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A Ramble Through the Shambles

Posted: 26/10/18 (13:57pm)

The week has flown by, as usual.
I have been trying to get to grips with updating the website and adding SSL certification. I haven't managed.
I bought the SSL certificate (my knowledge of exactly what that is remains limited) because a kind lady over the telephone scared the living daylights out of me by telling me that unless I had one, Google et al would soon start to discourage people from visiting the website.
Now I am by no means an easy sell and telesales reps usually get short shrift from me but the lady was very sincere, and it was I who phoned her, not the other way around, so as well as renewing my web hosting (which was what I had initially phoned about), I further stumped up for certification, that until then I had never heard about.
As soon as I had finished chatting to her, I checked with my web guru, and he concurred. Apparently, even though it is not actually necessary, the powers that be are starting to view websites with SSL certification more favourably than those without. This is especially the case when it comes to ranking websites on search engines.

Ok, so great. I had renewed my domain names and hosting, now to add my SSL certification...

… Apparently first I have to generate a CSR certificate - whatever that is...

… I'm still trying...

… I gave up.
I phoned my web guy. He's coming on Monday.

When it is finally done, no-one will see or notice anything new or different about my website. But Google will love me. They had better do. What a fiasco!

Ok, so the weekend is upon us. Last Sunday, Sue and I spent the day in the walled town of Berwick-on-Tweed. I had arranged to meet a guy and to buy two sword canes - which I duly did, then Sue and I went for a nice lunch after which we walked along the town's defensive wall. It is a very picturesque town and well worth a visit.
The sword canes I bought are great. Again, once I have given them a clean and photographed them, I will add them to the website.
I also bought a couple of bayonets at auction, also soon to be added. When not at auction or scrambling my brain trying to decipher computer tech speak, I have been working on customer restorations. I have just finished re-gripping a Georgian Naval hanger and tidying up the scabbard. It is a lovely sword - I wish I owned it. I have yet to show it to the customer but I think he will be very happy with the result.

This weekend we are off to York. Sue has been working long hours all week, out before 9am and not home until after 9pm every day, so I decided to surprise her with a weekend away.
I have booked what I hope will be a nice hotel in the city, walking distance from the Shambles, and we are going to spend the next two days absorbing the history, culture and atmosphere of York.
I am really looking forward to visiting the Jorvik Viking Centre and the Castle Museum and have, with minimal grumbling agreed to go on the Chocolate Experience tour. We leave later this afternoon.
Hope you all have a great weekend too.