Friday 13th February 2015

Wednesday

The predicted 04:00 start had been postponed until 07:30. Time enough for sleep, more sleep and breakfast. My mind had other ideas and I was awake before four, tossing and turning as I seemed to be on fire I was so darned hot. So, I was more then ready for breakfast at six, coffee, lots of coffee, some fruit, and a fresh breakfast roll. And more coffee.

All was set for work, Henrik and I drove to the factory, where the day ahead was planned, and seemed under control. And indeed it was. The went well, and each point raised was answered and put aside.

It was also stated that the production of the blade we have been following would be complete before 10:00 on Thursday, meaning we could bring our flights home forward 24 hours. Yay.

Back at the hotel, there was mail to write, of course, and I tried to stay awake so I could get stuff done. As it turned out, I should have given in to sleep, as later, it would not come, and then just a for a few hours. We all met for dinner, I had what was some local dish, fried pork patty stuffed with pickles and battered. It was OK, not something I will be rushing home to try, but there you go.

Back in my room I was following the football on the computer, when at just before eight, our previous manager, Paul Lambert was sacked by Villa. Seems like he wasn't the messiah they hoped for. 12 goals in 25 league games, no where near enough. Oh well, sometimes the grass isn't greener. Or even green.

At then I went to bed, hoping for more sleep.

Thursday.

I was awake again at half two. I wrote some mails, checked on the football scores, then tried to get back to sleep. I suppose I must have, as the the alarm woke me with a jolt at quarter to six. I showered, packed, dressed went down to check out and have breakfast.

The drive to the factory was enlivened by fog, frost and freezing fog. Nice mix. The factory was shrouded, we walked to the meeting room, and got the day under way. In the end we were finished by nine, shaking hands on a glorious week. It was Henrik's turn to drive, so we drove along beautiful tree-lined roads to the autobahn, the trees white with frost. My camera was in the boot in my case, otherwise there would be pictures.

Driving along the autobahn, we drove through areas of clear weather and straight into thick banks of fog. German drivers still hammered down the outside lane at something like 200mph. Scary stuff.

Checking in the car at the airport was painless, as was the short walk to the terminal. We checked in, went through security, at which point my day got interesting. As you know, I have been suffering from tennis elbow, and I was wearing the strap as instructed by the physio, my new work shirt set off the scanner, and when being patted down, the strap was discovered: was ist das? I tried to explain it was medical, but the armed policeman had seen there was something amiss. He came over loosening the cover on his gun. In time I got the strap off and they were able to see it was not a knife after all, and the panic was over.

We had a four hour wait for our flight, just as bad was that there was a direct flight to London leaving at midday, but I had to wait. And wait. And wait. We had lunch, coffee and more coffee.

The flight was called, we boarded with the usual fight for space for luggage, quite why people insist on taking so much stuff in the cabin I don't know. Anyway, I found a place for my work case, took my seat and settled down into my seat, shattered. After lifting off we passed over high ground, all covered with snow, looking very cold indeed. I have a coffee, rest my eyes for the 55 minute flight into Frankfurt. A quick dash across the airport to my next flight, I get there with half an hour to spare, it too is busy, but there seems to be more room for bags anyway.

The last leg home, well, in the air, anyway. All of Holland, Belgium was covered in cloud, as was England to be honest. We came came through the clouds, to find we were above Crystal Palace about to make the turn towards Battersea which is where we would turn along the river. I did not have my camera, and anyway it was dusk in the big city below, so I enjoyed the sight of the city slipping by below.

Once down, we all dash into immigration, get through the automatic lanes, only to have to wait ten minutes for our bags. Oh well. I just miss a train to Stratford, but I have 45 minutes, so still time for a coffee and be in time to get on the train. The train is full of the busy, looking at their phones for facebook updates, tapping out messages, or having heating conversations in strange languages. I find it all rather heady to be honest. At Stratford, I have a coffee and a sausage roll. That hits the spot, so then it was time to head to the platform below to fight to get on the train home.

I do get a seat, but one of the seats which has no window, so despite my tired eyes, I read some of the Mark Ellen book, causing me to laugh out loud even though I have read it before.

Jools was waiting at Martin Mill, and in the car a bag of fish and chips was waiting. We dash home, make a cuppa and tackle the fish and chips. That done we settle down to watch an ancient episode of TOTP from Fabruary 1980.

And that was your Thursday. A four day spell at home awaits, even if I have work still to do.