I don't think I've ever been to a harvester. In fact I don't think I've even been to me. I have, however, now, been to a data centre. I don't think it would be giving too much away to say that this particular data centre is in Heathrow. There are a lot of data centres around there. I think a lot of the UK's internet traffic comes through there - they must fly in bits of the internet by jumbo or something.

Anyway, it was necessary for me to drop by our data centre yesterday, and I was really impressed by the place. It had long white corridors and security and the sounds of busy machinery. It was like something from a Bond film, even down to the Eastern European woman at the front desk.

I was due to go there in order to pick up some data on a disk. As it was, I managed to involve myself in the production of this disk, fetching an extension lead from my car, which turned out to be a very handy thing to have with me, and also doing a few system admin type suggestions. It was a real team effort, and I even helped install a server while we were waiting for the data copy to complete. Good times! It should be pointed out that this data centre contains a lot of mission critical systems for my employer, the down time of any of them could cost thousands of pounds per minute. I was quite in awe when I found the master power board with its big red stop button on it. . .

After dropping off the data, I headed home via B & Q. I planned an evening tiling. I got a few hours of it in - about 2 and a half. Then I got cold and tired and frustrated, so I stopped. It went ok, though. I will have to trust the grout to cover a multitude of sins.

Some food, a weigh in - not a worry, but not good - and I was ready to return home and play scrabble with my laptop in bed. I'd designated today as a 'valve day'. I felt little pressure over its duration, but I didn't quite unwind completely. Still, I think it went well enough to be pleased with.