A great weekend ahead, what with all the shenanigans that are going on. I'll be more than happy to keep out of the way of work for a couple of days and the roller coaster pain that is this current deal. Not quite there yet, but as Scobi would say, ...and Relax...
Three days in London have taken their toll, and I seem to have picked up the hacking cough from the tall fella. He's got it bad though and is seriously in need of some R and R. Hopefully for him that's also just around the corner. We have both the hedge and the church seating back from their holidays on Tuesday, so that should help ease the burden somewhat.
After a particularly long days slog of it on Monday, the evening saw the tall fella and I leave the office at the relatively early time of 6.30 in search of a beverage and some good food. We had half planned to visit a branch of Wahaca in Westfield - a stones throw from this weeks hotel, but events took a turn and it wasn't to be. Instead we ran into an old colleague in the executive lounge of the hotel and made a spur of the moment decision to visit a local hostelry in the vicinity - "The Castle" on Holland Park Avenue.
What a great little boozer it is too. It has that tiled frontage - not unlike The Imperial Inn of Gloucester fame but has managed to retain its class and stature in its community, where the Imperial has flagged and gotten faded and torn on the corners. Reasonably priced food, and fine selection of ales. Not a larger pub, but a wide selection of beer to choose from nonetheless. There was much reminiscing of the old days and we all had a generally enjoyable evening. On top of which, it wasn't a particularly late one either - which made a pleasant change.
 |
| Commuting makes for some scenic London |
Tuesday saw more planning, for the big push, while the tall fella spent the day with a Scotsman, who to be fair, could have done the same job on the phone in an hour long call. However, this chap is performing a newly mandated service for which we have the undoubted pleasure of being one of the first teams to have to use, along with all the executive help that can muster to pick the bones out of it. It's not like we've got anything else to do is it?... (I detect sarcasm -Ed)
The evening, which sadly was far later beginning at around 7.30 but the time DLT had switched his laptop off, was a fascinating one though. During discussions the previous evening, the Hungarian restaurant "The Gay Hussar" had come up in conversation. I'd heard of it, but never been and as DLT is of Hungarian descent, when the tall fella and I mentioned it to him, he was all to eager to give it a go. It required a reservation, but was easily obtained.
We made our way over there, arriving just in the nick of 8pm and were seats in this single room diner between two already full and noisy tables. To my immediate right were two gentleman engaged in very loud and action packed conversation of the upper class twit kind that I found an absolute delight to listen to. Sadly there were so feverish and at such a high volume that it made the conversation on our table nearly audible for me.
The goings on of the upper class, who had horrendous stories to telly about such subjects as his builder (a bloody good snooker player) and a local farmer and Mrs farmer who had come back to his house from the pub while his wife was away skiing, consumed very many bottles of wine and smoked too many fags in the "playroom", were a constant distraction. Still Jeremy had Julian had a good time - and made me thankful for the fact that I don’t have to move in their circle too often.
We rounded the evening off with a glass of something horrible that the Hungarian people swear by - and I can see why. I too was swearing.... and coughing and spluttering. Amazing what you can do with a potato.... OK, OK, so it’s not made from potato (mostly fruit and herbs I think) but regardless - it put me in mind (and stomach) of PoitÃn or poteen or puchine or whatever that potato based vodka stuff is called.
Wednesday and more whipping the unwell Equus. I’m flip flopping over this deal being great or terrible in equal measure. There really is no way of knowing. The Wednesday evening train home was a blessing.
Thursday was a working from home and catching up with paperwork kind of day - along with the arrival of superfast hyperquick and other speedy type words used to describe our new broadband connection. We’ve leapt from a paltry 4Mb connection up to a whopping 40Mb. Wow, what a difference that has made - with streaming whassnames all over the place. The installation was hassle free and in fact I’d go as far to say it was a doddle. Fantastic - although there was one downside. The corporate laptop decided it was “too fast for me” - and promptly blue screened. And inn fact continued to do so, until I figured out what was causing it such ills. It was a similar problem to that which the badman had experienced a few months ago - although with the added benefit of problems caused by the “Neat & Tidy Piano Movers” - which the badman also directed me towards. A name that will stick and we’re bound to hear more of in the future.
And so to the weekend - for it’s is a bank holiday one and containing daughter’s birthday.
Let the fun and games commence...
Until next time.
Comments
Post a Comment