Alt.Mustardland

Good morning all. It's starting out as a wet Easter Bank Holiday Monday here on the Western Edge of the Black Country. OH have plans for a walk later but, it's weather dependent. If we don't go walking, I may head out for an hour alone.

The fact that it's a Bank Holiday reminds me of a previous such holiday when, OH and I were in Worcester. Passing a branch of a well known Spanish Bank, I decided to use the ATM. As I was removing the money from the machine, a couple walked to the main doors and tried to open them. Obviously, they didn't yield. At this, the couple asked me what time the Bank opened. I pointed to a sign on the door and, explained that it was a bank holiday. They were distinctly unhappy at this and asked if there was another branch of the particular branch. There was but, I further explained that it waould also be closed. There couple were clearly annoyed.

I guess the question is whether banks closing on Bank Holidays is an anachronism? These days, most shop open on Bank Holidays. Even local Co-op stores which, until recently closed on Bank Holidays, now open. Shops open on Sundays and even, Christmas Day. Can't say that I'm in favour of opening on Christmas Day. Do we really need banks open all hours? With ATMs, cash is available 24/7 and surely, there can't be many people who actually need branches open?

Our local Co-op is apparently open all the year round except on Christmas Day. 7am to 10pm. Bless them!

Enjoy your day.

Good Morning All,

It rained here early this morning, but has been dry since dawn. I hope you have all had an enjoyable weekend and have a good day today.
I shall be doing my bit for TV viewing figures and watching snooker. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

There's fresh mid morning coffee in the jug. help yourself.

I feel for the Bods seeking a Bank... On a couple of time, working away, I've found the hole-in-the-wall maching NBG. (and if you are working in some clients - especially working near cash registers - its not good to have a pocketful of money) Embarrasing trying to pay when your funds are safely locked up in a closed bank.

Good morning to all. Pleasant start to the morning here, albeit cold.

OH and I did manage to fit in a walk yesterday afternoon. There were showers on and off all morning but, we decided to risk it and, headed for the South Staffordshire village of Kinver. As it turned out, it stayed dry and we had a really pleasant walk. Our favourite café in the village was open and, we enjoyed a hot drink before returning home. Just after returning home, there was a heavy shower so, we reckon we had the best part of the day.

Today is primarily centred on domestic issues but, I'll hopefully fit a walk in at some point.

Enjoy your days everyone.

Dull, cool, but thankfully dry here in the Wild West. If it stays reasonably dry, I might venture out to start the annual battle to reclaim some of the garden from the forces of nature

An Tarbh Dubh wrote:Dull, cool, but thankfully dry here in the Wild West. If it stays reasonably dry, I might venture out to start the annual battle to reclaim some of the garden from the forces of nature

Like all tyrants, I employ mercenaries to carry out such battles on my behalf.

Domestic issues out of the way.

I see that the UK Prime Minister has called an election. Not surprised.

I think an election is what we all wanted.

After all we haven't had anything else to vote on this year and were getting out of practice.

I was relieved to hear about the election. I thought it was another ploy to wriggle out of one. There is still a chance that the chicken coup will sense the departure of the gravy train and vote against it.

I've been for the monthly book group. A large latte, a pear and almond torte and lots of talk about books we have loved later, we went for our hobble then back to the library to store up more trouble for myself. A Julian Barnes, a Margaret Forster and some others. I may just look at one only meaning to read a few sentences then fall in headlong.

Good morning all.

Which Julian Barnes book is it, Rwth? He's an author that I admire and, I'm trying to find time to see the new film of one of his books, 'A Sense of An Ending'. Particularly enjoyed that once.

I won't be acting as Presiding Officer at the June General Election. On the 8th June, OH and I will be cruising down the River Rhone heading for Avignon. I am sorry that I may lose my Poll Clerk who I've worked with the last few elections. She is superb and, I'm sure that GLO will agree that good Poll Clerks are like gold dust. Hope I can get her back next year.

After breakfast and ablutions, OH and I are off to Worcester for a few hours. Quite apart from loving the city and the Cathedral, we have a few things to do there. First, as we go through the village of Hagley we want to pick up tickets for their Music Festival next month. We want to see a performance by the Birmingham City Organist, Thomas Trotter. As it happens, we are going to see him next week in Birmingham too.

We want to pick up tickets in Worcester for an outdoor performance of 'Charley's Aunt' due to take place in the second half of July. We have other bits and bobs to do as well. However, none of these will divert us from a pleasant, relaxed lunch at a favourite restaurant.

Hope that everyone has a good day.

Oh Dear... Had a lot of trouble getting in here.. Damn Machine keeps telling me that someone is already using MY Name. Will see if this works before submitting my reply again.

Ha.. it works..; I shant be working on either Local/county, nor Parliamentry.. Just had a Long consultant with Nursey (aka, Masie). Since my stroke I am having so much certanty that I am using right words in the right context, that I'm opting out this year. You have probably noticed that I often type wrong words, or know the right words and letters that I hit the wrong key.

Afraid exotic places like Worcester are only encounterred when working there. .. especially interesting if one works odd hours, and can get time for a looksee. For Example, many Royal Mail Jobs only needs one attender when most of the postmen have left. So plenty of opportunity to get out of the City. e.g., My Digs outside of Bristol was in Chew Magna. Nice walk round the Reservoir, or a trip to Bath, but the "Digs" was a retired vet who was writing papers on detection and treating of Horses. (Oh dear just corrected "Digs" instead of Dogs, and Nice instead og Nags. Perhaps I'd better have my Pills.

But I agree with Brian about Poll clerks. People with self confidence was better than "Know how". That Retired Lady Policeman was useful.

Good morning all, or it would be if it wasn't raining.

Anybody in need of rain please help yourselves... Please... PLEASE

Good morning all.

Not sure where you live Will but, we too have rain. It's fairly light, more like an annoying e Felipe endrizzle. We're told that it should pass through quite quickly. I certainly hope so as, I'm hoping to get out for a brisk walk later this morning.

GLO, I've worked with this particular Poll Clerk for a little while. She 's a really nice Asian young woman and, she is a grafter. The area where our Polling Stations tend to be tend to have a large(ish) Asian population and, particularly some of the more elderly voters struggle with English. 'P' speaks several languages from the Indian Subcontinent and, takes time to explain things, without me having to ask her to do so. That's especially important for the West Midlands Mayoral election in two weeks. The ballot paper call for voters to vote for their first and second choice.

We will doubtless also have to field the usual complaints that, the candidates haven't distributed their election addresses. This is not true as, everyone on the Electoral Register in the West Midlands will have received a booklet in which, everyone of the candidates has two pages to promote themselves. Of course, there is no guarantee that they have opened the envelope, let alone read the booklet.

Enjoy your day everyone.

You are touching on a nerve, now Brian.
My Council forcibly changed my address to an Illegal one (i.e., they can change a road, but not a number - only the houseowner can do that - if getting approval from lots of people of which the council is only one). This has resulted in mail being delivered to the Fake address. My Postal Vote has been delivered - but to this Fake adress.. with Dire warning about opening it if it was not addressed to me - so I can't open it. I have never advised The Electoral People that I recognise the illegal address and have never signed for a postal vote to that address. My Postal application was to my legittimate address.

I wish I had enough marbles left to put it right - seems that Legal egles are involved in the address change but of course - the (elected) council cannot change the addresses that they gave to the Election authorities (albeit in the same offices).

One of my rightful jobs involved my client, Royal Mail, in auto-address reading/sorting. I cant re-apply from my Fake address (even if Local Mail condone the false change)

I was a Poll clerk, and then Presiding Officer for a London Borough when I worked there.. Some time Later I applied to Several Local Area's. The Ethos and Management were Much Different. The Second one the Elite area (South of the A127) There were two Poll boxes in a condensed area, included many elderly who could not walk far. Thus, two Presiding Officer's in the same Building. My two clerks (yes a big enough register to have two clerks to each box) were doing OK, but... Oh dear The opposite box had some weird arrangement for their P.O. going out for a few hours and returning for the close.. No idea how He got away with this but I was torn between helping (condoning?) his clerks or conentrating on my own. At length I got disturbed (complaints of candidates chauffers blocking the entrance sheltering from the storm, when delivering and collecting voters), then I came back to find the other P.O.'s clerks got a voter, sitting waiting, whilst they searched the register to find how they were double booking voters that they had already given voting dockets to so they could allocate the next number to ... err, who knows who....

My second year with that Area was a portacabin the Retirement home visitors car park (and wired into a streetlamp that expired mid evening). A good clerk there, A retired Policewoman who kept wanting to wander around the hedgerow in the adjacent Allotments to harvest winemaking materials.

GLO, quite understand your annoyance about the address change. Has there been any explanation from the local authority have done this?

I've worked in a temporary Polling Station on several occasions. Locally, the were essentially a typical cargo container with, a wood panel lining, a door and a couple of windows and electricity laid on. They don't use them now (Accessibility problems for wheelchairs and, the electricity supply came from a nearby lamppost. Unfortunately, the electricity supplier up the cost of the supply and, that was the end of those.

One of my experiences with such a venue involved arriving at 6:30, to find that a local resident had parked his car so close to the door that I couldn't open it. Called the police, then called the office. Police traced the resident and, got him out of bed! He initially refused to move his car until he was told that his car would be impounded and he would be arrested. Needless to say, we opened on time.

Worked a 'twin' station on one occasion. Based in a school gym, constituents from one one Ward voted on one side and, a neighbouring Ward on the other. No matter how often we told voters which ballot box there were to use, every now and then, someone would try to put the paper in the wrong box. In frustration, my fellow PO and I decided to build a ' Berlin wall' out of gym benches. Ten minutes after we'd done that, I looked up to see a woman trying to climb over it, to drop her ballot paper in my box!

In the same twin station, my fellow PO came over to see me at 9:50 suggesting that we close the station(s). I pointed out that, we would close at 10:00 and not before. He was not a happy bunny, at all.

Your example of the PO wouldn't happen locally. Our Polling Station Inspectors look in on us about every hour and a half.

Whatever the problems and frustrations, I love doing the job.

Apropos of nothing in particular - apparently, after the premier of the movie "Apollo 13" (I was re-watching it the other night), director Ron Howard asked the audience for reviews. And one reviewer said rather disdainfully that it was a "typical Hollywood ending ... there's no WAY the crew would have survived" .....

Just a bit of trivia for the distraction

Brian: I just made a lenthy reply .. and (thought) I'd posted it... But I cant find it now ... Just pondering on where it's gone..

I was going to retreive what I lost - But I'm just too tired... Going to shred some papers (dustman a day late in easter week). Goodnight each.

GLO, we've all done that - lost lengthy posts.

Before I start my normal ramblings, I would just like to say how sad I am to read of the policeman being shot in Paris. Both OH and I love France and the French people. It's so sad what has happened in that country in the last eighteen months.

This morning sees me off on a walk with the Action Heart Group. It's a really local walk for today. We'll be walking through a country park that is a ten minute walk from our front door.

I may see you all later. Enjoy your day, as best you can.