Now that's what I call snow!

I was watching The Making of Britain or whatever Andrew Marrs programme is called. They were showing the winter of, I think 1947 or 49 when the country ground to a halt. But it was proper snow. Feet of it.

And there were people, out and trying to clear roads, pavements and paths with shovels. making sure life could go on as best as possible even though there were power cuts. And rationing. And still having to go to school. And work.

No Health and Safety there, advising that they would be liable if anyone fell over where they had cleared a path, or that the school would be sued if a child slipped on ice and hurt themselves.

The other week, whilst Brentford laboured under the 1" of snow that fell, at two schools I know all the teachers were in but many pupils were missing. Two of the excuses that came up were;

from 1 girls parent : I didn't know the school was open because you didn't ring to tell us.

From a boy who lives within sight of the playground : I couldn't come in because there was black ice on the pavement.

Meanwhile, my niece flew out of Finland with 5 ft of snow on time, to get to Geneva. Unfortunatley the flight was via Gatwick where they were delayed for 2 hours because there was slush on the runway.

I can't help feeling that we've lost a bit of backbone in the past 60 years. And if we have, who can we sue?

Twisted.

I meant to write about this earlier last year biut I don't think I did. If I did please feel free to ignore, or roundly abuse me, whichever you see fit to do.

I was at my prospective niece-in-laws house and her son had a poster on the wall. It was, I think, a Roy Keane poster from his playing days. The message on it was, "I expect respect and try to give it".

Now, that seems the total opposite to the way I was brought up but does seem to sum up the attitude of many young people. Apart from the fact I think it is worded particularly badly if not ungrammatically, I was brought up to show respect and try to earn it. But that, in general, goes against the grain today, where everyone has the right to everything and no responsibility unless it isn't too much effort.

So expecting everyone to treat you as though you are Gods gift whilst you only need to attempt to give someone else the time of day gives you some idea why teachers have a hard time. And it doesn't help when parents back the kids point of view rather than the teachers.

The Old Routine.

I've been away this last week in the sunny town of Stevenage. Well, actually, not in the town but in the Novotel inches off the A1 junction at Stevenage.

It was a good induction course, partly becuase I remembered quite a lot of it which made me look good, but also because many of the changes the company have made in the way we are meant to work actually suit me.

So i went off this morning on my first appointment. I didn't sell it. It's like I never went away.

Help Your Neighbour.

As we know, during the current cold snowy spell, as the government have told us, it is increasingly important to keep an eye on your neighbours.

Well, the 87 year old woman next door hasn't called on me once to see if I'm alright, and the lazy cow hasn't even taken her milk in for the last 3 days! So much for neighbourliness.

I've Seen The Future and It's The Past

I never lost a company under a Conservative government but have now lost 2 under this Labour lot. In reality, I haven't lost the second but it isn't worth me struggling on. I can't make the income I need as things are.

So, I have made a decision and a couple of phone calls. I have a meeting wih my ex area manager and divisional manager tomorrow, weather permitting. If all goes well, I'm heading back to Everest!

It's 8 years since I left. I took this decision over the weekend and although in general I never ever go backwards this feel right. I'm taking the pressure off myself, going back solely to selling, and, in acknowledgement of my age, realise this is going to be the run in to my retirement if all goes well. Admittedly another 12-15 years but all the same.

So, back to the future!

Lasers at the Ready

Marj was very brave today and went to see about having laser eye surgery. I'm lucky that, apart from starting to need reading glasses for small print my eyesight is pretty good. Or at least I haven't noticed it isn't.

It takes about an hour for various tests to be done and then they have a chat and give you a bit of counselling.

So, what did we learn.

They can correct the need for wearing glasses for long distance and also astigmatism. They can't do anything to help with reading. The former being to do with your eye lenses and the latter to do with your eye muscles.

The actual time with the surgeon is only about 10 minutes, the lasering part only being a matter of a minute or so. And that's for both eyes.

The worst case scenario if things don't go according to plan is that you get an eye infection.

Not as expensive as we thought. For the cost of £1400, bar some loose change, she can expect to have perfect vision except for reading when she will just need over the counter reading glasses. Although as she doesn't need them now she may get away with even that.

Now all she has to do is decide whther she's brave enough to have the procedure.