Business as usual

Tomorrow marks a full quarter century on this planet for yours truely. No big birthday plans, just a relative feast down at Harris and a few bottles of wine. Something is quite right though... Monday is a Bank Holiday, my birthday, and the only day of the week that we're doing work. Annie is off to Kilmory to help with the deer calving, and I'm back in the village to aid in the prep for Prince Charles and company. But I guess time is running out and a lot of data still needs collecting.

Got some good news from Fliss last night (and some drum sticks as a present)... I'm one step closer to working for SNH for the summer. The details will be sorted out this week, and I should know one way or another. Best case scenario: SNH writes a letter to the Home Office granting me a work permit. Second Best: SNH opts for self-employed ghillies and I work under the table. Worst: back to Edinburgh for the summer months. Can't really complain either way.

Also, heard a rumour that there may be some big ceilidhs in June... Croft No. Five may be back as well as others. And... it's official... my phone is dead. Got water damaged again (I never learn) last week when Ains was over and doesn't want to work again. Ah well, Annie is going to post me her old one.

I'm reading a book on the fabric of reality (written by a physicist) and it should make for some interesting posts this week (parallel universes, virtual reality etc). Combined with all the books on consciousness I've read lately, and my world has been pretty much turned upside down... more accurately, inside out.

Rum in full bloom

and wreaking havoc with the islands internet connection. Apparently all the new growth is causing the broadband signal to decay as it's bounced around the village. That's why I've been unable to post in the past 2 weeks. But never fear, it's seems to be working now... so here's the latest.

Official end date of the Rum Goat Project is mid July. As the quad is written off there's not much point in continuing, and Robin has more than enough data for several papers. Don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but there is rumour that Annie and I may be able to stick around for the summer months and work the deer cull (well, she can for sure, but my Visa status may limit me). It's a sweet gig involving lots of walking, working with ponies, and dragging dead deer long distances over rough terrain... then cutting them up in the larder at night.

Rum Music Festival. WOW. Probably one of the sickest festivals I've attended, hands down. Sandy really had it together when he organized this event. Three days of madness and incredible music. Myself, Annie and Katherine (the researcher I replaced) worked the bar each night (in 3 hr shifts) and the shop the following morning (except for Sunday, when the ladies graciously let me sleep in). Must have been my accent, but I think I won the competition to see how many drinks were bought for us behind the bar. By the end of Saturday night I could barely walk... stumbled into the music tent and was blown away by the PeatBog Faeries, who have one of the best drummers I've seen (I'm talking Danny Carey from TOOL calibre). Croft No Five were headlining Friday night, and took the stage just as I got off bar detail. Got some great videos on Annie's camera that I'll post sometime in the near future. I could write a book about the festival but I think 'highlight of the summer' sums it up nicely. Sandy has already put our names down to help with next years.

On Tuesday Ainslie came to visit, doubling the number of Canadians on Rum. Unfortunately the weather was typical of this island and didn't allow for much walking. We did share a cramped ride down to Harris in a Land Rover full of geriatrics. It was nice to see someone from back home and even better to hear a familar accent. Annie and I joined her for the ferry ride to Mallaig on Friday as I needed to get new hiking boots (my old one cracked and absorbed water resulting in a smell you wouldn't believe). We originally intended to have a big night out in Mallaig, but after some fish 'n' chips we decided a quiet night in watching movies was a far superior option. Somehow we even managed to get a goat researcher discount on the room.

Saturday was spent eating more fish 'n' chips, purchasing a new pair of kicks, too much time in the local grocery store (we were like deer in caught in headlights looking at the food) and unfortunately no time at Mallaig's 'Marine World', which was closed for repairs. Not sure what Marine World features, but I'm guessing an extensive collection of molluscs and some lower aquatic invertebrates. We then boarded the CalMac and had an exciting 5hr tour of the small isles before returning home at 7pm. All in all it was a nice weekend get-a-way and technically our 'first date' (the shop doesn't count).

Looking ahead: one week at Harris putting in some solid field work then back to the village for a rather random few days. Prince Charles is coming here June 1st on a chartered yacht, and Norman has asked for my help in preparing a buffet for 70+ VIPs. Wtf? Of course I said yes, but I'm not sure if all the necessary security clearences will hold up, me being a non-UK citizen and all. But... fingers crossed and I may be cooking for royalty. Only on Rum.

After the buffet, it's off to the mainland to visit my parents for a few weeks. Ains and I made some plans to hit up London and the Maple Leaf pub for Canada Day celebrations, but we'll see how it pans out given recent developments. Also, I'm getting rather excited about the return to academic life. Ainslie is going to put me in touch with an evolutionary psychologist who studies monkey colonies in Fiji and hopefully we can discuss options in the field and potential PhDs.

well folks, I have a million and one emails to send out and limited time... so I hope all is well and I'll post next week.