Caz counts it down

Cwtchie

Ah bet your aching! We get large rectangular bales which we split down and move bit by bit, usually they are tipped off inside the barn but lately a 'car' has appeared in the way! At least there are no complaints when they have to move the hay further. Spent a good few hours moving horse muck to the veg planters over the last fortnight or so, fab stuff almost back to peat, hope it works it's magic for next year. Left the gee gees out tonight, so no mucking out tomorrow yay!

cazmanian_minx

Not too bad actually, but certainly grateful that the shed only holds 26 and the other 14 have to stay in the trailer

I'm thinking that the time has possibly come to replace my old XP netbook with a slightly more modern laptop. I can manage fine on it just for me, but when it comes to the point of possibly losing out on work because I don't have a new enough machine, I think an upgrade is justified. I'll have a browse round Tier1 later to see what they have available (reconditioned business machines - discovered them thanks to a proofreading job!)

cazmanian_minx

One refurbished B-grade (i.e. the cover and mouse pad are a bit worn) Lenovo ThinkPad 420 Intel Core i5-2520M 2.50GHz RAM 8GB HDD320 GB DVD-RW 4180A32 Windows 7 Professional 14" 1600 x 900 Webcam Wireless 6 month warranty bought for £299 inc. VAT with free delivery to the Highlands

I've received a link from the software people to download a stripped-down version of the software that doesn't require upgraded Word or Dragon, so I'll try that tomorrow and fingers crossed I can take on some work for this client.

I currently have £480-worth of orders to go tomorrow and 5 hours of files to proofread. Think it's going to be another busy day, but Mr Minx is away on business from tomorrow morning again, so I'll be able to work late for a few days.

brizzledfw

Good decision. Well done, especially that free delivery

DebtFree2012

Great news re laptop and good short term fix if the install works.

How's the weather up your way?

cazmanian_minx

The rain has come in from over the Western Isles, DF2012 - it nearly missed us, it was due to start late morning and we didn't get it until gone three, so I was temporarily hopeful, but it's been raining pretty much non-stop ever since. The boys are completely ignoring their full hay racks inside the shelters and are happily stuffing themselves on the fresh bit of field I gave them on Sunday, getting soaked.

Software successfully installed on my PC I have a feeling I may need to buy a pedal as well, because it doesn't have hot-keys for pause, play and rewind (who on earth writes transcription software and doesn't put hot-keys in??), but we'll see how we go.

Today I have:

• Done a workout
• Shovelled two barrowloads of manure
• Fed the horses and walked the dog twice
• Proofread I-have-no-idea-how-many files (just checked, 11 - two hour discussions of Japanese cholesterol drugs anyone?)
• Sent out 18 orders
• Banked £520 :D:D
• Booked on a little bit more flatback stock
• Installed the new transcription software and emailed the potential new client to say I'm set up
• Rung my mum to hear about her trip to see my brother

Now, I could carry on working because I need to do the following:

• Finish listing the flatbacks and photographing the new ones
• Pack up the 14 orders waiting to go tomorrow
• Sort out the eBay shop clearance section
• Order some more stock from my main UK supplier
• Go through the 228 proofreading acknowledgement emails and 8 transcription acknowledgement emails and transfer all the work into my invoice for September (those proofreading ones are only what's built up since last Wednesday :eek::eek:)
• Tidy the annexe

But I reckon I'm going to be far more productive if I go and make myself some supper, have half an hour on the sofa with Closer magazine and then get a relatively early night ready to attack things tomorrow. I'm not going to have any proofreading until the office gets in around 9, so as long as I get up at my normal time I should be able to get a good head start on things.

Cwtchie

Mine are in tonight, rugged up as well, babies that they are. Rain here since about 6.30 ish tonight. Not so warm here either today a definite bite to the air, smelled of autumn, lovely

cazmanian_minx

Well, it rained for most of the night, but the boys still had hay in their racks this morning!! It seems field shelter = loo and a quick snooze at the moment, then it's straight back out onto last Sunday's fresh grass area.

It's been a fairly productive day, not much proofreading (it's my half day) but I got my stock order done, ordered 700 jiffy bags, shovelled another two barrowloads of manure, booked on about half the flatbacks, attempted to baby oil the pony's bits (without much success - he stood still for me even though he was loose in the field, but the hose pipe had been firmly reeled in, so I had to settle for liberal amounts around the entrance!!), put all the email notifications into my invoices and then went for a run, at which point things started to go wrong. I was supposed to do a 45 minute run for distance, i.e. no set speed, just as far as I can in the time, and was bouncing along quite happily at 10.30/mile pace when the bottom of my right calf started to hurt - think I've strained it by jumping onto the verge to let a car past, so I had to cut my run short half way through.

Came in, had a shower, pottered about in the kitchen and half an hour later realised that the bathroom fan was still on even though the light was off - it's supposed to stop after 60 seconds. Tried turning the light on and off to see if that would re-set it, which it didn't, turned the house lighting circuit off at the fuse box, which did stop it, but it came back on as soon as I flicked the breaker, even though the bathroom light was off. So tonight I have the choice of either having the fan running all night, risking overheating the wiring, or having the lighting circuit off all night which takes out the smoke detectors and means they'll beep every few minutes all night. I phoned Mr Minx for advice and he said since I haven't got the wood burner on, having the smoke detectors off is the safer option.

I'm currently crossing my fingers there won't be a number three!

cazmanian_minx

And there's number three, the dog has just brought up supper. Fortunately I heard the retching and got her outside in time!

DebtFree2012

Oh bloomin heck - at lest it's out the way now! Everything ok with the dog? I've not heard of the baby oil before!