12th Feb

Off with Blake across the local fields again today. We don't really want to go to our regular walk areas. These tend to be off the beaten tracks and the roads are unlikely to be too good. I prefer to stick to the local walks which I can get to on foot.

Usual 4 layers and boots and big socks. Its much colder today than yesterday and there is a dusting of ice where we have had some frozen rain (sleet rahet than snow). I feel quick drained when I get home as my lungs are still clogged and breathing is a bit hard.

Breakfast (more like brunch by the time we eat after 11) and then catch up with a few things we've been meaning to do.

I call Paddy and arrange to go up and see him and Mave in a couple of weeks time. We have been promising to go and see the for some time now and its time to commit. Its also part of our idea to do something special every month and to catch up with people we haven't seen for a while. Its fixed: we're going to see them on the 24th through to 26th Feb!

I then start loading the Audi software on the other laptop we have at home. I had planned to give this to Odette but they forgot to take it/we forgot to give it to them when they were here in January but it could come in handy whilst we're working on the Audi - something we didn't know about a month ago. When Phil and I used the other laptop we found some limitations and I want to see if I can overcome them. This is a completely empty machine without clutter of other software so I'm hoping it could be good.

Of course, because its an empty machine I run into problems right away as the software I'm trying to load expects some freely available software to already have been loaded on the machine. I then find that the operating system is a few years old and that the latest version of the free software doesn't work with the old operating system on the machine so I then have to hunt the web to find a compatible version.....etc......etc....... Sometimes, things are never as simple as you expect them to be!

I eventually get it working and start rebuilding the package: software loading, then version upgrades and then database build. Its a full Audi manual with diagrams, pitfalls, problem areas and everything a mechanic needs to know about the Audi. The only thing missing is how to use the bloody system. It is not intuitive and will take some time to get to grips with it. Still, we're big boys so I'm sure Phil and I will get to grips with it.

Whilst its loading I check out for Public Notaries so I can get the Guyana paperwork sorted out for Dad's estate (when it eventually arrives from Max). I find one in With am and then discover another one in Braintree.

We watch the Wales v Scotland rugby match. Quite gripping but then Scotland give away a couple of silly penalties, have a couple of men sent off and they end up losing. Very similar to a recent encounter of these two teams. They do put up a spirited fight back but Wales holds them off. France still to play Ireland for this leg but for the moment England and Wales are leading the charge for the top spot.

I spend some time after that clearing out my main PC. I"ve offered it to Phil as we're trying the reduce the number of PC's in the house. I'm just about there now. Just a case of taking out the spare hard drive and making sure that it works OK before I pass it on to him.

Finish off loading the Audi software. It seems to work OK now that I've followed all the steps properly.

We have dinner and catch up with Borgen. A splendid Danish drama about an unexpected election of a female PM. Good viewing. Very gripping but it means I have to concentrate as its in Danish with subtitles.

Poor Marian seems to have picked up the infection. Hope we don't end up pass in it between us!