The things they don’t tell you. Like getting your tax affairs in order is not that straightforward. Particularly since HMRC helpfully advise phoning them ‘between 8 and 10 am – it’s quieter then’.  That would be GMT so very quiet for me – I’m asleep in bed.

I tried a couple of times to get hold of HMRC before I came home to Aberdeen for my wee visit and gave up. I could only phone in the afternoon GMT and so it was not a quiet time. In fact: “All of our operators are busy just now. Goodbye” and that was that. The automated person at the other end hangs up on you. It’s one way of dealing with their busy times I guess.

So I tried to call them in the afternoon (GMT), first thing in the morning for me,  the day after the election. I figured it might be quiet on a Friday afternoon and especially so the Friday after much of the UK had stayed up late to watch the results come in. I was right. I made considerable progress in that I did not get the automated message and then “Goodbye’. In fact I eventually got through! I kept them on the line for around 45 minutes or so to make sure I got all my questions answered and the technical expert I finally spoke to was exceptionally helpful. So was the PAYE guy but he was no expert on leaving the country.

I now have to download and print off a mountain of paperwork. It appears the option of online only goes so far and really the old fashioned way is preferred. And then I send it somewhere snail mail. Oh well, nothing else for it. Put in the pile of ‘things to do’ that I can’t really be bothered doing…

Only just back from my trip to Europe and I had another visitor in the shape of Jill’s husband Nick. He was over for OTC (Offshore Technology Conference) and I spent a very convivial 24 hours in his company. I got tickets for the baseball game at Minute Maid park from Debbie, my driving instructor, and so we set off not expecting too much. Both of us had been to a baseball game before and had therefore some pre-conceived ideas about what might be in store. It might be kindest to say we were not huge baseball fans – that is until then.

Firstly we had great seats. Ok so they were kind of high up on the third level so my vertigo was challenged. But we were right at the front so had a totally uninterrupted view and were right above the diamond part of the field where all the action takes place.

The roof was off Minute Maid (it’s retractable so is usually on in hot weather) – which made for a lovely summer evening in the sun with a deliciously cold beer or two. And we had two experts next to us, two older guys very much like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets, except these guys were friendly and happy to answer what must have seemed like really dumb questions about baseball. Like what exactly do all those numbers on the scoreboard mean?

The Astros were stupendous. They ran home run after home run, they caught balls in far flung corners of the field and just kept winning. We stayed nearly to the end and to our credit we lingered longer than Statler and Waldorf! The Astros beat the Mariners by some margin – I still have not a clue what all the numbers mean though.

We followed the game with a meal at Pappasitos at the Hilton. Which was full of young girls who had attended a volleyball tournament at the nearby exhibition centre. Many short skirts were in evidence, the place was heaving and we were probably the oldest there.

The night was completed with a nightcap or three back at Rice Village, (we even spun the ‘shot wheel of fortune’) and we had the headaches the next day to remind us.

With OTC in town, I attended a lunch for RGU alumni. There are a fair few in Houston. This was held in a very nice restaurant and coinciding with OTC allowed any visiting alumni the opportunity to attend.  It was very well supported and the Principal came along and schmoozed with the assembled graduates. Most of the attendees appeared to be from an Engineering background, although there were a number of non-techies like myself there too. It felt sort of warm and fuzzy to be with a group of people with RGU in common, albeit from different eras and disciplines. Aberdeen was a big connector too, and in true village fashion, you found that only a degree or two separated you from first hand connections and friends. It was reassuringly familiar in what can be a strange city. The hum of conversation continued well after lunch.

I also rose at the crack of dawn the next day to attend the Energy Voice Breakfast which was held at the Hilton in the Galleria that is booked out by half of the population of Aberdeen for the duration of OTC. RGU were one of the sponsors and provided our own expert speaker. I got there way too early – the tickets had the wrong start time printed on them – so had a chance to peruse the Press and Journal. Complimentary copies were laid out in reception and so it was a chance to catch up with news from home.

A story which caught my eye  was one about how the mouth of the Don had been trashed by revellers during the May holiday weekend. There were pictures of a trail of devastation left behind.

It should not be shocking but it really made me angry. I hate pointless littering and the mindset that goes with it. The attitude that someone else will clear up after them, the lazy, careless, selfish attitude that I just can’t abide. I have been known to write to the Evening Excuse and send in pictures myself on just such a subject. Why does a lovely day bring out the worst in folk?

It’s the same over here – our lovely ducks are getting a few plastic bags and bottles floating by their island after Cinco de Mayo and a long weekend of festivities. Here’s hoping they don’t get caught up in the debris and meet their demise. Does that explain why 21 ducklings are now 6…?