Insignificant Things That Make You Happy.

[v8-powered]

Autumn.

Looks like my bloody driveway currently!

[Noggin]

IMG-20241027-WA0004_copy_864x1536.jpg
Autumn.

I love piles of leaves like that! Every time I am walking near fallen leaves, I have to kick them about and be a kid again! Love it. Sadly we don't have trees like that up here, well a very small handful and not close enough together to be able to wade through their leaves

[Noggin]

After stressing about what the instructor was going to say to me yesterday, I have finally translated what she wrote!! Am a bit miffed about the accent comment as I don't think it's 'that' bad!!! (Noticeable for sure, but not 'pronounced' )

Anyway, she started off by saying that I couldn't share her comments with anyone else as there are two other people in my group that also failed the highway code and she isn't being as positive about them. BUT, because I went out and retook my test and passed, she has made that point on the assessment for the exam next week. My understanding is that I can now pass this exam - whereas before, they would have waiting for my highway code retest then passed me. I still can't get my licence until I pass, but things should go a bit quicker from that point.

She wrote this (well, this is the translated version!) -

Comments from the training assessors

Smixxy has always been punctual and diligent. Of English origin with a pronounced accent, she made the necessary effort to understand and make herself understood.

Motivated, she did good personal work.

After failing the Highway Code test, Smixxy took the opportunity to retake her exam independently and passed. Even if this result cannot be recorded in her exam file, it has enabled her to demonstrate that she has now mastered this subject.

Very sociable, always smiling, her professional relationship with her future customers will be assured.

She said she talked to the other instructors before writing this and discussed about the highway code. And this from a woman who has really made me feel like I shouldn't be on the course - never was quite sure why, but she was not remotely helpful or understanding about my struggles with language/understanding or the disability of my arm (even compared a totally metal shoulder to the start of arthritis in her knees FFS! )

Anyway. I'm going to talk to the Director of the school next week (instructor is on holiday!) and see if I can to take retake the test sooner at the school or, now the course is over, I can retake the test externally and use the certificate!!

Lots of crossing of fingers for the exam (only 3.5 hours!) and then also for the highway code!!

[Horse]

Very sociable, always smiling, her professional relationship with her future customers will be assured.

That's excellent, well done

[Druid]

Autumn.

Me and the dog like it too

[Noggin]

Very sociable, always smiling, her professional relationship with her future customers will be assured.

That's excellent, well done

Thank you. TBF, having worked in various areas of customer service since I was 16, that side was the easy bit!! LOL

[Taipan]

My wife just made a Fakeaway and it was bloody lovely too!

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/crispy ... ian-sauce/

[Skub]

Vizitor kat sleeping positions.

[Noggin]

Driving along the N90 from Aime towards Moutiers and I moved over a bit to make an overtake a bit easier for a bike - bloody gorgeous it was. Not quite sure what he was doing with his right foot, I spent too long trying to work out if it was some kind of thing attached to the bike, but couldn't see from the back! But it was a rather stunning ZX10r.

Then as I went from Albertville to Chambéry a few sports bikes passed me (either making space for them to overtake or they came towards me). Didn't see any more models (the road was a bit busy, so couldn't spend too long looking at the bikes to check them out!!), but it made me smile a lot to see lots of sports bikes out and about

[Silly Car]

Water company has unexpectedly refunded £80+ to me, I think is is a refund of overpaid direct debits but there is nothing showing on my water bill account showing the why, just the amount.

I know it is my money but always nice to get something back

[Taipan]

Old Giffer benefits!

Asda today have announced that it’s to offer all its customers a free warming breakfast porridge and a hot drink. The initiative is open to all ages and will run from Wednesday 7th February until 20th March daily from 8am to 12pm, in the retailers 205 Asda Cafés. The partnership with Quaker will allow customers to enjoy a free bowl of porridge along with a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate, to warm up from the UK’s cold winter weather expected this week.

The new free breakfast initiative is now one of four that are live in Asda Café’s, alongside the popular Kids Eat for £1 which has served over 3.1 million meals since its launch in June 2022 and will continue support families are we approach half term.

The £1 Winter Warmers initiative for our over 60’s is available until the end of February offering Soup, a Roll and a hot drink and have served over 350,000 since November. The retailer also offers local community groups the ‘community cuppa’ which offers community groups a warm and free place to meet with a free hot drink.

[Yorick]

Being recognised for working hard at what I loved doing

Just been to Portimao for a long weekend and was ably assisted by the owner's lovley partner, Lesley.
The owner, Matt kept a secret front me



This is what Lesley told me

It's funny what you say about expectations... Matt mentioned speaking to you by message while you were in Portimao, but I don't think he's told you what he told me when you made your booking with him .....

Matt has been an Instructor and a racer for some decades now, as well as running his hire company. But do you know what his inspiration was to become an instructor and to have this career?

*YOU*

He told me that on one of his early Trackdays, you were instructing, and he thought your were great and really cool, and he said to himself that he wanted to be just like you

How the world goes round eh?! So YOU are the reason that the bike you hired was there at the circuit this weekend with No Limits....and YOU are also the reason I met Matt, and have ended up working with him and was therefore there too. Small world.....and everything we do and everything we are has an impact.


It was a real pleasure to work with you too, and to see you enjoy the bike. I'm sorry it wasn't quite as smooth as could have been hoped, and you were caught out by the weather. But it was fabulous to see you enjoy the bits you did Thank you for a great weekend too. I hope we'll see you again sometime soon!! xx

There was more thanks and gratitude, but that was a bit more personal


Wowsers

I had an amazing time during my 15 years track instructing

[gremlin]

There's a security guard as you cross over the road from London Bridge station into the More London estate. He smiles at everybody coming through, says good morning and today I got a fist bump.

Proper puts a smile on my face, he does.

[Silly Car]

There's a security guard as you cross over the road from London Bridge station into the More London estate. He smiles at everybody coming through, says good morning and today I got a fist bump.

Proper puts a smile on my face, he does.

I’m surprised you and the rest of the bankers don’t employ Troy Hawke, he of the purple smoking jacket, to greet you every morning

[Horse]

There's a security guard as you cross over the road from London Bridge station into the More London estate. He smiles at everybody coming through, says good morning and today I got a fist bump.

Proper puts a smile on my face, he does.

I’m surprised you and the rest of the bankers don’t employ Troy Hawke, he of the purple smoking jacket, to greet you every morning

He'd blend in with the staff's sartorial elegance

[gremlin]

[ the staff's sartorial elegance

For the record, I've posted on here previously (Pleasing purchase thread, IIRC) about a coat I bought in Modena, Italy some years back. Wasn't silly money, about Eur 120, I think. Always gets complimented upon when I wear it. Today, having worn it to the office, I've had three colleagues try it on, comment how nice it is and ask me where I got it from.

I casually inform them that I have a preferred gentleman's outfitter in Italy.

[Yorick]

[ the staff's sartorial elegance

For the record, I've posted on here previously (Pleasing purchase thread, IIRC) about a coat I bought in Modena, Italy some years back. Wasn't silly money, about Eur 120, I think. Always gets complimented upon when I wear it. Today, having worn it to the office, I've had three colleagues try it on, comment how nice it is and ask me where I got it from.

I casually inform them that I have a preferred gentleman's outfitter in Italy.

What's a coat?

[weeksy]

[ the staff's sartorial elegance

For the record, I've posted on here previously (Pleasing purchase thread, IIRC) about a coat I bought in Modena, Italy some years back. Wasn't silly money, about Eur 120, I think. Always gets complimented upon when I wear it. Today, having worn it to the office, I've had three colleagues try it on, comment how nice it is and ask me where I got it from.

I casually inform them that I have a preferred gentleman's outfitter in Italy.

Is this a banker thing?

Why are you speaking to people?

Why would anyone ever ask to try on someone else's coat?

[MrLongbeard]

[ the staff's sartorial elegance

For the record, I've posted on here previously (Pleasing purchase thread, IIRC) about a coat I bought in Modena, Italy some years back. Wasn't silly money, about Eur 120, I think. Always gets complimented upon when I wear it. Today, having worn it to the office, I've had three colleagues try it on, comment how nice it is and ask me where I got it from.

I casually inform them that I have a preferred gentleman's outfitter in Italy.

What's a coat?

Buggered if I know, I've got a soft shell jacket, but that's only in case of a funeral cropping up in winter, 3 years it's been hanging on the back of my door without being worn.

[MrLongbeard]

Why would anyone ever ask to try on someone else's coat?

Londoner's, they aren't like the rest of us normal folk