Been travelodging recently, and seeing the rows of Merc's and Bimmer's in the car park full of shirts hung up in the back reminded me of the brilliant 'Comic Strip Presents' episode - Four men in a Car.
Did the Travelodge for the first week of work and wow! What a total con that is; a bed, a kettle, four whole channels on the telly and a whooping 30 minutes of free WIFI and all for only £80 a night, oh yeah, plus unlimited amounts of traffic noise and light pollution pouring through the window (with it firmly locked, vents closed & curtains drawn) for the entire time you're trying to sleep.
The first week became an endurance test of sorts as I ploughed through 12 hours of work each day on about 3 hours sleep, This caught in 20 minute catnaps inbetween screaming outside, noisy drunks outside, car engines, car stereos, road sweepers, sirens and noisy arseholes pissed out their heads negotiating the hotel corridor at 4 in the morning- Fun Fun Fun!!!!
Its more for the safety and survival of the people around me that I can't freely purchase a hand gun here in the UK.
So for now my routine consists of getting out the door about 5am, upto site for 6.30, tools in hand, working at 6.45am until about 6.30pm then dinner in car, drive home, shower, sit down for 40 minutes then go to bed and do it all again the next day.
Curiously the boats motivating me and i need it to as this particular contract is quite dispiriting work-wise, personnel-wise, everything-wise really! For although its well within my capabilities its hard to believe, based on what i've witnessed, the UK gave the world the Industrial Revolution. The words 'piss-up', 'brewery' and the verb 'to organise' spring to mind, that and images of the 'Keystone Cops' keep flashing through my head - beyond woeful.
Anyhoo..........
I had designs on bringing tools back and getting on with a few bits but to be honest i'm absolutely bushed so i'll look at stuff i need to do on the boat that doesn't require power tools such as the final fill and fairing of the hull which is possible as that only requires sanders and dry-lining tools which are all in the shop.
But for now sleep is the order of the day..............
Roger
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that the boat is providing the motivation for the daily grind. As with most of us, it's just a means to let us do what we really want to do, at least some of the time...
Where are you? Maybe what you need is a canal boat!
All the best Stuart
Hi Stuart i'm working in Camberley Surrey for the next couple of months although having already fallen out the contracts manager it may not be that long. Not too much of a worry for as usual in my world when i say yes to a job miles away about four local ones pop up after the event so i'm abit more confident about my work prospects. Think if i can i'll just keep workingthis time for as long as the works there then peel off and work on the boat.
ReplyDeleteAre there any canals near Camberley?
Roger, From childhood memories of that area the Basingstoke canal runs close by, Mytchett, Frimley, Farnborough. I'm not sure if there are any folk living aboard narrow boats though! ATB Stuart
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