Tag Archives: delays

A Diversion, an Early Start and Some Sarcasm

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On Mondays Julia works at the main site instead of being in the garden. This means driving through town rather than round the ring road. Really, I suppose, it ought to entail using  a bus but as it takes an hour longer, involves two buses and would mean getting up at 6.00 I have cynically suggested we should be selfish and use the car.

I haven’t flown at all in the last 32 years (and that was for work, not pleasure) and she has flown just once in that time. I think we can allow ourselves a few car trips.

As British Gas is digging up the road on our normal route we used a different route today, and allowed a little extra time as I suspected there would be other people doing the same thing. It appeared not to be the case and, after a swift and uneventful trip through the centre of town, I got her to work 20 minutes early.

When we start off at the normal time we have been anything from ten minutes early to twenty minutes late. I can’t wait to see how things progress.

Work is scheduled to end on 29th May.

Last time there was major work done round here they over-ran by two weeks on a six week project. If they do the same again, in percentage terms, they won’t finish until August.

My cup, as they say, runneth over…

Not a Happy Man

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Left home at 5.45 this morning to get Julia to work. Face was a bit puckered – felt like I’d been sucking lemons after a night of saline mouthwashes. I’m due at the dentist on Tuesday for round two of the epic tooth tug and want a nice clean mouth.

Went to the airport after that to pick up Number Two Son. Arrived 6.30. His relief was late and we didn’t get away until nearly 8.00. I used my time wisely – having taken a notebook with me, but the sunrise was a depressing, though dry, grey, so no photography.

We got home at 8.45, after a detour to reurn his office keys when he realised he still had them in his pocket.

Fortunately we hadn’t gone far.

Wrote this, mentally ticked another day off my 100. Going back to bed now and will hopefully rise, refreshed, to do the shopping.

 

A Few Loose Ends

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We went to the garage this morning – Julia had a ride on the ramp and I watched as the car cost me another £65.

Julia bought breakfast at McDonalds – yes, I’m ashamed of myself – and I dropped her off at work before going to work myself.

We only had two questions to answer and three parcels to post so I’d finished by the time everryone else turned up.

We sold one of these today – less than 24 hours after putting it on. Judging from the poertraits it commemorates the marriage of a monkey to an unsuccessful professional pugilist.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Royal Wedding medallion

Work went, as work does – a few customers, sorting some halfpennies, answering the phone, more things to put on eBay, then, as we were getting ready to go, two people bought things and we had two more parcels to do.

Back at home, I picked up my post, which informed me that I’d passed my blood test and have three weeks before the next one.

Eating tea and relaxing, I was distirbed by a text asking for a lift. Number Two son is on the way back from Manchester airport after returning from his German holiday.

And that, I think, is everything up to date.

Well, not quite. Just had a phone call to say No2 son is waiting in Sheffield after the Nottingham train was cancelled.

And while I think of it – I had an email from the farm (the venue for the original Quercus group). The ariel photo shows many changes, but the song remains the same. They have another community group running and are once again asking for cash. two years after getting rid of us they don’t seem much further forward. Maybe there will be a different outcome this time. Maybe…

I’ve blocked them from sending more emails.

 

Cerebration and some Unfortunate Events

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We’ve been having a lot of encounters with emergency vehicles recently, what with the accidental arsonist, the crash outside the shop and the neighbour who locked himself out. (It seems he told the fire brigade he’d left a pan on the hob, which was why they let him in without sending him a bill).

Last week we had the fire brigade again – an out of control barbecue that set a neighbour’s bins on fire. (It must have been very out of control to do that as it had to jump a fence to do it. Looks like a lot of lighter fluid must have been involved). Earlier this week there was an ambulance at the far end of the road.

Then yesterday we went to see my Dad, using the A1, or Great North The last few trips have been tricky – we have had several trips where we’ve been caught in queues – once for an accident and twice for roadworks.

A1 near Grantham – 20 degrees C
A1 near Grantham
A1 near Grantham – view in the mirror
A1 near Grantham – view in the mirror

Things ran true to recent form, and just south of Grantham we ground to a halt. It must have been a fresh accident, as we saw all the emergency vehicles pass us on their way to the front of the queue. They were delayed once by the driver behind us, who decided to occupy the space between the two lanes rather than pull over and let the police cars through. They were also, in one case, followed by a motorcycle.

Things like queuing, manners and road safety seem to be optional for some road users.

It all went well, considering. It was reasonably cool, it cleared in around an hour and, as the ambulance was still there when we left, we assume nobody was seriously injured.

While waiting, I performed a little cerebration (yes, I’ve been reading that website again!) and took a few photos, though by the time I’d used my mirror, done the lorry in front and photographed the temperature on the dashboard I’d pretty much exhausted the range of photographic possibilities. The verge was very dull, so I didn’t bother with it. You can only see a certain amount of litter without getting annoyed.

In the early 60’s I was in the Mayor of Blackburn’s Anti Litter League. I lost the badge but still have the certificate and loathing of litter. There seems to be nothing on the internet about us, something which I intend to correct as soon as possible, but that’s another story.

Sorry about the state of the windscreen.