After that last entry, I'm struggling to stay awake, but it goes like that. Total and utter boredom of monotony, followed by fast paced, high energy excitement, followed by back round to the slow pace of plodding ever onwards. So by that token, this entry should be a rip roarer. Sorry, but not a bit of it.
The earliest train there is up to Liverpool is at ten past seven from my nearest station, Gloucester. In my book that's early, but can be considered a lie-in by London standards. However, now that the summer is over, it's mostly dark, and so mostly feels like the middle of the night anyway.
Last week I was at home. On the work front, we're under great pressure to be seen to be out performing the rest of Europe (which of course we are) and that means proving we can do the jobs we've been doing for x number of years (I say X, because it's a bit like revealing one's age, and in my case, it's well into double figures.) This proof, comes in the form of a pile of paperwork that has to be approved by a bunch of managerial types just to say you're not making it up. To be honest, I've been doing this for so long, that half of said managerial types weren't even employed here, so how would they even know?... Regardless, I stayed away from the client site for the week to get the job done and it proved to be a fascinating gaze into my navel replete with successes and failures and all the odd bits and bobs that you'd rather you'd forgotten about, or could barely remember doing in the first place. That's the trouble with this job. No sooner have you finished one deal, than you're off to the next one and what you were just doing is instantly forgotten. It is, bizarre.
In other news.... Daughter bought a new car, and so son bought a new (to him) car while Mrs G and I remain resplendently carless. We seemed to have managed remarkably well so far, although I fear the day is coming when I'll crack and buy either a banger, or something brand new, or hop back into the company car scheme.. Who knows? In reality, if you don't need a car, then why have a car? ...and other people will say "surely you need to go places?" as if you can't travel without a car... Or "How will you ever cope?" but I can tell you, you just do. Living on the edge of a city makes it a lot easier. If we lived out in the countryshire proper, then it would be a different story. I'm pretty sure a car would be an essential, but we have reasonably good transport links, and most things are a short walk away or practically on our doorstep. On that basis, I think I'll keep the insurance and road tax in my pocket for the time being.
Stan and I bumped into our local MP in the pub, and he claimed to know us. This was something I found particularly odd as I'd never met him before in my life. MPs have a thankless job, and I often wonder if it's actually just a pointless job. They don't do themselves any favours more often than not. All too regularly are they caught with their hand in the till (well, the public purse to be more precise) or up to no good with the likes of the baby eating bishop of bath and wells. No wonder nobody ever trusts them. They consistently let themselves down - not forgetting that you can't please all the people all of the time - so they really are onto a looser... I considered getting into a debate with him on the subject of the railway triangle, or the general state of the post office, or some such similar subject, but I thought about it for 30 seconds, and then decided I'd rather have another pint in a different pub than dance around the hooray-henry's... I'm really referring to the company he was keeping than the man himself. Stan and I sought refuge in a proper boozer instead.
Mrs G and I took in a night at the cinema (Gone Girl - 8/10 - gripping, but didn't quite finish in the manner it needs to, although camera work, scene setting and acting, as is always the case with David Fincher works, was more than excellent). We also had a bite to eat in the Coal Bar and Grill, which while being a chain, is a very nice chain at least. I do love a relaxing night out with the boss, and while she generally hates the cinema, even she was gripped by the plot.. Good times.
Claude had a 50th birthday party which was an entertaining Friday night.. All the local gang were there. More good times and ridiculous dancing.
I finally managed to retile the floor of mother-in-laws utility room. That has been on the cards for about two months, but the time has just not been available. Yesterday I set at it with a pace, and had it pretty much finished by 5pm. Bearing in mind it's only about 2 square meters of floor (if that) but it did have the mother of all fiddly bits, down in a corner that you could barely reach. I know I did it because this morning I still can't feel my knees. Finished job looks much better though.
...and with that, the sun is coming up, I have a very challenging next two weeks approaching at some serious rate of knots and then... holidays are coming... and so is Birmingham New Street.
All change....
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