Thursday 7 January 2010

Services

Living at the end of the world you kinda don't expect services to work so well for you. So it's no surprise that we've not had a bin collection since 14th December, or a recycling collection since the end of November, and the post has only made it through once since Xmas. That's fine. The important things - like electricity are getting through (TOUCH WOOD).

Oh and wood.

We had a wood delivery this morning. Hats off to Hunters Coal merchants in Thurso. They promised wood on Boxing Day but couldn't get through. They tried again last week. Today they brought two vehicles - their lorry - which they left on the main road, and a 4x4 pick-up truck which they used to get up and down the more difficult access routes. That is service, and it is heroic - they had already gone for a 180 degree spin in Strathy (in the lorry).

But is it not all glory for the private sector. Parcel Force and Home Delivery Services seem to be incapable of getting anything beyond Inverness - much to the chagrin of The Girl.

But let's celebrate the wood. Here are some piccies with a very poor colour balance. Why so blue? And iphoto couldn't drop the blueness without losing even more of the detail. So here they are in all their natural blueyness. The wood shelter is a construction of 4 pallets and a good few fence posts all tied together with baler twine and the remains of a broken wind break. No nails or screws were used. I'm awaiting confirmation from the patent office of my pending millionairehood.... where is that postie?

2 comments:

Sam Mills said...

Hello, hello,
Thank you for your Christmas card, arrived yesterday, seems things are struggling to travel south as well as North.

And Happy New Year to you too, hope it is a stonking one!

Roads are relatively clear down here, albeit the main ones only. The pavements are another story, clearly not a priority, except for the NHS no doubt, their admissions for slips, trips and falls will be through the roof!

You sound cold, but well! How are the goats faring in the weather?

Keep well
Sam

Daniel said...

Ah ha. I see that my erstwhile colleague is also reading the blog. Although I hear rumours that Facebook commands more of your attention these days.

Anyway, suffice to say that the woodpile is a thing of beauty and I'm sure you will love it to bits. It is always best sited on the way to the outside toilet (had you such a thing) as this allows wood to be collected at the same time as attending to other necessities.

Hope you are managing OK and maintaining core temperatures.