Tuesday 20 September 2011

All is going remarkably smoothly .. so far

Brilliant lecture on Whistler today, and all went well afterwards too.  Gus is a month old today, he dozed in my arms much of the afternoon while Weeza did her cooking, then I went to meet Ro.  Very good film, Tinker, Tailor... - afterwards, Ro asked if I'd found it hard to follow too.  I had expected to, remembering the TV series of about 30 years ago, when no one understood what was going on until the last episode.  I clarified a couple of points for him - bit of an innocent it seems, my R ...

I think I'm all ready for tomorrow, got the flat keys in my bag, Wink's electric toothbrush that she left behind here, also in my bag, but I've got to buy Lynn's birthday present first thing tomorrow.  Also got tips for the delivery men in an envelope.  Noted my ticket reference number, and have the correct credit card (having missed cocking that up by a whisker last time, I was very careful this time round) and I've confirmed meeting times and places with Wink and Lynn.  This is all very good and sensible.  Usually, I arrange one thing and then go to an exhibition or do something on a whim.  No time tomorrow, as there are firm arrangements at 12.30, 3.00 and 6.00 pm, plus my train home at 8 in the evening.  I have warned the Sage that he has to prepare his own dinner.

Dave was talking, this morning, about the contrast in his nature between making careful plans, and being quickly bored.  I do plan, although nowhere near as carefully as he does, but rather like winging it to an extent.  It's the back-up, so that something going wrong doesn't mean disaster, that I'm a bit excessive about.  I worry in advance, which helps me think of pitfalls, so that I can think of get-outs, and then I can relax and not fuss when the time comes.  What I tend not to do, when going somewhere new, is read up about it in advance.  Maybe a little, so that I know places I want to go, but I prefer to learn while I'm there, not to read all the guidebooks and have formed a viewpoint in advance.  But that, I suspect, is because I'm disorganised rather than having an explorer's curiosity.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was a good film wasn't it - and I had to explain a couple of things to Attila, though she's only 17 so it's understandable that she might not have picked up on some of it.

Dave said...

'Be prepared' was always more than just the Scouts' motto to me.

Blue Witch said...

I'd never dream of tipping delivery men... they're only doing their job! You may just have given me an idea.

Enjoy London!

Z said...

Ro got all the Cold War part, he is a historian and has also seen a lot of films. It was the look between the two men at the party, near the end, that he wanted to know how I'd interpreted!

I wasn't a Scout, Dave.

I wouldn't normally tip for a delivery, BW, but this is a really awkward job. It involved lifting a washer/drier over banisters while standing on a narrow staircase and working it round a tight corner. There's hardly room for three, but there has to be three people for the weight. All for JL's standard fitting charge, it's the best bargain in town (removing and disposing of the old one, just as much work for them, is only £9 extra). Delivery men aren't highly paid and an occasional appreciation is cheering for anyone.

PixieMum said...

It is my opinion that the whole business of tipping and gratuities has got out of hand. Especially where one has to add/delete the same on a card machine.

We prefer to tip for exceptional service, where some one has put themselves out and to ensure that person receives the cash rather than it put into a communal pot.

Agree with Z 's approach to this, also JL delivery guys always are willing and cheerful. Great store, Martha calls it the Mothership.

Unknown said...

You sound very organised to me, especially with you hectic schedule!

Tim said...

Good planning, you obviously have your head screwed on.
(Hope it went well!)

Z said...

I have to be efficient, because I'm extremely lazy and disorganised. I could make life so much easier for myself. I admit, though, that I rather enjoy having to court disaster to some extent.

Tim said...

Ooh, some brilliant contradictions there! I too am efficiently lazily disorganised. I do the necessary in concentrated bursts, then chill out for aeons whilst the dust settles.

Z said...

Time to do nothing is vital to me. It's one of the good things about blogs, I can sit at the computer, which makes me feel productive, but really I'm winding down rather than doing anything useful.