Haircut and the last minute interview!

I have yet another job interview today. I'm ready for it! I had went up to my Girlfriends house yesterday, a normal thing on a Wednesday and I stay until Sunday. Yesterday was her eldest son's school football match that I didn't want to miss as I had promised I'd go. I left the house around half 2, plenty of time to get there but as I was leaving I had a suprise phone call asking me to come for an interview for a job I applied for on Monday. They wanted me to come in today at half one. I raced up to Lincoln, time was ticking and I had a couple of tractors and lorries to contend with. I got there just in the nick of time. Sadly they lost, by alot of goals but hey, they enjoyed themselves.
I decided as my interview was back in town, I'd stay the night, leave when the boys went to school and get a haircut, run over an iron on my shirt and trousers and buff my shoes giving myself plenty of time to get it done. Well, as with everything I plan it doesn't quite go to plan. An Hour to drive 17 miles! A SODDING HOUR! Ambulances, learner bus drivers and idiots held me back. Anyway, I drove straight to my usual Barbers...it was closed, then walked up to the next one and that was closed. Yes, temper was wearing thin by this time so I thought I'd try another Barbers in the center of town which I'd never used before.....yeah you guessed it...closed! This is all true. You couldn't make it up. I was just walking back to my car when by sheer chance I noticed a new shop, A Barbers Shop! Last time I knew it was a Letting Agency. So wandered across and was greeted by a friendly Barber by the name of Kaz who's from Dubai! Nice fellow, well that is until he mistakenly cut of my Sideburns! I like my Sideys and wasn't impressed but it was to late, he'd destroyed them. Much apologising later he sort of rescued the situation by re-modelling what was left and gave me the cut free. Now I'm home to be fair it doesn't look to bad.

Has anyone been watching the Fades on BBC3? It's started off pretty good. Hope they don't do a Torchwood on it!

It's been like a mad cartoon.

I had a Self Assessment course today. A lot of talking about my Strengths and weaknesses and a few Tests. It's basically so The college can see what further courses would benefit me and help me in getting back into work.

I turned up early, and sat and waited outside enjoying the morning sun, listening in on some girls who were talking loudly and smoking before starting their Hairdressing classes. They didn't have much to say other than utter shit and Facebook was mentioned alot too. I was joined after a few minutes by 2 young lads, one was obviously a dope smoker (you can tell them a mile off) and the other it later turned out was a "Trekkie". He was a bit tubby, had a Blazer and casual shirt on with scruffy jeans. But what topped it off for me was the gold pocket watch on a chain he had. The dopehead was just a scruff! I'm not mister smart but at least I wash, and I had the misfortune of having one each side of me all day. They were nice blokes though so that wasn't so bad.

At lunch I grabbed a sandwich and sat by the river. I was nice and relaxed, watching the ducks, when suddenly, out of the blue came "So, do you like Star Trek?". That was it then....Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and my peace had gone. I couldn't be rude, I don't think he gets out much. We also had someone who was so obviously on speed all day, well, speed and Red bull. Not a good combination, eyeballs bulging and talking a hundred miles an hour making less sense as the day went on. There was another lad who didn't say a word all day, not even to answer his name. So, I sat at the back laughing to myself at the wonders of mankind in front of me. The Tutor bloke was a OK. You know, he couldn't spell and was from Boston but had the right number of fingers on both hands!

Driving Regulations

I've been brushing up on driving regulations for 7.5t vehicles and the use of Tacho Cards today. I've applied for my Tacho Card from the DVLA and all I need now is to sit a refresher test with the Agency I've signed with. I'm not stupid but it's doing my head in. They go around the houses 14 times just to explain a simple rule. Why can't things simple these days?

My phones been pissing around again. Or it could be the network. Seem to lose signal for hours on end and text delays again. I've also noticed that the in build GPS has my location in the middle of a field about 5 miles away. Last week I was on the other side of town according to that. Piece of crap.

Yet again I've been turned down for a job. It was for a General Opperative in a local factory. I'm now convinced I'm unemployable because these guys are known for taking ANYBODY on.

I'm at an assessment day tomorrow with Boston College. The job Centre wanted me to do a basic food Hygene Course but both the College and myself have other ideas. We haven't quite decided what yet though.

Frustration!

Ever tried showing and helping a 10 year old boy with no patience and short attention span, how to make an Airfix model Aeroplane? Not a wise thing to do, especially when patience isn't one of your strong points either. It's been a good exercise for me though, I have to remember his age and he's not done anything like this before so I'm training myself to be more patient with others. He's doing well but just needs to calm down a little bit. I had to make it very clear that it wouldn't be done in half an hour! I'll post his efforts when its finished.

My Girlfriends neighbour has been a particular annoyance for me since we got together. I've commented about her kids on here before but over the last few weeks they seem to have changed. She's started doing stuff with them, their behaviour has improved 100% and they all seem to be making a bit more of an effort with life in general. The one downside of this of course is the fact that in the past most of her money has gone on drugs so they've got fuck all. My dearest will help anybody out which is fine but it now means the doors going every 5 sodding minutes, and its her or the damned kids with "Can I borrow......".

I'm banned from answering the door because apparently I'm "bloody rude". What wrong with saying no, your taking the piss, buy your own sodding.... (bread, Tobacco, Milk, Plasters, Oven Chips)? No, I didn't think so either.

Mirrors, Safety Wear and nowt else.

I've had pretty much an uneventful few days really, hence the postings on here dropping slightly, but this morning I managed to get my new wing mirrors on and connected properly so they work! I'd like to say I did it all by myself but unfortunately being a bear my great big paws struggle with small fiddly jobs and even smaller spaces in which to do them in. An old friend did it for me (with my assistance! 2 cups of tea and a cig or 3). Even though they are black, they look OK, matching the trim on the car so I'm happy.

As you may be aware, I signed up with a Driving Agency last Friday. With it being an agency I have to provide my own Safety boots and Hi-vis vest. I'm pretty proud of my new "Steel Toe-cap Hiking Boot" style footware. Cost me £35, it was that or £50 for the shitty looking Boots they also had. They fit nice and are very comfy for Safety Shoes but I'm walking round the house in them just to bed them in a bit. They're also good for kicking the Ginger and white cat that's started hanging out in my garden shitting all over. Horrible creatures. I lured it in with a smile them when it was close enough, the boot went a swinging. Luckily for the cat I only just clipped its backend as it realised with horror my true intentions and ran off.

Rise Of The Wasters!

Today I was due at the Jobcentre for my monthly "Personal get back to work and talk general rubbish for an hour" meeting. Its a fine morning so I walked down. I was a little early, arriving at the jobcentre at ten to nine so I waited outside for the doors to open. I'd only been waiting a couple of minutes when I got a phone call from the Jobcentre just to notify me that my interview had been cancelled and there was no reason to come in as they would sign me on for that week and that they'd send me a new appointment time. That was helpful, being told seven minutes before hand that it was cancelled. I told them I was actually waiting outside so she decided that I could sign on, "As I'd already left my house". That was damned British of them wasn't it?

I was the only person in the Dole queue this morning that didn't smell of piss and had eyeballs both pointing in the same direction! Christ there were some sights down there. I'm hoping the Driving Agency come up with something and quick.

Bloody Hell!

Ten weeks of Torchwood and all we got was a hole in the ground and no explanation! What a steaming pile of shite.

Man Of Mystery & The Snotty Cow

How do all! It's been a funny few days. As I've mentioned before I had a Job Interview last week with a local firm. It went OK but wasn't building things up for fear of dissapointment. Well it's over a week now and I've not heard anything so I'm pressuming I wasn't successful. As usual though, a simple thing like an interview for me turns into something more surreal. I'm expected to contact the companies I have interviews with afterward for feedback on how it went. I did so on this occasion, waited a week before I called the bloke who I'd been contact with since applying, a guy called Kris. He was a southerner, loud and seemed a confident man which I would expect in his line of work. We'd spoke on the phone and exchanged emails so I had a log of his contact details. Now then, on Monday I rang him, "Hello, is that Kris?" to which he said it was and I said who I was and why I was phoning. "Ah, Grizzly!" he said "I've just been in with Simon and was going to call you with some feedback. Look, I'm driving at the minute, I'll call you back later this afternoon". Well, he didn't. I waited until lunch yesterday and rang him back...now this is where it gets a little odd. I got through to a voice mail message, "hello you are through to Graham. I'm unable to take your call.....". Graham! Who the hell is Graham? I've tried the same number several times and its the same. The email he sent me has the same phone number on it too. I've sent him a polite email too but funnily enough I've had no joy with that either.

I applied with a Driving Agency online today. They are a national firm and have an office in Lincoln. They rang me within half an hour of sending the application which was good. What followed was one of the hardest phone conversations I've had in a while. The lady who I spoke to was asking me questions, some I'd already answered on the application, some I hadn't been asked before. This all sounds normal but surely when you ask a question you wait for an answer before speaking again? or is it me? this went on for over 10 minutes. After spelling out my address twice I was instructed on what to bring with me to my meeting with them later in the week. She then said that she'll see me Friday and make sure I bring what I need. I was just about to say thank you and before the breath left my mouth she snapped at me, "It is an Interview!" and hung up.

I now know why I've never trusted Employment Agencies. At my last work place we had a rather irritating woman who had an Agency we dealt with. To be fair she was friendly enough, for me, a little too friendly.

I had some fairies round this morning and they took a load of apples. They even had most of the fallen ones and put the shit ones in the bin for me! Shall see if they want more next week.

Mirrors, Replies and General Rubbish.

A few months back my car was the victim of vandles. The driver side wing mirror was broken and left hanging, I've had it taped together since. Obviously money has been rationed so buying a new one wasn't top of my list but today I've had to order a replacement. Problem is it keeps slipping down while I'm driving along and seeing the road roll agong backwards isn't exactly what I'm after. With the assistance of my old pal H we searched the internet and couldn't find the right colour match, there was every colour but in fact. £40 quid later I've had to opt for 2 black ones, I had to get 2 so at least they matched the black trim of the car. Surely my colour wasn't the only blue Ford Focus made! No it wasn't because I've seen loads about but I suspect mine is the only unlucky one that needs maintainance.

I'm waiting a phone call this afternoon to see if I have a job. I called the guy earlier and he was just in a selection meeting. He said he'd call back this Afternoon. Fingers crossed eh! Need the money for my mirrors.

Has anyone heard Paul Wellers new single? Christ it's shit.

I've managed to find someone who wants some apples off the Magic Tree. They're coming round tomorrow to take what they want. I'll ask them to take the fallen ones too!

Step Back In Time

I stepped back in time over the weekend. Saturday we ventured out over the Wolds to a small place called Fulstow. They hold a 1940's weekend there every year and it was the 2nd time I'd been. I'd have rather visited Belchford for the annual Soapbox Cart downhill racing weekend instead but nevermind it got me out. It's a pleasant affair, the Villages of Fulstow and North Thoresby, quiet little villages in the middle of nowhere, hold a joint 1940's/wartime event this people from all over dressing up in old uniforms, drive round in old Jeeps, stalls and usually a vintage aircraft flypast. You get the picture! It's also the home of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway with 3 miles(ish) of what remains of an old dissused line that now ferries people back and forth in an old Steam Engine!!!!!

The SoapBox Racing sounds more exciting....bugger!

Well, as I say, It's not particularly my thing but the the other half and the boys like it and its a day out. Anyway, what I was going to tell you about were the guys n girls who do the dressing up. I've always said that even though the Nazi's were total shithouses they did have the smartest Uniforms, and to be fair there were some fine examples of these. In fact, there were more Nazi's and SS officers than Allied Forces. When we got to Fulstow and were walking into the field were the "entertainment" was happening we were greeted by a platoon of "German Soldiers" on parade having inspection and "orders" issued, it's all taken very seriously. This group of 7 men (all northerners from t' sound o' accents) were quite possibly the sadest bunch I've ever seen. Not one under 60, 25 stone, seen a hairbrush or a bath!. One couldn't have found a smaller jacket if he'd tried. I tried very hard to keep my sniggering from becoming hysterical laughter.
We had a wander around the stalls, while they were looking and the endless crap people were flogging for stupid money, I was watching a particular gentleman dressed in a Vintage Policemans Uniform, thinking he really was a policeman with his proud walk, chest all puffed out and purple face harrassing anyone "dressed up" with the line "Can I see your Identification car please?". Funny once, irratating twice, tree times.....

I'd have rather been Soapbox Cart Racing.

Loud Mouth

It started early today, ten past 6 this morning. There's a family that live directly across the way from me who are slightly strange. The wife has some sort of cleaning obsessive dissorder, one daughter never leaves the house, the other looks like the alien at the end of Close Encounters and the Dad, well he's friendly enough but has a voice that'll rival any Fog horn. He often pops across to my neighbours house to see if she needs anything, she must be in her 90's. Her son lives there too, but he's never worked a day in his life. Anyway, this morning I was woken up to the Foghorn......
"YOU THERE? I CAN'T GET IN DUCK, THE DOORS JAMMED DUCK." pause....loud knocks..."YOU THERE DUCK? THE DOORS LOCKED.....I CAN'T GET IN.....". This went on for 20 odd minutes. I had enough, poked my head out the window and shouted..."It's half 6 in the morning you loon. Do you think that she may be in bed? The fact the doors locked obviously means she doesn't want people to come in her house either? Fuck off shouting and waking the street up." The reply I got from the Foghorn was as follows, "I'm going to the supermarket and wondered if she wanted anything". "Yeah a fucking lie in you twat" I replied. He shrugged his shoulders and peddled off on his Bike.

I do hope the day gets better......

Gypsies, Tramps and Heroes.

Its pissing down with rain today. I was going to shovel up yet another tree load of apples from the garden but I'm not getting wet for that. I went up to my friends work place, he owns a Van hire company, for a cuppa and catch up instead. He was telling me a story of how last week he had several calls from farmers and the police about one of their Vans spotted acting suspiciously in various places around the country. It turned out it was the same Van, hired out the week previously by some bloke from the shit hole known as Grantham. To cut along story short, Kings Lynn Police eventually phoned saying the driver was arrested and they had the Van impounded pending enquiries into metal theft. A few hours later and after several phone calls it turns out the Police didn't have the Van and they had no idea where it was. So, my friend and business partner made their own investigations visiting the address they had to find a young lady there who allegedly had no idea about their Van or who this bloke was. Something wasn't sitting right, as we all know, never trust anyone from Grantham! After a look around the surrounding streets they found the Van, broke into it and took it back.
Now then, as this Van was classed as stolen, it hadn't been bought back and had notched up several speeding tickets ( 2 of which by the Police themselves and not a speed camera) and spotted late at night in Farmers yards in the middle of nowhere, surely to god it would have been on the polices'system and therefore pulled up at some point? No, it took the owners to do their work for them.

And they wonder why no-one has any respect for the Police anymore!

I had those con men on the phone again today, you know the Computer Virus chaps I had trouble with the other week. I thought I'd had fun with them this time. He told me his name and was working for Windows this time so I started asking my own questions. I started with "Hello Peter, could I possibly take your 2nd name", this stumped him, he stumbled over his words and didn't answer. I then asked "where are you calling from?" to which he replied London. "Can I have your office Address please Peter?" to which I got Windows Offices, Main Road, London. "You aren't from Windows Peter, are you? You are trying to con me. You do realise this call is being recorded by Interpol, the Police...." the line went dead.

Made me smile anyway.


There was program on today about people who were affected directly by the Twin Tower attacks. On it were some very sad stories which we have heard from many people. The one I was amazed at though started with an interview with a lady who's husband worked in the north tower. He called her after the plane hit his building and was up on the 25 floor. He told her he was ok and was getting as many people together as he could and was going to try and get out. Tragically moments later she saw the building collapse and for 3 days was in a state of shock that she had seen him perish. That was until he phone her! He hadn't even got offhis floor when the building came down and remembers falling. The Fire department found him still sat on the floor of his office parched on the edge of the rubble pile approx 50 feet up! He suffered only bruising. He is now firm friends with his rescuer, a fireman who lost most of his collegues in the attacks.

What an amazing thing to happen. I don't want to get all soppy but it's coming up to the 10 year mark and it still shocks me. I will be thinking about the victims of that day over the coming weeks.

Smells!

Signing on day again today but there was no gossip this time unfortunately. The lady who stinks of piss sat next to me again, she was particularly strong today it actually gave me a headache. I walked down, the weather being sunny but with a slight breeze but on the way back I was hoping I'd miss the rain. I did thankfully.

The kids round here are back to school today. Of course with the extra buses running the town was snarled up with traffic. I watched these kids as I waited outside the Jobcentre and was extremely grateful none of them were mine. Horrible creatures. Not an ounce of manners in any of them.

I asked my brother a while back if he could get hold of any camo netting,just a little bit so the boys can play war or whatever with it. He got some, enough to camo my house with!

Job Interview later, bit nervous.




*UPDATE* Interview went ok, shall wait now for the outcome.

I'm ok, with my decay.

A very quiet weekend this week. Apart from my weekly Asda shop with my dearest I haven't moved more than 10 yard from her front door. I did however complete my latest model, a Sea Harrier, in Falkland Conflict colours. It was a shit kit, the two halves of the body didn't fit together properly so some minor a subtle alterations were needed.

I did the final touches while we watched the Goonies! Speaking of films, I watched a great film friday. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, you must see it.

I have another job interview tomorrow afternoon. Quality Control again, completely different industry again, feeling nervous again!! I'd applied for this job months ago and heard nothing, then they advertised it again and they rang the day after I sent my CV! Strange world sometimes isn't it?


My Girlfriends neighbour is being evicted for her kids disgusting racist behaviour. They are 6 and 10 years old. Good, and I hope they don't re-house the horrible shits again, stick them in the Zoo, preferably with the Lions (still unable to beat a Tiger in a fight by the way!).