Shake Rattle And Roll

The weather here in St Andrews hasn't been too bad during our five month stay in the caravan but all that has changed over the last twenty four hours and it feels like we're living in the eye of a hurricane. Rain has been lashing down since last night and the winds have been so strong that the caravan has been rocking and shaking as if we are on a ride at Alton Towers - last night was almost sleep free. I suppose that we couldn't expect to go through winter in a caravan totally unscathed and with just twenty five days to go let's hope that the worst will be behind us tomorrow.

To get away from the tempest outside, we drove to Dundee to see Life Of Pi - a film about surviving a horrendous storm - just what we needed. At least we don't have a Bengal Tiger with us in the caravan. I read the book a few years ago and couldn't see any way that it could be put on screen but, with the help of some of the best CGI ever produced, Ang Lee has made a remarkable adaptation. It's visually stunning, packed with glorious vivid colours and finely acted by Irrfan Khan and Suraj Sharma as the old and young Pi. Much has been made of the religious connotations of the film and the book but, whilst these are always present, a couple of non believers like me and Marion could still enjoy it. It's not the greatest film of the year but it's certainly a spectacle that's well worth watching.

Which lets me segue seamlessly to the case of my super Lindberg indestructible titanium spectacles. I just finished paying for them on interest free credit and then somehow managed to tread on them. The frames were certainly unbreakable but sadly the lenses weren't. At least I had some luck being in Scotland where sight tests are free. I went to Govan Optometrists and they gave me the most thorough eye test of my life and fitted new lenses in just a few days - great service but still a £230 bill that I could have done without. Perhaps I will leave them on the bedside table and not the floor in future.

I'm off to see my favourite farmers here in St Andrews tomorrow to give them a couple of bottles of wine by way of thanks for letting me use my detector on their fields. I haven't got much to show for the days spent walking across their stubble as it's all at the National Museum in Edinburgh who are going to decide if they want to keep it or return it to me - soon I hope. Regular readers might remember this super Roman gold item that I found in 2011. I had a letter from the British Museum this week. They have made a preliminary valuation of £450-£500 which I think is pretty fair. The Penrith Museum want it so I've waived my share of the reward and I imagine that the farmer will do the same. I look forward to seeing it on display in the museum and hope that they give me a mention.