Mish Mash of Stuff

Clare and I took the train from Bournemouth to Sheffield then changed for Goldthorpe last bank holiday Monday to spend a few hours with my family as it was my dad’s 65th birthday. He had sadly forgotten to get ale in but we would have plenty to drink later.

We took a minibus to the Electric Theatre Chinese restaurant in Mexborough and had a smashing meal and lots of wine and beer and a bottle of verry good champagne.

On arriving home I had some Ardbeg 10 with my dad then I fell in then out of bed landing on Clare. Luckily she’s ok and though shaken probably won’t be permanently scarred by the incident.

Tuesday was the start of a new chapter for my career at Humanware as we now have a new member of staff covering my job in the north of England, North Wales and Scotland along with Northern Ireland and the Isle of Mann. She’s called Donna and Dads birthday and she was to shadow me for the week and hopefully learn a thing or two about the way in which I work with customers and the equipment we sell.

I love the travel in my job but sometimes it can get a little much. Its been the wersed kept secret for a long time now but Donna’s aboard and I’m sure will get to know many of our customers in the above areas. I’d also like to thank everyone in the North over the last few years who I’ve demmoed to ETC and I’m sure Donna will ably fill my shoos in your area and aid in our expansion plus and more importantly help in increasing the quality of service our customers expect. I’m also glad we have another VI person on the team as I think its important that the users of the products get demos from people who actually understand and may be able to empathise a little more with sight loss than a fully sighted person.

Our first demo was in Wakefield then we separated with me heading up to Newcastle for a few hours then us both meeting up in Ipswich later that night.

Wednesday was mainly spent trekker training with Donna but on Thursday we went over to London and then to Crowborough to demo the BrailleNote and do an interview for a Talking newspaper.

After a hard days working on the Thursday we went out for a good Italian meal and also had a beer in the Dove which was to be my last in the pub as a smoking establishment. When I went in after work on Friday evening the pub had gone none smoking and it was heaving full.

For some reason I agreed with Chris to accompany him to the yearly strawberry fare in Cambridge and the happenings of that Saturday will form my next blog entry.

Rising Ripoff

Epsom was a mixed bag with the only rotten apple in the barrel the Rising Sun and its pricing policy. Now nearly 3 quid for a pint of Special or Bombardier is a piss take and I’ll not be darkening the doors purely for ale anytime soon. The food is exceptional though and guess that’s what they want to turn it in to, a gastro pub by pricing out the locals. I found the atmosphere and beers far better in the Barley Mo a fullers house which is really nice now its been done up a bit. The new food menu was good and the Winter Ale and 1845 on cask were both lovely pints and the 1845? Only £2.65 for a strong limited edition beer. It was interesting seeing Epsom again but I don’t hold the same affection for the place as that for Preston.

I stayed over with Steve B for two nights and met lots of old friends which was good. So good in fact that he’s coming to the Dove’s birthday bash with Clare and I tonight and then on to Cambridge this weekend to have a few with Paul and Tina.

I stayed in Goldthorpe last night with my parents as work was in Leeds yesterday and Stockton today. I also took in Tunbridge Wells and Derby this week and met some really nice people. I even enjoyed the training all 3 days of it. I’ll really be glad to get home tonight