Lorn Lines ~ Issue 8 ~ 18th August 2008

You made it ~ brilliant, let's get going ....

A warm welcome and big "hello" to all the new subscribers, you're going like it ....

OK, regulars will notice that in the best TV land traditions, we've had a makeover. A new bright and shiny layout. Unlike the TV makeovers this wasn't a 60 minute job, took me the best part of a week.

I love it but what's important is that you like it as well so please, please let me know ~ good or bad.

Like I said in the newsletter we've got a new format in that you're getting the headlines and then coming here to read the complete newsletter. In addition to that I've changed the name.
Why the changes? Read on Mac Duff ~ ~ ~

Trials & tribulations in cyber land

Name change? Why? Well, now that you ask ~ ~

I originally decided to call this newsletter Lorn Life but before I got going with it a free local magazine popped through my letterbox with the very same name!

So I decided to call it Monthly Mutterings, but in May I was contacted by some legal thing-a-may-bob attached to large multi-national coporation telling me the name was used for an internal staff production and was copyright.

Surprised they had time to spend looking at my site. Also surprised that they employ people who are too stupid to tell the difference between my ramblings and the finer points of the insurance industry

It's not actually a copyright proper but I don't have the inclination or money to not "cease and desist" as they insisted. You know, if he'd asked nicely I'd have said OK, right off.

Anyway, there's no future in the past so here we have it ~ Lorn Lines ~ I've scoured the net and see no reference to it, so it's mine ~ OK, hands off!

Right, soapbox away and on with the sensible stuff.

New format I was horrified when I checked my newsletter mailing stats for the last couple of months and discovered a huge increase in unopened emails. Through a little bit of investigation and a couple of emails from you guys, I realised that the ISP spam filters were dumping the newsletter before you got it.

I won't bore you with the all the reasons, but one was due to amount of text. That's why I've gone for the new format. All things considered I like it this way myself.

Roadworks, travel delays

They're everywhere! On the road north towards Fort William I counted four sets of roadworks
Northwest, towards Glasgow between Oban & Inveraray there were three lots of roadworks with a good 15 - 20 minute delay at Dalmally. Only clear road was a journey south to Lochgilphead.

In addition to the works, the roads are very busy with lots of slow moving traffic ~ best advice I can offer is to chill out. Relax, take your time and enjoy the wonderful scenery. Taking risks to overtake only gets you a few hundred yards of clear road until you come to the tail end of the next queue.

Exactly what area does this site cover?

One of my very first subscribers recently asked me that ~ I really wish I had a definitive answer but unfortunately my travels around the area and the places that I want to tell you about are not defined by any particular region or boundary.

Best I can say is, as it says on the new header, the Lands of Lorn ~ and a little bit extra!

Radiating out from Oban to the south perhaps as far down as far as Ardfern, to the north up as far as Appin or Duror including Lismore and to the northwest out to Dalmally and possibly Tyndrum & Crianlarich. But that's not definitive ~ you'll see I've got Inveraray info on the site. I'll stick to roughly within those areas but if I know of something outwith that I think will be of interest then I'll put it on site.

Keeping within those very flexible boundaries means I'm able to give you quality information that I have personal knowledge of rather than simply researched, and bring personal experiences to the table

So there you have it, the epitome of a west highland answer ~ a little vague but you get my drift.

What's on? Loads and Loads!

I obviously can't list everything but here's the events that caught my eye and I think will interest you ~ ~

• Oban Highland Games ~ Thurs 28th Aug ~ Mossfield Park Oban
  Start 10am & finish around 4-30pm
  £10 adults £8 concession £6 child
  Family ticket available
  Phone: 01631 564354
  Great day out. Sports, heavyweight events, pipe bands, the works.
• Oban Bed Race ~ Sun 24th Aug ~ Station Square
  Start 2-30pm ~ finish when they're finished!
  Not exactly a highland sport but great fun and for charity
  
• MacAulay Cup Shinty Final ~ Sat 23rd Aug ~ Mossfiled Park, Oban
  Newtonmore -v- Inveraray
  Throw up 2-30pm ~ adults £5 ( £3.00 concession)
  Shinty? What's shinty? If you're in the area, you must see this! Enjoy
• Exhibitions of Seascapes by Alex MacRae ~ Wed 27th Aug ~ Corran Halls, Oban
  10am to 5pm - Never been to one of his exhibitions but my sister loves his stuff.
• Tommy Owens Memorial Lorry Run ~ Sat 27th Sept ~ Station Square Oban
  Start 1pm through to 4pm
  Oban and Lorn Lions Club ~ Phone: 01631562762
  New one on me. Tommy was a local businessman and a member of the Lions who do loads of charity work

There you have it. If you go to something and love it ~ or hate it ~ let me know.

Thanks for putting up with once again. Please have a look round the site
Click here to go to homepage or use the navbar on the left.

See ya