Just where did two and a half weeks go? I had so many plans as to what I was going to do and what I would get done. What did get done - not a lot...
So it was back to work today, yuk, pooh, awwwwwww. Nearly killed the alarm clock but then felt guilty laying there knowing that I had to get ready and return to the world of the London commuters. Travelling in December had been awful, a new timetable had been introduced and surprise, surprise - it didn't work. Cancellations, delays (more than usual) reduced coach services all resulted in the line being inundated with 'comments' (they don't like to call them complaints - wonder why?) so they decided to bring back the old timetable - hurray!!!.
Off I trotted to the station this morning and caught the 8.24 (more or less on time) - yipeeeeeee. Service that stops where I want it to, reasonable amount of coaches - can't see why they wanted to do away with it in the first place... Arrived at work fairly stress-free (unheard of).
I'm the one who goes mad with the decorations at work so wasn't really looking forward to going in and having to get them all taken down and packed away but, lucky me, the elves had been busy in my absence and they were all folded and stacked on the spare desk next to mine so all I had to do was pack them away - no climbing over desks and poking at ceiling tiles to get the chains down, it was all done (the cookies and cakes I left before Christmas obviously did the trick... he, he, he). So decs all packed away, emails sorted, everything brought up to date - feels like I've never been away...
Hometime, old timetable back in place, no problem - huh! this is British Rail we are talking about... The train from East London was on time and fairly empty but at that time of the evening does not call at my Station so I have to change. No problem there, old timetable, arrived at next station - on time (honest!!!) with 3 mins to get to the other platform to catch the train that will take me the rest of the way home, super, smashing, greaaaaat........ Forgot that on the old timetable the next scheduled train was a short one - cattle truck arrived (for those of you who do not commute this is a technical term meaning slightly packed, ummmmmmmm - shoehorn jobby...). Now this might be obvious to most, if you want to get on a crowded train you have to let folk get off first, obvious? Well folk can't get off if you are standing infront of the doors blocking their exit, doh! So, sensible folk stand slightly to one side to allow this to happen...why then do other folk think you are doing this just for the benefit of your health and barge straight past you and nab the only vacant seat or block the aisles so that everyone else is crowded in the small space by the doors?????? Having gotten onto the train and shoved passed one of these 'oh so considerate' individuals I managed to get a little bit of space where I could stand and hold onto the edge of a table - at 5ft 4ins I can't reach the overhead rails... Halfway home I finally got a seat. The joys of the rush-hour!!!
It really doesn't seem as if I've been away, and tomorrow, I'll do it all over again.......
