487.
It's official. I hate computers. I hate them because, just when you need them the most, they start playing up on you. I hate them because they have a mind of their own and close before you have a chance to save the file, or they close the file you are working on just as you click the 'Save as...' button - but without giving you a chance to make the save. In saying that, though, I was using Microcrash software on my laptop (Word) - which reminded me of the reason I replaced it with Star Office on my desktop. A little job that should have taken 4-5 hours at the most, ended up taking 8 hours as I had to constantly retrieve the automatically saved .tmp file from the Word crashes. I don't know what's going on - the hard disk is not fragmented and there is no virus. Just the curse of Bill Gates, I guess (or the gods of fate doing their best to prevent me from getting the translation done). I persevered, however, mainly because I had no option: this small translation will pay for the work currently being done on the porch, with enough left over to purchase blinds for the porch windows. I can't say that I enjoy doing translations. I only translate, proofread and copyedit academic papers, and they tend to be quite dry and uninspiring (boring is the word I'm looking for) - perhaps I ought to translate novels - although that is a difficult market to break into, since there are a small number of well-connected translators who know each other and the authors and publishers who have the market all sewn up amongst them, and who will not make way for anyone. Still, I musn't grumble, for boring as they may be, they can be good earners - and it is only pin money, afterall (or is that porch and driveway money?).

Last year we won the first OF derby and lost the league.
This year we lost the first OF derby...