Frank. Lara. Animals and a new job.

An in interesting couple of weeks have just passed  - We were visited for a day by Lara - Buffy's cousin from Switzerland and spent a lovely Sunday afternoon in Manchester visiting a couple of city centre pubs and enjoying the wonderful sunny weather. That sunny weather has now gone though to be replaced by a cooler and much wetter outlook. Rumours are that we will get a huge thunderstorm sometime soon - so I have my fingers crossed! The same day we saw Lara and dropped her off at the airport we managed to take a little detour to Timperley and pay a visit to the statue of Frank Sidebottom - the legend that used to entertain the north of England with his big papier mache head and sunny outlook on life - even though he lived in hs mums garden shed. We watched the movie based on his life at the cinema last week too (Frank) which was fun if not brilliant. If you don't know who Frank Sidebottom is then you should take a look at some of his videos here:-

With the statue of Frank in Timperley town centre.

Whilst driving my asda van around over the last few days Ive noticed two really cool but unusual buildings around the Denton area - First there is still a building which used to be the old post office - but when it was built it was also the old Telegraph office and as it was built for the purpose it still has the bricks on the building that tell you what it is - much better than the cheap signs you get nowadays...

The telegraph office

 Also just a little way down the road there is an old factory...can you guess what they made here?

Hmmm? Do they still make them there?

There has been a new sign put up in Asda as well - but its not half as good as either of these old ones and in fact I find it a little bit tacky - nothing about customer service or respect for workers - it just about sums up what Asda wants...

Really - how about happy customers or cheap prices......

I did manage to do some proper work these last few weeks too - although there was one day when it was lovely and sunny that I spent a little while down by the canal taking a break - I tried not to scare the ducks but did enjoy a Little rest by a lovely hump backed bridge!

Nice

Ducks - sleeping....

Unfortunately (or not) I wont be able to take many more rests by the canal whilst working for Asda - that's because I wont be working for Asda much longer - in fact I finish with them next Monday. I have been applying for jobs in the communications industry since I got back to the UK and had a telephone interview with a company called 'Magdalene', a few weeks ago. The interview went well but unfortunately the opening was in Leeds not Manchester, so I was told they would get in touch if something came up. I got a surprise phone call from them last Monday and accepted a job offer with an opening in Manchester working as a first line maintenance engineer -fixing faults and carrying out maintenance on fibre optic and broadband equipments - so I finish with Asda on Monday and I start with Magdalene on Tuesday when I go down to pick up a van, laptop, phone and tools as well as complete the induction - if you are interested then take a look at their website and you can see what they do...here's the link....

http://www.magdalene.co.uk/

I had to write a quick resignation letter to Asda and was very happy to put it in just a couple of hours after being offered the new job. I'm sad to be leaving as I have made a lot of friends there but it is the right thing to do and I'm pleased to be told that I will be missed... cheers to everyone in Asda Hyde!

My quickly written letter of resignation!

The last little bit of this blog is all about animals - one really shit (literally) and one really good.
The shit one is the bloody bird that lives up the tree outside Chris' house - it must eat constantly as it spends most of its day shitting on my car. I have never seen so much and such large bird shit on any car anywhere - does anyone have any ideas of how to get rid of it?

Huge bird turd!

Lastly the really good animal story - I went to get my haircut earlier this week and was pleased that the little Jack Russel terrier was there. I spent my whole waiting time throwing little tennis balls for him and loved every minute - it made my day and I forgot all about the bird shit on my car!!

Two balls at a time!!

Its been a hectic day today too.. I dropped my phone in the shop this morning and the screen is knackered - so I have now sent it away for repair and got myself a smaller cheaper android phone to keep my in touch until it comes back. All this while I was trying to sort out details fo my new job. So I spent a couple of hours getting it all done and gettin the new phone updated with al lthe software and apps I need. I havent ever felt that my phone was essential - until I suddenly didnt have a working one and then a slihgt panic ensued until I got back to normal. I could imagine the new company trying to get in touch and not gettnig through to me - all at the start of a bank holiday weekend too andyway Im all calm again now.

Just one last thing....the birds have been at my car  - again!! Someone get me a pellet gun......

Dirty little bugars!!