4th April

The new train company seems to be clamping down on fare dodgers. For the third time this week my ticket is checked three times in the morning. Once at the intermediate station, once on the train and then again at the destination! I guess that they've spotted a problem.

In the office I get a call from Steve's stand-in (Andy). He reports that after the heavy rains last night we've had three leaks through the roof. Two of them are in areas that we know about but one is in an area where we've done no work on the roof or in that area so we're flummoxed as to why we've encountered a problem.  I ask him to get the roofer in to check it over and fix the problem - new tiles I guess. I suspect that its just old age and the fact that the building is being knocked around right now. The vibration has worked its way though to the tile and some of them have cracked. They're slate so its not surprising.

I then have a meeting with one of our sub-contractors. He jerked us around early in the start of his piece of work, delayed stating work and held up our programme whilst we were on a tight deadline cos' he wanted more money. He's done the work but we hadn't agreed a price and I'm now going through that with him. He's an oily little shit and I just feel like hitting him - most unlike me but he just brings its out! He eventually agrees to provide a breakdown of people attendance and work done. I say I'll look at it and agree a price with him.

Head off to meet Alex and Pascale for lunch. I go to London on the fist Wednesday of the month to meet with my ex-BT friends. When Pascale was at Uni I used to meet her first and then head on to meet them. We used to meet in a dim sum bar called the Drunken Monkey so called our meetings Monkey Wednesdays. So this is one of our Monkey Wednesdays. We've kept it going when we can and she's free today along with Alex. We meet in a pub near the Railway station in Chelmsford so its quite handy for me to break the journey and have a bite and a couple of beers on my way into London.

Its good to catch up. We chat and gossip and talk and eat.

Hit the train into London to meet with the exBT folk. We meet in the pub that used to be our local. Quite close to my station but a bit more of a trek for the others. John A, John N, Les, Kathy and Pete turn up. They (and me) are the regulars. Kevin used to come every time butnsadl isn't on this earth any more and neither is Martin, another ex-regular. I miss them. Ram sometimes comes but has wimped out because he has a cold! Alison (Kevin's other half) has started coming since he died and is hoping to come along tonight but doesn't show up by the time I leave.

I head to home and just miss a train. Decide to have a McDonald burger and shake and get a text from Marian just as I sit down. She came up to London to meet Keith's lady and to go to the Hockney exhibition and is also at the station. Se joins me and we have a quick bite before catching the train back home.