Joys of Online Booking Systems

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We have a Pepys themed walked with the Berkshire branch of the Cambridge Society in London for Saturday 29th March.  I’ve always wanted to see “The Mousetrap”, so after much dithering (& gasping at ticket prices) we decide yes & I try to book tickets for the evening performance on Saturday. 

The website I use has several points during the booking process when it warns you it will time out if you do not complete the “form” within so many minutes. I struggle through and am not timed out.  Finally, the stupid website announces it needs my Verification details, ie not the PIN nor the three digits on the back of the card, but some other stupid number.  I’ve never set one up with the bank, but Steve, unbeknown to me, has.  Website times out, so Steve says out of the way and he’ll do it on his card.  Much hissing and panicking as Steve logs into the site but it still demands he types in all his details.  He gets the tickets.  Curiously they are not the ones it offered me.  Never get the same twice running, he says.  I look more closely.  Why did you book for Friday 28th, I ask?  Much screaming ensues.  What to do?  Go up two days running?  Sell them on ebay? 

 

Inspiration strikes me and I ask if Steve has any points from his hotel stays left over?  Result – we’re going up Friday morning & will stay overnight on Friday and we’re even getting lifts to and from the station.

Another week at the grocers in Bristol

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I had a whole week in Bristol completing the software installation. This week I was accompanied by the project manager and various others from the company for whom I work.

I have managed to work out the traffic to some extent, and can now make it to the office and back with no mistakes. I have also figured out some of the restaurants, been able to eat well and actually walk about Bristol without too much fear and trepidation. Did wonder at all the young women running down Park Street all with the same T-shirts. Seemed to be some student organised binge drinking contest. Was I so young once? [Editor’s comment “Still are”]

Working for a Grocer

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Tonight I am staying in Bristol doing a software install with a client. Will be here for a couple of weeks, and then on and off for a while.

Easy drive up to Bristol, then 45 minutes of hell getting across the city. Next Monday must find a new route. It’s been suggested driving around Bristol to Portishead and then into the office which is near by. Typically Google did not suggest the route.

Another Google complaint, getting to the hotel, I searched for the location using its postcode. Google located it, but threw away all the postcode other than BS1, and sent me to some where near the hospitals. Could not find the place at all, rang the hotel and they gave me directions. Over two miles away I found the hotel. The guy I spoke to at the hotel phone, said they had emailed Google several times about this postcode problem.

Ah well, next time I shall use the complete street address. At least I now know where the hotel is. Now to find some nice eating establishments.

Stowe Landscape Gardens

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Another sunny by cool day saw us going to Stowe Landscape Gardens in the hope of seeing snowdrops. Stowe is a posh private school set in some wonderful gardens and park land. The school though does not maintain the gardens, which is done by the National Trust, so the poor lads and lasses have to put up with us plebs wondering around.

We did see some snowdrops (and winter aconites), though no way as good as the masses we had seen in the Cotswolds a few years ago

Snow drops at Stowe park

There are some lovely lakes at the park and trees with wonderful structure.  Here’s a tree and a lake to feast your eyes on:

A lake at Stow groundsTree in Stowe grounds

After a quick morning tour, we rushed back home for Sunday lunch at The P&A, courtesy of Ladymead Joinery. Must have been a good occasion, we were there for four hours.

Bristol again

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Another three days at Bristol and this time more people from the company with me. This is odd, working at a customer site, and people I can go out with for a drink and a meal. Very unusual indeed.

The weather, must talk about the weather. Yet again sunny and no rain. I shall soon expect to hear the farmers and water companies complaining about the lack of rain.

Finished the install, most of the stuff working, though some issues with the command SET CURRENT SQLID=xxxxxx which seems to be issued by our software, and is not always liked by DB2 systems. Ah well, I am sure it will be resolved in due course.

Restaurants, I ate at an Indian restaurant. It was near the waterfront, but not on it. Unusual, not the normal run of the mill Byrianis and Vindaloos, but more meaty dishes like lamb shoulder or lamb hock. Wish I could remember the name, but alas I don’t have the bill to hand.

Lovely run back home on Wednesday night, left the drive back till 7.00, and was soon home. No queueing on the M32 or at the Oxford M4 interchange.

Beltless in Edinburgh

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The bank wanted me for a couple of days urgent work.  So up to Edinburgh on the Easyjet from Luton.  Bit of a problem at security.  I had to take my belt off, no problem I always collect it as it passes through the xray machine.  This time they wanted to test my toothpaste as well.  Never had this done before, so in total confusion I left my belt at security.  Only realised this several hours later as my trousers fell to the floor. 

It was wet and miserable in Edinburgh.  Rained the whole time I was there.  Stayed at the Apex in Grassmarket, so a short walk to the Mussel and Steak.  Had a good meal of tuna cooked to a lovely pink colour inside.  Even early on a wet Monday evening the restaurant was quite busy. 

Flight back was a breeze, left on time and arrived back in the clear skies.  Collected my belt from lost property. 

 

Another day logging

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Another Saturday morning with the chain saw cutting up logs, with Rosemary stacking them in the shed.  Think the blade has gone blunt again, so gave up for lunch time.  Next week will have to get the blade sharpened again.

Wood for next year’s fires!

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Decided to cut down 4 willow trees.  Despite all having been cut down before, they had now grown to a rather large size.  Out with the chain saw, started first time and away we went cutting.  Alas after several minutes not much impression.  Blunt saw.

Sent Rosemary off to Longmoor’s to have it sharpened.  She came back suitably chastened after being told that it had not been serviced, the oil was not lubricating the chain and the chain was too tight.  Soon was cutting again, like the proverbial hot knife through butter.

Managed to cut down all the trees and started logging some of them.

Quick meeting in Edinburgh

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Flew to Edinburgh for a short meeting with a pension company customer.  The meeting was at 10.00, so had to fly from Birmingham.  Rather early flight so bad night sleep.  Met our Sales person in the Cafe Nero at 9.00 for a cup of coffee.