Dee doo, dee doo, dee doo. The sound of a siren. A very British sort of sound. A sort of clunky Heath Robinson half baked embarrassing sound. Normally a bit pathetic when shown on TV.

Wheeeeee waaaw waaaw waaw wheeeeeee. A really piercing irritating wailing American siren. The sort that are on TV every day and have been adopted by many of out emergency services. The sort of noise that is so irritating that I feel like throwing a fecking brick at the offending vehicle !! The noise that pollutes the atmosphere we share.

Der dee der. Der dee der. The European siren, adopted by France ,Germany, Holland, etc. etc. A pleasantly mellow refined sort of sound that does not grate on the ear, but is enough to attract ones attention.

Are we part of Europe or are we just another American state ??????????????????

I know its only a little trifling issue, but the constant sound of those horrible wailing American style sirens is so invasive and additive in the cacophony of modern noise pollution.

Last week the holiday away from work and home for a few days was very welcome. We took the caravan to a little CL near Ashby. The thing that struck me the most was how totally insane the drivers are in Leicestershire. They speed around like reckless idiots with no regard to safety or life and limb.

Next Saturday the summerhouse is due to be delivered and erected. I completed the base for it several weeks ago and at the moment it is sat up the top of garden looking rather empty.
I bought it from a local manufacturer of portable buildings who is buying it from a company called Midland Portable Buildings. I could have bought the same one from a garden centre £300 dearer.
With this one I get free bearers and erection (no wise cracks please).
The problem is the new summerhouse creates other projects. ‘Lets have a nice round patio in front of the summerhouse, and a wavy path through the lawns at the bottom and the shrubbery at the top. Perhaps some nice brick paving. Oh and some gravel at the very top behind the leylandii hedge’ --- oh yes she is full of ideas…..but who is her Tommy Walsh. Yes…….little old me.

Sunday we are off to Prestatyn for a spot of indoor bowling.

At the end of May I will be moving office due to company money saving measures. They are closing all but one of the buildings in Manchester and piling us all into that building.
It is further away from the stations and it is nearer the city centre so there is no side street parking. Probably in the future we will be subject to a ‘congestion charge’ So generally it is less convenient for everyone except the company. But that is not important as it will save them a few quid and cost us more.

A couple of weeks ago, when we had the ‘Manchester fire’ our department was temporarily relocated to the new building because all our comms were down. This move gave me a good insight as to what life will be like (as a sardine) when we move permanently. As a consequence I have been reviewing my blogging and posting situation as to how it relates to the Victorian attitude of the company.
I will now only be posting from home, probably only about once a week, the frequency of postings is dependent on how much I have to say and how communicative I am feeling.
Also I feel it will give me a little more freedom on the content. I will be less inhibited in what I can and cannot say.

Well after today I am off work for over a week. Yay !!!!!!!! Freedom of sorts.
Away in the caravan...First time this year.

About 6 years ago I gave up the nasty smelly disgusting expensive habit of smoking. At the time I put on about a stone and a half (21 lb). Since then I have gradually put on another 10 lb !!
I may be a bit of a lardy get, but I carry it well. It doesn't show too much.
Not bad for my age - even if I do say so myself.

What is it about smoking that keeps the weight off??
Maybe if that little bit could be singled out and marketed it would be a winner?

Back after Easter.

Pet hates.

The latest interest in handwriting has kicked me off on this one.

One of the things I hate is the little tiny signature strip on the back of bank cards.
How do they expect you to sign the thing with your normal signature.
Its the wrong shape for me as my signature is rather tall and I can't do miniature writing.

Many companies are deciding, or on some cases already decided on establishing call centres outside the UK. Their excuse is that these centres are operationally cheaper and provide a better service to their customer base. How they can make such a statement as this, so early, is open to suspicion. Have their customers benefited from lower prices or even a perceptible improvement in their service? I doubt it.
Having been contacted at home at weekends and nights by companies who not only have got my name wrong and have accessed an ex-directory number, they then try to sell me a service I don’t want, from a company I have never dealt with or would want to. It has a detrimental effect on the reputation of that company.
Obviously this will, reduce job opportunities in the UK.
My argument is not with the workers in other countries but with the decision to export jobs to the lowest bidder.
Most UK companies make profits from the UK people and therefore should help support the British economy by employing workers in this country.
Indian workers are paid a fraction of the rate paid in this country.
There is a growing amount of evidence that exporting jobs adversely affects the customer service, with calls not being dealt with professionally, my own experience and the experience of friends after spending hours on the phone to settle minor problems one is left feeling frustrated and annoyed. My reaction is to move to alternative suppliers who can deal with my issues.
If companies insist on moving to India there customers will probably move business as well.