Hi Everyone
Back in 1978/79, we had the winter of discontent with the then powerful unions demanding higher pay for their workers. I seem to remember that there was not much sympathy for the workers involved. Now as we seem to be heading into another winter of discontent the situation is different. Now we have strikes and disruption on the railways, and postal staff, and with threatened action by nurses, university lecturers, and teachers with probable others to come. This time however there seems to be much more understanding and acceptance of why sections of our workforce are striking. Why is the situation different this time? It is because we are all, including those of us approaching middle age, are seeing our living standards eroded. Nearly all of us are losers. Even those workers currently striking will probably have to settle for a rise in pay less than the current rate of inflation. We are told thmanagedat inflation is currently 11.10% but that food inflation is nearly 17%. Our son Gareth who lives and works in the Netherlands is coming home for Christmas. He has booked his return Eurostar ticket from Rotterdam to London. We then book his return rails ticket from London to here. For almost the last two years that has cost between £60 and £70 when booked in advance. This Christmas the cost is £170. I have not done the maths but I think that it is a little more than 11.10% inflation. This story however has a happy ending. I managed to get an £80 return ticket on the same trains by going to other websites. Why there should be that huge difference is beyond me but there is surely a good lesson to be learned there.
It was 9-30 in the morning on the first Friday in the month sometime in 1961. I remember the day and time as the representative of a local building supply company was a creature of habit who called at our office at the same time every Friday at 9-30. What made the first Friday of the month different was that as well as trying to sell us something, he would collect a cheque for the previous month's trading as this was the only way he could guarantee payment. It was the first Friday of the month when I was sitting next to the joiner who could not say the word funeral preparing a tender for a large building contract. One moment he was sitting next to me and the next moment I heard a scramble and as I looked across I saw him on his hands and knees under the desk saying "Tell him I am not in". I had not spotted that the creature of habit had passed the office window in his car but obviously my boss had. He was also obviously keen not to give the man a cheque so I was sent out to tell him he was not in. Now, normally the creature of habit would make his other calls and then return at 4-00 in the afternoon. Now my boss knew this so it was easy to avoid him but on this occasion, the rep had seen my boss through the office window, before he dived under the desk, as he passed in his car. He then broke the habit of a lifetime and returned an hour later to catch my boss red handed. Writing out that cheque must have really hurt and would have gone a long way in spoiling his weekend.
A quite well know lady who happens to be also approaching middle age associated with baking and cooking said that week that everything tastes better on toast. Now I thought that I was an expert as scrambled eggs, cheese and baked beans on toast are my specialties. Reading on a little further however I realised that she had gone a little beyond my expectations so maybe I have to go beyond my present repertoire. When asked if she was going to have her specialties on toast at Christmas she replied "definitely". Now when we have our family party on Christmas Day, I will have to advise Dot that she will have to get a lot of sliced bread in to cope with all the food that she will be preparing. I cannot see leftover turkey on fried bread will be added to my specialties.
Just a Thought:
The great thing about inflation is if you spend the same on groceries, the bags are lighter and easier to carry home.
House prices are so high where my friend lives that he had to move into a bouncy castle.
I will leave you to guess the end of that joke. Yes, you've got it - inflation.
The biggest mistake that salespeople make is that they try to pretend that they are not salespeople.
Count your blessings
Brian
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