Tuesday 10th March 2018

Thirty five years ago to this very day, I began a new job.

I had answered a job advert and attended an interview where I talked well.

I got the position: selling double glazing.

I had to attend a training course where myself an one other chap were given a full introduction and told what was expected of me. It all sounded marvelous; a nation of potential double glazing and fireplaces awaited, just needed us to turn up at their door.

As we lived near to each other, we said we would practice on an area near to us, Snape Drive.

These are what is called in the double glazing business as cold calls. Hot calls were leads the office generated and you were expected to turn into firm sales.

So, knocking on doors, asking if they needed double glazing, fireplaces, cavity wall insulation and so on and on. The latter died a death the week before we started due to a story ran by Esther Rantzen on That's Life.

Anyway, half an hour into my new career, and I was despondent. Very.

The week before I had applied for a job at a chicken factory, and was offered a job. But then most of North Suffolk and South Norfolk worked there at one point in their lives.

I went back home, phoned the HR lady and asked if the job was still open. It was. And although it was grim for a while, it would lead, after five years into the RAF and travelling the world and becoming a freelance beer taster.

But for now, at least, it was more working from home.

Tuesday, and just like Monday but with less yoga, for Jools.

You know the score by now; get up, drink coffee, do phys, cool down, have breakfast and second coffee, set up office. Work.

And no double glazing to sell.

Not much to report, just battling the evil that is MS Word and trying to get rid of tracking changes,. Only took 18 hours beofre I begged for help from Tina.

Then it could be published on the intranet.

Job completed.

In time for my boss to give me a new one: just create a Management of Change Manual.

OK, I like a challenge.

And lunch.

One thing about being a two car family now is that I am no longer bound to the house or as far as I can walk. I have the new Audi and two sets of keys, though I need just the one set.

We had enough pasta for one meal and rice for two. So, I though I would try some hunter/gathering.

Tesco was calm, and at first all seemed fine. They even had toilet rolls.

But in the pasta aisle there were empty shelves. Lots of empty shelves. I got the last small half kilo box of expensive stuff, but would do us for a few weeks. In the next aisle there was no white rice, just a few small bags of brown rice. I got one of those.

And then drove back home.

And did more work.

Until it was time for more phys, then a shower and get dressed.

By then it was five, the sun set and began to get dark. On her way home, Jools went back via John's to get some frog spawn (don't ask), so when she arrived back home, I watcher her tip the spawn into our pond.

I cook dinner: fish cakes, curried rice and corn.

It was packed with flavour I have to say. The wine cooled it down.

We had coffee, talked about our working days, then I followed the football. And the day was done, again.

On the road in the morning!