Fifteen years ago, July 2002, fixing a mate’s computer.  © PJ Croft 2017

Sorry, I’m a bit quiet because there’s not much happening at the moment. But next week will be busier – I go into hospital for the “gall-bladder-ectomy” on Tuesday, staying for two nights. Out on Thursday and I’m staying with my good friends in Scarborough for one night just to be sure, to be sure.

Then, next Saturday it’s our Northam Senior High School Reunion, number six (I think) for our 70th Birthday Year. We should have about 35 visitors, we hope. It’s just at a Fremantle hotel, on the terrace, just drinks, nothing formal, so let’s hope we have nice weather.

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I’ve just been organising some pictures of my sister’s kids from many years ago, the 1970s mainly. I have many, many historic photos. I have around 10,000 of my own shots over 50 years, and around another 30,000 on the drive of various images that i keep for interest.

I’m doing my best to get these images of mine into books and backed up for use after I’ve gone. Many of my shots of Perth are already historic and will be even more so in 50 years time. I don’t know who’s going to take them.

Perth 29 December 1990, already 27 years ago! That’s Central Park unfinished. Some of those foreground buildings are probably gone.  © PJ Croft 2017

Another thing is video – I’m shooting quite a lot, but is any of it going to be used? We have to get used to editing it down. Easier said than done. I’ve got more skills than most but I have a lot of trouble doing it. Sigh.

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I bought two more vouchers for 11″ x 14″ Photobooks, 40 pages in layflat binding for $33 each last week. I’ve just made a start on my 14th book, a second attempt at Japan, I think, but maybe something closer to home?

I’m always in the habit of ordering two copies at a time so that I can lend one and not die of fright if it doesn’t come back. But maybe this time it might be two separate books.

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My sister has had cataract surgery and is ecstatic at the result. She’s been able to dispense with her contact lenses. Wow.

I, too, have cataracts and hope to have mine done at the end of May. I’m hoping for improvement because I’m starting to notice things: I have trouble finding the keys on this keyboard, I have trouble with bright daylight and glare, and dark shade, and I have the feeling there’s an eyelash always at the left edge of my vision. Here’s hoping.

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The roadworks have made a mess of the formerly beautiful “Line of Pines” (as I called it) in Marmion Avenue near here. As well, the incessant beeping of the reversing warnings on the machinery drives me nuts. Add in the endless barking from the dog next door, and the incredible number of sirens day and night around here – what’s going on?? I feel like closing all the doors and windows.

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This WordPress software has bugs and they are never fixed! I always have the feeling that we’re being penalised by WordPress for using the free version. You don’t pay, we don’t fix the bugs.

At the moment, if I type such that the text goes to the next line below the edge of the screen, it doesn’t automatically scroll up so that you can’t see your typing. This seems like a new bug in the past week or two.

That reminds me. I’ve been enthusiastically using Drop Box cloud storage for a few years, but with two desktop PCs, two laptops and a tablet, Drop Box has sent me a tut-tut email. It seems we’re only allowed two clients now, and if we want more, we have to upgrade to “Pro” at some expensive amount, like $45 a quarter or something. (Now my typing has dropped below the bottom of thee screen and doesn’t scroll up. Even using the arrow keys doesn’t make the screen scroll up. You have to use the mouse scroll wheel. This is wrong. Grrr!)

Anyway, too greedy Drop Box, so I’m dropping you. I’ve deleted or moved virtually all my storage. They even had the nerve to send me an email, “We’ve noticed you’ve deleted a large number of files recently. Is there a reason? Would you like to upgrade?” etc etc. No, go away. Greedy.