A Four-day Week.

I’m liking this four-day week malarkey. It makes for a pleasant time at work (although at this time of year there is so much to do, an eight-day week wouldn’t go amiss).

I feel as though I’m bringing the seventies back – neck scarf, double denim, four-day week.

I remember the candle lit dinners we used to have. We would eat our food by the only light source available – candle light. This was mainly because the electricity had been turned off and no lights were available. Some called them power-cuts. I just thought it was a chance for adventure – it was quite exciting at times. Because some utility provider workforce had gone on strike (or that’s what we thought / were told), we had a whole lot of fun! Even though I wasn’t into romance, it was still nice to experience those times.

Of course, looking back, and being so much older (and just a little bit wiser), it must have been really difficult for my parents. To cook, to do the domestic chores etc. would have been a nightmare. But when you’re 13 going on 14, the world looks very different.

I still try to keep up the romanticism of those times. At home, we have a wood-fired Rayburn (older than me!!), which we use for cooking on in the winter (actually, wherever possible, we try to not use gas cooking when the Rayburn is fired up. On a good session, it can last for a couple of weeks!!). We also use the beeswax from the hive as candles and so when we want to really feel as though we’re living in Medieval times, we can light those too.

I do draw the line at sanitary compromises. One has to have some luxuries.

Perhaps that’s why I used to like the night shift. It was, after-all, a four day [night] working week. This had so many advantages – travelling in the opposite direction to the rush hour peoples; staying in bed until the afternoon; an extra day off; and the all-important body clock shift preparing for the late night out on a Friday.

What’s not to like?

At one time, I did have a day job where the management were very generous to me. I’d been working there about five years and wanted to do some personal project work (film-making) outside my usual work times. It was difficult to fit in during the evening, so I asked if I could fit all my teaching into four days, so that I could take the fifth working day off to do my project work.

I must say it was lovely. To be working four days a week was psychologically restoring.

The last time I did this was just before embarking on my PhD. I had a number of days holiday left over (I think it was eight), so I requested that I had the same day off each week for eight weeks. Although I wasn’t part time, it was a welcome treat to only work for four days a week – a sort of pseudo part-time.

Maybe retirement at 60 is a little too much of a move to the other end of the spectrum. Going part-time might well be an appropriate step forward. That way, I still benefit from the the salary (and not just a meagre pension) and from the psychological effects of not having to go to work for five days per week. I’d have to make sure I work on the Mondays. That way, I can take advantage of the bank holidays, when they come around.

The four-day week. I'm loving' it.

Doors of Digbeth

On my travels, when I do a regular commute, I often take a number of different routes, just to break up the monotony of the journey.

My current trip is from home > my local station > New Street > Work (Millennium Point). Depending on my departure time (if I need to get washing up liquid, etc.), the route to work may vary. Betty is good like that – she’ll go where I go.

The usual route from NS to MP is: out the front entrance; turn left to go through Swan Passage; past Moor Street Station; down Moor Street Queensway; Past Hotel La Tour (crossing Park Street between Fazeley Street and Masshouse Lane); past the bus stops; down through Eastside Park and; into Millennium Point.

It’s a straightforward enough journey that get me to work in a reasonable amount of time.

This route might change if I go via Corporation Street; so that I can get some shopping from Poundland.

As the weather picks up, and the teaching load diminishes (or if I get up extra early because of the lighter mornings – does anyone else get that?), I might treat myself to alighting at University, riding along the canal, through to the Mailbox, past New Street Station and back en route. This is quite a nice way to cycle to work as a) it’s by the canal and b) it gives me more exercise.

In the summer months, I like to get away from the desk at lunchtimes. Previous years have seen all sorts of activities. My favourite so far (after they built the grassy knoll outside Millennium Point – I think this is Eastside Park), bar one, is a French game. We played Pétanque.

For the uninitiated, Pétanque is a French game where steel balls are tossed onto a semi hard surface (usually sand or fine grit, or in this case, grass). It’s sort of a cross between cricket and flat green bowling. A wooden cochonnet (piglet) is tossed onto the grass at the opposite side of the playing area (this changes as the game progresses), then the starting team toss their steel balls as close as they can to the cochonnet. The opposing team then have to try  and knock the balls out of the way in order to get as close as they can to the cochonnet. This keeps going until all player have had a turn and then the closest wins (or at least that’s how we play it).

Sometimes I’ll go for a walk.

However, this year I have a project. A photography project. Some will know that I’m a keen photographer (and occasional film-maker). And for a long time, I’ve been wanting to photograph some of the feature doors you find in Digbeth. The good thing about having Betty is that I can bring my camera to work and in the lunch breaks cycle to Digbeth and take some piccies. This all realy started with my Discarded 365 photoblog (where I tasked myself to upload, every day, an iPhotograph of found discarded items as I travelled around), and it was during this period that I stumbled upon some great door features in Digbeth.

So watch this space for more details.

Star Wars Day

You can always tell the newbies. They haven’t been influence by cynicism.

Yesterday, I thought I would be a little lazy and not fold Betty. Mistake.

I was intending to rest Betty in the bicycle area on the second carriage. So I lined up on the platform ready to board the first door of the second carriage. But it was a ‘six coacher’ and the intended door went siling past.

I got on anyway into the third carriage. This is often a useful position as the conductor can be easily reached. But today we have a newbie.

I’ll admit that I was being a mite tardy when I stowed Betty. She was unfolded, and her rear end was sticking out in to the aisle slightly. The other way I’m getting lazy is to split my travel card. It’s more convenient for me to have the ticket part on me (for getting through the barriers at New Street) and the photocard is kept in my wallet, in my rack bag, strapped to the bike with lock, helmet and other paraphernalia in the way of access. I have taken a photo of this photocard, which has served me well on other occasions. But not today.

I’ve not seen this one before, so he might only be a newbie for this area. I sort of guessed he is a newbie, because he got off the train and stood wondering why people weren’t getting on – until he got back on the train and unlocked the doors. Anyway, Betty is on board, I’m seated and getting ready to settle for my half-day holiday. Shortly before departure, The Newbie approached me with “Tickets please!” I get out my travel card and show hi. “do you have the photocard, sir?” “It’s in my bag.” I retort, “but I have a photo of it on my phone, would that be any good?” “Sorry sir, I would prefer to see the card.” “It might take a while – it’s buried and right at the bottom.”

He changed tack, and asked: “Is that your bike, sir?” I proudly answer with a ‘yes’ (after all it is a Bickerton). “Well if you wouldn’t mind, getting off and taking the bike to the next carriage down – you can park it in there without blocking the aisle.” (I kept silent – It was hard, but I resisted.) Also, I’m not convinced he’ll wait for me to get back on – I know that trick – so I offer to fold Betty, retrieve the rail card, and be a generally nice passenger. Sensing my suspicion of dirty tricks, he then said "or you could just make sure it is tucked into the doorway, so it doesn't block the aisle."

Methinks - Not enough to fully block the aisle, clearly, as he managed to get past. Then he clears off.

I, on the other hand, dutifully located Betty into the doorway, retrieve the rail card, and secured her to the rail with the usual bungee. It didn't take long before the rocking of the train took effect and the inevitable 'pick up Betty again' game had started.

So I was not going to get chance to be lazy today. I fold Betty, settle in my seat and prepare for the imminent ticket inspection. We get to the next stop – no inspection. Then the next. And the next and so on. No inspection. I’m left thinking:

“I’ve taken the considerable trouble to fold Betty (while the train was moving), retrieve my photocard from my wallet and prevent Betty from protruding into the aisle. Would you please do me the courtesy of taking the trouble to come back and inspect my ticket!!!”

As I’m thinking this (towards the end of my journey) said Newbie returns with a cheerful. “Unchecked tickets please!! And if you smile, I won’t charge.” A newbie with a sense of humour – I was right; he hasn’t got cynical yet.

What does this have to do with Star Wars Day? Nothing.

Tickets please!! Newbies – They thwart all expectations!!!.

Communication

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks. Actually it’s been an interesting twelve months or so.

The initial contact for EON to enquire as to whether we want EWI or not, was July last year. To be fair to EON, the protracted move towards getting things done was as much my doing as theirs. They have been very polite – even if they haven’t been able to fully answer all my questions (I’m slightly concerned that things from their end have gone a little quiet since we signed the contract to commit).

However, there was some form of communication.

For the the EWI to happen, and not interfere with the usual services, a number of ‘modifications’ have to take place. One of them I’ve commissioned myself – the changing of the double glazing unit in the lounge.

At the risk of being boring (when has that ever stopped me?). When EWI is fitted, it obviously is installed onto the existing external wall (clue’s in the name folks – External Wall Insulation). This extra protuberance impacts on the opening of windows that are part of a bay and near a wall – which ordinarily is not an issue. So in order to be able to open the window, a fascia plate has to replace the current window – we went for a 150mm plate, giving plenty of room for the EWI to fit. We also moved the side opening windows to a forward position and have a top hinge mechanism, thus doing away with a cross bar, and making the front of the house more aesthetically pleasing. Nice job all round, and the architect was impressed.

It is important that these modifications take place before the EWI is fitted – this way you can keep the integrity of the wall insulation intact (I’m not sure everyone knows this).

I’m very grateful to Paul Berryman (one of the contractors vying for business) for this tip. He’s a sound guy, who knows his bacon. It’s just frustrating that we weren’t able to go with him – I’m sure communication would have been better.

Anyway, I get home the other night, put Betty to bed, go round the back (through the new ‘holiday chalet’ entrance) to be greeted with my beautiful life partner – yes, I do mean the wife.

“BT have been round to fit a thingy.”

“BT?”

“Yes. It’s to do with the External Wall Insulation.”

I check and BT have fitted a cable brace to the wall (with a good sized spacing, to accommodate the EWI). It seems that we are having EWI fitted – even though EON/InstaGroup have not confirmed this directly.

When did BT tell us they would do this? For the life of me, I couldn’t find the interaction.

Ironic, I think, considering they are a communication company. Bless ‘em.