Friday 16th February 2018

Path Day.

Oh man, despite not travelling back from Denmark, I guess the six hour drive and work the day before meant that I was running on empty again. Maybe not as bad as previous weeks, but still pooped.

Jools had the day off as Mulder needed to be taken to the vet, and I had an appointment with the doctor too, which did not need Jools having the morning off, but it did mean that getting the car back to the port could be done at about half seven, and the paperwork was done, and all was good, I just had to wait for Jools to finish in Tesco before coming to pick me up. But for some reason she was delayed, I still don't understand why, but I waited nearly 50 minutes at the port, in the warm sunshine, though it was still frosty, but it was Friday and the weekend was due to begin in about six hours or so.

Jools arrived just after half eight, we drive home for breakfast before I have my appointment.

And so by the time we get back, it is nearly lunch time, so we have lunch, left over KFC in rolls. As you do, and a brew, and then I can start work for the day. And as ever, there is a whole shitload of stuff to deal with. Mails, calls and the rest. And I have a very important document to get out. So all hands to the deck.

And all the while, three blokes were in the back garden, working hard, as they had for the two previous days, paying the path. The path we wanted laying, between the two new beds and winding its way from the patio to the shelter thing at the bottom of the garden.

They had dug out the path, laid the edging stones over the last two days, and now it was time to lay the ones on the middle. This required lots of bricks, all carried from the car port and stacked beside the shallow trench. A layer of sand was put down, then concrete, and finally the bricks. They also replaced the untidy borders of the other beds with laid bricks, and by two it was done. And looked spanking.

As the guys were banging and cutting stony things in the garden, the cats all did a vanishing act, so Mulder did not make his appointment again.

I offered them a beer, only one took up the offer as the others only liked "lager". Their loss.

It is a glorious afternoon, and we surveyed their good work and our planning, and for all the world it looked and felt like late spring. And I had done my work, so could wrap up. OK, travel expenses not done. At all. But we can't have everything. Why not wait until next week when they'll be another week's to do?

So the weekend can begin, and we really are as pleased as punch with the garden how it looks, and as the guys dug the path by hand, there was no deep ruts in the wild flower meadow. These things are important you know.

We have coffee. Chocolate. And listen to the radio.

And finally, we started to watch Altered Carbon on Netflix. Amazing where the evening went after that.....

Thursday 15th February 2018

I am awake before six again, listening to the traffic rumbling by on the main road outside my window. Probably if I listened hard enough I could it on the nearby M6 too. But the rain of yesterday had gone, and instead there was blue sky, or was once dawn and sunrise came. And so sunshine.

I am to travel home later, so have to pack again. I say pack, I only got my toothbrush out, really, so packed and ready to go. I check out downstairs, then go for breakfast; cereal and sausage butties (no sauce) and lots of coffee. Many high falutin' people are in, talking business strategy and the like. I listen but soon get bored. I only have to walk over the road, then along a short woodland path to the office. But as they have just just moved buildings, it means I won't be able to get in.

I do try the old keyfob to get in, but no dice. Someone working for Rolls Royce (!) lets me in when he enters, so I could go to the first floor and knock on the door so someone could let me in. SOmeone takes pity on me, points to an empty desk so I can log on and start work. Funny how, when motivated by the thought if I get the meetings over with, deal with the issues and such, I could be on the road by half one, if not before.

Only spot was the fact they had a vending machine, and I had change. So I treat myself to a pack of Cadburys Snacks and then some ridged crisps. I was out of cash, which was just as well and I could easily have more chocolate. A tea's too wet without some.

So, I am inspired; sorting through and filing mails like a thing possessed, and as soon as the final meeting ended I was packing up and planning my route south.

Back to the hotel, drive out onto the bypass, to the M6 and south into the early afternoon sunshine, driving south as quick as the traffic and speed limit would let me. I have the radio on, it is sunny and dry. Even the M6, notorious for being jammed up at regular intervals is fine.

I reach the M6 Toll, take that, worth six quid of my money to avoid going through Brum, where there was much delays according the matrix signs. I stop to fill up, also get a pasty and a coffee, and as soon back on the near deserted motorway heading south. Somewhere the sat nav decided to to take me down the M42, and instead had designs on taking me through Northampton. I was left to take the route I knew best, down the A14 from the bottom of the M6 to Cambridge hen down past Stanstead to London.

Seemed a long way to go, but there was no hold ups, I made it through Cambridge, onto the motorway as the day faded. There were some slow traffic on the M25, and on the ramp to the bridge, i watched as the sun sank in the west, casting long shadows and the sky turning darker and darker blue.

Only real incident was avoiding a rear end shunt just by Medway services, I edge round as the two drivers are both out looking at the damage.

It is now dark, and I am in the final 30 miles, just wanting to get home.

Even in the dark I could see the curves of our new path, just edging for now, but it looked stunning. I am early, and it is decided we would really like KFC for dinner, so I drive to Whitfield, get a dipping selction meal, more than enough for two meals. We eat well, and have enough chicken left over for lunch tomorrow. Te cats are unhappy with the work in the garden, but seem happy to see me, even Miss Molly who is like a kitten again, rolling over and over.

We listen to some radio, then I watch the football from Sunday, laughing at Man Utd who manage to lose to the Toon. Half a billion spent and still little improvement. Good work, Jose.

Friday Brexit

A takedown of the UK Government's Brexit plans and stategy, as it is, by Nina Schick via Twitter ('NinaDSchick)

1. In case it wasn’t already clear - Germany’s position on Brexit will not change. The U.K. has a history of over-relying in Germany in EU negotiations. (Cameron made this mistake too.)

2. This displays a misunderstanding of the vital political, strategic and economic importance of the EU to Germany.

3. Any suggestion that May can go over the heads of #Brexit negotiators to convince Merkel to ‘do a deal’ is simply incorrect. A) She can’t do that - and b) it wouldn’t be in her interests to do so.

4. Also on ‘the deal’ - Merkel and the rest of the EU is waiting for clarity from London as to what Britain wants on future trade. (And not the cake and unicorn model). The U.K. hasn’t decided, because the Cabinet can’t agree.

5. This brings us into serious trouble re:timing. The transition is meant to be agreed in March #EUCO - but even that might come down to the wire as it won’t be bespoke. That gives us only a few months to talk future trade.

6. But I’ll repeat - there will be no FTA agreed by leaving Day in March 2019. At best it will be a thin political statement framing the future direction of travel. So U.K. remains a rule taker - but loses its voice on how to make those rules through the transition.

7. As such, biggest risk to Brexit talks in my view is domestic political uncertainty. Can Brexiteers accept that the transition won’t be bespoke and that there will be many more years of negotiation after leaving to secure the future relationship? Will they pull WTO trigger?

8. Back to Germany: they are almost bemused by British approach to negotiations. When Merkel asks ‘what do you want?’ and May replies, ‘what will you give us?’ - this does not a good negotiation make. It’s not a game of ‘you give a little and we will give you something back.’

9. As far as Germany is concerned - there are a set of rules - the U.K. will have to decide which ones it will and won’t apply, which will determine the level of access to the market and the future relationship. But no cherry picking.

10. So please, let’s accept that there will be no 11th hour deliverance from Merkel or the German car manufacturers. Not because of ‘punishment’ - but because it’s not strategically in their interest to offer the unicorn and cake model.

11. What’s more - the UK can’t afford to lose anymore time. Aside from the economic & trading relationship - it needs to move quickly to discussing future security cooperation with the EU. As also pointed out by my boss @AndersFoghR at @rasmussenglobal & at #MSC2018.

12. There is a lot that U.K. needs to decide and move on, so interventions about liberal Brexit and open Brexit at this stage are utterly useless & white noise. Quite astounding that Cabinet ministers are making such low substance interventions - domestic optics aside.

13. And finally, the biggest exporter in the world after China is Germany. It sells its cars to China whilst being in the EU. So the Brexit suggestion that Britain needs to leave the world’s largest trading bloc to ‘go global’ makes zero sense to Germans.

Double down lies

Today, the first of the Cabinet speeches took place, Boris de Piffel Johnson trying to sound a conciliatory note, but failing to bring the two sides of Brexit together, mainly because he repeated lies and untruths, gave no details of the fundamental issues that confront he and the other Brexiteers. Blind faith will no longer do and real details and solutions are needed.

The PM appealed to Ireland for creative solutions to the border issue to avoid a hard border to strict alignment.

And a select committee issued a damning report on preparations for immigration controls post Brexit saying that the Border Force has been given no plans, no money, and especially at quiet east coast ports, there is not sufficient immigration coverage.

Reading between the lines of Boris’ speech which had been approved by Number 10, it seems that May is pushing for a Canada style FTA, meaning that it is hard to see how Parliament could support that, and maybe good to bring the issue of Parliamentary support for the deal as early as possible to enable a solution to be found. Johnson also ruled out a second referendum, and reversing Brexit. He tried to make the case for a Liberal Brexit, one that removes citizen’s rights, about as il-liberal as it is possible to get. It is also clear that there is still no agreement in Cabinet over Brexit, as the Chancellor and Amber Rudd are not being allowed to speak, and as they are in favour of SM and CU membership.

Anna Soubry, a Conservative MP, who is a remainer, has had several death threats, pointed out that two years ago, her views were Conservative Party policy, now the party has jumped to the right and she is being branded a traitor. Yes, these are grim times for those who love their country and want what’s best for it. In the face of amazing stupidity.

Wednesday 14th February 2018

What a day. Long periods of dullness followed by brief periods of scariness.

The dullness came from the course, and the excitement came from driving from Leeds to Manchester on the M62 in driving rain and sleet. In the dark. In heavy traffic. Could have been worse, but, you know.

I woke up this morning at half five, apparently rested. So I lay in bed listening to the traffic on the main road outside, and the wind blowing in the trees.

I made the mistake of going down to breakfast too early on Tuesday, so wait to quarter to seven before going down, pay the bill, but am surprised by a bill of £32 for a red wine and a pint of beer. Steep if it were in London. I question it, and there will be an investigation I was told.

I have cereal and a sausage sandwich for breakfast, a two cups of bitter coffee. But I feel human again.

Back upstairs to pack, throw my work stuff in the case, as I only need to carry my coursework. One final check of the room and I take the lift down and load up the car. This feels better, but I am not going home, at least not today.

The five of us on the course and the instructor gather between half eight and ten past nine, ready to begin with reviewing the homework done late last night after drinking the wine. But I do OK.

The day drags, but we can see the end of the course, working through to the morning break, then to lunch where we seem to be the only ones in to eat. One last lesson, some preparation and then we can do the final role play scenario, and we are done. If only Dave would stop talking. He talks for another 20 minutes where we try to look and sound interested as we also try to pack our stuff.

And at ten to four we can leave, meaning we would hit the roads at the start of rush hour. I program the sat nav and am away, out of the car park and onto the main road, turning onto the motorway, and into traffic. It had snowed on and off during the day, but now was just raining.

I get onto the M62, which goes from Hull to Liverpool, I am only going from Leeds to Manchester, but at each junction, traffic slows to walking pace, but we do keep moving. After Huddersfield the road climbs up onto the moors, rain falls heavy and there is snow on the tops of the hills, just visible as darkness falls.

It is just as bad in Manchester, we inch round the ring road as rain continues to fall. I turn onto the M6 south, according to the sat nav, I have 15 minutes to go, but that could still take an hour. Or two.

I arrive in Birchwood, turn off the motorway and along a good empty road through the business park, coming to the hotel. It was half six. And I was very happy to arrive.

The Pentahotel is a modern place; the reception and bar are the same place, it has low level lighting, music playing, and feels more like a pub than a hotel. But the rooms are typical of a business/travel hotel, the rooms comfortable and functional.

After dropping my case and bag, go down for dinner. I am weak, so order beer and burger and fries. It is simple, and OK. Comes quick meaning I am back in the room for quarter to eight, in time to hear the start of the Liverpool game at Porto.

Tuesday 13th February 2018

For all the driving in sunshine, visiting Huntingdon and Nottingham on Monday, there was a reason for the trip, and that is being here at a modern spa hotel on the edge of Leeds for some training.

Which is why I was up and about before dawn, despit in theory being able to lay in until eight. I am up and about, and down for breakfast at half six when I thought it began, but was told I was half an hour early, cooked food was not ready, but help yourself to cereal and toast. Which I did, anyway, would be enough as these places usually have food laying around for breaks in the course, which was true as it turned out.

I make some calls for work before the course started, but then there was no avoiding it, so I walk down two flights of stairs, grab a coffee and a smoothie and go into the room for the course, and find a former colleague, Steve, one of the other four delegates.

We were here for quality management system training, aka ISO 9001:201y conversion training, and yes, the name of it is the only exciting thing about it.

It is a dry subject, heavy on theory, and long on talking and acting out scenarios.

The best bit is the introductions, but after that it is down to the heavy stuff, and me trying to not clock watch, but it is there, and so I watched as the minute hand took about a year to go round to ten, at which point we had a break. A bank had taken all the other rooms as they were doing a mid-managers assessment day, and by the end some grown men would be in tears as their banking careers were brought to an early end.

Brutal.

But we have coffee, biscuits and go back for more quality until lunch.

Half an hour in which to catch up with work via our phones, have some lunch and go back again for more of the same.

By the end of the day our brains are mush, but are given homework. I go to my room, change and go to the gym downstairs and do a 40 minute session with a soundtrack by James and Big Audio Dynamite. My brain is clear, I have worked off some of the biscuit calories too.

I meet Shona, the only other delegate staying here, for dinner, and we chat over starters and the main course, each sipping for a large glass of red wine. They come in small and medium glasses, which was a surprise.

Back in my room, I find it quarter to nine. I have homework to do, so knuckle down and complete the multiple guess quiz. Job done

Monday 12th February 2018

This week I am away on a course. So have to pick up a hire car and drive north to Leeds. Leeds is where a previous Mrs Jelltex hailed from, so Leeds and I have history. But I still like the city, it is historical, has some nice architecture, and brews good beer too. And I am in a hotel spa on the company credit card again.

So, At least unlike when I have to fly it means getting up at half four, this Monday meant we could lie in until nearly six, but of course, my brain had other ideas and I was wide awake at half four, with an allergy attack building, so sniffing and sneezing my way to dawn.

Monday means that every second counts, getting breakfast made, getting dressed and making sure I have packed everything. So, Jools takes me to the town so I can wander round the St James development, round the outside of it, taking shots just before it is about to open. Buildings have logos on them, some are fitted out, but the cinema failed to open on time, and Frankie and Benny’s have pulled out. I’m still not convinced it’s a good idea. But we shall see.

I walk down under Townwall Street, over Newbridge to the promenade, where the sun has risen and the Regency buildings are glowing in the warm light. It is high tide, but what waves there are, just lap against the sea wall.

I wait while they get the paperwork done, then am given the keys to a Suzuki faux 4x4, I check it for damage and then drive out the port, up Jubilee Way to home, where I was expecting the path guy to be waiting, but he isn’t. And after calling him I find there has been a mix up and work will not start until Wednesday. So, all I have to do is have breakfast, wash up, load the car and leave.

That all done, I program to radio to 6 Music, and I pause, with that satisfied feeling of an open road ahead. I smile.

You know the route up to Dartford, all done whilst bathed in glorious winter sunshine, and in light traffic. It is most pleasurable. At the tunnel, one of the bores is closed, but not the one I drive into, under the river and up into Essex.

North I go into Essex, past the airport to Cambridge, then along the A14, which is now being widened, but for now is a 20 mile nightmare with narrow lanes and a 40mph speed limit. I remember when this road was built, now its not man enough, so lets build more, wider roads.

I need a comfort break, so stop in Huntingdon. I had seen an interesting ancient bridge and watermill from the main road before, and thought it might be worth checking out.

I drive over the bridge and past the mill, now converted into offices or something, looks nice but not enough to stop. So I drive on to the town centre, and after a loop of the one way system, I find a car park and a space.

Huntingdon is famous for being the birth place of Oliver Cromwell, so what with the mill, bridge, I though there might be some interesting buildings to see, churches to crawl round. And indeed there were two parish churches, both locked, and neither listing keyholders. I walk down the high street, it seems vibrant, and shops full. After I find the second church, All Saints, closed. I return to the car to continue the drive north.

I go up the A1, stopping off at a diner for lunch of a burger and curly fries.

My next idea is to go via Nottingham, as that would take me up the M1, and to Leeds right past the hotel. And allowing me to call into Nottingham for half an hour to find what is rumoured to be the oldest pub in Britain. Turns out its probably not the oldest pub in Nottingham, but built leaning against the rock that the castle is built upon, it looks ancient, but might be 17th century at oldest. I remind readers that the Mermaid in Rye dates at least to 1420, whereas Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem claims to date from the 12th century. The bar is partly built into the rocky hill, which makes for a great atmosphere.

So I have my pint and take shots. So I can return to the car and finish the last leg of the journey to Leeds up the Motorway.

Still in sunshine, and even with it being half term, traffic wasn’t too bad, so I made good time and arrived at the hotel just before half four, and once checked in I could answer my mails. Where I find that the only week between now and Easter I have at home now requires me to go to Hamburg. SO it goes, so it goes.

I do homework, listen to the radio, drink coffee one I work out how the coffee pod machine works.

In the restaurant, staffed mainly by school leavers, apparently, I have a good meal of what they claimed was mushroom soup, but they overdid the cream. So it was cream of cream soup. Followed by lamb.

And that is it, back in my room, listening to the football on the radio. Situation normal.