Having not seen Gill or Lisa in a good few months we arranged to meet up on Saturday. They had tickets to see "Spamalot" which I have not seen yet. So we met in Soho and went to dinner at Balan's in Soho.
The great thing about dear friends is it doesnt matter how long it goes between seeing each other its just like it was yesterday and we just all get along so well. Love you girls.
I wont go into what we did after as its v v v v v pppp p p personal. You know what I mean girls.
Last night I went to the gym after work. My normal routine after my warm up is to run or hit the cross trainer and plug my headphones into the Audio theatre and watch BBC news. It was the US congress voting on whether they would bail out the finance industry to the sum of $700 Billion. It seemed they would not as the votes came to a close and we waited and waited and waited till they finally announced the vote some 15 minutes after the official vote time ending. At the time I have to confess I was anxious and dissapointed. Was this, afterall, not the plan that would help prop up the world economies and with efforts from around the world, surely this would mean the economies would rebound and the world would be saved. So to speak.
Sadly it was not to be and at the time I felt bad, maybe nervous as we enter bad times and not knowing what will happen. But now, in reflection you have to admire those senetors that took the Nay vote and voted against the plan in the will of their own consituents. Something that our own government failed to do when they signed over the sovereignty of our fair land to the European Union. So rather than sound my dissapointment I sulute thee for the bravory of representing the people. I wish our government would.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
£40 Billion Bail Out
I dont really understand why the Government has to step in and nationalise Bradford and Bingley. After Northern Rock last year and the powers that be spending all of the money the country had thanks to their wreckless spending spree in times of wealth and not saving enough for these hard times. So with the treasury empty and at a time when incoming monies are at an all time low due to lack of income. Income tax is down, Stamp Duty sales have all but dried up. So where the heck are they supposed to find £40, Billion to bail out building society Bradford and Bingley. Thats over half a Billion for every person in the country. I think they said that the US efforts of their mega 700 Billion Dollar injection worked out at around $2200 per US citizen. In our small Island doesnt it equate to more than half a billion pounds each for every one of the 60 Million people here?
So because of some greedy bankers lending to money to people they should not have the whole country has to pay. I've said it before, my proposal would be to let the bank fail. If you own a mortgage with them, congratualtions, your house is free now. Give the half a billion each to every citizen and think of how the economy would boom. I know inflation would go mad. But it sure would be fun.
I did manage to get to bed early but have been waking on and off throughout the night. The weather has changed, with mornings feeling chilly and the deffinite feel of winter approaching. With the cost of fuel at an all time peak we apparantly hear that due to essential maintenance this year we may have black outs due to lack of capacity at the Power Plants in this country. A definite case of too little too late. The new set of nuclear plants wont be ready for over a decade. I have to wonder rather than nationalising banks that stupidly leant should be not spend the £40 Billion on building our own power stations so we can supply our own nation with affordable electricity as the winter dooms?
I actually dont even think this government could organise a drink up in a brewery.
So because of some greedy bankers lending to money to people they should not have the whole country has to pay. I've said it before, my proposal would be to let the bank fail. If you own a mortgage with them, congratualtions, your house is free now. Give the half a billion each to every citizen and think of how the economy would boom. I know inflation would go mad. But it sure would be fun.
I did manage to get to bed early but have been waking on and off throughout the night. The weather has changed, with mornings feeling chilly and the deffinite feel of winter approaching. With the cost of fuel at an all time peak we apparantly hear that due to essential maintenance this year we may have black outs due to lack of capacity at the Power Plants in this country. A definite case of too little too late. The new set of nuclear plants wont be ready for over a decade. I have to wonder rather than nationalising banks that stupidly leant should be not spend the £40 Billion on building our own power stations so we can supply our own nation with affordable electricity as the winter dooms?
I actually dont even think this government could organise a drink up in a brewery.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
American Embassy
It seems to have been one of those weeks that started to drag by Tuesday. Don't get me wrong, work is going great, infact the time I spend at work flies by. Sometimes I cant believe that its 6PM as seems like I have only been at work a couple of hours.
Had been invited out a couple of times this week, over to the residence bar, Red, or out into Soho. But with a bit of a snotty nose and a good old fashioned cold, I have felt I needed a few early nights to say the least. Dusan has been on days or off this week. Monday he had to have a day off to go to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square. Being a non EU citizen, he doesnt qualify for the Visa Waiver Program as I do and needed an official tourist visa in order to visit the USA. Its been weird as normally I would be shooting over to the USA at least every year to catch up with Ed or Lea or friends in Florida.
But since Dusan moved in, even before we were married, I felt it wasnt right to go without him.
A few months ago he called the number on the Embassy website to make an appointment. Its an 0905 number meaning calls cost over £1.50 per minute. Then you have to pay the money at the time of making an appointment. It was something like £100 in advance with no guarantee that you will get a visa.
Even then he had to leave his passport with the consulate and it was couriered to him yesterday. Finally he has a five year tourist Visa. Its a little crazy as his Croatian Passport will expire before the visa does but we figure that in under 2 years on the anniversary of our wedding he will be entitled to British Citizenship and as such can get a British Passport and will need a visa no more.
With the visa in his possession he is actually really excited. For the one thing I have done tons and he has never done is the USA. I grew up and really became the man I am living at Disney World. Its where I made some of the best friends I know on the planet. Dusan has never seen it at all. Knowing him like I know him and seeing how excited he is getting, especially whenever an Orlando commercial comes on to the television I can tell taking him to Disney will be like taking my own child. His eyes are wide with excitement. Maybe finally he will understand my obsession with Disney,afterall you can take the boy out of Disney but never Disney out of the boy.
Had been invited out a couple of times this week, over to the residence bar, Red, or out into Soho. But with a bit of a snotty nose and a good old fashioned cold, I have felt I needed a few early nights to say the least. Dusan has been on days or off this week. Monday he had to have a day off to go to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square. Being a non EU citizen, he doesnt qualify for the Visa Waiver Program as I do and needed an official tourist visa in order to visit the USA. Its been weird as normally I would be shooting over to the USA at least every year to catch up with Ed or Lea or friends in Florida.
But since Dusan moved in, even before we were married, I felt it wasnt right to go without him.
A few months ago he called the number on the Embassy website to make an appointment. Its an 0905 number meaning calls cost over £1.50 per minute. Then you have to pay the money at the time of making an appointment. It was something like £100 in advance with no guarantee that you will get a visa.
Even then he had to leave his passport with the consulate and it was couriered to him yesterday. Finally he has a five year tourist Visa. Its a little crazy as his Croatian Passport will expire before the visa does but we figure that in under 2 years on the anniversary of our wedding he will be entitled to British Citizenship and as such can get a British Passport and will need a visa no more.
With the visa in his possession he is actually really excited. For the one thing I have done tons and he has never done is the USA. I grew up and really became the man I am living at Disney World. Its where I made some of the best friends I know on the planet. Dusan has never seen it at all. Knowing him like I know him and seeing how excited he is getting, especially whenever an Orlando commercial comes on to the television I can tell taking him to Disney will be like taking my own child. His eyes are wide with excitement. Maybe finally he will understand my obsession with Disney,afterall you can take the boy out of Disney but never Disney out of the boy.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Finally an Island to call home
Having been living in our new fabulous apartment for nearly just over 7 months we felt as though it was time that we bought the new kitchen Island that we have been promising ourselves since we moved in. The biggest downfall of the apartment is the simple lack of storage space. While there is possibly enough space for one person, for two there is so little storage its impossible. By the time we put a microwave in the kitchen there is no space other than the hob to do any food prep and as for cupboard space. Well, lets say I would be grateful if there was at least somewhere I could put the Wok, Pots and Pans.
So on Saturday we went down to the retail park to finally buy an Island. Walking around and checking out some of the designs that we would like we found someone to assist us and having already decided the measurements we asked the lady if she could help us build something we had in mind.
2 hours later we had chosen the colour of the cupboard doors and was down to a decision on work top surfaces. Wood, Plastic or Granite. I know in my mind I had always wanted a granite one and when she started to talk through the various options and the cost difference and then a tour of the options in the showroom, it seemed evident that despite it costing a fair bit more, granite was the only options. After all, what do they say? Cheap or sheik! So at last we have placed an order and it should come in a few weeks. Fingers crossed, there will be a fabulous new surface I can chop on and a brand new place to put the final things away.
So on Saturday we went down to the retail park to finally buy an Island. Walking around and checking out some of the designs that we would like we found someone to assist us and having already decided the measurements we asked the lady if she could help us build something we had in mind.
2 hours later we had chosen the colour of the cupboard doors and was down to a decision on work top surfaces. Wood, Plastic or Granite. I know in my mind I had always wanted a granite one and when she started to talk through the various options and the cost difference and then a tour of the options in the showroom, it seemed evident that despite it costing a fair bit more, granite was the only options. After all, what do they say? Cheap or sheik! So at last we have placed an order and it should come in a few weeks. Fingers crossed, there will be a fabulous new surface I can chop on and a brand new place to put the final things away.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Shock in the City
It seems crazy that we went to bed Friday having read the Evening Standard and the Financial pages saying that either Barclays or Bank of America would buy out the now ailing Investment Bank, Leahman Brothers.
So to wake on Monday to the news that Leahman Brothers had filed for bankrupcy in the US sent shudders throughout the financial sector.
We watch the news every day worried about who will be next. They were saying today that HBOS lost over 20% of their market share today. What seems so crazy is that these are power companies that are worth billions. If a company worth Billions can go under over night, surely nobody is safe?
While at the gym tonight a couple of guys were talking in the locker room about Leahmans and XL recently going into insolvency. Their words were, "Its the begining of the end". We all hope not. Our lives or rather lifestyles are really at risk.
With inflation rising faster than ever and the cost of fuel for our cars and heat are rising through the roof. Will this be the UK's first winter of discontent since the 1970s?
Everyone has lost faith in the government. I'm sorry Gordon, you shouldnt have stood there and time and time again said how you had stopped the era of boom and bust. With companies folding almost daily one has to ask, what happened?
I only wish that our election was as close as the American Presidential Campaign. It seems forever since we last had a chance to vote and vote for change. Each night as we go to bed you have to bed the question, will I still have my job in the months to come? Will we be able to afford the Mortgage repayments? Lets pray that the worst is over and this is the low and not the lull before the storm.
So to wake on Monday to the news that Leahman Brothers had filed for bankrupcy in the US sent shudders throughout the financial sector.
We watch the news every day worried about who will be next. They were saying today that HBOS lost over 20% of their market share today. What seems so crazy is that these are power companies that are worth billions. If a company worth Billions can go under over night, surely nobody is safe?
While at the gym tonight a couple of guys were talking in the locker room about Leahmans and XL recently going into insolvency. Their words were, "Its the begining of the end". We all hope not. Our lives or rather lifestyles are really at risk.
With inflation rising faster than ever and the cost of fuel for our cars and heat are rising through the roof. Will this be the UK's first winter of discontent since the 1970s?
Everyone has lost faith in the government. I'm sorry Gordon, you shouldnt have stood there and time and time again said how you had stopped the era of boom and bust. With companies folding almost daily one has to ask, what happened?
I only wish that our election was as close as the American Presidential Campaign. It seems forever since we last had a chance to vote and vote for change. Each night as we go to bed you have to bed the question, will I still have my job in the months to come? Will we be able to afford the Mortgage repayments? Lets pray that the worst is over and this is the low and not the lull before the storm.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Tortois and the Hare
Ever notice how the week days go by at a Tortois pace and yet the weekends fly passed like a Hare? Thankfully I managed to get some lie in's over the weekend.
Last night we had wanted to go to bed early, but as is always the case after a weekend, I can never get to sleep early on a Sunday.
Seemed I had not long lay down to go to sleep when the alarm was buzzing to wake me up. Struggling with my first coffee of the day while I wake to the world and the challanges that await. Wishing you all a very good week!
Last night we had wanted to go to bed early, but as is always the case after a weekend, I can never get to sleep early on a Sunday.
Seemed I had not long lay down to go to sleep when the alarm was buzzing to wake me up. Struggling with my first coffee of the day while I wake to the world and the challanges that await. Wishing you all a very good week!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Lazy Weekend (ish)
I don’t know why this past week at the office seemed so long. Maybe all of the lack of sleep caught up and I did get woken a few times by Dusan coming into bed in the wee hours.
By Friday I was struggling to get through the day without exceeding my daily limit of 2 coffees at the office. The coffee machine is so nice that nearly every time somebody says they are going to get drinks, I am tempted to say Cappuccino. My boss was off sick on Friday which meant I just had odds and ends to finish off and started to make a start on learning some of their existing software which I believe they are going to get me to take charge of learning the upgrade.
Coming home Friday, I cooked up some pasta with Bacon, Courgettes and Mushroom. All fresh of course. I actually never buy ready meals any more. Amazing to think that back in February when I had a couple of weeks off between the recruitment and pharmaceutical contracts and spent some time in the kitchen just preparing some food and seeing where it ended up.
After spending an hour and far too much money in Sainsbury’s I came home and ended up with a fridge full of food. Rather than cook a huge meal Saturday evening I decided to clean the flat and make a fresh lasagne. I was proud of myself even being able to make the white sauce from scratch.
Having showered and changed I was invited over to our neighbour, Steve, for a few glasses of wine. I was tempted to go to XXL but having had a couple of drinks I wasn’t able to drive and wasn’t in a mood to take public transport. Instead we made our way to the George & Dragon just up the road at some time past midnight. It has a rustic feel of being from a bygone day. A typical ye olde English Pub that now happens to be a gay venue. Its old, tacky, plays pop music and has some remnants of a gay discotheque in a small town somewhere abroad. But it’s our little local. The bar staff are cute and we can walk there or more essentially back. The G&D happens to be one of the few venues in this part of London that has a late license. Having had a few drinks, but being way too late for the show (Apparently the act is on stage at around 11:00 PM but have only ever been there in time for the show once).
Leaving around 3:00AM when I had a text from Dusan texted to say he was on his way home from work, we stopped at the local Kebab and Chip shop for a portion of chips. I’m not quite sure what it is about drinking that makes you want to stop and eat junk food on the way home. Of course the cute boy that works in the chip shop is always worth a gander at on the way home and we walked home eating our chips after a nice unplanned evening.
As much as people , ourselves included, have the odd moan on the forums we had to agree, it’s a fabulous place to live. We have great neighbours that have truly become friends, great facilities and a real sense of community. I have some friends who live in London and have done several years who say how hard it is to make friends in the big city. All I can say is maybe they should move here. If anyone is old enough like me to remember the old Milton Keynes advert. The catch phrase used to be “Milton Keynes, a Nice Place to live”. Well following that route, “One SE8, A Fabulous place to call home”.
Finally, forgetting to by carrots I made a walk up to the market yesterday, I noticed that the Estate Agent on the main road has closed up shop. I guess the recession is looming its ugly head on our own doorstep.
Being home so late I was determined to have a nice lie in and would have probably been in bed still at 2PM if my phone had not gone off at 1:30PM. Blissful a real lie in for once!
By Friday I was struggling to get through the day without exceeding my daily limit of 2 coffees at the office. The coffee machine is so nice that nearly every time somebody says they are going to get drinks, I am tempted to say Cappuccino. My boss was off sick on Friday which meant I just had odds and ends to finish off and started to make a start on learning some of their existing software which I believe they are going to get me to take charge of learning the upgrade.
Coming home Friday, I cooked up some pasta with Bacon, Courgettes and Mushroom. All fresh of course. I actually never buy ready meals any more. Amazing to think that back in February when I had a couple of weeks off between the recruitment and pharmaceutical contracts and spent some time in the kitchen just preparing some food and seeing where it ended up.
After spending an hour and far too much money in Sainsbury’s I came home and ended up with a fridge full of food. Rather than cook a huge meal Saturday evening I decided to clean the flat and make a fresh lasagne. I was proud of myself even being able to make the white sauce from scratch.
Having showered and changed I was invited over to our neighbour, Steve, for a few glasses of wine. I was tempted to go to XXL but having had a couple of drinks I wasn’t able to drive and wasn’t in a mood to take public transport. Instead we made our way to the George & Dragon just up the road at some time past midnight. It has a rustic feel of being from a bygone day. A typical ye olde English Pub that now happens to be a gay venue. Its old, tacky, plays pop music and has some remnants of a gay discotheque in a small town somewhere abroad. But it’s our little local. The bar staff are cute and we can walk there or more essentially back. The G&D happens to be one of the few venues in this part of London that has a late license. Having had a few drinks, but being way too late for the show (Apparently the act is on stage at around 11:00 PM but have only ever been there in time for the show once).
Leaving around 3:00AM when I had a text from Dusan texted to say he was on his way home from work, we stopped at the local Kebab and Chip shop for a portion of chips. I’m not quite sure what it is about drinking that makes you want to stop and eat junk food on the way home. Of course the cute boy that works in the chip shop is always worth a gander at on the way home and we walked home eating our chips after a nice unplanned evening.
As much as people , ourselves included, have the odd moan on the forums we had to agree, it’s a fabulous place to live. We have great neighbours that have truly become friends, great facilities and a real sense of community. I have some friends who live in London and have done several years who say how hard it is to make friends in the big city. All I can say is maybe they should move here. If anyone is old enough like me to remember the old Milton Keynes advert. The catch phrase used to be “Milton Keynes, a Nice Place to live”. Well following that route, “One SE8, A Fabulous place to call home”.
Finally, forgetting to by carrots I made a walk up to the market yesterday, I noticed that the Estate Agent on the main road has closed up shop. I guess the recession is looming its ugly head on our own doorstep.
Being home so late I was determined to have a nice lie in and would have probably been in bed still at 2PM if my phone had not gone off at 1:30PM. Blissful a real lie in for once!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
7 Years On
I guess its one of those things people will always ask, where were you on September 11th 2001? Here we are 8 years on. Seems crazy how much the world has changed since. It doesnt seem 7 years ago that we were at peace and now, the world seems so full of danger. We didnt go bang when they started the LHC under the swiss alps this morning. Reading the Evening Standard apparantly they have only started firing them one direction so far. The world watches and waits as on this day we bow our heads and remember the day that the images that were beaming into our televisions on the news channels was so real you wanted to believe it was a Hollywood movie. I guess I am a firm believer in the famous lines, Dance like noones watching, live like there is no tomorrow and love like you loved your first love. Be happy and have a great day!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Big Bang - The End of the World
I first became interested in the large Hadron Collider (LHC) 3 years ago when I went to a chill out at my friend Lee's flat. His ex Joel was a National Geographic reader and we ended up reading about the LHCs and how after the collisions they phisically create a black hole.
The scary thing about the LHC, the biggest one in the world, is that they create a miniture black hole. Albeit they are mini black holes there are some scientists that argue that when they start colliding millions of Hadrons a second at each other at the speed of light and look for science to uncover wonders we have never known these black holes could become so dense that they mistakingly could suck us and the rest of the universe into them. Of course it would all be done in a flash and so the universe and world as we know it started with a big bang, could phisically end with one. Fingers cross they they have the science right or we all could suffer.
Big love and good luck!
The scary thing about the LHC, the biggest one in the world, is that they create a miniture black hole. Albeit they are mini black holes there are some scientists that argue that when they start colliding millions of Hadrons a second at each other at the speed of light and look for science to uncover wonders we have never known these black holes could become so dense that they mistakingly could suck us and the rest of the universe into them. Of course it would all be done in a flash and so the universe and world as we know it started with a big bang, could phisically end with one. Fingers cross they they have the science right or we all could suffer.
Big love and good luck!
Monday, September 08, 2008
My phones running late!
For the past week it doesn’t seem to matter where I am going my phone is always running late. I set the clock via the time on the Computer which is set centrally. Yet on Saturday I missed the train to the races yet according to my phone I had five minutes spare.
Today was my typical Monday. Up at 615 and out of the door by 715. My phone said it was 722 when I arrived at New Cross train station. Though the boards were reading 0718. As the train pulled in I had to run and make my way through the tunnel to the correct platform.
Monday we have our Team meeting every week, something to break the day but in all honesty I am far from bored, in fact really enjoying it. I am so busy I can’t get in all I have to in a day.
Ended up doing 90 minutes at the gym before I came home and just chilling before bed now! Sweet dreams.
Today was my typical Monday. Up at 615 and out of the door by 715. My phone said it was 722 when I arrived at New Cross train station. Though the boards were reading 0718. As the train pulled in I had to run and make my way through the tunnel to the correct platform.
Monday we have our Team meeting every week, something to break the day but in all honesty I am far from bored, in fact really enjoying it. I am so busy I can’t get in all I have to in a day.
Ended up doing 90 minutes at the gym before I came home and just chilling before bed now! Sweet dreams.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Red's official launch Party
Having been open on a trial basis while the staff learned the ropes, last night was to be the official Red Launch Party. (Our residents bar and restaurant).
The party kicked off at 7 but I didn’t get back from the races until almost 8 so went home to change and get ready and then met Lynne, Steve and Thomas over at Red.
The music was pumping and as a promotion they had free wine tasting at the beginning. Apparantly they had free champagne too but I was too late for that. With a DJ and accompanying Saxaphone player there was a really good atmosphere.
We bumped into more neighbours, Phil and Mike and then my friend from Lewisham, Blake, arrived. We enjoyed some drinks and met more neighbours from the Forum. Was surprised that people knew me as Vauxhallcowboy. That will teach me to write a blog. Its strange when someone you have never met before asks, “How’s Dušan?”. Met a new to development couple who have moved here from Switzerland, Daniella and Vibes (Welcome, hope you are happy here as we are).
It was a great night. Funny but since it opened 2 months ago its become a focal point on the whole development. Much like a village pub really. Really looking forward to the forthcoming quiz nights and wine tasting too.
Just before midnight Thomas and Steve insisted I went on to the George and Dragon with them. It turned into quite a messy one by the end of the night when Tom and I left the bar shortly before 4AM to make the way back to the complex via the Kebab shop.
Was a fabulous fun evening. As my new (ish) neighbour, Mike said. “It’s so nice to move somewhere and have a chance to meet nice people. Mike, your so right. Its a fabulous place to live and via the residence website and forums we may have our say but at the end of the day, we have our very own community. A fabulous friendly place to live and play in the heart of inner London. If that’s not worth celebrating? Huge thanks to Red for the party and being the focal point. To all the staff at Red and the fabulous friends we have made since we moved here. Just over a year ago we sought a new home and life in London, expecting to find a new flat. Instead we found a new home and fabulous new friends and as they say. Home is where the heart is and that’s right here!
Kempton Races
Even before I had actually started my first day at the new job they had invited Dušan and I to a Partners Day at the races. Sadly Dušan had already booked 2 weekends off in September meaning he couldn’t take any more time off, but I went along on my own.
My manager had emailed us with the joining instructions, but with the dozens of emails flying round the office on Friday (Remember a world before email?); I printed the wrong one off. I was sure it said meet at Waterloo at 11:55AM. 1155AM on a Saturday morning? What about my lovely lie in?
Dušan was at work by 9 AM so I was up early enough and getting dressed in slacks and a shirt I couldn’t find my shoes. When it struck me I had left them at work I was frantically rushing around to find another outfit and left just after 11:00. It usually only takes 20 minutes to London Bridge. However, with the DLR out of service all weekend for more Engineering work I took a bus to New Cross and crazily had to wait a full 25 minutes for the first train.
I arrived at Waterloo at five to noon. I needed 3 things, food, money and a train ticket. According to my watch I had plenty of time, only the ATMs (All four) were out of order. I spent five minutes queuing for some money. Then grabbed a quick burger and ran upstairs to the concourse. Spotting the others waiting, as arranged, under the grand clock. The Station was heaving; in fact I have never seen it so busy in all my years. There were lines at every one of the ticket machines at least 10 deep. By the time I got my ticket and ran to platform four I was in time to see the train pulling away. Thankfully they run every 30 minutes. I had time to buy a newspaper and made my way casually to the races on the next train.
We had some drinks, bet on some races and won some and lost some. It was a fun day out and good to see the team outside of work on a social basis.
Thankfully the train station is literally at the races. While waiting on the station platform a lady leans over and says, “Hey it’s you from the train”. For a moment my mind was a blank, but it turns out it was the lady I met after lunch at Emily’s with Gill. I bumped into the lady and her friend on the way to speed dating a month back. How she recognised me I don’t know. But we had a chat again. Funny how people remember me all the time.
Finding a seat on the train, crazily in 2008 the train has no toilet. Not even one. By the time we completed the journey I was so desperate for the loo I made a desperate run to the station bathroom. Like half the people on the train, frantically looking to see if we have 30 pence in change to pay to spend a penny. (Not spend 30 pennies) Crazy isn’t it? More sign of Rip off Britain. 30 pence to simply use the loo, at a station that you have already paid a small fortune for a train ticket for. I wouldn’t mind if they were spotless but half the time the station loos are vile. In fact it seems the staff are more keen on ensuring users pay than actually taking care of the cleanliness. The facilities change machine was out of order so for once, the facilities were free. Everyone was saying, wow I am now 30p up. Everyone’s a winner, no matter what you lost at the races. Come on Boris (Mayor of London), surely there is something you can do to make us all happy. With all of the public conveniences now closed down you could make the facilities free to the public.
When I have read in the paper that the City of London, the square mile, is now going to be fining people for using the street to do their business, when in truth, we have all been there. There are no facilities open in the evening. Even the tube stations have nothing, especially after 6PM. I challenge anyone who has been out for a few hours, having enjoyed just a couple of drinks to not have to use a facility at some time on their way home.
In Amsterdam, it’s so different. They know people have to go and have facilities for men, scattered around the city that are simply taken away and swapped with new facilities when they are full. With a growing population surely they could do more to make facilities available. Like a city wide law requiring every commercial facility to be accessible by customers and non customers alike. Hotels, stations, shops, restaurants, there are thousands of them everyone. Come on Boris, bring back the quintessentially British public convenience. We could call it the Boris Bog!
My manager had emailed us with the joining instructions, but with the dozens of emails flying round the office on Friday (Remember a world before email?); I printed the wrong one off. I was sure it said meet at Waterloo at 11:55AM. 1155AM on a Saturday morning? What about my lovely lie in?
Dušan was at work by 9 AM so I was up early enough and getting dressed in slacks and a shirt I couldn’t find my shoes. When it struck me I had left them at work I was frantically rushing around to find another outfit and left just after 11:00. It usually only takes 20 minutes to London Bridge. However, with the DLR out of service all weekend for more Engineering work I took a bus to New Cross and crazily had to wait a full 25 minutes for the first train.
I arrived at Waterloo at five to noon. I needed 3 things, food, money and a train ticket. According to my watch I had plenty of time, only the ATMs (All four) were out of order. I spent five minutes queuing for some money. Then grabbed a quick burger and ran upstairs to the concourse. Spotting the others waiting, as arranged, under the grand clock. The Station was heaving; in fact I have never seen it so busy in all my years. There were lines at every one of the ticket machines at least 10 deep. By the time I got my ticket and ran to platform four I was in time to see the train pulling away. Thankfully they run every 30 minutes. I had time to buy a newspaper and made my way casually to the races on the next train.
We had some drinks, bet on some races and won some and lost some. It was a fun day out and good to see the team outside of work on a social basis.
Thankfully the train station is literally at the races. While waiting on the station platform a lady leans over and says, “Hey it’s you from the train”. For a moment my mind was a blank, but it turns out it was the lady I met after lunch at Emily’s with Gill. I bumped into the lady and her friend on the way to speed dating a month back. How she recognised me I don’t know. But we had a chat again. Funny how people remember me all the time.
Finding a seat on the train, crazily in 2008 the train has no toilet. Not even one. By the time we completed the journey I was so desperate for the loo I made a desperate run to the station bathroom. Like half the people on the train, frantically looking to see if we have 30 pence in change to pay to spend a penny. (Not spend 30 pennies) Crazy isn’t it? More sign of Rip off Britain. 30 pence to simply use the loo, at a station that you have already paid a small fortune for a train ticket for. I wouldn’t mind if they were spotless but half the time the station loos are vile. In fact it seems the staff are more keen on ensuring users pay than actually taking care of the cleanliness. The facilities change machine was out of order so for once, the facilities were free. Everyone was saying, wow I am now 30p up. Everyone’s a winner, no matter what you lost at the races. Come on Boris (Mayor of London), surely there is something you can do to make us all happy. With all of the public conveniences now closed down you could make the facilities free to the public.
When I have read in the paper that the City of London, the square mile, is now going to be fining people for using the street to do their business, when in truth, we have all been there. There are no facilities open in the evening. Even the tube stations have nothing, especially after 6PM. I challenge anyone who has been out for a few hours, having enjoyed just a couple of drinks to not have to use a facility at some time on their way home.
In Amsterdam, it’s so different. They know people have to go and have facilities for men, scattered around the city that are simply taken away and swapped with new facilities when they are full. With a growing population surely they could do more to make facilities available. Like a city wide law requiring every commercial facility to be accessible by customers and non customers alike. Hotels, stations, shops, restaurants, there are thousands of them everyone. Come on Boris, bring back the quintessentially British public convenience. We could call it the Boris Bog!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Too little too late Darling!
With the credit crunch starting to kick in and affect homes all around the country and with the housing market which effectively feeds the economy at a virtual standstill, people have been asking the question for months. What are the government going to do about it?
In the last recession they scrapped the Stamp Duty on houses for a period of time. Stamp Duty is a 1% Tax that the purchaser pays on buying a new home. Depending on the cost of the home the tax rises to up to 4% for properties worth in excess of half a million pounds.
In reality the cost of buying a house has been rising for many years now at a rate that everyone has known would be unsustainable forever. Your property cant rise in value by 15-20% every year indefinitely.
Now the inevitable has happened. Costs have risen so incredibly high that first time buyers are unable to get onto the ladder in the first instance. The banks have stopped lending to anyone who doesn’t have at least a 20-30% deposit and this has caused the entire housing market to stall for some months.
The rumours that the government might scrap stamp duty once more has stumped the industry even further as many buyers and sellers hold off their sale or purchase hoping that they can save some good hard cash. Our little flat meant we had to cough up to the treasury over £3000. It’s a lot of money when you add that to the solicitors fees and stamp duty etc.
Of course, last year the government bought in the useless HIPs (Home efficiency packs) claiming they would speed up the process of buying a home. Of course the mortgage lenders and other bodies involved in the process don’t trust the packs and despite it being a legal requirement to have one (Thanks Gordon Brown) they are pretty much useless. In fact, adding hundreds more pounds to the cost of buying a home.
Today they have announced that they will scrap stamp duty on homes under the value of £175,000. I just did a search on Google and officially the average cost of a home in the UK is £ £219,262. So how exactly is this temporary one year freezing of stamp duty up to £175,000 supposed to help people in this country?
We only purchased our small one bedroom flat last year. We bought where we did as it was one of the few areas that we felt safe in and could actually afford to buy a home. So to further my research I did a Google search for the cost of an average London home. Some £371983. In fact looking through the newspapers at the New homes for sale, 1 bedroom flats are almost verging on the quarter of a million mark.
So 2 things to say to you Alistaire Darling and Gordon Brown.
1. Too little too Late
2. General Election Time please, time to get you out of there and someone more competent in place instead.
In the last recession they scrapped the Stamp Duty on houses for a period of time. Stamp Duty is a 1% Tax that the purchaser pays on buying a new home. Depending on the cost of the home the tax rises to up to 4% for properties worth in excess of half a million pounds.
In reality the cost of buying a house has been rising for many years now at a rate that everyone has known would be unsustainable forever. Your property cant rise in value by 15-20% every year indefinitely.
Now the inevitable has happened. Costs have risen so incredibly high that first time buyers are unable to get onto the ladder in the first instance. The banks have stopped lending to anyone who doesn’t have at least a 20-30% deposit and this has caused the entire housing market to stall for some months.
The rumours that the government might scrap stamp duty once more has stumped the industry even further as many buyers and sellers hold off their sale or purchase hoping that they can save some good hard cash. Our little flat meant we had to cough up to the treasury over £3000. It’s a lot of money when you add that to the solicitors fees and stamp duty etc.
Of course, last year the government bought in the useless HIPs (Home efficiency packs) claiming they would speed up the process of buying a home. Of course the mortgage lenders and other bodies involved in the process don’t trust the packs and despite it being a legal requirement to have one (Thanks Gordon Brown) they are pretty much useless. In fact, adding hundreds more pounds to the cost of buying a home.
Today they have announced that they will scrap stamp duty on homes under the value of £175,000. I just did a search on Google and officially the average cost of a home in the UK is £ £219,262. So how exactly is this temporary one year freezing of stamp duty up to £175,000 supposed to help people in this country?
We only purchased our small one bedroom flat last year. We bought where we did as it was one of the few areas that we felt safe in and could actually afford to buy a home. So to further my research I did a Google search for the cost of an average London home. Some £371983. In fact looking through the newspapers at the New homes for sale, 1 bedroom flats are almost verging on the quarter of a million mark.
So 2 things to say to you Alistaire Darling and Gordon Brown.
1. Too little too Late
2. General Election Time please, time to get you out of there and someone more competent in place instead.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Baby Thomas's Christening
With Thomas's Christening on Sunday I decided to visit Mum and Dad a day early so that I could get a chance to to catch up with them properly. Its never possible at a party to really even get a chance to speak to Mum and Dad as they are too busy being Host & Hostess.
AS I had to pass by there I arranged to meet Steph at Bluewater Saturday afternoon which was lovely. We have not had a good catch up in ages and enjoyed lunch and a spot of retail therapy.
Got to Ma & Pa's around 7PM and headed next door to Auntie Pauline and Uncle Trevors (AP & UT) for a nice Indian meal. Cousin Samantha and husband Marcos were there and we all enjoyed the meal.
Sunday I deperately needed a lie in and was almost dissapointed when I woke up before 11:00AM. Had some coffee and got dressed and ready in time for the Christening at Broxboure Parish Baptist Church at 3PM.
The reception was back at Ma and Pa's and the place was once more heaving with guests. Mum and Dad do host a good party. It was good to see my cousins and Linda and Terry again. Have not seen Linda and Terry in a good year now.
I think a picture tells a thousand words so enjoy the pictures. Oh and finally, dont you agree, isnt Thomas a gorgeous baby?
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