Daffodils
I Wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Name a Train
Looks like one of the train operating companies is to name a locomotive with a Scouting name.
Naming a locomotive with a Scouting related name is not a new idea.
I'm interested to know which TOC it is. How about 'The Scout'?
Whinging Teachers
Oh dear the NUT are banging on about their ‘poor’ pay again. They are looking at strike action again as their proposed pay rise is to be about 2%.
Oh dear, us poor support staff are to get the same rise and does anyone care? Nope! The poor dears aren’t underpaid anyway. The thing they can’t get in their little heads is that schools can’t function without non teaching staff (teaching assistants, support assistants, technical support, caretakers, cleaners etc.), just as they can’t function without teaching staff.
Happy Birthday To Me
36 today!
We’ve Never Had It So Good
Today as I sit in my office, drinking my tea, waiting for a teacher to come in and tell me that their whiteboard isn’t working because they’ve put the USB plug in the network socket, I think how lucky I am.
On this day in 1918, my great grandfather, William Edgar Wood, was crouching by a wall in France when he was blown to bits by an artillery shell. He was the same age as I am now – 35. He has no known grave, but is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission online and in the cemetery in Pozieres , in St. Georges Church in Newcastle and Stoke Station.
He died the day before his son’s, my Grandpa’s, 5th birthday – not nice.
So despite life’s annoyances, I guess things are not too bad…..
Good Weekend
Just had a great weekend in London. I went to The London Festival of Railway Modelling exhibition at Alexandra Palace with my Dad and uncle. Got lots of goodies for my birthday 😉
Carol and I had a wander round and went on a ‘proper’ London Transport bus – an RM!
A good weekend!
Sky TV
Anyway, time will tell if it’s any good!
What Is the Country Coming To?
The Government have decided to give pay rises to nurses etc. lower than the rate of inflation! Makes me wonder how bad my pay ‘rise’ is going to be in April. You can bet that MPs award themselves a hefty pay rise!
The County Council have raised their Council Tax by over the rate of inflation, but Newcastle Borough Council have managed not to. Having said that, the Labour Councillors are saying that’s because they were in power last year! This came from my County Councillor who is also a neighbouring Borough Councillor. One of the other Labour lot said that if they’d still been in power, they would have had a lower increase, but declined to say what it would have been. This is the lot who increased the Council Tax by nearly twice the rate of inflation last year!
They still have it in their arrogant little heads that they should rule by divine right! Fools, they’re as useful as a chocolate teapot! 😉
Settle & Carlisle
Although it would take a bit longer, it would be better than having to heard people onto a bus. I guess it has something to do with not having enough locos available – privatisation what a good idea!
Crash
WHY?
The thing is, our ambulance service is the best in the country and West Midlands, put simply – isn’t! So we get the short end of the straw – again…………
Ill
County Closes Homes
Typical arrogant behaviour from the Cabinet as usual. I suppose they had to climb down over the job evaluation so they have to push one thing through!
Their motto at the moment is ‘Changing People’s Lives’. I think they mean ‘Ruining Peoples Lives’!