I’ll add some of the posts from the Blogger blog, which I’ve used for the last nearly three weeks while this one was down. It’s just to have it all in one place, so please excuse me if you’ve already seen these in The Other Place.

From 26th January

I went to London yesterday to meet my builder at the flat and, afterwards, a friend for lunch.  He was slightly disconcerted by the restaurant I’d chosen – simply because it’s next door to the flat – but spicy Louisiana food was a bit outside his comfort zone, I think.  I hope he did enjoy it though.

I’ve just been on the Greater Anglia train website, to send feedback about the return journey.  I got to the station in good time – I’d had a really easy time of it all day, journey-wise – and the announcer said that my train was delayed.  An incoming passenger had been taken ill and was being helped – I think they used a different train in the end – anyway, it was actually only delayed by about 15 minutes, but the guard explained that, as we’d missed our time slot, there would be a further delay as we went along.  It ended up as about 18 minutes.

After that, the driver really put his foot down, though the train didn’t feel rocky in the least.  By the time we got to Ipswich, the guard was able to announce that ongoing connections could be caught after all, if people would go promptly to the platforms, which he told them.

I’d been amused for a while by the woman and her son in the seats behind us.  He was a textbook petulant teenager.  At one point he was whingeing about his phone – it was useless, it was reeealy old and embarrassing and she didn’t care at all… – and she answered with slightly amused patience.  Then she told him they’d have to be ready to leave quickly, so he needed to get ready – “Whyyyy???” – and she told him about the connection that had been announced, if he hadn’t been so busy complaining.  I noted him as they left – about 14, neat school blazer, I’m sure he’s a nice boy really!

The guard had said we’d be at Diss at 17.58 but we were actually there at 17.48, which was pretty impressive.  The driver was trying to get to Norwich on time for passengers to make their connection to Great Yarmouth – don’t know if he did so.  The guard quipped “Please close the doors behind you so that we can get going as quickly as possible – those doors don’t close themselves” and “We’ve just crossed the border from Suffolk to Norfolk.  If you’re leaving the train at Diss, please have your passport ready.”  No one had been cross about the late departure of course, it was no one’s fault, but the odd chuckle never does any harm.

So the feedback I sent was appreciative, and I’ve sent my thanks.  I hope that the message is passed on.