BS..CI 5

I have had a very smart evening indeed.

I am not staying away overnight with work, and I have been on my Jack here in BS5 after a sound day of work.

Now don' t get me wrong, staying away is normally okay, and being home in (recent) company is always delightful but tonight it was just me and random, mundane stuff done at my own pace.

I'd had a good day in Weymouth but a stifling train back that pootled along like an old sloth with no pressure for getting anywhere.

Dinner was simple and easy, and chores undertaken were satisfying and pleasurable and left my house just fine and how I like it. I also loafed on the sofa and caught a RIGHT smart episode of The Professionals, a show I have not really indulged in since starting my new job 3 months and 1 day ago.

I love that show, it is outrageously sexist (unlike me) and the Rozzers (well, CI5) bend the rules to get the job done. It's that early eighties sexism (hanging on from the seventies) with the new possibilities of Mrs Thatcher; I am not one for that sort of Guardian-esque analysis and old bollocks and horse that they constantly peddle in G2, but Bodie and Doyle epitomise a fine mix of all those things with a bit of cheeky banter lobbed in as well as the odd leggy/busty blonde, and a WW2 outlook from Cowley!

I could be a player in CI5: Bodie, Doyle and BS5.......you know it makes sense.

And of course, Doyle was on Desert Island Discs last Sunday!

Weymouth and Botswana.

Today I have a relatively local store visit. It is local enough that I will be home and back in the day - an achievement for each day this week, in fact!

I am off to Weymouth in Dorset this morning - a pleasant beachy town and the setting for that book that was all the rage in 2007, 'On Chesil Beach'.

I may sneak in a look at the seafront as I am close to that whilst about my chores.

'WFH' tomorrow so I may blog a little then too.

It has been a very pleasant morning so far and the big, fat morning rain seems to have happened before my walk to the railway station - I got caught in it yesterday but I had Lummox's umbrella which I then left on the train to Cardiff - oops (mind you, he's in Botswana where I suspect the Umbrella market is not huge) .

Terminal (BS) 5

My brother is better at some things than I am, and I would like to think the reverse is also true. I had assumed that dangerosuly spoddy train vids was my forte but he seems to have pulled ahead in this regard with some top suburban train vid' action....

I'll need to up my game!

Don't stop till....

Bloody Hell! Michael Jackson has carked it!

There's a shocker.

I always enjoy a listen to Thriller.

8!

Suburbia tried an interesting tag post which I am going to try - it has been ages since this sort of post!

Here are the rules:
1. Mention the person who tagged you (check)
2. Complete the lists of 8s (see below)
3. Tag 8 other bloggers and let them know (not going to do that bit...)

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. This weekend.
2. Star Trek coming to DVD
3. Getting my suits dry cleaned
4. Getting new Specs
5. My wall
6. Cleaning my car
7. Healthy breakfasts again
8. Walking my brother's dogs with him

8 Things I did yesterday:
1. Store visits in Sussex
2. Emailed 8 stores with good trading figures for l/w
3. Found a network at my B&B
4. Drove the entire circuit of the M25, save for 6 miles
5. Saw a smart lorry from Bristol during point 4
6. Went round a roundabout with a massive silver chicken in the middle
7. Had a pint
8. Found a missing cufflink in my jacket lining

8 Things I wish I could do:
1. Fly
2. Tile bathrooms
3. Suss the numbers database for work
4. Crack a 9 dart checkout
5. Time travel.
6. Lark about on NCC 1701-D
7. Not be so gangly
8. Not have a mortgage!

8 My favourite fruits:
1. Apples
2. Bananas
3. The fruits of my labour
4. end of list...

5. Fruit cheesecake (just remembered!)

8 Places I'd like to travel:
1. Israel
2. J25
3. Nerrendra 3
4. Hong Kong
5. Edinburgh for a weekend soon
6. Brazil
7. Next week
8. Swindon (not)

8 Places I've lived:
1. Cheltenham
2. Bristol
3. London
4. Lincolnshire
5. Monmouth
6. On the edge
7. The Rhubarb Tavern (pictured!)
8. The Office

8 People tagged: As you wish, or not...

Spod rant.

This morning I am doing Monday numbers (retail stuff) and all my expenses for these last three months.

Because our compnay IT approach is a touch insular and unadventurous, I can only use the expenses webpage by accessing it through Internet Explorer, which as most people know sucks. I am reluctantly updating my I.E but will be adamant in only using it for this purpose and not general 'surf and crash' browsing at which it is so good.

There we are, spod rant over.

Jimmy B... S5.

While I was in Sainsbury's yesterday buying some Goats' cheese, a spatula and moo biscuits, I remembered an ad' I had seen in The Guardian (must have found it on the train...) telling me that Quantam of Solace, the 2-disc DVD was now half price at said retailer. I added it to the basket with not inconsiderable excitement.

I have just finished watching it, and you know what?

Jimmy B......just like me.

It's amazing really.

I have an MI6 sort of a dilemma now - stay home and watch the F1 (go Jenson!) or head for The Rhubarb and watch the much anticipated 'Barton Hill's got Talent' whereby several friends/locals/neighbours will do daft things on stage with everyone having a vote.

It's a tough break being a spy sometimes.

Bookstore BS5

This morning I woke at a quarter to five; a sort of a conscious effort to enjoy being in my own bed, lolling around and dozing on a Saturday!

Anyhow, I tuned into the world service and watched the morning emerge, listening to the radio. I listened to an interview with Jodi Picoult who is a very prolific author and is often visible in any retail book space. I had not know anything about her other than her ubiquitousness (or is it 'ubiquity'?)

I was impressed and she seems a decent sort indeed. I am not sure her body of work is my cup of tea (it seems to lack space ships) but repsect to her nevertheless. I would enjoy meeting her and saying hello. I Googled her and she looks like she you think she might on hearing her voice.

Birthday Bristol.

About a year ago I sent this virtual bouqet of flowers to a blog pal. 365 days later and it's here again so I shall have to see what to do about it in 2009! Happy birthday to you, Suburbia!

I am home this weekend after what felt like a long week away (because it was) .

I visited two of my eight store that require overnighters and a good deal of train travel . One is in Derbyshire and one is in county Gwynedd (North Wales) . They are both many stops from Bristol but the pleasant part is that when I stay over, I stay in a family run place in Derbyshire and an old Railway hotel at Llandudno. Each is nice, characterful and relaxing and not anything like the functional but soulless experience of a Travelodge. The store visits were constructive too, and I enjoyed (to some degree) the 22 stop train journey home last night.

I was pleased to get home and take a pint with the chaps. Whilst drinking it (and some others) my brother emailed me from Manila to tell me he was home safe via HK, having spawned an upgrade to Biz' class.

This picture is a goods train I clocked during the week. I tried to imagine how many matches it would make but couldn't really think of a big enough number, settling instead on 'lots' . I like the way the tops of the arches peak out from the top of the logs.

Back from a secret mission?

My American Blog pal Scargosun has returned after aeons of not posting anything.

Welcome back!

Were you on some secret under cover mission for Barack O?

It's an early train for me now...more soon.

All fine and canine...

This one's for my brother really, just in case he is watching Blog BS5 while he is away!

I took his dogs for a walk today in rural Herefordshire and they were in The River Wye quicker than little exocet missiles! My other brother and I took great delight in their unending delight in leaping into the river to retrieve sticks and lark about making a splash! Our Mother was in two minds as to who was sillier - dogs or sons.

Get out of bed!

It's an early start for a working week, and this was the sort of incentive to get out of bed this morning, although I suppose I was the stripey one!

I have a local-ish day today and will be in BS5 this evening but then it's a few days in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and North Wales.

This week I will be in England but I will have one brother in Malta and the other in Hong Kong.

Audi doodee

I have been at my folks' house Friday night into Saturday as it's the last time I will see my bro' before he flies home to the far east. A good time was had by all and on the way home I saw this....I will buy one later if I win the lottery!

Sunny as you like here in BS5 and a local bbq awaits!

Baby, I was born Tehran...

It's Election day in Iran today and I reckon that's worth a Blog post.

My pal Winsto' was a stickler about Iran in the War and insisted it be referred to as Persia. He wasn't just being anachronistic but took the sensible precaution that someone might mis-interpret Iran for Iraq and bomb the wrong place. Sensible chap that WSC.

Anyhow, 65 years later it's Election day. 

Now I reckon that Mahmoud Afterdinnerspeaker is a bit on the mental side, and if he is replaced by a more moderate chap such as the former PM, then it's game time and my pal Barack O will swoop in for some dialogue.

Top stuff.

And those Iranian women are often a bit foxy....you see it's not just constant sharp political analysis here at BS5.

Friday Spaceship action!

This morning I had an email from Berkley University in Californi- aye-aye asking me if I was in any was dissatisfied with SETI@home, a screensaver service that downloads data in your own PC's idle time.  Have a look at that highlighted link above!

I had switched this off over 10 months ago for no particular reason. The Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) @home downloads a data packet from radio telescopes and your PC analyses it and sends it back to the University; in this way Berkley has millions and millions of PCs at its disposal to analyse radio data. 

If the bit you return contains that magic message from Aliens getting in touch for a Friday pint, hey presto, you become world famous.

I have now reinstalled it!

Squeeze it from the bottom!

Yesterday I came home across London, which I always enjoy. 

I hadn't really been paying attention to the Tube strike as it's beyond the radar of BS5, but of course yesterday it was bang on for my route home.

As it happened the chap who checked my ticket at Sandy (home of the good fast-train vid') suggested I alight at Finnsbury Park and take the Victoria line to Oxford Circus where I could hop on the Bakerloo and head for Paddington. I took his advice and as far as my journey went, there might as well have been no strike at all.  A 3pm train from Paddington which was very empty indeed unlike the usual cattle train I catch a couple of hours after. All in all it was not bad.

Today I am on the train to Exeter St David's to meet a new Deputy Mgr in one of my Stores and to see how he is getting on in his first week. I woke at 5 and I am ready for energetic work.  And then it's the weekend!

Oh - on another point, happy birthday to my friend and Vicar Debbie...

Top van action!

Today I am larking about in this van! This is a rare departure for me as my employer is very into the carbon footprint way of thinking and much of my to'ing and fro'ing is by train, not in itself a bad thing at all.

Anyhow, the van arrived on Friday night ready to go on hire for me this morning from 7. The list of bashes, scrapes, dings, dents and issues with the van is longer than the hire agreement. Anyhow, I have to hop over the bridge to Wales, fill it with retail fixtures and then come back to BS5.

Tomorrow I am off down the M4 and around the M25 to unload it all at my head office in Bedfordshire....which reminds me, I need to sort out a train ticket home as I am on a one way hire.

I have my 3 month appraisial this week so I might just need a train ticket one way. We shall see.

Cabinet maker.

Caroline Flint has thrown a wobbler and resigned, seemingly because she did not get a senior Cabinet position.

I reckon she's just pissed about that and is masking it with her 'window dressing' line.

She seems to be saying that GB only wheeled her out at Cabinet meetings because in effect she's a fit looking bird and brightens up the Cabinet.


What's the issue, Cazza?

I am not sure I understand but if you want to guest edit Blog BS5, drop me a line.

Barack O.

I put in some early work today but  now I am pausing to watch a pitch perfect Barack O and his speech in Cairo yesterday - top stuff and I rather like his Koran quote, 'Be conscious of God and speak  always the truth' - not so far removed from the other big book at all, which makes wars over it all a bit daft. If you believe in that sort of thing, I mean.

Here's Barack O with the A-rabs the day before that...

Wall

After a good few days away and a brief evening at BS5 last night, this was the very pleasant scene of relaxation on getting back from the London train (which was hot, heaving and laden but fast at least).

My wall is a fine place to sit after it has warmed up in the sun all day, and I sat there with some cold beer, pizza and red wine. Nearly fell asleep after eating but managed to hold out a bit!

Right now I am waiting for a call from 10 Downing St - I think I might get Home Secretary.

Total Drama!

At last I got a very smart fast train vid'!

The station nearest to my head office is on the line from Kings Cross to Peterborough and it is awash with fast trains. I was there this week and as ever when I am , other folks from work are about and it's a bit hard to indulge my (minor) spod side. However on the way home yesterday I was on my Jack with 9 minutes to wait for a train and this happened....

You know you love it.

I may blog about politics soon...much as I dislike this Gov't I think they should stick with Gordon Brown and show a bit of integrity - they did make him leader a year ago and they'd implode next year if they change now. And that Hazel B' is a shrill waste of 4 feet ten!