So here’s how it went:

• woke around 8.30 and checked out internet banking
• was phoned by one of the prospective tenants just as I emerged from the shower. Told her I’d phone back after speaking to the rental agent
• tried to phone the rental agent but was only able to leave a voicemail
• met with my lawyer to hand over the documentation I’m leaving with her
• was called by the rental agent and then called the prospective tenant and a gas engineer to get the flat checked for rental safety
• bought a fluorescent tube for the storage space
• bought the curtains
• bussed to Ninewells
• had my second rabies and Japanese B encephalitis vaccinations
• waited the rescribed 30 minutes to check that the latter had no immediate ill effects
• waited even longer for a photocopy of my treatment sheet (to convince doctors in Worcester that I only need the third vaccinations for rabies and Jap B)
• bussed back to Dundee City Centre
• realised it was now 3.05 pm and that I now had no chance of getting back to St Andrews in time to sign on at 3.25!
• phoned the job centre and was told that they were on strike this afternoon and hence I need do nothing – I’d just signed on by phone!
• arrived home, fitted the fluorescent tube and hung the curtains, then realised I hadn’t done everything I meant to do in Dundee. BUGGER BUGGER BUGGER

Then a yeehah-moment: a while back I’d emailed Roy Harper’s record company

Dear Science Friction/royharper.co.uk

I’m lucky enough to own Once, HQ, In Between Every Line, Loony On The Bus and Burn The World on vinyl and Descendant Of Smith on cassette. Is it OK to transfer these brilliant pieces of music to CD and then put them into an iPod or similar? Failing this, will Once come back into stock soon on CD and will Loony on the Bus/Commercial Breaks ever be re-released?

Many thanks for keeping Roy’s work as available as possible – the negotiations with all the other labels can’t have been fun!

Bruce Ryan

—
Bruce-wotsit (you only get a whoosh with a …, cheesy as anything)

I’d given up on a reply but today I received an electronic missive from the great man’s colleague:

hello bruce,

thanks for your email. roy and i have no problems with you transferring formats for your own personal use.

kindest regards,

tracy

Better than being touched by a noodly appendage!