOOment of magic as a bride and groom took their vows in one of the most unusual places - the ring at Oban [Cattle] Mart.
(17 February)

Glasgow's March fishing exhibition flounders

Organisers of this year's Fishing Expo in Glasgow have blamed market conditions for their decision to cancel this year's show.
(3 March)

CalMac aim for hydrid [sic] fuel ferries

The world's first ferry to be part-powered by batteries could be about to set sail on some of Caledonian MacBrayne's Clyde and Hebridean routes.
(3 March)

'Carmageddon' and other news

Most of the news recently has been dominated by government budget cuts, job losses, petty theft and delayed planning permissions. I've tried to pick out a few unusual items this week... Enjoy!

From the Oban Times, Thursday, 3 February, 2011

Oban is officially a university town

Oban became a university town this week after a historic announcement confirming the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Millennium Institute has gained university status.

Anti-war protester jailed for refusing to pay compensation

An 81-year-old Kilchoan woman has been jailed for 45 days for refusing to pay a court-ordered compensation fee...
Ms S. painted anti-war graffiti on the walls of the High Court in Edinburgh on November 11, 2006.

Thursday, 10 February 2011

Barcaldine man's 'dead' brother discovered in Honolulu

A Barcaldine pastor who for 49 years believed his brother was dead has discovered he is alive and has been using his identity since the 1960s.

Black ice causes 'Carmageddon' in North Lorn

There was car-nage on the road between North Connel and Barcaldine on Tuesday morning, when black ice forced five cars off the road...
Three of the cars involved were 4x4 'offroad' vehicles.

Mid Argyll diseased forest faces the axe

Hundreds of trees infected with a deadly disease on the Craignish Peninsula will be felled by the end of the month, the Forestry Commission for Scotland has said.
The felling starts after Ramorum disease was discovered in Japanese larch trees on the three-acre forestry plantation on December 8 last year.

From the Recruitment section:

DMS, the market leader in Mortgage Arrears Counselling require self employed Experienced Field Agents

Coll and Tiree Greylag Goose Management Scheme... Tenders are sought from suitably experienced parties to coordinate and undertake Goose Management works for Coll and Tiree

Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, General Assistants (2 posts)... This role aims to provide a quality accommodation and meals service to visitors to Rum

United Auctions Trainee Livestock Auctioneer... This is an exciting opportunity to enter the field of livestock marketing. Experience will be gained in both a liveweight and deadweight scales environment.

Do any of you love reading job ads just to imagine yourself doing something completely different?

I spend a lot of time browsing through job listings, trying to imagine what my life would be like if I were doing those jobs. I'm having a hard time picturing myself as a livestock auctioneer, though.

'Thieves stole a quantity of meat' and other news

From The Oban Times, Thursday 6 January 2011. For your general enjoyment.

Parking 'free for all' warning

Parking in Oban could become a 'free for all' if Strathclyde Police plans to withdraw traffic wardens comes to fruition, Argyll and Bute Council's transport spokesperson has claimed.
Police are in the process of carrying out a 90-day consultation on the cost cutting proposal as it faces losing a quarter of its budget over the next four years...
While wardens aren't always the most popular people, their removal could result in drivers parking where they want, for as long as they want.

Councillors force meeting to re-think school plans

Under fire councillors were this week being urged to abandon controversial proposals which could lead to the closure of up to 25 rural primary schools in Argyll and Bute.

Villagers see red as traffic lights work goes to tender

There is outrage in Connel after The Oban Times learned tenders to intall traffic lights at the village's most scenic location had been received by Transport Scotland on Christmas eve - despite ongoing talks with residents.

Sneak thieves steal meat

Sneak thieves stole a quantity of meat from outside a Portree hotel on Hogmanay. Portree police said the meat had been delivered to the back door of the Marmalade Hotel and was taken sometime between 3 am and 9 am. The meat had a value of £200 and was within a cardboard tray, brown on the bottom with a white lid possibly marked 'Grants'.

'Scruffy' man threw suitcase into sea

A family of Hogmanay revellers at a pierside restaurant in Oban were shocked when a man grabbed a suitcase belonging to one of them and threw it into the sea...
The man is described as 'scruffy' and wearing an orange jacket.

Gazebo stolen

A gazebo has been stolen from the Oyster Brewery, in Ellanabeich.

I'm wondering what tipped off the 'sneak thieves' as to what was in the box marked 'Grants'. A surprise for them if they were after important paperwork.

What's news in your world?

'Phoenix to rise' and other news

My previous post title was meant ironically, you all. I'm currently in the middle of a Christmas craft crisis and have been enduring merciless teasing in regards to my miniature woolly jumpers (now there are two).

We've got some gems in the local news this week. Most wonderfully, that the Oban cinema (closed since July) may be revived as a community trust run by volunteers. This will make us the only town, once again, to have a movie theater for 100 miles in any direction.

We've also had record low temperatures, ATM 'skimmers', explosions, and a record-breaking Orcadian Strip The Willow in the planning.

From this week's Oban Times, 9 December 2010. Enjoy!

Phoenix to rise from the ashes of Highland Theatre

Oban's vacant cinema is set to rise from the ashes with a new name, community ownership, and refurbishment. The Highland Theatre building, on George Street, will be transformed by a community trust to meet the needs of modern cinemagoers with new seating, warm surroundings and the latest films.

Week of celebrations planned for Oban anniversary

Obanites are being called upon to take part in a record breaking Orcadian Strip The Willow as part of the town's bicentennial celebrations in 2011...
It is hoped that at least 3,000 people will take part in the dance that will stretch along George Street and the Esplanade on July 17 at 8pm.

Argyll suffers as temperatures plummet to -14C

Road routes in Argyll turned into skating rinks for much of this week as the Arctic conditions took their toll on the network.

Sad day as popular isle railway ceases services

The last whistle has blown on Scotland's only island railway. The Isle of Mull Railway went out with a bang, including a full day of train trips between Craignure and Torosay Gardens. The railway is closing, to the regret of its directors, not because of financial hardship or a lack of numbers but because Torosay Castle is up for sale.

Offensive image drawn in frost

Members of Oban Bowling Club have expressed their disappointment after an offensive image was drawn onto the green the night before its Christmas Fayre. The image, which was 'drawn' into the frost covering the green, measured approximately 100 feet in length... it was easily visible from the door of the club house.

And what have I been doing? I finally finished The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (fantastic on audio, review to come) and am now reading a tiny 1918 edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale. It's got a trollop in it.

I'm being very good and not going to any craft fairs or book shops! I have three books out from the library, which I hope to read over Christmas and New Year's...

I suppose some New Year's resolutions may be in the pipeline, but I'll need to have a think. I don't think my success rate was very good with this year's list.

'The scheduled piper did not show' and other news

There hasn't been much to laugh about in the news recently (Council budget cuts, school closures, and compulsory redundancies being the main headlines) so this week's collection of funny bits was very welcome.

Here you are, from this week's Oban Times, 18 November 2010: your weekly dose of questionable history, heroism, local gossip, and idle speculation.


Islanders on Tiree hit out at 'Berlin Wall' of turbines

Fears that a 'Berlin Wall' of wind turbines could jeopardise Tiree's burgeoning tourist trade has sparked a campaign to have the planned Argyll Array redesigned.
Current plans would see the array starting 5 km off the shore of the island and would be home to 200-500 turbines, some up to 200 meters, or 656 feet, in height.
But the new group, No Tiree Array, says this could devastate the island... 'The result of this array would be Tiree will effectively have a Berlin Wall off its west coast.'

Vandals target Nelson Monument

A 200-year-old monument to Admiral Lord Nelson, erected in Taynuilt following his victory at Trafalgar, has been vandalised. Nelson's monument was erected by workers at the village's Bonawe Iron Furnace, which made cannonballs for the Battle of Trafalgar.

'Homebound' Mull man claims pothole damaged car

A [sic] islander who made a claim against pothole damage to his car is 'homebound' until Argyll and Bute Council 'take responsibility' for his claim...
'Everyone who lives on the island knows the pothole is there and we have all complained about it to the council. I have managed to dodge the potholes for five years but on February 5 I was running late and I hit the hole. I couldn't believe it. Two tyres were damaged.'...
'I have been back to measure the pothole and it is 17 inches wide.'

Ruaraidh to the rescue

On a day when the ex-servicemen of Mull are remembered for their heroism, it was a school pupil from the island who was hailed for rescuing Tobermory's Remembrance Service.
Tobermory High School pupil Ruaraidh M. was called into action on Sunday when the scheduled piper did not show at Tobermory War Memorial...
The present Earl Kitchener of Khartoum authorised one of the Yeomanry collar badges to be presented to Ruaraidh in appreciation for his efforts.

Outrage at traffic lights plan for Connel beauty spot

One of Connel's most scenic spots could be ruined if plans to erect traffic lights next to the Falls of Lora viewpoint go ahead, it was claimed this week.
The proposal for traffic lights opposite the Oyster Inn at the A85/A828 junction, comes as part of a project... to establish a cycle route between Campbeltown and Inverness via the Connel Bridge.
However, it has already provoked an agitated response from both the management of the Oyster Inn and Connel Community Council, who say the move would be disastrous.

I wonder what sort of Berlin Wall is 5 km off the coast of an island. Presumably the 'eyesore' kind.

'Great Scot' and other news

Fireworks, steam trains, and beavers are the big news around here lately. From the Oban Times, Thursday 9 September 2010


Marine scientists call for help with alien invaders

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) at Dunstaffnage is calling on the public to help them stop 'aliens' from invading our shores...
These creatures vary from Chinese mitten crabs digging away at river banks to sea squirts that smother the sea bed and this new project is focussing scientific attention on how they arrive in the UK.

Steam train runs out of puff

A steam engine ran out of puff after leaving Oban when it tried to climb on Glencruitten Summit on Sunday afternoon.
According to Network Rail the train stalled at 2:45 pm before rolling backwards into Oban Station where it arrived 15 minutes later.

Town fireworks party in danger of becoming damp squib

With less than two months to go until Guy Fawkes' night, plans for Oban's annual fireworks display may be burnt out because of a funding shortfall.

And here's the latest from Thursday, 16 September 2010

Heroes of Loch Awe train crash receive Great Scot award

The driver and conductor involved in train derailment at the Falls of Cruachan in June this year have been honoured at this year's Great Scot Awards for their bravery.

Royal visit for Argyll beavers

Argyll's beavers received a Royal visit last week as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal toured the area.

Man loses ear in vicious assault

A man had his ear bitten off in a vicious assault in Oban at the weekend.

You may remember an earlier report on a man who had a finger bitten off last year. That and people hitting each other on the head with bottles seems to happen with some frequency in these parts. Wonder if it's the drink...

Those lucky beavers!

'Pail of puppies' and other news

Even though I like to make fun of it, I buy the weekly newspaper promptly every Thursday when it appears.

For 75 p, we get hours of entertainment (maybe that's a slight exaggeration), a reminder of what's going on in the community (however selective), snippets of gossip, shocking Council exposés, a couple lousy job ads AND a complete, detailed recounting of every recent coffee morning fundraiser, car accident, and boating/mountaineering casualty within a 60-mile radius.

Not to mention the exploits of every person who's ever lived in or around Oban, who either gets into trouble with the law or has something spectacularly amazing happen to them.

Oh yeah, and the UFO and large black cat sightings. I'm not kidding.

Here's the latest from the Oban Times, 26 August 2010.

Coll UFO reported two years on

A UFO sighting by police officers has come to light, two years after the incident. The cigar-shaped object on the island of Coll was never recorded by officers on the island. But witnesses claim the authorities were already on high alert at the time of the sighting....
A sighting of a potential UFO near Soroba, Oban last weekend, was later confirmed as a floating Chinese lantern.

Pail of puppies abandoned at roadside

An Oban taxi driver got an unexpected shock when he went to look in an old plastic builder's bucket lying beside the roadside at Kilmore, near Oban - the pail was full of puppies...
Taxi driver Alistair admitted he would have been tempted to keep one for himself if he didn't already have a Collie named Benji.

West has wettest July in 10 years

Dunstaffnage near Oban had its wettest July for the past 10 years with 177.2 mm [7 inches] of rain, according to Met office recordings recently released.

Bins may be target of council cost cuts

Dustbins in Argyll and Bute may be emptied less often in a bid to slash the council's waste management budget.

What's the latest in your neighborhood?

'Sea lice fears' and other news

From this week's Oban Times, 19 August 2010 -- a few items of possible interest.

Kerrera parrot centre wins award

Kerrera Parrot Sanctuary has been awarded an international award for its innovative work in the care of birds.

Council warns of major cuts

Argyll and Bute residents should brace themselves for major cuts to public services as the local authority attempts to tighten its purse strings. The council is, according to its leader, facing 'unprecendented times' as its annual budget is slashed by around 12 per cent over the next three years...
Cutting the number of schools and teachers, combining school management, reducing the number of roads gritted in winter, reconsidering town regeneration projects and introducing fortnightly rubbish collections are just some of the measures being considered.

Inveraray may have some nasty niffs

An unpleasant smell may hang around Inveraray for the next few weeks as Scottish Water carries out maintenance work.

Salmon trust voices sea lice fears

Sea lice are posing a real threat to wild salmon and sea trout in waters around the west coast of Scotland according to the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST). The lice occur in nature but are increasing in numbers as a result of fish farms.

In other news, we're off to the Lake District for a week -- so the blog will be taking yet another holiday. This will be the last holiday for a while, I promise. Then, I suppose we'll be back to business as usual. (Reading, crafting, job hunting, moaning about the weather.)

What's up next on the book stacks?

I absolutely loved A. S. Byatt's Possession, 1990 Booker prize winner, which I just finished. Review will be forthcoming, and glowing, as usual. I think the Bookers generally should be savored and enjoyed, like any fine thing, in moderation.

So, I'm skipping over to a book that my dad said was a quick but enjoyable read: Going to See the Elephant by Rodes Fishburne (2009).

I'm also taking along Louise Erdrich's new-ish novel, The Plague of Doves (2008).

You may have noticed that I don't read many books published within the last couple years -- a publication date of 2008 or 2009 is 'brand new' to me!

I'm also taking my knitting needles and some wool, with lofty plans of knitting the infamous Second Sock. Several hours of motorway driving should be conducive to that.

Have a fabulous week, friends! Are you doing anything fun and exciting?

Job hunt goes... bizarre

I love posting little excerpts from our local news here on a regular basis -- there are always a few gems of small-town weirdness, things that you wouldn't think a self-respecting newspaper would report on.

Tesco 'not sinking' is still one of my favorites and Dunbeg goes to war on rat packs is one of the weirdest/funniest articles I've found.

If you want to glance over the collection, you can find them filed under Local news.

I've recently come across some really bizarre jobs in my ongoing job search, so I can't resist sharing a few of them with you. These are real jobs. I'm not making this up.

Unfortunately, I won't be applying for any of them -- I just don't seem to have the right qualifications...


Co-ordinating Editor for the Online Egyptological Bibliography (OEB)

You will oversee the incorporation of the large amounts of reference material into the OEB and develop the database. Applicants must hold, or have made substantial progress towards, a doctorate in Egyptology or a closely related subject; have a broad knowledge of the principal areas of Egyptology, including competence in ancient Egyptian language; be able to demonstrate their ability to work with academic literature in several modern languages; and have familiarity and sympathy with the use and implementation of online database systems for research purposes.

Assistant Editor at the Dictionary of Medieval Latin

Duties include reading and excerpting of texts for new quotations, searching electronic databases and microfiche concordances, verifying existing quotations, defining meanings, drafting entries for lemmata, and proofreading. Applicants must be qualified to doctoral level or equivalent, and competent in Classical Latin.

Editor of Sailing Directions

Produce safe, accurate, clear, comprehensive, timely and up-to-date volumes of Sailing Directions for the use of mariners. You must: hold MCA Class 1 (Deck) Certificate of Competence or have held the rank of Lieutenant-Commander (X) in the Royal Navy, have wide experience of navigation and shipping in different parts of the world, a good standard of written English, ability to distinguish navigationally important information from the large amount of data presented, ability to deal methodically with information and keep records of those actions.

CPCS 360 RUBBER DUCK OPERATOR

This vacancy is being advertised on behalf of --- who are operating as an employment business. Must have CPCS Ticket for Rubber Duck. Duties will be driving the machine onsite. This could be long term for the right person.

WARFARE SPEC SENSORS (SUBMARINER) RN

You will be required to join the Royal Navy. As a Warfare Specialist Sensors (Submariner) you are a central member of the Warfare branch, you'll be responsible for working out exactly where the enemy is, without giving away your submarine's position.

You'll be trained to use highly-advanced active and passive sonar systems to detect other submarines and ships, giving your officers the information they need to make vital decisions. Keeping your submarine safe and undetected, whether you're on routine surveillance or going into action, puts you right at the heart of the tight-knit team on board one of our most formidable fighting machines. No specific qualifications are needed for this job.

Needless to say, I'm still looking...

'Monster egg' and other news

Ahhh... that holiday glow. Wait, is that a greenish tinge?

Hold on -- it's not a tan, it's... it's mildew!

After a straight 22 days of rain in Scotland, we arrived in Sweden just in time for their heaviest week of rain EVER apparently.

We even made the Swedish news when the campground we were staying in started to flood. 'Storm chaos' ran the headlines and all we had between us and the raging torrent was my flimsy 'three-season' backpacking tent.

(The fourth season being year-round in my experience.)

We turned up in Stockholm only a matter of days before their huge gay pride festival and parade. SOOO disappointing. (I mean that we missed it. We only had a day there.)



Lest you think it was all doom and gloom, the sun did come out for a day and a half, and we did enjoy ourselves at the biggest orienteering festival, um, in the world.



I'm going to have to catch up on book reviews (and holiday photos!) so in the meantime I'll turn to the old staple, the weekly local news.

From the Oban Times, 22 July 2010. Yes, these are excerpts from real newspaper articles.

Absence of sheriff delays Oban trials

Shocked defendants were sent away from Oban Sheriff Court on Tuesday morning after it was discovered there was no sheriff available for the morning's sittings.

Road risk fears rise as grass remains unchecked

Claims that unchecked vegetation along Lochaber's minor roads poses a major road safety risk have surfaced after Highland Council admitted it only has one verge-cutting machine covering the whole of Lochaber.

Monster egg stuns Balvicar poultry farmer Flo

An experienced poultry farmer says a giant egg produced by one of her free-range hens is no 'yolk'. Flo... weighed the 'egg-normous' oval at 203 grammes on Sunday; a typical 'large' egg will weigh between 63 to 72 grammes.

Figures reveal Ardgour school roll set to double

A child starting at Ardgour Primary School... is likely to have twice as many schoolmates by the time he or she starts primary seven, according to the latest projections. From a roll of 14 in session 2009-10, Ardgour is forecast to have 30 pupils on the roll by 2016.

And from the Recruitment (job ads) section:

IT Support Analyst: Experience in remote access security and planning, MS SQL server admin, IIS configuration and support, Active Directory admin... and the ability to converse without looking at your shoes would be advantageous.

Don't you just love it?

'A lack of meaningful rainfall' and other news

I feel a teensy bit of blogger's block. I'm not sure what it is -- I've read several fantastic books lately. Actually, that could partly explain it. I always find the more I love a book, the harder it is to write coherently about it.

In other news, I've put in another job application, Andy's come down with a cold, and the July rain has begun in earnest.

Dare I also mention the World Cup?

I've rounded up a few funny stories from the local news -- here they are, from the Oban Times, 24 June 2010.

Secure your car say Oban police

Police in Oban are reminding car owners to secure vehicles and remove keys when they leave their cars.

Big cat sighting shocks scout leader

A shocked scout leader saw a big cat cross in front of his car in the early hours of last Saturday morning.

Wildlife has tourists flocking

The value of wildlife tourism to the Scottish economy has been counted for the first time. New research estimates that more than one million people come to Scotland especially to see wildlife.

Bull rescued from Loch Awe mud as water levels drop due to lack of rain

A Luing bull had to be rescued from drowning in Loch Awe after getting stuck in the mud.

Amazing giant clematis delights passersby

Passersby on the A861 from Strontian to Salen have another attraction to gaze at on the scenic single-track road -- a 25-foot wooden telegraph pole swallowed up from base to tip by hundreds of thousands of tiny pink clematis flowers.

Isle of Eigg powers on without water scheme

A lack of meaningful rainfall has shut down the Isle of Eigg's hydropower scheme for the past month.

'Only in Scotland', as they say. I love the 'telegraph pole'.

'West coast menace' and other news

This week's tidbits from the Oban Times (17 June 2010). For your enjoyment.

West coast menace wreaks havoc at train derailment

Midges were the biggest nuisance to the work of the emergency services during the train derailment at the Falls of Cruachan, Loch Awe... firefighters were being 'eaten alive' on the loch side.

Oban to celebrate bicentenary of town in 2011

Oban will be 200 years old in 2011 - it is official. After wrangles over when Oban became a town, community councillors decided that next year, the date of when the application for town status was first made, would be best.

Two Knapdale beavers die just days apart

The Scottish Beaver Trial has been dealt a severe blow following the deaths of two of its male beavers. One of the beavers, released on May 4 at Knapdale, was found dead in his lodge on May 27.

Otter strolls into Minard cafe

A Minard cafe had an unusual guest this week - an inquisitive little otter. The otter, a resident of the water that runs alongside the cafe, at Quarry View Garden Centre, caused quite a commotion when it strolled into the busy cafe on a sunny afternoon.

Sawmill worker crashed car while trying to scare girlfriend

A Corpach sawmill worker crashed his car into a lamp post while trying to scare his girlfriend after an argument with her at a party the night before.

I'm not surprised that there was a fair bit of arguing over how old the town is. It's remarkable actually how new it is, compared to some in Scotland.

Then again, people have been living on this coast for about 8,000 years, according to the ancient remains found in local caves. If only the newspaper record went back that far.