My car is getting fixed today. And while that happens I am trapped in a Toyota Yaris.

It’s diesel, so commuting will be cheaper for a few days but it sounds like an almost but not quite blocked drain.

It handles like a rowing boat around corners, which satisfies my nautical desires for a few years, but does nothing for the nerves.

The seats are medieval in their torturous discomfort, although raising and lowering the driver’s seat by some crazy pump action is mildly entertaining - at least in comparison to the driving experience.

It failed to start when trying to get home tonight, which is hardly reassuring for a brand new car. And then, by some miracle, it began after all. An hour and three emergency breakdown phone calls later. Frustrated? Pfft!

It has a nice thermostatic air conditioning system. Very clever. Perhaps a more expensive option than the suspension.

The radio/music/satnav system has an entirely terrible UI. It’s awful in a cunningly unique manner that makes describing it’s (lack of) usability both difficult and painful.

The aerial did seem to function as required!

It’s that time again, boys and girls!

Tomorrow it’s back to work time. Must remember to munch some antihistamines in the morning.

I wonder if Hamble suffered annually at the hands of the tree pollen Gods?

Normality returns.

Holiday mode over. Weekend mode engaged.

Good job I like weekends.

Today I typed 3500 words. What’s the likelihood many people handwrite that much anymore in any normal situation? And yet that is still the primary method of school assessment used in this country! What gives?

Walking towards the beach tonight, we were met by this canine guardian. No humans, no gates, no tolls. Just pooch!

Last day off work today, spent once more enjoying seaside dog walking, then pretending to fix cars and prepare gourmet food!

Tonight, a quiet Chianti perhaps?

It’s a funny old world. One in which things get done more rapidly and efficiently after complaining. And where people think nothing of saying and doing different things!

My car gets fixed on Monday (or at least the process starts then). And I am getting a temporary Vauxhall Astra as reward for some inept driver broadsiding me. It’s an automatic apparently. That’ll be fun!

And our house buyer? Where have you gone!? Seems he might have been a colossal time waster. Let’s begin that process again, shall we?

Thank heavens for families. They keep me sane (or at least some family-norm referenced approximation of sanity).

My insurance company are organisationally dishevelled. I hope my car gets fixed on Monday.

Our house buyer is reticent about actually committing to an offer, hoping instead to complete telepathically. Just as well we like living where we do!

I worked a little today. Scheduled a meeting today, while on holiday. How dedicated am I? And another tomorrow. Go me!

I have a dodgy tummy today, but what the heck… Chinese food overload this evening. Strangely, this has not cured my digestive grumblings.

And should tomorrow throw up actual problems, I know my bookshelves are packed with helpful, constructive advice on solving them.

So long as we suffer prolonged flooding or invasion by a robotic master race! Sorted!

In the cherry blossom’s shade there’s no such thing as a stranger.

• Kobayashi Issa

Who can argue with a haiku master?

Today we stepped out and enjoyed Camperdown Zoo (although I cannot recommend the cafe experience) and of all the images that captures such a lovely day… a little white cherry blossom…

On the anniversary of Gagarin’s extra planetary excursion, I could have made more of a space travel effort, but there were no Sigue Sigue Sputnik tribute bands in town tonight!

(And sorry, but I couldn’t come up with a Vostok gag at such short notice.)

The beach keeps beckoning us back. And why not? The dogs love it! Gotta love this holiday thing - freedom in time and action, sweet!

I have no complaints about Scottish weather. Not today anyway? :-)

More tomorrow please!

Today we walked a few miles along the beach. The dogs, a majority of our girls, and me.

And on our travels we found two dead crabs, a big pond, some sinking sand, and a mermaid called Thomas. And a tennis ball which was more interesting to the girls than the dogs.

Then we wandered home, ate junk food, and lazed about for the rest of the afternoon. As you can see in the blip, it was all too much for some.

When the fates decide that you shouldn’t have the house you decide to buy, isn’t it just peachy when they provide you with an alternative. And doubly peachy when she who is all powerful decides she likes the new house more!

Just need to finalise actually selling our house now!

Oh, and the blip? It’s pretty much unrelated. But we did take the hounds to Auchmithie beach today, where it was captured!

One week of my holiday has drifted off into past times. Batteries are mostly recharged. Which is good, as I already have one meeting fixed for next week, and another tentative. That and a project proposal to write. Fun!

But for now, the peace of LCD interrupted darkness, a selection of pseudo random music, and the knowledge that life is good even when it tries to trip you up.

Go to sleep and smell the daffodils!

What a funny old day.

Funeral in the morning, marking the passing of dear Doris. She made tablet of exceptional quality. Better than my mother’s, even though I am not supposed to say that. And she shared one of life’s great insights with me - only thing I can Blip about that is “mashed potato”. Rest easy, Doris, you are one of a kind.

Out of focus afternoon. That kind of day I guess.

An evening of relaxed company with a pair of old friends. One, a fellow blipper, t’other a rather fine bottle of Talisker.

On this day in 1320 a historic document was drawn up. The Declaration of Arbroath was a statement of Scotland’s Independence.

Today’s blip is a tip of the hat to that document, it’s historic significance, and it’s modern day lack thereof.

I love Arbroath Abbey, despite have passed it thousands of times, it remains iconic in my mind.

When at home with their family, Greyhounds don’t typically do hypertension.

A little bit of sunshine, and the hounds are keen to join me in my holiday spirit!

Visited the bodyshop today. Now just need insurance company to agree, parts to be ordered, repair to be done… wait… when will this be done? A well, time to relax some more!

It’s a small world.

Thanks to Blipfoto user DrTwitcher for the tip to try out the Tiny Planets Photo iPhone app. It has some fun results!

Today I did some work, and yet I am on holiday. Where does this madness come from?

And tonight: dog walking at the beach, and out for ice cream - now that is the holiday spirit!

Sometimes, the desire to be free is restricted by the very enabler of that freedom.

Today I got a new phone. Just a replacement for my last one, which was randomly dropping calls. But useless it was, until I got home and restored it from backup.

Two hours without comms. Awake. How odd.

Finished off some extra work today, in an uncharacteristically sunny Glasgow. Caught up with about three hours of old conference materials on the commute. Doubly productive.

The train home is full of quietly drunk football fans. They don’t appear happy, so I assume they lost. Not sure how that whole football misery thing goes - but I guess they all like it that way…

Anyway. This week has been a bit of a blur (see what I did there?) but now I have two weeks off! Let the intensive slacking begin!

Who believes in Karma?

What an odd week. In many ways, so very positive. The future is bright, the present is cosy, and the past is behind us. A great week of experiencing talent and being inspired.

Then I spend too much time today trying to right the wrongs of a bad driver who “only just sorted [her] last claim out from hitting someone in January!”

I guess swings are accompanied by roundabouts. But I am in the for lucky white heather when I visit Glasgow tomorrow!

So, today was long. It started early. Good company with a colleague. Transversed the country. Met some great people. Spoke to some brilliant kids. Witnessed high quality teaching practice. And then enjoyed a sunny drive (almost) home.

It was all going well. Better than well.

Then dropping off my passenger in his wee Fife village… some $?¥^%?? $++?^*> drove into the side of my car!

I mean… expletive deleted!

So tonight’s dull blip is a very small amount of the damage incurred - tomorrow I will perhaps find out how bad it is underneath, but at least two panels and a door are kaput… :-/

Spent the evening bring entertained by an extraordinary bunch of talented teenagers.

Singers. Pianists. Violinists.

Choirs. Bands. Orchestras.

Extracts from Ravel’s piano duet, Ma mère l’oye, were fantastic. A highlight!