Days 550 to 557

Apologies for delay in completing latest blog. A combination of tiredness and some good TV stopped me from completing this yesterday.

Acid reared its head yesterday for the first time in quite a while. I have only myself to blame because late on I ate some nice fudge. The time has definitely come when if I do have a late night snack it is confined to a biscuit. My weight by the way is doing okay. I actually put on 2 pounds in the last week.

I didn't do my show on Angel Radio last week because I was in the North East(of which more in a moment). This Thursday once again I shall be missing as Ev and I are going to the Patients' Support Group Christmas Lunch. Normal service will be resumed on 9 December. Other than 30 December, I should be doing my normal shows.

Back to the North East. The happiest time in my Revenue Life was the last 6 years when I was a member of the North Regional Training Team. The work was stimulating and the Company good fun. At the time when I reached 60 you had to go. All of which was a pity because had I been able to I would have stayed on until 65. The team alas is no more but some stalwart members have decided on a regular meet up. It's a long way for me to travel but it was very kind of the organisers to include me. One or two ex colleagues I met last Friday in York I hadn't seen in 9 years.

I wouldn't have been able to go if it hadn't been for the generous hospitality of my good friends Peter and Gill Clark so thanks to them. There were substantial snow falls in the North East. They took me to the station on some fairly treacherous roads.

Having undertaken a number of train trips, I make the following observations about the Railways. The South West Train Service to London from Portsmouth continues to be good. I have never failed to get a seat on these trains and it is almost always on time. It's when you head North from London that your problems start. More people want to travel than there are seats on board. Given that you can pay over £100 to travel to Newcastle from King's Cross that often means you have to stand for the privilidge. You can get some cheap concessions but you have to travel on a specified train in a specified seat. If you change without approval of the Company you have to pay the full fare.

I was unlucky on both Thursday and Saturday in that a broken down train caused massive delays on both days. The fact it was snowing and extremely chilly standing on platforms didn't help. Fortunately I had my reservation on both days so had a seat(which is more than I managed on the service to York) but it was a bit galling to see other trains scheduled for later times than the one you are booked on leaving earlier.

The snow mentioned above is due to spread to the Island later in the week. My next blog will be on Sunday.