Radioarchive.cc

What's going on with radioarchive.cc? It's been more than two weeks and the site is unresponsive. I really hope it hasn't gone forever. I realy love this site and I'm missing its content. Is there anyone else out there who uses this site or perhaps knows what's going on...? I'm having withdrawal symptoms!

Senior Moments

It's incredibly warm, warmer than it normally is for this time of year. There isn't a cloud in the sky. I haven't seen one all day. Some call is glorious. Others tell us to make the most of it. Apparently Winter will be here will a vengance and could bring ice and snow within a few weeks from now. Hard to believe when I glance outside and see the bright blue sky and the lush green grass.
I'm finding I'm getting more and more frustrated with my mum. She's in her late mid sixties and admits herself that her memory isn't as good as it was. But I do find that she is becoming increasingly out-of-touch with what's going on around her. A for instance is my son's school intake photograph in the local paper. Now I know my mum has read the paper but has managed to miss the photograph. It wasn't so long ago that she would be calling me to tell me she had seen the photo.
I had a heavy cold at the weekend and I felt really rough. Nevertheless we all popped over for the afternoon as it was my father's 72nd Birthday. We had a great time. I saw my sister and her kids and the whole thing was very pleasant. Everyone commented on how poorly I looked, but I made as much effort as I could. But by yesterday, all this had been forgotten. I coughed and was told 'you sound as if you're going down with a cold'. 'But I've had a streaming cold for a week', I replied. 'Have you?', was the response. 'I haven't noticed'. Err hello... ?
I know I shouldn't get frustrated and I know there's every chance I'll get like this at some point, but it does frustrate. And it is getting worse. I can recall vividly how my nan went down hill fast, dementia eventually taking over her mind convincing her of things that simply weren't there. People, voices and scenery all seemed so real to her that you were forced to go along with whatever scenario was being played out. It is all so sad and you feel so helpless. I keep telling myself my mum won't go the same way but the more and more I witness these 'senior moments', I can't help but worry that history will repeat itself...

A Kindly Neighbour

It's comforting to know that around you there is at least one person looking out for you or prepared to offer their help. Yesterday, we experienced the kindness of a neighbour. He lives opposite and runs his own roofing firm. Everyone knows him, he's the best in the area. He had been spraying his drive to kill off weeds and having some remaining in his tank, he came across to us and offered to spray ours. It has to be said that our weeds have been nigh on impossible to get rid of. We've only been using the shop bought stuff whereas his looked industrial and the real thing. He sprayed the whole drive and the border where he informed me we had some 'Deadly Nightshade' growing. What a great guy! It really is the little things like that can make all the difference. Thanks again.

School Mornings

Don't know where my text has disappeared to. I had typed about school mornings and how I enjoy taking my son each day.
I'm one of the few dads that's about to take their children to school. I might as well wear a sign saying I'm out of work and have nothing else to do with my time. I do enjoy it though. There's always an anxious wait for the bell to ring - I'm actually more anxious than my son. The children then go and line up, my son like a little soldier standing to attention. My son shows no fear. He's confident and happy to be there. But there is a boy in his class for whom every morning is a nightmare. He clings to his mum and sobs his heart out. She disappears into the classroom with him while the rest of us wave at our kids until they have disappeared into the darkness. For her it must be heartbreaking. It's upsetting to watch and I'm thankful that our son is the complete opposite.
As a youngster, I feared school. I would do all I could to stay at home. I do wish my son would befriend this little chap. Perhaps that would help him become more confident. Such a shame though.
My wife and I aren't part of the 'in crowd' so we don't drawn into the little clusters of parents that form in the playground each morning. They are friendly toward us but perhaps it's the fact we live in a different part of the street or we have a different type of house that sets us apart. There are one or two who do like to converse with us. We have such a short walk to and from the school that it isn't really possible to talk about anything substantial. But for the most part, we keep to ourselves and speak only if we're spoken to.
So weekday mornings are like this. I'm fortunate I suppose that being out of work does have this small benefit. I will certainly miss it if I ever do manage to return to work. I will miss the hand holding and the anticipation of what the day might hold. I will miss that father-son hug and the confidence of knowing that he went to school happy. But I know that all too soon, this opportunity will end and I will be in a car on the way to work or even worse, staring at a computer in an office. I simply don't know at the moment. For what I want to do seems as far away as ever and will need a miracle if it is ever to become reality.
For my son though, I suspect and hope that things will be different. He has the confidence I lacked and this will take him to great places. But before he begins that journey, he needs to be able to put his shoes on the right feet. It doesn't seem to bother him though... Happy days.

School Mornings

Hard Drive Trust

I've had it with hard drives. Over the last few years, I've bought nearly twenty of them to store things like photos, MP3's and video. I really assumed they were safe and durable. How wrong I was! So far, eight have failed and everything on them has been lost. They just sit there, ticking or whining. I could open them up but as soon as the cover is off, the drive and contents are contaminated. Not that I could actually fix them, I've seen the inside and it's no place for a novice.
So I'm now placing my trust in DVD and CD. They are cheap and from my experience more durable than a hard drive. Rant over.

Save a penny here, save a penny there...

We are just one of many thousands of families who across the country are trying to save money and reduce their outgoings wherever they can. A report on the BBC earlier in the week prompted me to compare our electricity costs with those of other providers. I was shocked to discover that we could save more than £600 a year on the £178 we pay each month. We have no gas incidentally as we are so rural so everything is electric.
I did call our existing supplier to see if we could get the amount we pay reduced but they made the explanation so confusing and difficult to understand. All I was interested in was the monthly amount, not units, tariffs and usage blocks. So in the end a quick call to our new supplier offering us this enormous saving was all that was needed. Apparently they do all the rest so I was pleased with that.
Next on the list was our pet insurance. We've been with the same provider for about 9 years and in that time, the premium has slowly crept up as these things have an annoying habit of doing. Again, checking on line, we found that we were able to have slightly better cover for £10 a month less. Again a quick call had this sorted out.
Finally, a call to they guys who look after our pipes and electrics internally on behalf of Anglia Water. We had been paying them £25 and have seldom ever claimed. So a call to them mentioning that we were looking at saving money and might be leaving them was all it took for them to take £10 off the amount we pay each month, and provide exactly the same cover!
So, it really does pay to ring round and see if you can get things cheaper. It's actually quite a satisfying experience. I know a lot of people simply don't bother as they don't want the hassle. But we are living in times now where we simply have to save money in order to survive. I was always one for just leaving things as they were, relying on the direct debit each month and not giving any thought to whether or not we were paying too much. I'm just lucky my wife is the complete opposite. Without her, I know we wouldn't be here now.
At risk of sounding like Martin Lewis, the UK's Money Saving Expert, it worked for us and I'm pleased we did it...

Growing Update

Despite everything else that might go on placing dark clouds above, one constant is my effort at growing herbs and other things. With the nights drawing in and cooler temperatures, I'm beginning to worry a little that some of my plants and seedlings may begin to struggle so I'll be keeping a close eye on it all ready to move them inside if it gets too cold.
I was really heartened the other day when my Mum called in and saw my herbs and greenhouse. She remarked that 'my Father would be proud of me'. It's not often that has been said so it made me feel quite good and that all my efforts so far had been worthwhile.

My 'monster' of a honeydew watermelon plant continues to dominate the conservatory. It's now reaching out to fasten itself to anything and everything it can find. Still no sign of any fruit though and I wonder if the cooler temperatures will prevent it from producing any...

It really fascinates me how the plant has developed a mind of its own and I wonder just how much bigger it will become!

I have succeeded in transplanting my delicate asparagus seedlings from their propogator to a large pot. I'm keeping them indoors until they are strong enough to cope with the wind and rain.

Another plant that's doing particularly well is my Basil. The leaves smell absolutely wonderful, pungent and sweet. We've already used them in cooking. Again, I'm wondering just how big this will become. I've already had to add further support and it appears to increase in size by about half-an-inch every couple of days.

Everything within my mini-greenhouse seems to be doing very well. I've added some more tomato seedlings so hope to have a real mix of different types. My Sweet Cicely hasn't show any signs of germination but it's early days.

Tomatoes and Onions (kindly supplied by Janet Giles)

My Garlic makes a tentative but welcome appearance

A late addition is Oregano which has also gotten off to a good start

My outdoor tomato plant is bearing fruit, and lots of it. I'm hoping this mild spell will last a little longer to allow for ripening.

So all in all I'm pretty pleased with progress so far. I would never have dreamt that growing these things would bring as much pleasure and satisfaction as it does. I'd even go as far as to say that 'I'm hooked!'

A secret analogue user

Well it seems now that we are a totally digital household. Radio, music and TV - it's all delivered digitally in crystal clear sound and vision. Everything is so convenient as a result. We watch what we want to when we want to, we listen to the music we like and tune in to radio stations from all over the UK, and the World. OK, 'digital' has its advantages but I do long for good old analogue. I don't want to let go. It's not that I was dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age. I tok to it quite well. I knew it was coming and knew of the benefits it would provide. For my parents, the transition has been long and hard. I do understand the calls for things to remain as they were. What was wrong with analogue? The truth is, nothing. It worked and has served us well. But more is better it seems. We have a plethora of TV channels but I still find myself watching the same things. The availibility of radio stations from all over the UK has provided me with 24 hour phone-ins and music of a thousand genres. LBC 'London's Biggest Conversation' is possibly my favourite station. I remember it from when I was very young. Back then it was just an FM station broadcasting to London and Kent. My nan and grandad listened to it and it would play constantly on the transistor radio they had in their kitchen. BBC Radio 5 is good at night. Again lively phone-ins provide bedtime entertainment and these too can be quite lively, sometimes harling back to the days of James Whale.
But I still find myself longing for cassettes and vinyl. I love seeing a physical tape working and a vinyl record spinning on a record deck. I love the crackle and hiss, and I miss it. MP3 has a cold crispness to it. Yes the quality is excellent, but it's missing something, almost as if it isn't alive.
It seems though that we are stuck with digital. It'll never go away, just get faster, clearer and more available. But all the while analogue remains available to us, albeit pushed aside and confined to the darkest recesses of lofts and cupboards all over the land, we should enjoy it while we can. I fell I didn't really have a chance to say goodbye properly to the analogue TV signal. It deserved much more than just a switch being thrown somewhere in Yorkshire. It had served us well and will be remembered with fondness.
So in this new digital age, where everything is clear and sharp, I'm quite happy being a 'secret analogue user'.

A major blow and a letter to Stagecoach

I've yet again been the victim of bad luck. My application to drive for a Peterborough based bus company has been terminated due to 'unsatisfactory references'. This is absolutely unbelievable! I have never in my entire 20 year IT career had a single bad reference or have I had any doubt whatsoever cast upon any position I have held. I am angry, very angry and to make matters worse, they aren't obliged to give a reason for their decision. This is my response;

Dear Mr Lawson

I am in receipt of your letter dated 9^th September which I was shocked and dismayed to receive, and I am saddened that after numerous calls, no one has contacted me to discuss the situation or ask me to assist. This has left me and my family distraught.

I cannot understand how after 5 weeks you have decided that my references are ‘unsatisfactory’ and that this is the reason your offer of employment has been withdrawn. I have always been able to rely on my references and those specifically suggested in my application have never in any way let me down for previous positions and I selected Churchill/RBS due to my length of service with them. In particular, I find it unbelievable that you haven’t received a ‘satisfactory’ reference for over 15 years continuous service with Churchill Insurance and RBS. Surely if this was found to be lacking then a phone call to me would have enabled me to provide further references. I have no problem with this.

I suggested Mrs Janet Giles to provide my second reference as I believed my role with her to be relevant to the role I was undertaking.

I applied for the position of Trainee Bus Driver not simply because it was ‘a job’ but because it meant more to me than that. I have since young always wanted to drive buses and I had thought that my enthusiasm perhaps would have translated during my initial interview and subsequent driving assessment with John Morton. I am passionate about public transport and I was really thrilled at the prospect of being able to work with Stagecoach, a company for which I have enormous respect.

As you should already know, I have been struggling for some time to complete my CPC training and gain my full license though I had paid for and completed the first two modules myself including the study materials needed for the remaining modules, such was my level of commitment. I also applied for and gained my provisional category D license.

During my IT career, have always given ‘110%’ to any position I have held and I have been a committed and loyal employee. My long service with Churchill and RBS should have reflected this. I cannot help but believe there has been a mistake which has led you to your decision. This decision has deprived me of my opportunity to pursue the career I have longed for and left me at a loss to explain to those around me how my references are in some way responsible for ending my new career before it had even started.

Cont >

I fully appreciated the importance of good references but please be assured that I have never had doubt cast on my previous long career in IT and I have full confidence in my ability to prove this. I am able to provide numerous additional references that would immediately dispel any doubts you may have about my suitability and I would be more than prepared to meet any additional expense this may incur.

Please be assured that any concerns whatsoever regarding my suitability are completely without foundation and I request that you allow me the opportunity to provide the information you need so this matter can be put right.

I so much want the opportunity to complete my training and provide the same level of loyalty and commitment to Stagecoach as I have to every job I have held. I respectfully ask that you please reconsider your decision. I appreciate that ‘company policy’ dictates your actions, but I feel a mistake has been made and that I have been unfairly treated as all the information I have provided has been in good faith and in line with what I understood to be required.

Though this wasn’t requested, I attach a copy of my CV which details fully my work history.

Yours sincerely

So there we are. They have decided to upset the wrong person. Bad move Stagecoach, very bad move. If I don't receive a satisfactory response I will write to their head office enclosing a copy of this letter.

So I've been knocked down once again. But I cannot stay down. I've immediately applied for an IT support position at a local school. It's literally just down the road so not far to go at all. The position isn't hugely demanding by any means and if anything I may be over-qualified. But it's worth a try and though it's not what I really want to be doing - having decided to leave my IT career behind me - I'd be comfortable doing it. It combines two of my other passions, education and IT. I posted my application yesterday having tried in vain to locate a letter box or gap big enough to accommodate my envelope. I just hope it arrives in time as the closing date for applications is Monday. 

As I type this, a storm has just appeared and there is torrential rain. At least I won't now have to water my plants... We have Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides playing in the background. I'm trying to watch while I type - a pretty impossible thing to do.

I'm typing this entry on my Mum's laptop. I bought it or her a couple of Christmas's ago. It's nothing special but in better shape than my own. I used the excuse that my son would find it useful as it would assist with his learning. He's currently learning the alphabet using phonics and simple numbers. I'm hoping it will live here from now on as my Mum has never used it and probably never will.

Oh please let me have some luck, just a little...

A waiting game, growing update & school

It's been a while again since my last post but in the last few days, I'm pleased to see that a new interface has been created for Blogger users. I'm using it now and I must say it's quite good, so thanks Blogger people.

I'm still waiting for word from my prospective new employer. I've heard nothing since my medical and being prone to constant bad luck, I did begin to fear the worst. I did call on Friday to get an update but I was told the chap in HR was on holiday and would be back on Monday (tomorrow). I was actually quite relieved in a way as this explained why no one had been in touch. So my optimism has been restored once again. I've resigned myself to finding out this coming week whether I have a future driving buses in Peterborough, or not.

I've been busy in the garden department. Having pretty much given up growing anything in the ground due to everything getting eaten, I purchased a very nice mini-greenhouse from Wilko. At £9 I thought it was a bargain not to be sniffed at, and expecting something flimsy and unstable, I was pleased to find a very sturdy and solid vertical greenhouse. So I've started filling it with new herbs that I'm growing from seed and some new tomato varieties. I'm also having a go at growing onions.

A bargain at just £9!

My peppers really haven't done anything at all so I will probably wait until next year before trying them again. There are many varieties I would like to have a go at growing but it's too late in the year to begin sowing.

Growing fast!

My honeydew watermelon plant has grown about 6 inches in the last couple of weeks. I'm quite amazed at how clever the thing is. It sprouts 'arms' that seek out things to cling on to and they wrap themselves around whatever they find to provide much needed support. It is growing at such a rate that I'm wondering if the conservatory roof is sufficiently high enough to accommodate it! There is no indication of fruit yet though I expect to see something develop soon.

My sugar snap pea plant is also going well. I already have a couple of pods and it too is training itself to cling to the bamboo supports I've provided for it.

Coriander

Basil

My herbs are growing very well, especially rocket, basil and coriander. I now have a surplus I am able to dry and freeze. The aroma from these plants is quite extraordinary, very pungent and sweet. I have recently bought some sweet cicely seeds which I hope to plant this coming week. They are said to produce leaves that have a slight aniseed scent and a sweet flavour. I have also read that they can be used as a natural sweetner. I'll certainly be giving this a try.

Onto other things and my son starts school proper tomorrow. We've bought his new school uniform, shoes and PE kit. He also has a new Scooby Doo rucksack and new lunch box. I'm probably more nervous than him to be honest. He's actually looking forward to it, which is a good thing given the fact he'll be spending most of his waking hours there for the next ten plus years. I'll take some photos tomorrow morning and try to record the event. My little boy is growing up too fast!

I'm also taking my parents to King's Lynn tomorrow morning to help them to buy a new TV and digital recorder. I know I am making a rod for myself but I simply cannot bare the thought of them being fooled into buying something they don't need or spending more than they really need to. Despite my many faults, I do still try to keep my finger on the pulse of everything consumer electronics-related and I like to think I'm able to dispense good advice. I am also thinking of myself as I am the one that'll be installing it all and on-call in case anything goes wrong. I'll report back on the experience in my next post.

The weather is appalling at the moment. It has been raining heavily for the last five hours. Apparently it's what is left of the arse end of a hurricane that hit the US recently. At least I won't need to water anything outside for a couple of days.