The answer to the question "how do you interpolate a method call into a double quoted string in Perl" seems to be "not easily". This ones be exercising my googling for a short while now. I think I'll go for printing the method call outside the string for the time being.

Just had a look at a colleagues Huawei E160 mobile broadband dongle. Plugged it into my FreeBSD 7.2 s10e ideapad and it was seemingly recognised (at least I could see both a umass disk and crucially a ttyU0 usb-serial device, which I guess is the modem). I'm tempted. Didn't try to make it dial up though - I'd need to refresh on ppp first.

Watching the Outnumbered episode where they try to live without TV. It's like watching our life on television (oops...I don't think we're supposed to be watching TV).

Pictures from today's visit to the zoo. And yes, Alex really walk around the whole time dressed as a Star Wars clone trooper.

Highlights were the butterflies and the red ruffed lemurs. I didn't take a picture of either. I still like the leaf cutter ants, but the picture of them didn't really come out :-(

Why do I only seem to blog while on the bus? One of life's great imponderables. I guess it's the only time I really get to myself.

Just started reading "Everyday Life in Byzantium" by Tamara Talbot Rice. Picked up cheaply second hand. Can't find the ISBN so can't update bkkeepr. I'm glad to have left western European medieval history behind for a bit.

Just over a week into summer holidays and the kids are driving Deb crackers Jessica only wants to spend time with her friends (who aren't always available) and Alex just wants to play on computer.

Roll on the weekend.

More pictures of the maize maze.

At the maize maze for Jessica's birthday. A little later than planned, but a good day out in the sunshine.

Currently on my way home from work (another bus journey!). I've been feeling a bit icky, and I've just spoken to my GP. She tells me that I have a viral infection and should go home. What's more, I should isolate myself for a week because of the risk it could be swine flu.

So I'm on my way home, and I guess the swine flu blog starts here (well, not really but you never know...).

Currently sitting in work with a French flag pinned to my desk to celebrate Bastille Day.

We're off line at home again. Something broke at the exchange and we're waiting for BT to send an engineer. Probably won't be fixed until Thursday. Can't make voice calls or get on the 'net.

Life's been too busy to blog much. I'm not reading a lot at the moment. Trying to work on the website I've been plodding through for a while now. Still no where near getting it online.

Work is all project management, which means lots of ups and downs. Don't want to talk about that at the moment.

Feeling quite flat. Need something to energise me.

On the bus home at the moment. Thank goodness it's Friday. Feeling more than a touch groggy after go out for a meal with Deb last night (a night out!) and drinking way too much. Ended up with a row with her parents and them going off in a huff. Hey ho.

Also a bit strung out because Alex is being increasingly difficult in the mornings. He knows he's going to a new school, and is doing one day a week there already. Now he doesn't want to keep going to his old school, and won't get dressed or leave the house.

I suppose this is a good thing in a way - he likes the new school - but life from here to the end of term is going to be tough.

Jessica is going on an adventure sports week away with school next week. No doubt there will be tears to go with the week away from home, but hopefully she'll have a good time.