Posted in December 2007

Water, Water Everywhere

Source: knightrider45
Monday 31st December 2007, 8:10am

Been a bit of an unsung hero lately on my nightshifts lately!

If you live in a certain area of Kings Lynn and have woken up with a water supply every morning over the last week or so, you can thank me for an uninteruppted supply!

My job means I have to do bits of everything, you know, like First Aid, Firefighting, Chemical disposal and safety and so on. But at half past midnight, on 20th December took me totally by suprise.

I'd sneaked off somewhere for a quick fag just before midnight and, on sneaking off again at half past, I heard the sound of a really heavy rain storm. But it wasn't raining?

A great big, massive water mains had burst. In just over half an hour, the road was a flowing river, with, literally, hundreds and hundreds of gallons of raging water turning the road into a river.

The main mains burst was just outside where I was working at the time, but this burst had ruptured the whole water pipe all along the road. There were spectacular water fountains all along one side of the road, crossing the road at the bottom in front of me. There must have been at least 20-25 separate water fountains, in addition to the main burst.

Really really amazing. And, in the darkness, admittedly, rather scarey too. And on checking things with my torch, the road I was standing on started sinking, so much that in seconds, my shoes were below road level! Have you ever seen tarmac sinking? Really really weird. Especially when you're standing on it!!

So, obviously, I had to inform Anglia Water, who had to send their emergency engineer from Dereham. I was standing next to this man inside an hour as he turned off the water. His job was to assess the callout and action everything needed. He turned white when I showed him the road sinking!

The emergency gang came from a callout in Norwich and started work at 4am by drilling up the road.

So, there we are then. If you live where I work, and have had an uninterrupted water supply, and have been able to drive up and down a certain road which I saved from being closed off, it was all down to me making that one, single phone call.

Otherwise it would have been left until someone else noticed it on their way to work at, what, 5 or 6am? Imagine the chaos then. As it was, a few places were flooded out, but nothing too major. It would have been so different a few hours later.

And thanks especially to that friendly and professional water engineer, I can't remember his name now, and his emergency gang. Everyone had a really long time in sub freezing weather.

Amazing what goes when you're asleep every night isn't it?

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So that was Christmas then

Source: knightrider45
Sunday 30th December 2007, 8:11am

Over for another year. Did you have a good time? Did you feel Christmassy? Really?

I must admit I feel very seasonal at all, probably because I was working I guess. I started my nightshifts at 7pm Christmas Eve, and am still on nights now, which finish 7am New Years Day.

It was brilliant driving home at at 7.15 Christmas morning. Firstly, because there were no pensioners on the road (more about that later) so I got home in 22 minutes - and secondly, because everywhere I past on the way was in darkness, apart from the occasional house, which had all it's lights on, upstairs and downstairs. You could guess which houses had young kids in, couldn't you? Beautiful!

The Family were asleep when I got home, with exception to my manager, so I took great delight in getting the kids up! Payback time for earlier years!!

The first hour of Christmas Day was brilliant, as usual. The Teenage One had the biggest suprise because we'd been telling her for ages that we couldn't get her a Wii - but we did - admittedly, really early, I think about September, so she wasn't expecting it, Bonus!!

Christmas celebrations were temporaily halted for me at about 9.30 when I had to go to bed. The Son got his revenge back on me - he got me up at 1.00, an hour earlier than planned because I'd woken him up an hour earlier than he wanted to be up for when I got in.

Well, it's Christmas, isn't it!!

I had Christmas dinner (you call it lunch in Norfolk) with the family, including the mother in law,a couple of hours or so after I got up, then Christmas was ended for me as I had to get ready for work.

Must admit I struggled through Christmas Night's shift through the lack of sleep! But, now, it was worth it. I just wish I could bottle the familyness for ever, for Christmas is the one day a year where our family gather together. Sadly, the Eldest Daughter wasn't there - for the first time ever. She had Christmas in her own house with her boyfriend - but we had a little bit of Christmas early with her as we went to see her on the Sunday before Christmas.

Apologies, by the way, for anyone who didn't get Santa's presents in Kings Lynn in the area where I was working. My fault. I had to escort Santa out of the area because he wasn't complying with new European Legislation - he wasn't wearing a hi-viz vest, didn't have safety hat and glasses, and, although he told me he had safety shoes on, he didn't. They were soft leather with white fur around the top and I proved they weren't safety shoes to him by standing on his toes - hard! Well, he didn't give me the present I asked for - you know, that box of spare time I keep asking for which would let me pinch an hour or so extra every day I need more time. I've told him not to come back on my patch until he complies with the law, like the rest of us have to!

Catch you all tomorrow

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To the Red Rover 75 Driver, Reg Number AP53 ??T

Source: knightrider45
Wednesday 19th December 2007, 3:28pm

I think it's three times this week that I've ended up behind this seriously maniacal car driver, by far one of the very worse drivers I ever had the misfortune to come across.

I hope the driver of this car reads this blog, or has someone read it out to them.

This is one of those "drivers" who create horrendous problems driving everywhere at 35 to 38 miles per hour.

Especially on the National Speed Limit roads (they're a 60 miles an hour limit road, red Rover driver).

You'll remember me, you silly Red Rover driver if you do read this. I'm the green Volvo driver that rounded a bend on the unlit A149 a few mornings ago, driving perfectly legally, when I first "met" you. Yes, the same Green Volvo who had to brake sharply as you were driving so stupidly slowly, making sure that I didn't ram you up the backside.

I'm the same Green Volvo driver who had to put his hazards on as I was forced to follow you at your insanely slow speed, to avoid other, perfectly legally driving owners, from ramming me up the back side as we were forced to follow you at your stupidly slow speed.

Red Rover driver, what gives you the right to hold me and several other drivers up ? What gives you the right to break the law every day the way you do? And, red Rover driver, how the Hell did you pass your test if you are so obviously incapable of driving up to the speed limit?

And why do we allow such a maniac on the roads? Every day? And how do you get away with it?

What do you feel like when every other driver has to overtake you? Often being forced to break the law as well to do so?

Three times I've ended up behind you this week. And it stinks. You are one of the biggest menaces on the road I've ever had the great misfortune come across.

And, if you carry on driving like this, illegally, being the big menace you are, I shall publish your full registration number on here.

You are obviously mentally incapable of driving correctly and legally. Please take yourself, or your car, and prefably both, off the road with immediate effect.

Before you create a serious accident, involving and hurting other innocent drivers.

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Tuesday 18th December - Thank you Jack Richards driver

Source: knightrider45
Tuesday 18th December 2007, 8:36am

Anyone see the accident at East Rudham yesterday? I got caught up in it on my way to work and got diverted down all these dark, unlit and unknown one track lanes by the police.

And, being a city born and bred man, I drive on main roads. I, well, I just don't do back lanes.

So, I'm under pressure trying to get to work driving through hostile territory (as all unknown roads are), and to get there on time. This is where the Jack Richards driver comes into my adventure.

As I was diverted off the main road, I ended up behind this Jack Richards lorry. Now, I was taught in my city days, that if you get lost, follow a lorry driver (unless he's got foreign plates of course).

And that's exactly what I did. I followed this Jack Richards driver. This unknown, unsung hero, showed me the way through all these lanes, all of which were dark, single track lanes, on our joint mission to get to Kings Lynn.

And, thanks to this man (or woman) I got to work just 5 minutes late. And this new found hero of mine didn't have any idea what he did. And, I'll probably won't meet him/her again.

But anyway, thank you Mr or Miss Truck driver. You, the unsung, unknowing hero, was brilliant in my time of need. And weren't those trees down the lane hanging so low for you as well?

Onto other things, my web site is fastr nearing completion - after so long, I just can't believe that this, seemingly, never ending chore is coming to an end, and I can start selling and marketing the business.

And I've been really really busy with the computer repairs too. And, without a single word of a lie, I can honestly say that I haven't had a single day off from either the business or the job, in three months, save two days when I was instructed by my management to tidy up the garden.

It's just a good job I see the business as a hobby at the moment, isn't it?

Unlike The Job. I'm on a crazy shift of nights, one night off on Thursday, then back ON nights for one night Friday, off Saturday and Sunday, then I start my sh*tty shift of nights at 7pm Christmas Eve, finishing this one at 7am New Years Day (my manager's birthday, incidentally).

BUT I've booked 2 weeks off in January. Now, that I AM looking forward to.

Catch you soon

Paul

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Tuesday 12 December - I'm Still Here Gang

Source: knightrider45
Tuesday 11th December 2007, 6:08am

Where does time go? Exactly one month since my last blog to the day! Santa has got to give me that box of time this year, so I can pinch a couple of hours a day when I have to!!

So, what's happened over the last 30 days then? Well, a lot really, for me, but then again, nothing really worth writing home for.

I've virtually finished the main section of my web site now, just a few corrections here and there and then the final test before going live. This has taken me 9 weeks to do, firstly because it's a massive site, and secondly, because I can only do a few hours (if that) every day. I reckon it would have taken me 10 days if I was doing it full time.

Okay then. So that's that done. Got to add Laptops and a book centre besides a DVD section, so I'm still on target for a relaunch on 15th January.

Work keeps on going - just go to work for 12 hours, then go home. No excitement to talk of from the last month, although they have upset our plans here at the Mansion because they have now decided they want us working all through Christmas. And guess what? That's right people, I start my set of nightshifts at 7pm, Christmas Eve, and I'm due to finish these at 7am, January 1st.

I'm still ripping up the grass from the back garden as well - I'm determined I won't be cutting grass every Sunday afternoon next year, like I was upto about 5 or 6 weeks ago.

Our Empty Nest Christmases have started too. For the first time ever, Eldest Daughter won't be coming home this Christmas. We're going across to see her the Sunday before Christmas. There will only be four for Christmas Dinner this year, as I'll be in bed, and taking my Christmas dinner to work with me at night. Last year there was 9.

I'm still on the anti depressants and am due a doctors review anytime now, and definately before I get my next prescription (otherwise, they won't let me have it!!)

And the one single best thing this last month? Well, I've spoken to my financial people who arrange the mortgages for me. If I pay 12 payments on time with the company I'm with now, I can remortgage again next November.

And that's to raise enough money to pay the household bills for the following 12 months. Because then I'll be leaving my job and working for my business full time, safe in the knowledge that all bills will be paid for a year.

I'll be taking a gap year as a minimum. If it doesn't work out, well, then I'll just go back to work at the end of it. But I'm aiming to get enough money in to pay the following years bills from the business. Which means the gap year turns into two.

A once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm so glad that, at last, a small chink of light can be seen at the end of my long tunnel. As I can't work part time enough to build and pay for my future, I'll buy it .

In the words of the song, "There ain't no stopping us now"

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