Driver announcement

On the way home on the tube tonight we suddenly came to a juddering halt just outside Bermondsey. This in itself is not unusual. Bermondsey for some reason seems a place of frequent delay (I've no idea why, I never see anyone getting on or off there!).

Eventually we moved into the station, where we had another long delay (so annoying when you are so nearly home). Eventually the driver came over the PA system.

"Sorry for the delay. This was caused by somebody deciding to pull the passenger alarm..." (pause) "...presumably to see what it does. It stops the train... and causes a delay."

I think maybe the driver had finished a long day and was on his way home (just like me). He certainly sounded tired!

Meetings make minutes...

...and waste hours. I don't know who said that, but days like today I feel it could not be more true!

The day pretty much started with a meeting (although having gotten into work extra early I found a few hours for knocking things off my to do list first). The first meeting went on until nearly lunch time, and then the next meeting started straight after lunch. The only saving grace was that both meetings were in my own office so at least I didn't have to travel. Even so, it's no wonder I never get anything done!

Danger overhead!

As I was walking back to my office at lunchtime after a brief stroll to the bank I walked past a construction site. Not unusual in London. The outside of the building was clad in scaffolding, some of which was being struck (taken down). What concerned me was the manner in which this was happening. There was a flat bed truck parked in the street. In the back of the truck was an operative (without a hard hat) and on the scaffold was another operative (also without a hard hat). They were taking down scaffold poles and putting them in the truck. The method by which they were doing this. The guy on the scaffold was dropping these poles (steel or similar about 6ft long) and the guy in the truck was catching them. Again, no hard hats, no gloves. I just had to stop and stare... and wonder why?!

It's all rubbish...

Despite many and varied complaints regarding the new waste collection arrangements in the Borough of Greenwich my journey to work this morning was hampered (as is usual for a Monday) by the refuse cart performing a rolling roadblock down Charlton Church Lane.

The new arrangements are beginning to fall into place, it would seem. The long awaited compost/caddy bags were finally delivered last week (although apparently abandoned in the porch rather than actually 'delivered'). Our food rubbish was collected (eventually) last Thursday (sometime after 5pm) and other bloggers in the area have also seen their rubbish collected.

Regarding the new 'green waste' arrangements, apart from the need to rinse out containers which previously we would have thrown away (which being washing up falls into Rich's domain rather than mine!) I've not noticed a great deal of difference... apart from the fact that when we've previously tried compost caddies they've only ever lasted a few weeks and this time it needs to stick!

Sunday, freezing Sunday

Everyday is freezing in our house. The boiler is still broken. There is still no central heating and still not hot water. The wireless internet and I are sitting on the landing waiting for kettles to boil in order to fill the bath tub with hot water. Question: how many times do you need to boil a 1.7 litre kettle to take a bath. Answer: too many!

Here's another interesting fact. Boiling two kettles and heating a steam iron off the same extension lead, bad idea. Blows the fuse in the extension lead. This proves the veracity of the concerns of the Portable Appliance testing man who came to our office last year, and expressed concern that the toaster, kettle and microwave all came from the same extension point. I had to put up a 'public service' notice warning people to have only one of the listed appliances plugged in at any one time.

The two kettles prove an interesting point. One belonged to my nearly-mother-in-law, reasonably expensive, flat element, 'fast boil'. The other belonged to us, exposed element and cost £9.99. Proof that you get what you pay for as the flat element kettle is about 50% faster. We've been able to donate our second kettle to the bathroom cause. We have had the hot water heater in the kitchen replaced. In a very old fashioned manner our kitchen has no hot tap, but an electric heater on the wall which heats water. This was probably as old as the defunct boiler (and our gas cooker) and broke down a few years back. Initially we weren't sure if you could even replace such an appliance; and then we found out that you could... well it just never happened. Our plumber (who is possibly the best plumber in the world) came on Friday (several days early) and fitted it. And gave Rich a crash course in basic maintenance (even though it would have paid him not to, so we'd have to call him out). The man is a gem. He's even in my address book. I've recommended him to all my friends and family who live nearby!

I also popped into the garden for a little post-winter maintenance. Pulled the netting on the fish pond out of the water (I even saw Jaws and some of his little friends lurking about). Picked up all the bits on the patio that had fallen over and untangled the beaded curtain on the door (which after about three years definitely needs replacing).

Oh, and I ironed all the clothes that were clean - ready for another week. The only problem is that the clothes that aren't clean can't be washed until the boiler is fixed as there is nowhere in this ice-box that is our house to dry them. C'est la vie. If I run out of shirts I'll just do what I do when I can't be bothered to iron... pop out and buy some more!

Sims Castaway

I have spent most of the day today tucked up in bed (keeping warm) and playing Sims 2 Castaway on the PS2. For anyone who is a fan of the Sims this is a great game. I first met Sim City many years ago on the PC and progressed through various versions of the Sims on various platforms.

This is much better than previous versions, not so much opportunity for interior design, but the Sims themselves, being stranded on a desert island, don't go out to work (and vanish for half the day) and they seemn to need much less sleep too. This means there is more time to actually interact with game. All good.

The whole 'castaway' theme is great fun too. Finding treasure, salvaging stuff, building huts and making clothes... and making friends with the monkeys!

Completely addictive, but highly recommended!

Finally Friday

After a very busy week I am particularly glad that it is finally Friday, and therefore nearly the weekend.

I had a short day in the office today as I had to be home in time for the nurse to visit. Today she taught me to use the auto-inject so that I can increase my choice of injection sites to include my arms. This is very necessary as my skin as been really irritated since I started the new treatments. Hopefully the auto-inject will help me get it 'just right' and my skin will calm down a bit!

You can't go further east...

...without falling into the North sea. Yesterday I took a 260 mile round trip (four hours each way) to Lowestoft. A trip partly round the M25 and up the A12. It would be better if the A12 didn't turn into a B-road equivalent after Ipswich which necessitates driving at 30 miles and hour through various villages!

I do wish that I had digital radio in my car. I like to listen to 'talk' radio whilst driving and that is usually BBC Radio London... until one gets out of range. I then had to do with Radio 4 for the rest of the day. Radio 4 isn't quite my cup of tea... I'd much rather listen to phone-ins than discussions about plate tectonics, political commentary, serialised books, plays, and of course - the Archers!

I go home to find that internet grocery shopping had reached new lows. The 2-4pm time slot had already been exceeded by 40 minutes. Eventually they turned up at 7:45pm. Failing to meet even their own low standards!

Miracles of modern technology

Today I was working from home. A hospital appointment late morning, combined with a queue of over an hour for blood tests made it impractical to go into the office. However, I discovered (to my frustration) I was without one thing in my little home office I really needed. A printer. There is a printer downstairs which my laptop is supposed to connect - but last time I tried it took an age and forever to not print a single page... I didn't want to experiment with multiple pages!!! So. I whipped out to PC World to buy the cheapest available printer which needed the cheapest available ink. I really fancied a wireless printer, but they were all a bit more than I wanted to spend. I brought home a compact little HP (to match the scanner). All installed without a hitch, and printing was finally mine! This meant I could print of the document I needed to edit. Mark it up, and send it back via a colour scan. Just as good as being in the office!

Strange advertising

I saw this advert on the back of a bus stop near my house this morning. It is advertising cut price bus fares for people on income support. On the left hand side at the bottom is the logo of the Mayor of London. Fair enough. On the right hand side is the logo for Transport for London. Fair enough again. In the middle is the logo for the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela. Why?!

Champs!

Last night it was time for the Conference Championships. First up (and disappointing for me as it was already a late game) were the Chargers taking on the Patriots. As one of the pundits said in a game break, the good thing about dynasties is that people love them or hate them. Too true. I hate New England, for no good reason other than their resounding successes. I really hoped San Diego might have another shock and win through, it wasn't to be though. I didn't even make it to the end of that game, so I had no hope of being awake come the late night match-up of the Giants at Green Bay. On the road again. They call Dallas "America's Team" I reckon they should call the Giant's "America's Road Team".

Rich thoughtfully taped the last two and a half minutes for me again. It was quite exciting (and scary) to see the score tied at 20 apiece. The Giants have the ball and the clock is running down. There is only one thing for it, a 36 yard field goal attempt. Rich tells me that Tynes has already missed one tonight. The snap is high, and you can tell immediately that it will be no good. Here we go to overtime.

The Giants get to make the call. Tails is called, heads it is. Tynes kicks the ball down the field and Green Bay have the ball. In my head I'm writing a script, Green Bay throw an interception and the Giants run the ball in for a touch down. First and ten on the 26, a gain of two yards, second and eight... then the unbelievable happens. They've been reading my script! The Packers throw an interception! Sadly the Giants haven't been reading the same script as they don't run it in for a touchdown. First and ten, second and six, third and five... time for a field goal attempt. I can hardly bear to look at the screen. The 47 yard field goal attempt looks to be a very, very long way. Can Tynes make it when he missed the last at only 36 yards? The ball sails through the air, and appears to go through the posts. I hold of my celebration, waiting to see the two umpires make their signal. They raise their arms, the kick is good!!! Giants win, Giants win!

Conference Champions... all the way on the road. And we're the official road team in the Superbowl... I take that as a good omen. To quote Warren Beattie in 'Heaven Can Wait' - "I think we're going to the Superbowl, and I think we're going to win".

Victorian bathtime

So. What do you do when the boiler breaks down and you have no heating or hot water? Apart from wearing as many layers as you can find and sleeping under two duvets (to be fair, I do that anyway), more importantly- how to bathe?

Option 1 - make like a man and take a cold shower (yep, my other half actually did that!)
Option 2 - make like a girl (and the Victorians) and fill the tub with boiled water. I think maybe it was easier using a tin bath in front of a fire, but using two kettles in a freezing bathroom was an exercise in futility and frustration!

Of course, anything that can't be tumble dried also can't be washed as trying to heat a Victorian house (oh, those high ceilings) with only a few convection heaters and a gas fire doesn't really work, and wet laundry would never dry. How on earth did anyone ever get anything done before boilers and radiators?!

Boiler blues

The man from British Gas came this morning to see our boiler. After he got over his shock at the sheer age of the boiler he got down to seeing what was wrong with it. He turned it on and off a bit and it made alarming noises. Faulty pump. Probably going to need replacing he told us. He went to have a look at the hot water tank. Ancient valve he told us. Probably going to need replacing. Might get away with a few months still. Then he went outside to have a look at the flue. He held up his little meter to it and it started beeping madly. Oh dear. He went back inside to the boiler. Ah. The boiler had gone out, maybe that is why the reading was so high? It does that sometimes, we told him. He lit the boiler (again) and went back outside to check the reading again. Nope. Still beeping. Have to turn off the boiler, he told us. Have to disconnect the boiler, he told us. The boiler is condemned. Turns out the reason that the pilot light kept going out wasn't the wind but an enormous great hole in the heat exchange. The boiler can't be repaired on account of being thirty years old and not being able to get parts. So. Only solution, new boiler.

So, no boiler, no heat, no hot water. Bathing is either a cold shower or by filling the bath with a kettle. Living the old fashioned way!

Must be Friday

I was having breakfast this morning and watching BBC Breakfast on the TV when I was startled by an alarming banging. An alarming banging and rattling noise. I thought maybe somebody somewhere was demolishing something, it was that loud. Turns out it was the boiler and the boiler is sick. British Gas are coming tomorrow to tend to it.

Partners were away today, so it is quiet(er) in our office. Although now we have two new staff members and we are back to our full complement of eight (when we are all there). It was definitely 'one of those days'. Too many phone calls, and I had to answer the phone the whole day as the new chaps are too new, young guy and girl were at meetings and youngest guy had fallen of his motorbike the night before and wasn't in. Even more annoyingly, most of the calls were for me. How can you have people take a message when you are too busy to take a phone call if you are answering the phone yourself?!

Oh yes, and the Jubilee Line is still misbehaving. They've got engineering works on the line this weekend, so hopefully it will feel better next week!

Thoroughly modern travel

Today I had to go to Birmingham. I had to get up at 5:30am in order to get a train at 7:40am from Euston (ouch). Because I wanted to leave before 9:30 or 10:00 or whatever the cut-off time is the fare outwards was £61. Coming back was only £38. It worked out cheaper (as they often warn you) to buy two single tickets. Still totally horrified that it costs three figures to go to Birmingham and back which isn't even that far away! Anyway.

I hadn't travelled on a Virgin train before. Can't think why as they supply so much of the rest of my life (landline, cable TV, broadband... if I only had my mobile phone contract with them I'd be 4 for 4!). The trains were nice and modern looking... although I was a bit miffed that I had to race down the platform (quite a feat with a walking stick) to get to standard class as half the train was designated first class, and of course it was the half nearest the concourse. Found a carriage, found a seat that wasn't reserved (bit of a squeeze but that's life) and tried to work on the tip up table with piles of paper (and wished I had taken my laptop). I was impressed by the lighting with switches for each seat, as though you were on an airplane, and also some sort of digital control in the seat (air conditioning? I only noticed it as I stood up to get off!). As I was getting of I noticed a sticker next to the armrest of a a seat by the window "laptops and mobile phones only". I had no time to investigate further, so I just wondered what about laptops and mobile phones?!

Off I went to my meeting, where it was wet and windy... and very long (with no lunch!!!). Finally got back to Birmingham New Street in time to catch the 4:30 train back to London. I got on the train and sat down (with relief, I was tired after three lengthy trips around site). I had checked when I got on for those evil little white cards tucked in the back of the seat indicating a reservation and found none. Relief. Not so much. Virgin trains have a little digital display over every pair of seats. This is where it tells you if the seat is reserved or not (how could you know this if you have never travelled on these trains before - they are TINY!). I wouldn't have known but for the small boy who kept asking his mother "Can we sit here" and his mother kept responding that "No, these are reserved". I suddenly realised that my seat might not be my seat. Indeed. The whole carriage not taken was reserved. I ended up sitting on a flip up seat in the corridor. Better than nothing, I suppose. I think the seats were designed for children as they were tiny, and I spent the whole journey worrying that I might be about to fall off. It was also very drafty in the corridor. The only thing to recommend the whole experience was the state of the art toilet and the atmospheric blue lighting.

Not the ideal travel experience, you certainly can't work in your lap! Next time I'll take a flier on what time a meeting is going to finish and reserve myself a seat!

Service not included

There was a time when tipping (leaving gratuities) was considered discretionary. If you took a cab ride and the driver took a good route and got you there fast you gave him at tip. If you got a really good haircut that felt like a million dollars you left your hairdresser a tip. If you ate out and got friendly, discreet, courteous and prompt service you left you waiter/waitress a small consideration as you left. You never felt obliged to leave money for a sub-standard service and you certainly did not have it added to your bill as a matter of course. This leads us to the pernicious 'service charge'.

Presumably the rise of payment by electronic means made it more difficult for the satisfied customer to leave a tip. But it is very unusual these days to dine out and not find at the bottom of your bill "12.5% service charge". Apart from the fact that I was brought up to believe that 10% was an acceptable amount to tip (where did that extra 2.5% come from?) there is the additional consideration that I very rarely believe that I receive service which is worthy of a tip.

Tonight a friend and I went to a bar just off Piccadilly Circus. Very 'theme' bar in a smart sort of way. On each table was a sign advertising the fact there was 'table service only'. So we sat and waited (and waited) and waited for a waiter or waitress to come and take our order. About 15 minutes. In the end my friend walked off towards the bar at which point a girl finally appeared to take our drinks order. A while later we wanted some snacks. Eventually we snagged a guy passing dressed in the bar's uniform... but he was apparently only employed in cleaning tables, not serving drinks. More drinks orders and food followed, and each time the same difficulty; including even trying to pay the bill. When the bill came my friend decided (quite rightly) that the 12.5% service charge was not warranted. She called over the waitress and told her we weren't happy to pay the service charge, when asked why she told the waitress that we hadn't received any service!

I cannot make an argument for compulsory service charge. If the staff need to supplement their wages then the establishment need to pay more. If the establishment need it to pay the staff (which not only happens, but is legal) then they should charge higher prices. This price increase by stealth should stop!

Mayor of London

The London Mayoral race is beginning to hot up. Not quite in the league of the US Presidential race yet, although apparently there was a televised debate the other week, I missed that. I'm still waiting for any of the candidates to impress me by offering to fix any of the things that matter to me. I'm in the forgotten demographic, I'm not a pensioner yet and I don't have any children. All policies seem aimed at the over 60s or those with a 2.4 average family - which is great if you are in those categories, but it isn't going to swing my vote.

I've visited all the websites of the three main candidates (Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour). On the basis of my first brief foray into the three websites I actually couldn't find Ken Livingstone (the incumbent)'s website. All I found was a page urging me to donate my time and/or money. I did find a blog which was giving support... surely he has an official site though?!

This left me with Brian Paddick (Lib Dem) or Boris Johnson (Conservative).

Brian Paddick's page tells me he is 'serious about London'. He is also serious about connecting with the 'yoof' as the links to Facebook and Twitter attest, as do the multitude of buttons across the bottom of the page! Some policy direction, although more about Brian himself and again prominent buttons urging me to donate time and money.

Lastly I visited Boris Johnson's page. I've always liked Boris whenever I've seen him on television, which is a start I suppose. This site impressed me the most. I had a good look around and there was only a small link urging me to get involved, and even then it didn't ask for money. Another favourable point. The site appears well designed and laid out, and I particularly like the countdown ticker to the election. Although generally philosophies are laid out the finer details of who these aims will be accomplished aren't really developed.

Early days I suppose, but for me Boris is the front runner at the moment. I take the politics of London far more seriously than any other sort. The decisions made here actually do affect my day to day life. I shall continue to watch the campaigns between now and May with interest!

A good Monday

Delightfully, and unbelievably, the Giants beat the Cowboys last night in the Divisional Play-offs. Absolutely superb. Unfortunately (yet again) I didn't manage to stay awake until the end of the game... but Rich thoughtfully taped the last two minutes for me, so I got to see the heart-stopping moment when Dallas threw for a touchdown but it was intercepted by the Giants. What drama! So I finish the Divisional weekend with a team still in the post-season, just not the team I expected!

The week got off to a good start this morning when the Jubilee Line decided to take me to work without any delays (sadly this evening it isn't doing so well). Even the weather wasn't too bad, although damp and drizzling it wasn't the threatened downpour.

The office email is finally working again... which is delightful - although a lot of mail seems to have been lost forever during the down-time. The good thing is that a lot of people haven't realised that its working again, so it is still very quiet... lots off work done today as a consequence.

Managed to get two projects crossed off my list today. They have both been hanging around since before Christmas and it is good to boot them off my desk. Only left with actual live (or nearly live) projects now. Unprecedented!

Two new chaps are starting in our office this week. This is good from the 'many hands make light work' theory. The computers are set up for them, it is all ready to go. Again, unprecedented.

All in all it is a fantastically positive start to the week. Sadly, I suppose it can only go down hill. Meeting every day from now until Friday... the Jubilee Line... the weather - ah well, forewarned is forearmed!

Divisional Play-offs

So. Totally unprecedented. Two out of the three teams (yes, I'm greedy - three teams) that I follow made it to the post season this year. Only the Jets let the side down (boy, and they really were rubbish this year). Not only to the post season, but they both made it through the wild card play-0ff weekend. I was so sure that the Jaguars were going to the Superbowl this year. Until they lost to the Patriots last night. I actually didn't make it through to the end of the game, and well asleep before the fourth quarter. There were some superb moments though. My favourite one was David Garrard throwing for a touchdown whilst he was being sacked, it looked like he was throwing the ball away - but nope, he found his man in the endzone and TOUCHDOWN! Some moment.

The whole game was really close, with equal scoring in each quarter, except for unfortunately the third where the Patriots got 11 points more. So, that was the AFC - on to the NFC tonight. Go Giants!

Good football (at last)

My phone was going mad this afternoon! I have a text alert service which lets me know when anything 'exciting' happens during a football match involving Charlton Athletic. Exiciting defined as goals, yellow cards and red cards.

It's been a bit quiet recently. Charlton hadn't won in five matches; the first being a 4-2 defeat to West Brom follwed by three 1-1 draws and and a 2-1 defeat to Colchester. It was beginning to look like Charlton's annual December/January nightmare. Until today, when Charlton managed to put four past Blackpool and only concede one. Not bad at all!

Until this season I had a season ticket at the Valley and used to go the games every week. The pressures of work and the rubbish football last season meant that I didn't renew my ticket. Given the comments on the games from the rest of my family who do go I don't generally seem to have missed much. I did feel I missed out yesterday, and have been inspired to go to a game before the end of the season. I'd have liked to go to the Palace game (rivalry always makes for a good game) but unfortunately that game has been moved to a Friday night, and I've never been a fan of evening games - especially not on a Friday which is always the worst day of the week at work. I'll be really interested to experience half time, as I've not been to the Valley since last July when the smoking ban came in. There used to be a fog over the concourse at half-time (which got worse after they banned smoking in the stands). It had got to the point that it was practically unbearable, and quite hard to breathe - so I'm looking forward to the new smoke-free half-time.