I have only made passing references to this in posts over the last month, but my current project ended when I was on holiday, and now I am back at work there are a few loose ends to tidy up, but for all intents and purposes, it is done, bringing to end 21 months of hard work, travel and heated meetings. And the rest of what makes up the day to day business of my job.
I can't say what a relief this is, and also makes me rather proud, that if nothing else, I have helped manufacture, instal and commission 93 wind turbines now, helping reduce Europe's carbon footprint producing green energy for 20 years for hundreds of thousands of houses in Belgium and Holland. And that's something worth celebrating.
Did I do a good job? I think so. Could have done better? Without doubt? Have a learnt a lot? Certainly, and on my next project, I will put all I have thus learned to make this even better. Yay.
In the past three years or so, I have done much, traveled far, to China, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Traveling up to 38 times a year last year) so much a part of my life I hardly think of it. I have fun away, meet up with friends, stay in good hotels and eat in restaurants and all using company's credit card. But this is when I can claw the home time back, spend more time here with Jools and the cats than be away. Which will be good.
So, a few weeks to take stock, tie up all the remaining details, and into the fray once again with a new project. And to think that three years ago I was asked to resign as they didn't think I was up to it. One day I'll get an apology. One day.
Monday, 5 June 2017
Election and Brexit news
It has been a month since I last wrote about Brexit, and the PM had just called an unnecessary election, in order to, well, she says strengthen her negotiating hand in the Brexit talks that begin the week after the election. Then uses the excuse she is too busy revising for Brexit talks to be bothered with things like engaging with voters or taking part in debates with other politicians. Well, with the fixed term parliament act, there was no need to call the election, and if it was too much for you, then maybe an election was a bad idea?
That it won't matter a jot who is in charge of the country to the EU27 when the negotiations begin, they will offer us something, and we as a country, or the Government will either accept that or Britain will leave without a deal. Quite what Britain has to negotiate with now that their only trump car; when the Article 50 notification was sent, has now been played.
Brexit has strengthened unity within the EU27, which otherwise would not have happened, and recent economic data not only shows the EU performing better than Britain, but Britain is at the bottom of G7 countries in economic performance. Experts eh?
Seven years of austerity have not only failed to reduce the national debt, but managed to increase it by 50%, at the same time making the lives of hundreds of thousands of unemployed, disabled, sick, elderly people miserable. And the choice is more of the same. Austerity also affects things like funding for the police and Armed Forces, and in the last two weeks there have been two terrorist attacks in the UK, one in Manchester and on in London, and funding for the police, and their numbers have fallen by 20%. That there is no link between funding, numbers and attacks is laughable. Or would be if people had not lost their lives in these attacks.
Despite having the most useless of leaders, Labour is closing the gap in the polls, now just 5% behind. Polls have been wrong before, of course, but judging by the amount of smearing down by Fleet Street on May's behalf is astonishing. That he once met with IRA Leaders, as did members of the British Government at the time, and says that war in the Middle East was a bad idea.
Mrs. May was Home Secretary from 210 until she was made an unelected PM, that failures in keeping radicals monitored, lower numbers of police, reduced funding for the police and other security services, the useless immigration billboard trucks were all done when she was Home Secretary, and now she wants us to trust her to do more of the same?
A lot of what is happening with Brexit there were warnings about, and ignored by the Brexiteers. Latest is that farmers now realise their industry is at risk; who knew? Well, most people apart from the farmers it seems. I will put another bag of popcorn in the microwave and watch the chaos unfold. Brexit and election and then negotiations. It won't be dull, that's for sure.
That it won't matter a jot who is in charge of the country to the EU27 when the negotiations begin, they will offer us something, and we as a country, or the Government will either accept that or Britain will leave without a deal. Quite what Britain has to negotiate with now that their only trump car; when the Article 50 notification was sent, has now been played.
Brexit has strengthened unity within the EU27, which otherwise would not have happened, and recent economic data not only shows the EU performing better than Britain, but Britain is at the bottom of G7 countries in economic performance. Experts eh?
Seven years of austerity have not only failed to reduce the national debt, but managed to increase it by 50%, at the same time making the lives of hundreds of thousands of unemployed, disabled, sick, elderly people miserable. And the choice is more of the same. Austerity also affects things like funding for the police and Armed Forces, and in the last two weeks there have been two terrorist attacks in the UK, one in Manchester and on in London, and funding for the police, and their numbers have fallen by 20%. That there is no link between funding, numbers and attacks is laughable. Or would be if people had not lost their lives in these attacks.
Despite having the most useless of leaders, Labour is closing the gap in the polls, now just 5% behind. Polls have been wrong before, of course, but judging by the amount of smearing down by Fleet Street on May's behalf is astonishing. That he once met with IRA Leaders, as did members of the British Government at the time, and says that war in the Middle East was a bad idea.
Mrs. May was Home Secretary from 210 until she was made an unelected PM, that failures in keeping radicals monitored, lower numbers of police, reduced funding for the police and other security services, the useless immigration billboard trucks were all done when she was Home Secretary, and now she wants us to trust her to do more of the same?
A lot of what is happening with Brexit there were warnings about, and ignored by the Brexiteers. Latest is that farmers now realise their industry is at risk; who knew? Well, most people apart from the farmers it seems. I will put another bag of popcorn in the microwave and watch the chaos unfold. Brexit and election and then negotiations. It won't be dull, that's for sure.
Sunday, 4 June 2017
Saturday 3rd June 2017
After nearly nine hours sleep, a change came over me. Yes, no longer was I the moody grump of the previous night, but I was up and about, bouncing and ready to get out and about, get some sunshine on me, and take some pictures.
We woke up with cats everywhere; well, Molly asleep at my feet, Mulder on Jools' pillow and Scully somewhere in the back of the wardrobe. Once feet touch carpet, it is apparently feeding time, so whoever is first up has to sort the mogs out first, then make coffee. As the forecast: and you might notice this is a feature of most weekend posts, this is beacuse some orchids have to be snapped in sunshine or appear too violet, so when the sun shines, we snappers of orchids, snap.
As most weeks, there is shopping to be done, but being summer, which it really is now, less of meat and vegetables, more fruit and lighter food. I volunteer to go to Tesco, while Jools stays home to sort out washing and make the beds.
I follow a French driver out of the village, he is very timid, braking at every corner to 30mph, or 50kmh if you want it in decimal. Only when he turned onto the Deal road, he turned onto the wrong side of the road, and it looked hairy when there was a van heading straight for him, but he got over just in time. And then at the roundabout, in the wrong lane, no indicators (but then that describes most locals too) and onto the A2.
Tesco is pretty much the same every week, something to be endured, especially when they move entire aisles, but I go round, twice and I think I have most of what we need, including croissants for breakfast. It is less painless with a hand scanner, meaning no waiting in line at the till, and so a quick escape.
Back home, put the shopping away, make coffee and warm the croissants and wolf them down, as outside the sun is shining, and there is barely a breath of wind.
I guess if I were retired, I could spend all day, every day, orchid hunting. That would be great, but with work, travel and holidays, I do the best I can, and snap what there is to snap when I can, visiting sites as they reach their peak so to see as many species as possible. We did much last week, so this weekend it was different sites, different orchids, but always, great fun and interesting.
First up was the other Late Spider site I know, there are more but harder to get to i understand, anyway, the drive to this one is good, either up and over the downs or along the narrow winding road at their feet until at a certain place there is a lay by, or sorts, big enough for one car. Over the stile and into the field, and there should be orchids on the southern facing slope. Only this year it has been so dry, some species have fared well while other have struggled. Early Spier and Purple, Bee and Late Spider seem to have struggled, and so it was with some disappointment to see just three spikes on the slope, and in one of those the spike was already over for the year.
There was a plant with three flowers, and one more with just a single. And the single seemed drab, maybe it was the end of its time having been pollinated and so was fading. I took a couple of shots without looking too closely, paying more attention to the triple.
It wasn't until I got home and checked the images, I found that the single was a variant without markings, and was plain dark reddy brown. I did get a couple of useable shots however. I suppose this goes to show we should always check anything we see that differs from the norm. Anyway, not sure how rare this is, but still was thrilling to see the shot later and realise is unusualness.
Although the site and display was disappointing, I got shots, and I am sure that next year, weather and rainfall willing, it will be better.
From there it was a drive down narrow twisty lanes to Park Gate to look for Musk in flower. Getting there was easy, finding them, even if you know what you are looking for can be tricky, as they are so tiny. At most they are 5 to 6cm high, often dwarfed by surround vegetation, so it is luck whether they can be found.
On the way there was the Monkey to check, a second wave has opened after the rain towards the end of May, so some still worth seeing, but I didn't photograph any. Elsewhere there were many Fragrants out, one catching my eye as it was different shape from others, and the flowers had different lip shaped. The only other orchid nearby is the Common Spotted, could it be a hybrid? Not sure, but was Fragrant coloured with the shape and spike density that of a CSO; so who knows. They can hybridise, and I have seen pictures of one with the colourisation of a CSO, but I guess in theory, the other parent plant could be the dominant one?
I snap it anyway.
Further on, I come to the area where the Musk should be, and being the first week in May, is right when they should be seen. I stand and look, move on a few feet and look some more. I find myself talking to the orchids: I know you're there, you should be out, I just need to see you.
After ten minutes I see a spike, and another nearby is clearly partially open. So I get my shots of it, and the nearby still to open spikes.
I was happy that my orchid eyes were still working. We go to look for some var. alba Fragrant and CSO and find both, as well as the last of the Fly clinging on, but this will be the last of them. And elsewhere, certainly no Greater Butterfly were found. Oh well, always next year.
And that was it for the morning, time to go home as the clock was ticking towards lunchtime, and we were hungry so back home for Scotch Eggs and curry ketchup for me, and then the sorting through the photos, editing, posting and writing blogs. Yes, its all go here!
Somehow the afternoon slides by, we have strawberries and cream sitting outside in the sunshine which should have been over by then, but as is sometimes the way, lasts all day.
There is music to listen to on the radio, or via the i player at least. That evening brought the (latest) finale of the football season; the Champion's League final. It was free to air on TV, only as it turned out, you had to re-tune the TV to find the new channel, and I had no idea on how to do that. Half an hour later, I give up and end up watching the feed on Youtube as the browser on the TV was out of date and kept freezing.
Real cruise to beat Juve 4-1, but there is some play-acting during the game, which left a sour taste in the mouth, so much so I give up on the game with 5 minutes to go. Just enough time to go outside for half an hour to watch bats hunting, wheeling and circling above my head as I walked to the shelter. The sun had set, and the three-quarter moon shone bright through a thin veil of cloud, with nearby Venus nearly as bright.
Summer nights!
We woke up with cats everywhere; well, Molly asleep at my feet, Mulder on Jools' pillow and Scully somewhere in the back of the wardrobe. Once feet touch carpet, it is apparently feeding time, so whoever is first up has to sort the mogs out first, then make coffee. As the forecast: and you might notice this is a feature of most weekend posts, this is beacuse some orchids have to be snapped in sunshine or appear too violet, so when the sun shines, we snappers of orchids, snap.
As most weeks, there is shopping to be done, but being summer, which it really is now, less of meat and vegetables, more fruit and lighter food. I volunteer to go to Tesco, while Jools stays home to sort out washing and make the beds.
I follow a French driver out of the village, he is very timid, braking at every corner to 30mph, or 50kmh if you want it in decimal. Only when he turned onto the Deal road, he turned onto the wrong side of the road, and it looked hairy when there was a van heading straight for him, but he got over just in time. And then at the roundabout, in the wrong lane, no indicators (but then that describes most locals too) and onto the A2.
Tesco is pretty much the same every week, something to be endured, especially when they move entire aisles, but I go round, twice and I think I have most of what we need, including croissants for breakfast. It is less painless with a hand scanner, meaning no waiting in line at the till, and so a quick escape.
Back home, put the shopping away, make coffee and warm the croissants and wolf them down, as outside the sun is shining, and there is barely a breath of wind.
I guess if I were retired, I could spend all day, every day, orchid hunting. That would be great, but with work, travel and holidays, I do the best I can, and snap what there is to snap when I can, visiting sites as they reach their peak so to see as many species as possible. We did much last week, so this weekend it was different sites, different orchids, but always, great fun and interesting.
First up was the other Late Spider site I know, there are more but harder to get to i understand, anyway, the drive to this one is good, either up and over the downs or along the narrow winding road at their feet until at a certain place there is a lay by, or sorts, big enough for one car. Over the stile and into the field, and there should be orchids on the southern facing slope. Only this year it has been so dry, some species have fared well while other have struggled. Early Spier and Purple, Bee and Late Spider seem to have struggled, and so it was with some disappointment to see just three spikes on the slope, and in one of those the spike was already over for the year.
There was a plant with three flowers, and one more with just a single. And the single seemed drab, maybe it was the end of its time having been pollinated and so was fading. I took a couple of shots without looking too closely, paying more attention to the triple.
It wasn't until I got home and checked the images, I found that the single was a variant without markings, and was plain dark reddy brown. I did get a couple of useable shots however. I suppose this goes to show we should always check anything we see that differs from the norm. Anyway, not sure how rare this is, but still was thrilling to see the shot later and realise is unusualness.
Although the site and display was disappointing, I got shots, and I am sure that next year, weather and rainfall willing, it will be better. From there it was a drive down narrow twisty lanes to Park Gate to look for Musk in flower. Getting there was easy, finding them, even if you know what you are looking for can be tricky, as they are so tiny. At most they are 5 to 6cm high, often dwarfed by surround vegetation, so it is luck whether they can be found.
On the way there was the Monkey to check, a second wave has opened after the rain towards the end of May, so some still worth seeing, but I didn't photograph any. Elsewhere there were many Fragrants out, one catching my eye as it was different shape from others, and the flowers had different lip shaped. The only other orchid nearby is the Common Spotted, could it be a hybrid? Not sure, but was Fragrant coloured with the shape and spike density that of a CSO; so who knows. They can hybridise, and I have seen pictures of one with the colourisation of a CSO, but I guess in theory, the other parent plant could be the dominant one?
I snap it anyway.
Further on, I come to the area where the Musk should be, and being the first week in May, is right when they should be seen. I stand and look, move on a few feet and look some more. I find myself talking to the orchids: I know you're there, you should be out, I just need to see you.
After ten minutes I see a spike, and another nearby is clearly partially open. So I get my shots of it, and the nearby still to open spikes. I was happy that my orchid eyes were still working. We go to look for some var. alba Fragrant and CSO and find both, as well as the last of the Fly clinging on, but this will be the last of them. And elsewhere, certainly no Greater Butterfly were found. Oh well, always next year.
And that was it for the morning, time to go home as the clock was ticking towards lunchtime, and we were hungry so back home for Scotch Eggs and curry ketchup for me, and then the sorting through the photos, editing, posting and writing blogs. Yes, its all go here!Somehow the afternoon slides by, we have strawberries and cream sitting outside in the sunshine which should have been over by then, but as is sometimes the way, lasts all day.
There is music to listen to on the radio, or via the i player at least. That evening brought the (latest) finale of the football season; the Champion's League final. It was free to air on TV, only as it turned out, you had to re-tune the TV to find the new channel, and I had no idea on how to do that. Half an hour later, I give up and end up watching the feed on Youtube as the browser on the TV was out of date and kept freezing.
Real cruise to beat Juve 4-1, but there is some play-acting during the game, which left a sour taste in the mouth, so much so I give up on the game with 5 minutes to go. Just enough time to go outside for half an hour to watch bats hunting, wheeling and circling above my head as I walked to the shelter. The sun had set, and the three-quarter moon shone bright through a thin veil of cloud, with nearby Venus nearly as bright.
Summer nights!
Saturday, 3 June 2017
Friday 2nd June 2017
Sleep, it turns out, is not over-rated. However, a lack of it can make even the most apparently efficient person make mistakes. With me it turned out to be a disaster.
I forgot the laptop power lead on Tuesday, and this was not a serious problem on Tuesday and Wednesday when I could use one of the stations in the office, but on Thursday everyone else had a power lead with a different ending to mine, so I could not charge it up, and then I needed to charge the phone up, with no plug to do that, and no USB sockets in the room, I remembered maybe the car might have one, so I could charge the phone on the way to the airport.
The alarm went off at half five, half four UK time, and when I looked at my reflection in the bathroom, it was someone with red eyes. I did look as bad as I felt, not sure if that is a good thing or not.
In the lobby, after packing and dressing, there was no coffee on offer, so I check out. After trouble getting out of the car park on the 3rd day of my last two visits, should I ask for a pass for the machine just in case; no, it'll be OK I thought. Shows what I know.
I go down into the parking garage, find the car, load it up, then drive to the exit, down two more levels, drive the barrier and it won't let me out. I told myself what I thought of me. And I agreed. I reversed up and tried to get back up to the top level, but there was nothing doing. I would have to park up and walk up three flights of stairs, then come back down, or just let the company pay. I took the easy option, but then the machine failed to give me a receipt, something else I would have to explain to the finance dept.
I come out in yet another different part of the city, this is just crazy. But I know if I go to the main road I would find my way, or so I hoped. Over the railway and I found I was back on track, and it was then I had the second mishap of the day: re,member I told you about the different sets of traffic lights for cars and cycles? Well, I am sure that the lights for straight on and cycles were red, another set went green, but then I passed another set on red. I have no idea.
I drove on.
I had plugged the phone in, and it was charging; how clever I felt even though I was tired.
Along the roads, up the banks facing south there were hordes of wild Lupins and other dark red plants, which could have been Red Campion, as I also saw white Bladder Campion. A lovely sight for my tired, red eyes.
I arrive at the airport just after seven, I pull up at the drop off depot, unplug the phone, carefully pack the lead away, pack the IT tidy pack away, get my case and workbag out of the boot, lock the car and walk to the terminal, dropping the keys in the letter box as it is not manned until after eight. I had timed it perfectly, there was no queue at security, I told myself how clever I had been in arriving just after seven.
I was on my way up the escalator to the departure hall when I patted my jeans pocket for my phone; it was sitting on the dash of the hire car. Bugger buggerations, I thought. Nothing I could do, even if I went back, no one would be at the office until eight, and by that time I should be boarding the plane. I would have to write them a mail. Maybe they could send it back to me at home. I hope.
I go to the lounge, am allowed in as I have the card of power, I get a roll, some cheese and a coffee. Somehow the oversize spoon in the coffee messed with the plate and before I knew it the coffee was spilling out of the cup, down my legs and onto the floor. Great.
I am cast a withering look by the smart dressed lady who is going to have to clean it up, I offer but she waves me away. I get another coffee and go to a table to eat and try to dry off.
I have half an hour to wait, I have the roll, and follow it with a Danish. Well, I'm in Denmark I spose. I go to the gate, and join the other twenty waiting for the time to board. I am drying off at least, and no need to worry whether I had switched my phone off as its in the bloody hire car, if I looked to my left when we walked to the bus, I could almost see it.
Not much report about the flight, we take off, and I get a glimpse of the fields below in full spring colour, that certain shade of healthy green which shows new life and growth. Soon we have turned and continued to climb, through clouds and Denmark is lost from sight.
I accept 2nd breakfast, and am careful with the coffee this time. I read a magazine, and manage to finish it as we drop from cruising altitude, dropping lower so I could see the London Array, not one turbine was turning, odd to see every turbine out of service, but then as we cross over the farm, turbines on the southern side just began to turn, due to the very light winds. It looked a fine day down there, but there was to be no flight over the City this time, just the standard approach from the east, over the Dartford Crossing, a Javelin racing down HS1, along the river and touchdown.
We have to wait for groundcrew to stretch string from the door to the crossing over the road, just in case we stray and walk into a plane wing or something. The time we wait meant I missed the earlier train home, but I was resigned to that anyway, so did not stress about it.
Then there was the wait for the bags, not that there usually is, but on this occasion there was, thus meaning there was a coffee and a white chocolate cookie with my name on at Stratford.
I get the DLR back, arriving at five to ten, a 50 minute wait, and so can get the coffee and cookie and get back to the David Hepworth book. I enjoy it so much, I read it on the train instead of looking out of the windows! In this way the journey flies, and I am nearly disappointed when we arrive in Dover with me one short chapter from finishing the book.
As I did not have a phone, I would have to wait at the rank, but this being holiday week, and the sun shining, there were no taxis, and so the wait took 15 minutes until each one of us got into our cab for the drive to our destinations. We go up Jubilee Way, both of us have the windows wide pen, and the warm air rushes in. It is wonderful.
He drops me off, I shuffle down the drive dragging my case and Scully appears: meow?
Meow indeed, my little tiddler. I give her some food once inside, make a brew, have some fruit and three vanilla sandwich biscuits. I can feel I have a migraine coming, so I sit in the living room for a couple of hours, maybe closing my eyes from time to time, but I am pooped. Pooped to the max.
Jools comes home at four, and reminds me we have a family BBQ to attend, as its Bradey's 21st birthday. It was the last thing I felt like to do, but you know, family. Blah.
Only, his present had yet to be delivered. It was out for delivery, but it was nearly 5, how late would it be? Half five it turned out, a Polish guy came round the back of the house shouting that he had something. Panic over.
So at six we go out, drive to Whitfield, and the bbq is in full swing, we time it right as food is served, and I am fairly sociable, but after an hour, I want to go home. So we do. Wishing Bradey a good and quiet night as he joined the ranks of the sensible. Yeah, right.
Home to The Don and Gardener's World, then bed at nine, falling asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.
I forgot the laptop power lead on Tuesday, and this was not a serious problem on Tuesday and Wednesday when I could use one of the stations in the office, but on Thursday everyone else had a power lead with a different ending to mine, so I could not charge it up, and then I needed to charge the phone up, with no plug to do that, and no USB sockets in the room, I remembered maybe the car might have one, so I could charge the phone on the way to the airport.
The alarm went off at half five, half four UK time, and when I looked at my reflection in the bathroom, it was someone with red eyes. I did look as bad as I felt, not sure if that is a good thing or not.
In the lobby, after packing and dressing, there was no coffee on offer, so I check out. After trouble getting out of the car park on the 3rd day of my last two visits, should I ask for a pass for the machine just in case; no, it'll be OK I thought. Shows what I know.
I go down into the parking garage, find the car, load it up, then drive to the exit, down two more levels, drive the barrier and it won't let me out. I told myself what I thought of me. And I agreed. I reversed up and tried to get back up to the top level, but there was nothing doing. I would have to park up and walk up three flights of stairs, then come back down, or just let the company pay. I took the easy option, but then the machine failed to give me a receipt, something else I would have to explain to the finance dept.
I come out in yet another different part of the city, this is just crazy. But I know if I go to the main road I would find my way, or so I hoped. Over the railway and I found I was back on track, and it was then I had the second mishap of the day: re,member I told you about the different sets of traffic lights for cars and cycles? Well, I am sure that the lights for straight on and cycles were red, another set went green, but then I passed another set on red. I have no idea.I drove on.
I had plugged the phone in, and it was charging; how clever I felt even though I was tired.
Along the roads, up the banks facing south there were hordes of wild Lupins and other dark red plants, which could have been Red Campion, as I also saw white Bladder Campion. A lovely sight for my tired, red eyes.I arrive at the airport just after seven, I pull up at the drop off depot, unplug the phone, carefully pack the lead away, pack the IT tidy pack away, get my case and workbag out of the boot, lock the car and walk to the terminal, dropping the keys in the letter box as it is not manned until after eight. I had timed it perfectly, there was no queue at security, I told myself how clever I had been in arriving just after seven.
I was on my way up the escalator to the departure hall when I patted my jeans pocket for my phone; it was sitting on the dash of the hire car. Bugger buggerations, I thought. Nothing I could do, even if I went back, no one would be at the office until eight, and by that time I should be boarding the plane. I would have to write them a mail. Maybe they could send it back to me at home. I hope.
I go to the lounge, am allowed in as I have the card of power, I get a roll, some cheese and a coffee. Somehow the oversize spoon in the coffee messed with the plate and before I knew it the coffee was spilling out of the cup, down my legs and onto the floor. Great.
I am cast a withering look by the smart dressed lady who is going to have to clean it up, I offer but she waves me away. I get another coffee and go to a table to eat and try to dry off.
I have half an hour to wait, I have the roll, and follow it with a Danish. Well, I'm in Denmark I spose. I go to the gate, and join the other twenty waiting for the time to board. I am drying off at least, and no need to worry whether I had switched my phone off as its in the bloody hire car, if I looked to my left when we walked to the bus, I could almost see it.Not much report about the flight, we take off, and I get a glimpse of the fields below in full spring colour, that certain shade of healthy green which shows new life and growth. Soon we have turned and continued to climb, through clouds and Denmark is lost from sight.
I accept 2nd breakfast, and am careful with the coffee this time. I read a magazine, and manage to finish it as we drop from cruising altitude, dropping lower so I could see the London Array, not one turbine was turning, odd to see every turbine out of service, but then as we cross over the farm, turbines on the southern side just began to turn, due to the very light winds. It looked a fine day down there, but there was to be no flight over the City this time, just the standard approach from the east, over the Dartford Crossing, a Javelin racing down HS1, along the river and touchdown.
We have to wait for groundcrew to stretch string from the door to the crossing over the road, just in case we stray and walk into a plane wing or something. The time we wait meant I missed the earlier train home, but I was resigned to that anyway, so did not stress about it.Then there was the wait for the bags, not that there usually is, but on this occasion there was, thus meaning there was a coffee and a white chocolate cookie with my name on at Stratford.
I get the DLR back, arriving at five to ten, a 50 minute wait, and so can get the coffee and cookie and get back to the David Hepworth book. I enjoy it so much, I read it on the train instead of looking out of the windows! In this way the journey flies, and I am nearly disappointed when we arrive in Dover with me one short chapter from finishing the book.
As I did not have a phone, I would have to wait at the rank, but this being holiday week, and the sun shining, there were no taxis, and so the wait took 15 minutes until each one of us got into our cab for the drive to our destinations. We go up Jubilee Way, both of us have the windows wide pen, and the warm air rushes in. It is wonderful.
He drops me off, I shuffle down the drive dragging my case and Scully appears: meow?
Meow indeed, my little tiddler. I give her some food once inside, make a brew, have some fruit and three vanilla sandwich biscuits. I can feel I have a migraine coming, so I sit in the living room for a couple of hours, maybe closing my eyes from time to time, but I am pooped. Pooped to the max.
Jools comes home at four, and reminds me we have a family BBQ to attend, as its Bradey's 21st birthday. It was the last thing I felt like to do, but you know, family. Blah.
Only, his present had yet to be delivered. It was out for delivery, but it was nearly 5, how late would it be? Half five it turned out, a Polish guy came round the back of the house shouting that he had something. Panic over.
So at six we go out, drive to Whitfield, and the bbq is in full swing, we time it right as food is served, and I am fairly sociable, but after an hour, I want to go home. So we do. Wishing Bradey a good and quiet night as he joined the ranks of the sensible. Yeah, right.
Home to The Don and Gardener's World, then bed at nine, falling asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.
Friday, 2 June 2017
Thursday 1st June 2017
A combination of heat, early daylight and indigestion meant I had a bad night's sleep. I was awake waiting for the alarm to go off, ready for what the day had to offer.
A shower, get dressed and go down for breakfast and then the drive to the conference venue for the meeting. It was the start of June, and to mark this the sun came out, and so it was a glorious sunny morning, bathing the city in fine warm golden light. Including the heavy traffic.
The conference venue was a mile or so behind our office, so the same route really. It is about the 6th time I have attended an event here, so I knew where to go, so could just enjoy the drive. Once I have found my way out of the underground parking garage, and then coming out of it in a different part of town, unsure of where I was or even which way to go.
I am near the station, so I hazarded a guess, and soon came to the inner ring road, turned onto that was went east.
The venue is also a hotel, and is a modern sprawling building, set on many levels with stairs and steps upside down, meaning it is hard to find your way about. I find the room and indeed it has whiteboards, felt pens, flip charts, coffee machines, snacks and my colleagues were also arriving.
We were together for a department meeting-cum-seminar thing really. We all work on different projects, so there is not much sense of belonging, and this was supposed to fix that. And for our ultimate boss to inform us of the direction to the new year.
We start at eight in the morning with the weekly winge, and it went downhill from there.
Lunch was served at half twelve, then we had the results of a personality test well had undertaken and see what it meant, if anything, for the department. Not sure I believed all the mumbo jumbo to be honest, but it was interesting. And it gave us lots of ammunition to throw insults and jokes at each other. But, overall, a dull day sat inside on a glorious sunny day. I needed a walk.
At half five it was done, meaning we had an hour to get to the venue for the evening function, a place called The Happy Madness. I'm not saying anything!
I drive back to the hotel, drop off my work stuff, then go to the lobby to meet back with Chris for the walk to the restaurant. I was pretty sure where it was, so we set off down the hill, past the Highlander then over the main road and the new tram line that is still not finished, and beside the water along the old harbour where huge modern buildings mix in with the old in a slightly jarring way, but it works, but with the old huge merchant's houses on the other side of the road, it kinda holds together.
OK, I got us so far, but in the mix of ongoing building works, fragments of old roads and pavements, I was lost. Chris gets his phone out, and turns out I had gotten us to within 200 yards of it. We weave through the building work, and along an unpromising road, there were two new restaurants sharing the same black wooden building. We go in to find all the other tucking into the first course, and all had full wine glasses.
No one came round to fill our glasses, only to be told you helped yourself! what could possibly go wrong? We have some fish dish which you poured cold pea soup over, it all went well together, although not sure about cold soup. Anyway, the meat course came, and I went to get some red wine. A large glass, and all went down well, but the meal had taken the best part of two hours, and I would have to be up in less than ten hours, so I bid my farewells to the team, shaking hands and leaving, as dessert was being served.
I walk back the same way, light was less harsh, and had a warm feel to it, even if it was much cooler, but then a good walk is good, past the old buildings, one of which was now a bbq chain restaurant, over the tram lines, stopping to take shots, then back through the town to the hotel.
I had forgotten the power lead for my laptop on Tuesday, and it was now on 17% power, no time to do anything, just as well really, as I needed sleep. I clean my teeth, and went to sleep to the sounds of Flashdance coming from the theatre next door.
What a feeling!
A shower, get dressed and go down for breakfast and then the drive to the conference venue for the meeting. It was the start of June, and to mark this the sun came out, and so it was a glorious sunny morning, bathing the city in fine warm golden light. Including the heavy traffic.
The conference venue was a mile or so behind our office, so the same route really. It is about the 6th time I have attended an event here, so I knew where to go, so could just enjoy the drive. Once I have found my way out of the underground parking garage, and then coming out of it in a different part of town, unsure of where I was or even which way to go.
I am near the station, so I hazarded a guess, and soon came to the inner ring road, turned onto that was went east.The venue is also a hotel, and is a modern sprawling building, set on many levels with stairs and steps upside down, meaning it is hard to find your way about. I find the room and indeed it has whiteboards, felt pens, flip charts, coffee machines, snacks and my colleagues were also arriving.
We were together for a department meeting-cum-seminar thing really. We all work on different projects, so there is not much sense of belonging, and this was supposed to fix that. And for our ultimate boss to inform us of the direction to the new year.
We start at eight in the morning with the weekly winge, and it went downhill from there.
Lunch was served at half twelve, then we had the results of a personality test well had undertaken and see what it meant, if anything, for the department. Not sure I believed all the mumbo jumbo to be honest, but it was interesting. And it gave us lots of ammunition to throw insults and jokes at each other. But, overall, a dull day sat inside on a glorious sunny day. I needed a walk.
At half five it was done, meaning we had an hour to get to the venue for the evening function, a place called The Happy Madness. I'm not saying anything!
I drive back to the hotel, drop off my work stuff, then go to the lobby to meet back with Chris for the walk to the restaurant. I was pretty sure where it was, so we set off down the hill, past the Highlander then over the main road and the new tram line that is still not finished, and beside the water along the old harbour where huge modern buildings mix in with the old in a slightly jarring way, but it works, but with the old huge merchant's houses on the other side of the road, it kinda holds together.
OK, I got us so far, but in the mix of ongoing building works, fragments of old roads and pavements, I was lost. Chris gets his phone out, and turns out I had gotten us to within 200 yards of it. We weave through the building work, and along an unpromising road, there were two new restaurants sharing the same black wooden building. We go in to find all the other tucking into the first course, and all had full wine glasses.
No one came round to fill our glasses, only to be told you helped yourself! what could possibly go wrong? We have some fish dish which you poured cold pea soup over, it all went well together, although not sure about cold soup. Anyway, the meat course came, and I went to get some red wine. A large glass, and all went down well, but the meal had taken the best part of two hours, and I would have to be up in less than ten hours, so I bid my farewells to the team, shaking hands and leaving, as dessert was being served.
I walk back the same way, light was less harsh, and had a warm feel to it, even if it was much cooler, but then a good walk is good, past the old buildings, one of which was now a bbq chain restaurant, over the tram lines, stopping to take shots, then back through the town to the hotel.
I had forgotten the power lead for my laptop on Tuesday, and it was now on 17% power, no time to do anything, just as well really, as I needed sleep. I clean my teeth, and went to sleep to the sounds of Flashdance coming from the theatre next door.What a feeling!
Wednesday 31st May 2017
I had at least been sensible the night before, eating in the hotel, just one beer, and even an early night due to being tired and shagged out after a particularly long squawk. Sorry, flight. I was awake with the larks again, or in this case, the seagulls who had nest on the roof of the hotel, and being on the top floor meant I had front row seats when they started calling at dawn, sometime after four. I did go back to sleep, but you know, seagulls.
I get up and have a shower, and look human if I didn't feel it. A colleague was downstairs having breakfast, so I join him and we both remark how long its been since we chatted; turns out he is a father again and said child nearly one. Time, eh?
THere is then the drive to the office, through streets one would hope would be quieter being Whit week, but that's not a holiday in DK, so it was slow going, drving to the main road out of the city past where the office is. Saying that the long held dream of one day being able to take the tram to work seems a long way off still with the lines and overhead wires done, but the stations are being buit still, so what is turning out to take even longer than the Edinburgh tram is continuing. Although, the tram signals are working, and change a second or two before the traffic lights, so those of us on the front row can be ready for the start when the lights go green.
I arrive at work and find that jobs that I had been told we have until the middle of June to do are now wanted yesterday, f not sooner, and why isn't it done? Er, holiday, boss? No good, get it done. So, that's the first job of the day, or at least one of the tasks. Second one gives me the chance to tick off all the last of the quality tasks on the project, create a PDF of it, and send it off as proof the job is done! Yay me.
And then there are meetings. Always meetings. Meetings to get in the way of work. THis is going to be nothing compared to tomorrow when a whole working day is to be given over to department meeting. A single department meeting. In a conference centre. With whiteboards, flipcharts, pens, and a regular supply of food and snacks. Today, there is even a meeting scheduled over lunch which means I am to therefore go hungry for the rest of the day, at least until the evening.
And then came my annual assessment. What can I say, I suppose as before having completed the only thing my boss can do is put me on another project, so I have that already. Could do some things better, of course. Other things we cannot change, we agree upon that, but maybe there is hope. Maybe not, we shall see. Nothing about a pay rise, mind, so we shall see. I think I am worth double, treble what I'm now on, but then I would.
I come out of the meeting to see the locals leaving, traffic would be crazy for two hours, so I get back to work until nearly 5 when there was no queue at the lights onto the main road back into the city.
Driving can be frantic in Denmark, with there being traffic lights and lanes for just cyclists, so care must be taken at junctions for those, and that when turning right, cyclists and pedestrians walking straight on have priority, so must be careful not to run anyone over. I don't and arrive back at the hotel to find the open air car park full, so venture into the vast underground one instead.
I am in a hurry as I am to meet with Shaggy, hi is in town taking his eldest daughter to look round the technical college where she is due to start studying in a few weeks. I wait for him in the bar, which is a good place as any.
He arrives, we share another beer then decide that two ex-armourers would like to have tapas for dinner. Tapas. What is the world coming too? Just down the hill is a small Spanish place, and there has dozens of free tables, and do a deal with eight tapas for a fixed price, including FRIED AUBERGINE!!! Not as good as mine of course, but drizzled with honey, wasn't bad.
Full up of tapas and fresh rolls with garlic spread, we wander down to the Highlander, where, to my dismay, I found I was full, and no matter how hard I tried could I get a pint down. This wan't helped with Shaggs buying me a bottle of dark porter as well, and I also failed to drink that all too.
It was dusk as I walked back to the hotel, bars were coming alive, and on the streets, bright young things were out and about en route to some happening hot spot for the night. At the music theatre beside the hotel, a production of Flashdance was underway, and in celebration the theatre had put up a disco glitterball in the lobby. Sadly, no one was dancing, and I shuffled by.
I get up and have a shower, and look human if I didn't feel it. A colleague was downstairs having breakfast, so I join him and we both remark how long its been since we chatted; turns out he is a father again and said child nearly one. Time, eh?
THere is then the drive to the office, through streets one would hope would be quieter being Whit week, but that's not a holiday in DK, so it was slow going, drving to the main road out of the city past where the office is. Saying that the long held dream of one day being able to take the tram to work seems a long way off still with the lines and overhead wires done, but the stations are being buit still, so what is turning out to take even longer than the Edinburgh tram is continuing. Although, the tram signals are working, and change a second or two before the traffic lights, so those of us on the front row can be ready for the start when the lights go green.
I arrive at work and find that jobs that I had been told we have until the middle of June to do are now wanted yesterday, f not sooner, and why isn't it done? Er, holiday, boss? No good, get it done. So, that's the first job of the day, or at least one of the tasks. Second one gives me the chance to tick off all the last of the quality tasks on the project, create a PDF of it, and send it off as proof the job is done! Yay me.
And then there are meetings. Always meetings. Meetings to get in the way of work. THis is going to be nothing compared to tomorrow when a whole working day is to be given over to department meeting. A single department meeting. In a conference centre. With whiteboards, flipcharts, pens, and a regular supply of food and snacks. Today, there is even a meeting scheduled over lunch which means I am to therefore go hungry for the rest of the day, at least until the evening.
And then came my annual assessment. What can I say, I suppose as before having completed the only thing my boss can do is put me on another project, so I have that already. Could do some things better, of course. Other things we cannot change, we agree upon that, but maybe there is hope. Maybe not, we shall see. Nothing about a pay rise, mind, so we shall see. I think I am worth double, treble what I'm now on, but then I would.
I come out of the meeting to see the locals leaving, traffic would be crazy for two hours, so I get back to work until nearly 5 when there was no queue at the lights onto the main road back into the city.Driving can be frantic in Denmark, with there being traffic lights and lanes for just cyclists, so care must be taken at junctions for those, and that when turning right, cyclists and pedestrians walking straight on have priority, so must be careful not to run anyone over. I don't and arrive back at the hotel to find the open air car park full, so venture into the vast underground one instead.
I am in a hurry as I am to meet with Shaggy, hi is in town taking his eldest daughter to look round the technical college where she is due to start studying in a few weeks. I wait for him in the bar, which is a good place as any. He arrives, we share another beer then decide that two ex-armourers would like to have tapas for dinner. Tapas. What is the world coming too? Just down the hill is a small Spanish place, and there has dozens of free tables, and do a deal with eight tapas for a fixed price, including FRIED AUBERGINE!!! Not as good as mine of course, but drizzled with honey, wasn't bad.
Full up of tapas and fresh rolls with garlic spread, we wander down to the Highlander, where, to my dismay, I found I was full, and no matter how hard I tried could I get a pint down. This wan't helped with Shaggs buying me a bottle of dark porter as well, and I also failed to drink that all too.
It was dusk as I walked back to the hotel, bars were coming alive, and on the streets, bright young things were out and about en route to some happening hot spot for the night. At the music theatre beside the hotel, a production of Flashdance was underway, and in celebration the theatre had put up a disco glitterball in the lobby. Sadly, no one was dancing, and I shuffled by.
Tuesday 30th May 2017
It had to happen sometime, so it happened today; back to work.
And as there is a pile of stuff to do at home, I have to travel to Denmark to get my annual assessment and then take part in group character analysis. It would be funny if I were making that last part up. I think that's what it is. I had to answer a survey today in preparation; questions like, do I tolerate incompetence. Am I shy? And I am I people person? Do I look like a bloody people person I screamed at the computer scream. Everyone in the office turned round and stared.
But before we get there, I had to travel. Jools to take me to the station, train to London, DLR to airport and so on.It meant getting up at quarter to five, getting my stuff together, checking on my work stuff, only to find out later I left the lead from the computer in the living room. Not helpful.
We have breakfast and then climb in the car for the two minute run to the station and we part. The ticket machine is broken, and the conductor's machine is also broken. I have to get one when I get to London, queue to pay for it, then put it in the automatic barriers and it is taken. I had the ticket for 15 seconds.
I have breakfast in the cafe, and exchange pleasantries with the young lady behind the counter. I have now confused her by switching from a large latte with gingerbread syrup and an extra shot to straight large Americano. She is still impressed with my commute to Denmark, makes a change from Denmark Hill I suppose.
THe expected chaos at the airport failed to happen, this was after the crashing of the computers at British Airways meant no flights took off anywhere over the weekend. But all good for me. I have 90 minutes wait, so find a quiet seat and read a magazine.
Flights are called, and people queue at the gate like they were trying to get out of Saigon on the last flight. I mean they all have reserved seats.
My flight is called, and sit behind the semi-famous Sandi Toksvig and her family heading home to the homeland, I guess.
I read some more, eat 2nd breakfast. Or is it 3rd, or maybe an early lunch. Or elevenses? Outside there is total cloud cover, and we only break through it about 50m from the ground, which is pretty normal. But it isn't raining, which is remarkable.
I am given a Mercedes C200 or something, I should know this stuff, but cars, you know, dull in the detail, but OK to drive. I'll take a picture tomorrow.
The drive to the office is OK, 45 minutes, flying up the motorway, not as many horses as the Audi last week, but still gives a satisfying roar when you put your foot down and it lurches off.
Only 145 e mails waiting, as the project is now finished, I have a few tasks, but there is one I have to do yesterday, if not sooner. I get mails, calls and messages about it. OK< I get the message.
I have arranged a meeting for when I arrive, but have not prepared, and have to make it up as we go on. Worked out well as it happened. Must do that more often, less preparation.
At five, the traffic is near sensible levels, so drive to the hotel, get the last parking space and in a turn up am not given the Presidential Suite, but the room next to it; so close.
In the evening I eat in the hotel restaurant; pulled beef burger: it wasn't a success. But there are fries and fried onions too, and ice cold beer too. Which means the plan to live life healthier on me travels bites the dust for another day.
Annual assessment tomorrow.
Woohoo.
And as there is a pile of stuff to do at home, I have to travel to Denmark to get my annual assessment and then take part in group character analysis. It would be funny if I were making that last part up. I think that's what it is. I had to answer a survey today in preparation; questions like, do I tolerate incompetence. Am I shy? And I am I people person? Do I look like a bloody people person I screamed at the computer scream. Everyone in the office turned round and stared.
But before we get there, I had to travel. Jools to take me to the station, train to London, DLR to airport and so on.It meant getting up at quarter to five, getting my stuff together, checking on my work stuff, only to find out later I left the lead from the computer in the living room. Not helpful.
We have breakfast and then climb in the car for the two minute run to the station and we part. The ticket machine is broken, and the conductor's machine is also broken. I have to get one when I get to London, queue to pay for it, then put it in the automatic barriers and it is taken. I had the ticket for 15 seconds.I have breakfast in the cafe, and exchange pleasantries with the young lady behind the counter. I have now confused her by switching from a large latte with gingerbread syrup and an extra shot to straight large Americano. She is still impressed with my commute to Denmark, makes a change from Denmark Hill I suppose.
THe expected chaos at the airport failed to happen, this was after the crashing of the computers at British Airways meant no flights took off anywhere over the weekend. But all good for me. I have 90 minutes wait, so find a quiet seat and read a magazine.
Flights are called, and people queue at the gate like they were trying to get out of Saigon on the last flight. I mean they all have reserved seats.
My flight is called, and sit behind the semi-famous Sandi Toksvig and her family heading home to the homeland, I guess.
I read some more, eat 2nd breakfast. Or is it 3rd, or maybe an early lunch. Or elevenses? Outside there is total cloud cover, and we only break through it about 50m from the ground, which is pretty normal. But it isn't raining, which is remarkable.
I am given a Mercedes C200 or something, I should know this stuff, but cars, you know, dull in the detail, but OK to drive. I'll take a picture tomorrow.
The drive to the office is OK, 45 minutes, flying up the motorway, not as many horses as the Audi last week, but still gives a satisfying roar when you put your foot down and it lurches off.
Only 145 e mails waiting, as the project is now finished, I have a few tasks, but there is one I have to do yesterday, if not sooner. I get mails, calls and messages about it. OK< I get the message.
I have arranged a meeting for when I arrive, but have not prepared, and have to make it up as we go on. Worked out well as it happened. Must do that more often, less preparation.
At five, the traffic is near sensible levels, so drive to the hotel, get the last parking space and in a turn up am not given the Presidential Suite, but the room next to it; so close.
In the evening I eat in the hotel restaurant; pulled beef burger: it wasn't a success. But there are fries and fried onions too, and ice cold beer too. Which means the plan to live life healthier on me travels bites the dust for another day.
Annual assessment tomorrow.
Woohoo.
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