T.V.

With the cricket being abandoned recently, I went back to my old BBC. T.V. Although I missed the first half of the programme, I found it interesting. It was called "The Town that Never Retired"  Having missed the start I can only guess but it seemed to me that a couple selected several people over ther age of 70 and asked them if they would like to go back to work. Amongst them was a Plasterer, Plumber and an Electrician in the building trade. There were a couple in the Estate Agents and a couple in the Restaurant business. In the Restaurant one was employed as a sort of pot washer, he was 72. The other was a female she was 76 and employed as a waitress. There were also a few offered jobs in a Confectioners making sweets.
  After a week, the Supervisors of the trades could decide if any were suitable for a second week of work. However they would be competing with young unemployed people.
 On the Building Trade, only a plumber and electrician was offered a second week. the Restaurant offered both workers a second week.
 The Estate Agents only offered the female  a second week.  In the Confectioners only one was offered a second week.All those offered accepted the second week.
 The next night was the second episode, of two. In the confectioners 3 young lads were offered jobs. Needless to say, none of them stayed the week.
 In the Restaurant, a young girl came to work. She had a ring in her lip and the Boss asked her to remove it. She could not remove it straight away and the next day, didn't arrive for work and didn't ring in to say she was not coming in. She did turn up the following day and the lip ring had been removed. To be honest, she was neat and tidy but didn't know much about food.  However she did try.
 In the Estate Agents, the woman was not confident working the computer. The young man who had been assigned as a sort of opposition was well into computers and sailed away with what he had to do. Also when it came to measuring up properties, he was on the ball where she was not really up to scratch. they both had to show prospective clients round their properties. The woman got lost and eventually went the wrong way on a one way street. What she was good at though was the way she showed the customers round. She made them feel at ease and explained things. The young man was just the opposite. When the customers entered, all he said to them was thast they had 2 options. The first was that he could show them round or they could look over the property themselves. It was a pity as he had far more knowledge than the lady, who incidentally was 75. But conversation wise he was hopeless.
  Now to the builders. The plumber really was not up to it and admitted that as soon as the week was up he was off. He was assigned a young plumber who, to be honest carried the old man. I think he was 73. The young plumber was great.
 The electrician was also assigned a young man. He seemed O.K and the old man asked him at the end of the day if he had enjoyed it. The young man told him he had. The old man reminded him that they were a team and he expected him to be there the  next day. No such luck. He also didn't let them know. When he turned up the following day, the Supervisor asked him why he didn't turn up the day before. He told them he was not prepared to tell them.
 Well, at the end of the week. The Building trade would not have offered any of the old men a full time job and the only job that was offered was for the young plumber. I was pleased.
 Nobody was offered a job in the confectionary. The lady, who I think was 73 was not quick enough. She also said that she would not be able to do the work regular.
 The Estate Agents did not offer either of them work, although the lady was more confident of sales. It was a pity that the young man was not taken aside and taught the art of communication and conversation. I am sure he would have  eventually succeeded.
 Finally the Restaurant. Both of the older people were offered s job. The 72 pot washer refused saying that it was too hard. The waitress who was 76 said she would be delighted to work there. I do believe that she would be offered a part time job. As for the young lass. She was not offered a job, but she would be kept on the books and when a vacancy occured she would be considered. I think she will make the grade.
 My final thoughs are this. Most youngsters find it almost impossible to concentrate on a job for several hours a day. Some said the work was boring, some just didn't return to work. What does the future hold for most of the youngsters? They all say they want work but are not prepared to take any job.  We will see. More soon.

Butterflies?

Today, the weather has been a lot better. I saw for only the second time this year a cabbage white butterfly. I have only seen the odd, small tortoishell red admiral and peacock. This must be due to the poor weather we have had this year.
 I usually watch cricket on Sky but the last two matches have been abandoned without a ball being bowled. what I did was watch Tour de France. Once you get into it, it really is exciting. I couldn't believe the followings there are in France. Huge crowds stand and wait for hours just to see a fleeting glimpse of the riders. The commentator did say that a decent professional cycle rider would earn in the region of £100.000 each year. Then commenting that a lot of professional footballers in the Premier League would get more than that each week. He seemed a little disappointed, I can readily understand his feelings now I have seen the huge effort the riders put in. I will hopefully continue to watch the race until it ends in Paris around 10 days time. More soon.

Respite

Today we saw some sun, the first for a few days. Yes, we had a few showers but nothing compared to recent days.
  I was hoping the Cricket Match would be on T.V. It was coming from Birmingham but the game was called off because the ground was waterlogged.
 It isn't just in this Country though. In America, in the Colarado area, there has been droughts and severe fires that have destroyed many homes. In the Kansas areas the Corn crops are now in severe drought and look as if they have died. In the Eastern States, there has been severe thunderstorms and heatwaves. In Russia, many people were drowned by flooding. I do think it was because a dam burst.
 I can remember a colleague who used to call on me every week day. One day he said to me that we now know within  a day any news when 50 years ago it would take a week or more before the news was spread world wide. This was in the late 70s. Now the news is almost immediate. With satellite T.V. Worldwide news is transmitted within seconds.
 When I was young, I used to listen to cricket. Test Match cricket from Australia. It was of course transmitted via booster stations. The reception was not good at all but it was what we were bought up to.
 Older people will recognise that the radio reception was not good at all. Fadio Luxemburge was a classic example. Now, there are so many Radio Stations that there is no need to search for pop music. I wonder what the youngsters would think. More soon.

Territorials

It was the Government stating that with the reduction of Armed Forces being proposed bought to mimd my National Service.
 As you know I was on the Railway, a Reserved Occupation. This meant that in times of War, people who were working in a Reserved Occupation was not allowed to leave and join the Armed Forces. As the Railways were owned by The Government, they made a consession and so we on the Railway had to do 2 years National Service. By the way, I had been in the Army less than a year when France and Great Britain declared war on Egypt, after Nasser Nationalised the Suez Canal. This meant that nobody else went to do their National Service from the Railway, those working on  the footplate anyway. Firemen that means.Anyway, when we had done our 2 years, we were put on as AER. Army Emergency reserve for a total of 3.1/2 years. I do believe that those who were called up and did not work on any Reserved Occupations, had the opportunity of going into the Services for 14 days each year as Territorials. By the way, the odd guy on the footplate did volunteer for an annual trip to the Territorials. I said 14 days but it might have been 15 days each year. Their Employer could not refuse them this if they wished to join after their National Service.
 Another piece of probably useless information.
 On my journies to and from Grantham, there is a sort of Cairn, well not that really but a sort of concrete block standing about 3ft, high and gradually tapering a little. This is a reference point, useful to people who read maps. It is the highest point for several miles. This one in particular is situated on the A16 going from Boston to Grimsby. It is situated at the top of Dalby Hill between Partney and Ulceby Cross. It is situated on the right hand side going North.
 Another bit of useless information is that the highest point on British Raliways East Coast Main Line is at the summit of Stoke Tunnel. It is the highest point for around 200 miles. This is in a supposedly Rural Lincolnshire. Hard to believe I know. More soon.

Smokey

Further to my mates visit on Wednesday, I didn't tell you that he and his Brother went to see Smokey at the Embassy in Skegness. He told me they were good but that only one of the original group was still performing. All of the others were replacenents. I should have told him that as he and his Brother were in a Pop Group, it would have been great for them to see if they could meet Smokey backstage. He told me ages ago that they would often meet up with Smokey and other groups in their travels. Generally in all night cafes after their gigs. I don't know if they ever played at the same venue but I do know that my mate 's group played at the same venue as Steppin Wolf. What a thrill that would have been. It was his Brother that asked him to go. I am so pleased that they went. I hope that if another Group perform at Skegness again and they knew them of old. Perhaps they will go and try to meet them backstage and talk of old times.
 Thank goodness we didn't get the torrential rain here that was forecast. We did get rain but I think it was only about 1/2". Enough for sure but at least we were spared flooding. Unfortunately lots of others were not let off so lightly. Finally, the Weather Men state that this sort of weather looks likely to remain until after the Olympic Games. I do hope that they are wrong. More soon.

Mate called

Today for the first time in ages, my mate called to have lunch. or as we would say dinner.
 It was last night that I went out to dig some potatoes up for today. I was not surprised to find that some of them had rotted in the ground as my ground is saturated. Still I managed to get enough for today.
  This morning I went to pick some broad beans. I was surprised and disappointed at the lack of growth, this of course is just due to the dreadful weather we are having. I have just seen the weather forecast and tomorrow we could get very heavy showers but on Friday a weather warning is given for perhaps torrential rain and flooding. Let us hope that this is the last of the dreadful weather this year.
  Anyway we had a very nice day, all he did was check to see why my DVD player would not work. He told what we need so that when he calls next time,it will be sorted.
 On Thursday I ordered a couple of wall clocks, radio controlled. Well it was buy one get one free. I was surprised to find a note pushed through my letter box on Saturday informing me that the package had been left. The reason I bought the new clocks was that the second hand would often stick. The time would be correct but it was a disappointment. Also my best Pal could not see them clearly. These are larger figures. Anyway I told my mate and he took the old ones away. I was pleased because I had hoped he would. He is excellent with fixing things and I told him that they worked well although the second had was liable to stop working once the battery had been in for a few months.
 Time flew and suddenly it was 2.30pm and time for him to go. Hopefully I will have some more broad beans for him before too long. He told me that his had failed completely, what a shame.
 Finally I saw the Postman today, I told him I had a couple ofr french bean plants if he wanted them. He of course said yes. He then told me that his potatoes had blight due to the wet humid weather. Incidentally I gave my mate a couple of french bean plants. Climbing french beans are perfect for growing in a polytunnel or greenhouse. Good value for money.  More soon.

Wettest, dullest, coolest

It is official. Not that I wanted the Metreological Office to tell me. I knew that it had been a dreadful month. Typical as it is for all who have Solar Panels fitted. Still we have been rather fortunate when across the Pond the weather over there has been even worse. The latest is that many States in the U.S. are without electricity after sever weather. Compounding the situation worse is that there is a heatwave and of course, most places have Air Conditioning. No good at all without power. I am beginning to believe Global Warming has something to do with the extremes of weather patterns.
 I went out today and tried to do a little weeding. Yes it was raining, but not heavy rain but my ground is just saturated and digging of any sort is not possible.
  My vegetables are not doing well at all. My Postman concurs that his are also poor. My mate rung up on Saturday, I asked him if he had picked any raspberries. He told me he had, but they were not sweet. I told him that it was because the lack of sunshine. It is the sun that will give them the sugar so that they are sweet. My fruit, especially cherries have suffered greatly. They do not matter so much but I can't get to dig any potatoes up. This will also affect the farmers and so expect all vegetables to be more expensive this year.  They will also be unable to get on their land. Fruit also may be more expensive.
  Incidentally my apple trees are looking very poor. So much so that I will prune them heavily in the Autumn hoping that this will improve them.
 ASt least we can get about again without road closures. It is nice to go whenever one wants without hinderence. More soon.