Sunday 25 December 2011
Friday 23 December 2011
Christmas has started
The tree is trimmed, the decorations are up and the food and booze has all been bought. The Blogs are ready for Christmas 2011. Daughter Blog returned home from Aberdeen today so the family is back together - what could possibly spoil things?
In my "double-dip recession worried frame of mind" I spotted the introduction of Sainsnbury's finest "own label"wine earlier in the year. It is actually a pretty good value bottle of plonk, whether you go for the Shiraz or the Cabernet Sauvignon etc. So earlier this week when I saw they had brought out wine-boxes of the stuff I was in heaven! Two and a quarter litres of drinkable wine at a bargain price. For added value when you have drunk the wine you can take the silver bag out of the box, this is the bit that actually holds the wine, and blow it up to make a make-shift pillow. (This handy tip cones from living in Scotland and listening to local wisdom.)
I have been patting myself on the back for my vigilance in spotting this ace bargain all week.
Just ten minutes ago I opened the box of wine; (no small feat of engineering). It tasted like it should have been sprinkled on chips!!
As you can see Mrs Blog and Daughter Blog had the same reaction as me. Our one remaining hope is that Son-Blog will find a liking for it, failing which I will be drinking it all myself - can't waste booze! So if you are touring through the Borders of Scotland this week and see a middle-aged grump asleep on a silver pillow - it is me!
In my "double-dip recession worried frame of mind" I spotted the introduction of Sainsnbury's finest "own label"wine earlier in the year. It is actually a pretty good value bottle of plonk, whether you go for the Shiraz or the Cabernet Sauvignon etc. So earlier this week when I saw they had brought out wine-boxes of the stuff I was in heaven! Two and a quarter litres of drinkable wine at a bargain price. For added value when you have drunk the wine you can take the silver bag out of the box, this is the bit that actually holds the wine, and blow it up to make a make-shift pillow. (This handy tip cones from living in Scotland and listening to local wisdom.)
Just ten minutes ago I opened the box of wine; (no small feat of engineering). It tasted like it should have been sprinkled on chips!!
Saturday 17 December 2011
Advent Calendars
Mrs Blog works at a local coffee shop which also sells some of the finest chocolates in the world. She splashed out with her hard won wages on an advent calendar purveyed by her employer. It is a series of boxes shaped like a Christmas tree. Each little box contains one of the world's finest chocolates.
With three of us in the house we take it in turns to open the calendar. I waited expectantly as Son Blog took the first one - a Latte Truffle. Then Mrs Blog discovered a soft Caramel. I could hardly wait for my turn. So on the appointed day I opened the box and bit into what I can only describe as a Cauliflower Truffle. Disgusting! I wonder if it some attempt to imitate Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean???
Saturday 10 December 2011
Xmas Trees
Today was the annual trip out to buy a Christmas tree.
To get us in the spirit Daughter-blog sang,
"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, your ornaments are history"
Then we spent a good twenty minutes in the rain (freshly arrived from Southampton) choosing the one good tree from a pretty sorry bunch. As is our tradition, we went for an eight foot tree to fit in our 6'6" high lounge. Also in keeping with tradition we gave absolutely no thought as to how we were going to get the damn thing in the car.
Fifteen minutes of pushing, shoving, swearing under breath and it finally made it (albeit with one end sticking out of the window.
Totally stressed we get the tree home without being arrested for driving with a dangerous load.
Then the dog-blog decides to have a mad spell and ran straight through the fairy lights we were half-way through putting on the tree.
The day was only saved by a trip to the coffee shop with daughter blog. There we met a neighbour who has a three year old daughter called Freya.
"What does she want for Christmas?" we asked.
"A Blue Cat!!!"
My troubles suddenly did not seem so bad!
To get us in the spirit Daughter-blog sang,
"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, your ornaments are history"
Then we spent a good twenty minutes in the rain (freshly arrived from Southampton) choosing the one good tree from a pretty sorry bunch. As is our tradition, we went for an eight foot tree to fit in our 6'6" high lounge. Also in keeping with tradition we gave absolutely no thought as to how we were going to get the damn thing in the car.
Then the dog-blog decides to have a mad spell and ran straight through the fairy lights we were half-way through putting on the tree.
"What does she want for Christmas?" we asked.
"A Blue Cat!!!"
My troubles suddenly did not seem so bad!
Friday 9 December 2011
The Spite Goblin works for FlyBe
So, a week ago I write a blog about the complete injustice of the FlyBe "rewards for all programme" and have the misfortune to fly with them again this week. In doing so I discover that the Spite Goblin (referred to in the very first post) actually is employed by them. The SG takes revenge against me, usually for things I have done wrong. This time I am innocent and can only conclude the SG is in the paid employ of Jim French the CEO of FlyBe.
Here is the tale. I arrived at Edinburgh airport yesterday morning for the 7.05 a.m. flight to Southampton. My plan was to have a day trip to Basingstoke, returning on the 18.35 flight that evening.
The 7.05 took off late and arrived twenty minutes behind schedule owing to the fact that the ground staff who work for FlyBe cannot count. The delay was entirely down to them waiting for a passenger which did not exist as a result of a sums-mistake. Nonetheless I get to the meeting in time, do all I have to do in Basingstoke and head off at about 16.00 to get back to Southampton.
The information board in the executive lounge said "Edinburgh Flight 773 - Relax and Wait" - this was at about 17.00. It also said exactly the same for the previous two flights. As I showed my boarding pass to the girl in the lounge she reminded me "We don't make announcements, please watch the board". No need to make announcements when the 14.35, 16.40 have not even taken off yet!
I wait and watch the information board steadily ratchet up lie after lie, saying "Next announcement in half an hour" again and again. Now to be fair there was the small issue of a hurricane passing through Scotland that afternoon.
Eventually they announce the earlier two flights are combined and taking off at 20.00, then they call my flight and said hurry to gate 8 - it is about to board. So hurricane over!
The earlier two flights duly board and take off - with fewer passengers than the plane can hold - I know I heard the girl at the despatch gate refer to it (this one could count!)
Then at 20.15 they cancel my flight due to adverse weather at Edinburgh!! having already cancelled the later flight this meant no way of getting home.
I legged it to the ticket desk where a surly mare ask me what I want. I explain that I am now stranded and cannot get home. She books me on the 12.40 the following day and expected me to wander off.
"I have nowhere to stay tonight and no luggage, what am I supposed to do?"
"Here is a list of hotels you can ring"
"Can I claim the costs back?"
"You can try! Next!"
I then hustled out side to where I knew there was a "Premier Inn" a five minute walk away, through it must be said, some pretty adverse rain with no umbrella.
Merry Christmas signs greet me as I go in bedraggled and thoroughly miffed. And in true Christmas tradition there was no room at the Inn!!!
A sleepless night in the sister hotel in Southampton centre next to the rail freight yard, which works noisily all night long, made a truly bad day turn into a truly awful night. Finally get home a full twenty fours later and felt compelled to update my blog.
If anyone reading this works for FlyBe please let them know I am happy to offer training on maths, customer service, communication skills, time-management and how to make announcements at airports, all at an exorbitant price of course!
Here is the tale. I arrived at Edinburgh airport yesterday morning for the 7.05 a.m. flight to Southampton. My plan was to have a day trip to Basingstoke, returning on the 18.35 flight that evening.
The 7.05 took off late and arrived twenty minutes behind schedule owing to the fact that the ground staff who work for FlyBe cannot count. The delay was entirely down to them waiting for a passenger which did not exist as a result of a sums-mistake. Nonetheless I get to the meeting in time, do all I have to do in Basingstoke and head off at about 16.00 to get back to Southampton.
The information board in the executive lounge said "Edinburgh Flight 773 - Relax and Wait" - this was at about 17.00. It also said exactly the same for the previous two flights. As I showed my boarding pass to the girl in the lounge she reminded me "We don't make announcements, please watch the board". No need to make announcements when the 14.35, 16.40 have not even taken off yet!
I wait and watch the information board steadily ratchet up lie after lie, saying "Next announcement in half an hour" again and again. Now to be fair there was the small issue of a hurricane passing through Scotland that afternoon.
Eventually they announce the earlier two flights are combined and taking off at 20.00, then they call my flight and said hurry to gate 8 - it is about to board. So hurricane over!
The earlier two flights duly board and take off - with fewer passengers than the plane can hold - I know I heard the girl at the despatch gate refer to it (this one could count!)
Then at 20.15 they cancel my flight due to adverse weather at Edinburgh!! having already cancelled the later flight this meant no way of getting home.
"I have nowhere to stay tonight and no luggage, what am I supposed to do?"
"Here is a list of hotels you can ring"
"Can I claim the costs back?"
"You can try! Next!"
I then hustled out side to where I knew there was a "Premier Inn" a five minute walk away, through it must be said, some pretty adverse rain with no umbrella.
Merry Christmas signs greet me as I go in bedraggled and thoroughly miffed. And in true Christmas tradition there was no room at the Inn!!!
A sleepless night in the sister hotel in Southampton centre next to the rail freight yard, which works noisily all night long, made a truly bad day turn into a truly awful night. Finally get home a full twenty fours later and felt compelled to update my blog.
If anyone reading this works for FlyBe please let them know I am happy to offer training on maths, customer service, communication skills, time-management and how to make announcements at airports, all at an exorbitant price of course!
Sunday 4 December 2011
Swiss Cooker Problems
Having been struggling all weekend to find a subject for a blog I was gifted the following by a skype to call to younger-sister-blog who lives in Switzerland.
She has three children, the youngest of which is Ben, who is not yet two years old. She runs a catering business from home and as a consequence makes extensive use of her cooker. Young Ben decided to sit on the ope oven door, mistaking it for a chair and ...broke it!
This left sister-blog with no means of finishing her cakes until the repair man turned up four days later.
With the oven door duly repaired she set about baking the cakes. Ben-blog realised he could reach the temperature dial and turned the setting up from 175 to 275C and from oven setting to gill setting. Fortunately sister-blog intervened in time.
Not to be out-done. budding Masterchef contestant Ben-blog, spotted the dials for the hob and turned it on. First thing sister blog knew was the smell of her cookery book, which was resting on the hob, giving off faint burning smells.
So, not even two years old and he is cooking the books! His Mum, sister blog is of course a Chartered Management Accountant!!
She has three children, the youngest of which is Ben, who is not yet two years old. She runs a catering business from home and as a consequence makes extensive use of her cooker. Young Ben decided to sit on the ope oven door, mistaking it for a chair and ...broke it!
With the oven door duly repaired she set about baking the cakes. Ben-blog realised he could reach the temperature dial and turned the setting up from 175 to 275C and from oven setting to gill setting. Fortunately sister-blog intervened in time.
Not to be out-done. budding Masterchef contestant Ben-blog, spotted the dials for the hob and turned it on. First thing sister blog knew was the smell of her cookery book, which was resting on the hob, giving off faint burning smells.
So, not even two years old and he is cooking the books! His Mum, sister blog is of course a Chartered Management Accountant!!
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