Tie Me Up

Life, both professional and social, is much more relaxed and casual these days. Dressed down if you will. As such I probably don't need the appropriately 50 ties I currently own. A few were ditched a couple of years ago during a mini-purge, bytheway.

In fact, with not many more neck adornments, I could probably rent a bespoke small retail unit and resurrect the now defunct British retailer Tie Rack. Not to be confused with Thailand LOL.

Anyway, it's time to have a serious clear out; keeping only a few faves for weddings, funerals, christenings and other formal settings. You know the sort of thing.

As depicted, a great many of my ties were cartoon in nature, with Wallace and Gromit featuring quite heavily.

Polite Notice

Anti-monarchists: don't forget to inform your employer you won't be needing the Bank Holiday off for Her Majesty's funeral and that you prefer to work on Monday.

It's the right thing to do.

Perspective

Two and a half hours to drive 20 miles (32 km) home. The section of the M4 motorway I needed to use was closed, which had a knock-on effect to surrounding roads.

Putting things into perspective, someone tragically lost their life on the M4 today. In those terms I have nothing to complain about.

Rest For The Wicked?

There is none LOL. Back in the office today.

Remembrance 100

Remembrance will be different today thanks largely to Covid. A limited attendance service will be held at Westminster Abbey for this annual act of remembering the women and men who have given their lives for freedom. In addition the service will mark the centenary of the Unknown Warrior or Soldier.

Closer to home, the office will be holding a two minute silence at 11 AM. Someone has also kindly baked poppy cakes to encourage donations to the veteran's charity The Royal British Legion.

Comrade

Who'd have thought after all these years, I would join a Trade Union LOL? Yes: it's true!

All Good Things...

Furlough ends. Damn LOL.

Friday Night Cheer

After six weeks on furlough, Friday's are pretty much the same as any other day, yet we cling to routines, cheers!

Fresh

There's nothing like the just-opened-packet coffee aroma first thing in the morning! Add to that a new jar of the best yeast extract in the world. What more can I ask for?

Life sure is a blast when you're on furlough LOL.

Keep Your Distance

The UK is now on the second day of our Covid 19 lockdown. Measures will last for three weeks and will then be reviewed by the medical experts and our government. Citizens must keep at least two metres from each other in public (so called Social Distancing), not congregate in groups larger than two while outside. The police have new powers to disperse gatherings that breach these rules.

Further we may only leave our homes for the following reasons:

1) for one form of reasonable exercise in public.

2) to purchase food.

3) if you are unable to work from home, and your work is deemed essential, travel to/from your normal place of work.

Somehow my job is deemed essential to the national medical supply chain and I cannot perform my duties from the house. We are using all reasonable measures to protect ourselves in the office but it's not helping me feel very safe at all. Anxiety has sky rocketed these past few days.

Whoops!

Think someone made a "miscalculation" with the office dishwasher LOL.

Really?

Can't believe I have to work today LOL. Normally I'm organised enough to hold back sufficient leave so I don't have to visit the office between Christmas and New Year. Something's gone wrong and thus I'm in for all three!

Lewes

Lewes Castle is one of the oldest Norman castles in the UK. Situated relatively close to Hastings, it was one of the first fortifications built in England by the conquering Norman army of William I (sometimes referred to as The Conquerer or The Bastard). Temperatures today reached a very pleasant 24 degrees in Sussex, lovely. Made for a grand time exploring the castle ruins and grounds; however returning to the mundane of work will seem that bit harder LOL.

Lovely Jubbly

A mid-week trip out from work to That London to take in current top musical Only Fools and Horses, based on the David Jason starring BBC sitcom. We even managed to see a few of the sights and also some culture with a visit to The National Gallery, before lunch in a traditional Capitol pub. Enjoy a few choice images of our day playing tourists.

Starting To Look A Lot Like Winter

Not quite the deluge in this area that had been promised, quite pretty though. Other parts of the UK have been far harder hit. Much as I might have wanted to stay home, enjoy the winter scenery, the office opened as usual and I had to do my duty. Ho hum!

Chill

It was something of a shock this morning to wake and find the temperature had dropped over night to well below -4 degrees. After removing the ice from the windscreen, the drive to the office was however pleasant and quite rewarding...

House

Found this House Spider lurking in the office this morning (Work Spider, anyone?). For a British spider he/she was quite impressive and didn't seem at all bothered when I placed a 10p coin nearby for scale. The coin is diameter 24mm.

Hydrated

When they said stay hydrated at work, this wasn't quite what they meant LOL.

To be fair, it did only contain water.

Enjoy the unseasonally warm weather while it lasts. Yesterday a top temperature of 29 degrees Celcius was recorded in the UK. The April average is around 12 degrees.

Cold Is Here

Here's some views of part of my drive to work today. Doesn't it look lovely? I can tell you the travel chaos a mere dusting of snow brings is no fun. Spare a thought for other parts of the UK, who have had it far worse.

Week One

Despite only being four working days, somehow it's been a long week.