Hello. Eeee by 'eck, I do lead an exciting life. Who else would go, 'oooh, I must have that mop, it's lovely and soft.' Did I buy it because I needed a mop to clean my kitchen floor? No. I bought it because of the softness of the fibres, and because it had been reduced to 99p, and if I took it apart I could make something with it. Maybe incorporate it into some arts and crafts project, possibly. A bit bonkers eh!
I got a bit wet while doing my walk tonight, it rained. Only did two miles on account of doing a one mile dog walk earlier. I am recording my progress on the Walking Forum. Several people on there are doing it as well. If you want to see how they are doing, take a look here. Some of them are experienced walkers though, they are striding ahead. As it's on a forum we can all update ourselves on there.
Howzabout another except from the 1989 diary. Following on from the overnight stop in Hereford. Thursday 12th January. Raining this morning, but warm. I left Hereford at 6.45, not sure of the best road to take. I decided on the most direct. I arrived on site at Llandrindod at 8.45am and was empty at 10.30am. On the way back I rang the office from Bromsgrove, no load. Then rang again from the cafe at junction 5 of the M5, still nothing. I went home and rang from there. The message was load at Balfour Beatty at Derby. I loaded two pieces of tower crane and set off. There was no rush so I pulled in at the BRS Truckstop near Chesterfield for the night. I rang Colin, he was at Poplars Truckstop at Lymm. It's strippers night at Chesterfield tonight, I had a couple of pints and had a laugh with the drivers. Bed at 11.30pm
Friday 13th Jan. No need to rush this morning, I don't have to be in Scarborough until after 10.00am. It's a good job I saw Stringbean pull off the site or I wouldn't have noticed it. I tipped my load at 1pm. I rang the office and Jim said there is a load of plyboard at Hull to pick up. I could have done without that really, but work is slack so they are trying to pull in some extra loads. I had to pick up the paperwork in the city centre before I loaded at the docks. It was 5.30pm when I set off back. I got in the yard at Ellistown at 8pm and rang Colin. It was 9pm when I left the yard and drove straight down to Southampton in my car. It was very late when I got to Rownham Services and Colin was there to meet me. So, on this day, the 13th of January in 1989 I was at my boyfriends house in Southampton.
When I look back at the miles I used to cover, not only driving the truck, but trying to keep up with my social life as well, which was all over the country. It was a crazy but exciting life.
That's all folks. It's 10pm and time to wind down with a mug of hot chocolate. Thanks for popping in.
Toodle pip.
Did you ever use the Salt Box cafe? That was always full of truckers. I think it was at Hatton...A50?
ReplyDeleteHi Caz. When I worked just down the road at Nestle I didn't use the Salt Box because it was too close to the depot, but I did use it occasionally later on when passing. Saying that, I was never a big fan of transport cafe's, didn't like the food they served, and never ate truckers breakfasts.
DeleteNot sure that soup sounds good. Unless of course you need some wind to dry the laundry ;-)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what you do with that mop!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your old journal entries, its fun to hear what people were doing years ago, take care, enjoy that stew, I made much the same thing today and I will eat it for days too!!!
Did you drive the truck all over England or just a part? How about Scotland and Wales? Did all the truckstops have rooms for lady truckers? I give you a lot of credit for doing such a stressful job all those years. Even today a lot of women would find it difficult to be a truck driver.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara. Yes, after 32 years of driving, I did drive all over England Scotland, and Wales. A little bit into Ireland, the Isle of White, Holland, Belgium, and Germany.
DeleteNo they didn't all have rooms for drivers, except for the big purpose built Truckstops like Carlisle and Penrith. Most drivers slept in their cab to save the money. Employers paid for the lorry park, but if a driver wanted a room they had to cover that cost themselves.
Hi, Ilona. Just wanted you to know that even though I didn't officially join the walking forum, I have taken your example to heart, and am making a goal of walking at least an hour per day for a minimum of six days per week. That leaves a day for when running errands in town cuts into my daylight hours. In the summer this will not be a problem as we have close to 18 hours of sunlight by the summer solstice, but for now, in the winter, we have very few daylight hours. Today, I came home from running errands and fit my walk in before supper, because I thought of you and all the walkers joining you in spirit. I walk out here in the country, but I have changed my route a bit to include a nice steep hill. I plan to lengthen out my route when the days get longer. A one hour walk is close to 3 miles. I won't beat myself up if I don't go at least 6 days a week, but that is my goal. I also have a treadmill in the house that I plan on using on rainy days, or for when wild life is lurking about. Last summer a fall, several bears were spotted in close proximity to my home, so it was the treadmill for me. I prefer walking out doors. Mary Jane in Canada.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary Jane. I am chuffed to know that you are doing some exercise. To include your walking into your every day routine is the best way to tackle it. Keep up the good work.
DeleteHi Ilona my son used to do courier work and drove those crazy hours as well. Only you would unravel a mop for ther purposes. well done for the inspiration
DeleteNever a dull moment in your world meanqueen, i think you will never get bored as there is always something your upto-i love it x
ReplyDeleteLove to see what you do with the mop. You've set me thinking now.
ReplyDeleteNorma
I wish I had your imagination! I'd just look at a mop and think - housework!Perhaps it will be part of a wall hanging depicting a snow scene - looking forward to finding out. My brother was a lorry driver but had to retire early due to ill health and so many of his ex-colleagues have died young probably because of the sedentary nature of the job, the food served in transport cafes leading to weight issues and the fact that most of them smoked. It's as well I got a short walk in early today as it's now pouring down and blowing a gale! Victoria
ReplyDeleteI'm also intrigued to know what you will do with the mop. You've got me looking at my old diaries now to see what I was doing on those days.
ReplyDeleteJoan (Wales)
Devising ways to reuse even banal items like mops is great.
ReplyDeleteI am currently crocheting a rug out of a defunct woolen coat and a sweater someone gave me in a nice colour but nasty style. Last week I made a rug for our back door made out of 3 pairs of ripped-to-buggery jeans which had retired from long-service on the allotment.
With all the odd bits of material left over from these slaughtered pieces of clothing I am planning to make cushion filling, so that nothing will wind up in landfill. Obviously all zips, buttons etc have been squirreled away for future reference.
Please tell us all about similar ideas that you've had, Ilona! I'm especially impressed by the shed.
And here's me thinking you'd bought yorself a bargain mop to simply wash the floor. You see things that we don't when you're out bargain spotting, I can't wait to see what this becomes!!
ReplyDelete