Dry day for a change

Last few weeks have been pretty wet (clearly, not on the same scale as some parts of the world), but it’s been a useful excuse not to get into the garden.  Today I’m on holiday and it’s sunny and dry, so no chance at any excuses.  To the left is the picture of one of our apple trees.  The other (much smaller, and looking pretty unhealthy) is in the middle of the garden.  This one is at the top, and despite some rather vicious pruning last year it’s grown huge again this year with a bumper crop of apples.  Which is nice, except it then slowly drops them onto the grass throughout the late summer and early autumn.  I’m not a huge fan of apples and Grete’s not a huge fan of apples which look like they’ve been used as living quarters.  Even if we were, there’s no way we could eat a tree’s worth.  Anyway, this is how it looks when it’s being nice and giving us gifts.

And here’s how those gifts look if you take a close look at them.

Anyway, we clear them up once a week or so, and I got them done today, so now it looks like this!

Since I was already wearing my gardening stuff I finally decided to move the wood from the side of the house and get rid of it.  Yes, it’s true, the deck is almost finally almost all gone nearly.

And while moving it, I found a guest.

iPad?

So everyone’s blogging about Apple’s new iPad.  You know what?  I like it, I think it has a place.  I sit in the lounge trying to read web pages on my iPhone to find out who the person in the TV program is, or check my mail on it or whatever it might be.  I can see myself dragging the ‘pad off the table, checking a web page and then sliding it back on there.  I can see them being used in small business meetings.  I can see them being used to read magazines or similar material in that style.  Tried ordering from an online grocery store on an iPhone?  Imagine doing it in the lounge with your iPad, nice and convenient, big enough that you can read it.   Easier and more convenient than a laptop, who needs keys if you’re going to be mostly reading.  Not mobile as such, but certainly something you can drop into a backpack and drag out when you’re sitting somewhere.

Would I read a book on one?  Maybe.  But really when they’re cheap enough, I see them being the first permanent computer we have in the lounge.  Bored with the news?  Quick game of Peggle on the iPad while waiting for the movie to start.

The key thing of course is that it’ll finally drive tablets into the house – and give them a foothold – and that will increase the competition and drive new technology (hopefully).