Now this is a first. Two blogs in a single day :-) But please do note that this is being written due to the many moans from you lot out there in Macmillanland that I keep leaving cliff hangers with my blogs. Now, I thought my number 50 was long enough so I ended it by telling the story up until Thursday lunchtime but no, you're not satisfied are you! Ok, I'll write some more, late into the night (well late for me these days) and I hope you all feel guilty! ;-)
So, remember the picture, presentation sent of and I had to start getting ready to leave for my trip "up north". Now where is my suit carrier that we got from Next the other week? I email T at her work and she calls back to tell me she doesn't know. But she thinks my old big leather one is in the shed. Now where else would you keep a suit carrier? I had checked on Gok's website and he didn't point me in that direction. Maybe he's not god after all?
I had decided that I would travel up north this afternoon in just jogging bottoms, t shirt and comfy cardigan so I had to pack suit, shirts, shoes, the usual wash gear and my newly required stoma bag kit. Must not forget the night bag, that would be a mistake!
But I needed to walk round to the shops to get some money out of the hole in the wall so that I could pay the taxi man who was coming at 1.30pm to take me to the station.
So what exactly were my plans? Well, train to Birmingham where Simon would pick me up in his car, travel together up to Derby where we were staying that night. Target was to get there for about 5.30 to 6pm as we were due at an awards ceremony at 6.30pm at the new Round House Arts Centre.
The taxi arrived on time and soon dropped me off at the local station for over 20 mins to wait for my train. There had been no traffic or queue at the ticket office so all was well with the start of the plan. Train arrived on time and there was a plentiful supply of seats to choose from. Another success.
Simon had been caught in a bit of traffic so I had about twenty mins to wait for him in Birmingham, just time to have a quick stroll and cup of coffee.
Simon soon arrived and we were shortly on our way up to Derby. It was good to have some time for a chat about life and about work with Simon. We had started this business some seven years ago and had nurtured the company to what it is today. Still alive even in this recession! A result that we should be proud of.
We chatted away and we soon arrived in Derby and booked into our hotel with 35 mins spare before we were due at the nights event. Luckily our hotel was 3 mins walk from the venue so I even had time for a shower, got dressed in my nice clean suit and shirt and was ready on time for the walk to the new Roundhouse.
Now you might be thinking, why are we going to an awards ceremony? Well, my favorite friends, one of our recent projects, Stanwick Lakes Country Park and Visitor's Centre was up for an award and we were the invited guests of the builder who fought through rain and snow to get it completed for us. In other words, a good freebie **** up! ;-)
Sadly, when we arrived I realised that the evening had the potentil to be very very very boring. The place was full of suits and corporate bores. My mismatched socks, arty suit and floral patterned shirt seem to stand out in a room of greyness. How can so many people be so boring????
Lucky for us though, our friends on our table were all a good laugh and we had great fun until the awards themselves were started to be presented. Now this part of the evening was going to be slow, very slow and the award we were entered into (the best project of the year) was right at the end.
And so we sat through a torrid dirge of boringness and bad speeches from the judges trying to explain away their choices for the awards. And this is where the tarmac, bus stop and toilets come in.
The "environmental project" winner was a park and ride system. Now, maybe I'm a bit stupid but that doesn't make an environmental project. It's just tarmac over what used to be a green field and a bus stop. Perhaps I'm biased but our project at Stanwick Lakes was the first zero carbon building built in the midlands plus it had all natural ventilation, heating was provided by taking 1° out of the temperature of the lakes so that we could raise the temp of the building by 10°, plus rainwater harvesting etc etc etc. Oh well, let's hope we do well in the later award.
And then there was the conservation award which was won by a set of toilets. Enough said. We were glad we had a good supply of wine on our table as time after time it seemed to us that the winners were being chosen because of who the people were rather than what the project was actually about. Or perhaps I'm just biased? :-)
And finally we get to the "project of the year award" A we were placed at number...
We don't know, certainly nowhere in the top four. Perhaps we should have had the Xfactor twins in out team?
Never mind, we'd ll had a great time especially taking the **** out of every other table. Perhaps that is why we were on table 13 and at the back of the room? Already in the naughty corner?
But it was bright and early that Simon and I had to be up on Friday morning. We needed a quick breakfast and to be on the road by 7.30 am for our trip up to Chester.
It was a brilliant sunny morning and the traffic was good to us. Good enough for us to arrive 20 minutes early for our meeting with the vice principal of the college. Fingers crossed she would like what I had prepared and we would be on our way to getting another, needed, contract that would help us survive this recession.
We booked in at reception and waited. And, a good start, we were only 5 mins late in being collected by the vice principal in person and were taken to her office.
The meeting started well as we had a brief chat for ten mins at least about the Phillip Stark programme and how poor the young designers were. So glad I had been watching it as it is always good to find something in common with a potential new client.
I wont bore you with all the details of the session but it was a real working meeting. We didn't blow their socks off but I think we interested them. Well they have asked us to develop our ideas a bit more in one of the area and come back again in two weeks time. Guess what I will be doing on Monday!
We had been there almost exactly two hours which I believe is a good sign but who knows?
And so it was back in the car for the trip back to Birmingham where I caught a train back home. After the short taxi ride I was home and slumped in the sofa by about 4.30pm. Knackered but feeling good about the last couple of days.
And so Friday evening I did nothing. Not a thing, Zilch. And I needed the rest before Saturday as that was going to be a bit busy again!
But Saturday was going to be a fun day. We were off to see my daughter, her bloke and the two little girls for a picnic in the park down near Southampton where they have a miniature railway for us kids big and small. It wasn't an early start as we didn't need to leave until about 11 so we had a restful start to the day.
We had agreed to meet at 1 o'clock near the cafe so we said our hellos and speedily set up our picnic on a nearby bench. We had brought a bottle of wine for the adults and I was about to pour out four glasses when Katie, my daughter said "Now's probably a good time to tell you that I'm not drinking wine at the moment..." There was a slight pause as it sank in.... My god, Katie was pregnant again!!!!!
Now, please note. I hate my daughter. :-) She made me a granddad about four years ago when I was way too young. Girls should be banned from making babies until their parents are at least 80 years old. But at least I'm known as the silly granddad. The one who sucks jelly through a straw... :-)
Now we had a brilliant time with Katie, Dave and the girls and included a ride on the train which I personally enjoyed a lot. Can I drive it myself next time?
But after about three hours it was time to say our goodbyes and wend our ways back home. Home to the left overs from the picnic, snuggled on the sofa to watch the Xfactor.
Please can somebody tell me why oh why those twins are still in it??????
A great fews days had been had. But I'm still a bit miffed at being beaten to an award by tarmac and a bus stop!
Andrew xxx
