Monday, November 5, 2012

It was one of those dives. My two fellow divers managed to find a solitary big cray around the 4 kilo mark, both of them, on the tail end of their air. I got to the tail end of my air having not even seen a cray, found 2 medium ones in a cave... And with very little air left and hating narrow caves anyway, got scared and left them. Ah well. I keep telling myself my wife would rather have me than a crayfish dinner... :-)

James was complaining that we have too few drop-ins here in the whoop-whoop (so by all means do drop in). He preferred us closer to Whitemark. I suspect this reflects his own tastes rather than an accurate guess of mine, and fortunately Barb goes in to work at the Doctor's rooms, so gets some extra people-seeing there. I like people... in small doses. I love the silences and space. I miss being close to a couple of friends but I still see someone besides Barbs every 2-3 days. But last night, as a sort of time travel response to this we had a 12.30 visitor drop in (having gone out for supper up at Jamie's place, to help them eat the thumper cray). As it was after dark, (quite a bit) they parked about a km up the road, so as not to disturb us and then came calling. Yeah, well actually they broke down, having been out for the evening, and as it's us, another good 3km, and a fair bit off the road to some elderly folk going on, and another 3km home, and they had left small kids with granny to go out... waking us seemed a fair call, or at least I thought so. they were embarrassed. Very different from SA - No mobile... just open the door and call. Our ever alert guard dogs didn't even wake up. We gave them a lift home, but I battled to get to sleep, and my body clock said 'its light, get up' this morning. I've been a lovely little zombie all day, and scared to tend my plants.

7 comments:

  1. {quote}James was complaining that we have too few drop-ins here in the whoop-whoop (so by all means do drop in).{/quote}

    And just how would one do that? I don't think you have any idea how respected you and Barbs are on the island, nor how protected.

    'bout a year ago, I tried to contact you by 'phone. Spoke to about eleven people "in town", they all knew you and Barbs and weren't prepared to reveal your unlisted telephone number until they'd passed my details to you so you could make the choice.

    I did mention it here, so I assumed your choice was not to speak. SIL.

    regards

    IanRC
    aka OldGrumpy
    aka Ian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually I am not terribly keen on giving out my 'phone number, except to family. I don't like talking on the telephone. Being able to work without interruption is important to me. Visitors are rare, and phone calls are too easy. During the work day I don't even have e-mails on. Those who live or visit the island regularly have not found me hard to meet.

      Delete
    2. Trying to do something like that without prior contact scores rather high on the creepometer IMO. NOt quite as a bad as the person who posted on the bar a few years ago after tracking down Webers home address (and IIRC doing a driveby); but still pretty bad.

      Delete
    3. Dan

      Umm, Huh!?

      I was a participant in Dr Monkey for five years. Dave and I corresponded off forum. I was absent from the Bar for five years after my breakdown turned into suicide. (Only once, once is enough to wake one up to the fact one needs help).

      Not sure when I joined up here. Apologised to Dave for making him look bad supporting me to Baen those years ago. I've made quite a few posts here and a few to his blog.

      I fail to see how my wishing to talk to Dave by telephone rather than this forum is creepy. I don't remember now why I wished to speak to him, but it wasn't stalking. I suspect I just wished to hear his accent, as about that time issues of expatriate South Africans and Aussies who'd worked in SA, whom I met as a teenager, had just re-entered our lives, briefly.

      Anyway, I made a single attempt to telephone Dave. That is not stalking.

      Ian

      Delete
    4. Dan (2)

      Have you ever watched an episode of "Homes of the Rich and Famous"?

      Are you aware thousands of people a day go on bus trips of Beverly Hills, looking at the homes of the Rich and Famous?

      Did the person you mention creep around Dave Weber's home and stare in the windows? Did he go back day after day?

      A fan wanting to see the MWW's home indicates fandom and interest. A single drive by look is not creepy, its curiosity.

      You are too harsh in your immediate reaction to me, and to him.

      Ian

      Delete
  2. From the other perspective :-)

    Year: 1974. Living in a home unit
    Time: 4 am
    Where: Lane Cove, Sydney, NSW, OZ
    Problem: My first wife had woken up worried about work. Wanted to go for a walk.

    After about 15 minutes, the dry wind in our faces dried out an eye and her contact lens fell out.

    We knocked and called at the door of the nearest home. Initially, they were peeved at being woken, but when I explained the problem, immediately went back inside and grabbed a couple of torches and helped us find the lens.

    In those days, that lens was glass and cost a week's wage. We were extremely gratefull for their help, but unsurprised.

    ===

    If that story was 2012, they'd just have called the police.

    Not all changes are bad, many are good. But, trust seems to be draining away.

    Ian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, we live in the past, mostly, here. I do like it from that aspect

      Delete