Dog beds

So we bought the doggies dog beds. I was sceptical at first as I've bought Indi a dog bed before and she completely ignored it and then ate the bedding that I'd bought her...

SJ ordered these particular ones online and as soon as they arrived Chief was in his element...Indi loved hers too but I haven't got the pictures of her as yet...I'll post the pics as soon as I get them...

They haven't left them as yet...particularly as my parents also bought them some towels to go in them...working malamutes..my a**e!!

No changes...

Still no changes at work incidentally...not heard anything as yet on the TUPE....

Easter

An early Easter this year...can't remember one being this early for a long time...

On Saturday afternoon we headed up to Rugeley as it was SJ's dad's birthday on the Sunday. Saturday night we didn't do a lot...just had some food in an a quiet one. On Sunday we went to the Horse & Jockey in Ironbridge...SJ's dad's avourite place. I had pie...again! I've only ever had pie there but they are nice! Followed that with Treacle Sponge & Custard...b-e-a-u-tiful!

Sunday night we had another quiet one...with fish & chips (from Morrison's) on the menu!

Monday we headed back down to Radlett. We had a good trip down, not much traffic and we made reasonable time. On Monday night we had (another) night in...becoming a bit of a habit! We ordered some pizza from Domino's..first time we'd tried the pizza down here...a thorough thumbs up...

Work...bl**dy work...!

Jesus, what a week! SJ and I had Monday off although this was spent driving from Radlett to Rugeley to pick up the dogs and then back to Radlett...whilst on the way up I had a call from my boss saying that the Business Unit I previously worked for had been sold to another company...that's fine but apparently I'm still "organisationally attached" to this BU. Therefore this means I basically have to transfer as part of this deal or resign! This is covered under TUPE law and is legal surprisingly!

Anyway, I had to go into Luton on Tuesday to meet the new potential employers, etc, etc...I had a meeting with my boss beforehand as I don't think I should have been on this "list". It appears this list was formulated some time ago when I was a part of this BU, however for the last six months I've been doing something else!

I didn't like the new potentials...they were ******** ******** if you ask me...!

Anyway, I made it clear that I was not in favour of this or that I should actually be included in this whole process. I hope that this is enough for me to be excluded from now on but who know's...apparently there is a meeting next week to determine who is critical to this process. If it was me, I wouldn't buy me!!

Come on the Irish...

An interesting weekend...obviously I returned from Israel on Thursday, so Friday was a little quiet...we took the dogs up to Rugeley on Saturday having suddenly realised they would be alone for too long on Sunday (I'll come to that in a minute). We trekked up the M1 and M6 and made it back around dinnertime. We pottered around for a bit and then went out to dinner at The Terrazza...was very nice...again, even better as they forgot to charge us for £60 worth of wine!

We had to get up early on Sunday morning to traval back down to Radlett (without the dogs) as we were going to watch London Irish v London Wasps in Reading. We left about 6 only to find the M1 was closed in two places...not good! A quick skirt round the M42 and M25 and we were in Radlett for 9:00. Showered and shaved, then off to catch a train up to St Albans, then down to St. Pancras (they're doing weekend engineering work, hence the "up then down"). From St Pancras, it was the tube to Paddington where we met up with SJ's work colleagues who we were going with. We had a bite to eat in The Sawyers Arms, then back on another train to Reading...

The match itself was great...very exciting and a bit brutal! It's the first rugby game I've been to live and there was a great atmosphere. Most of the fans were London Irish and there was an overall attendance of just over 23,000. London Wasps won the game and I reckon it was deserved...

After the match we went into Old Orleans in Reading for some food then caught the trains back to Paddington. We stopped for a last one in the pub in Paddington Station before heading back across town to St Pancras & Radlett...

BA164

Well, what an eventful flight! It started off by being delayed by two hours due to some idiot wandering around the runway ay Heathrow, hence they held us on the ground at Tel Aviv rather than hold us up circling at Heathrow. So, we started out more than two hours late despite Captain "Optimistic" saying it would be around a "10 minute" delay. As we approached Heathrow, we circled Heathrow for about another 30 minutes or so before being allowed to approach. After landing, we must have turned off the runway on the wrong side as for some reason we had to cross the active runway again after landing - I would think this is not the norm? Then, to top it all off, we couldn't approach the gate because the "ground staff were not ready" and there was a piece of equipment in the way that could only be moved by a select group of staff. This resulted in another 30 minute delay. All told, our Israel flight took over 8 hours...not a good one for BA...

The Return...

Eventually made it back to the UK...wow...Ben Gurion is very security-conscious!!

It all started when I got stopped for taking photos in Tel Aviv beachfront...apparently I was taking pics of the US Embassy! I've no idea where the US Embassy is! Anyway, it was quite interesting...five minutes after I'd been stopped by a guy with a pistol and another with a machine gun, he knew my address, how long I'd been in Israel, where I was staying, whom I'd been to see, who I worked for etc, etc...eventually I was allowed to carry on my way (after showing them the photos I'd taken) and made my way back to the hotel.

I decided to go to the airport early...I'd heard that security could be an issue and to allow for 3 hours...I'd allowed four...

Upon arrival at Ben gurion, you're greeted with a checkpoint and armed guard. This is the first check - a quick "Where are you going? What flight" What time?" etc, etc and we're through to the drop-off area - another mile or so further on.

There's another armed guard here but I didn't get stopped here and carried on through into Departures. Once inside, I joined another queue and then the questioning began. It's very intense...asking all sorts of things about where I'd been, why, who with, time spent there, where, etc, etc. I then got taken into another area where my case was unpacked, re-x-rayed and every item was checked individually. I was there in total for another couple of hours before finally being "released".

More Israel...

Today we did some more visits and then headed down to Tel Aviv, where I was staying in preparation for my trip home tomorrow...I'm checked into the Dan Tel Aviv...very nice...

Tonight we went to the old city of Jaffa (as in the orange). What a place, typically Israeli I would think and very old. We had dinner at a great fish restaraunt, right by the harbour.

Israel...cont...

(my hotel is in the top left of this picture...)

Tonight, we went for a meal in Haifa city...to a place called Hashmura. It was a very old place, occupying a restored German Colony Mansion built in 1872. There's a review here.

I also did a spot more sight-seeing, viewing the Baha'i Shrine at night is a sight worth seeing. This shrine apparently is the birth place of the Baha'i religion and visitors come from all over the world to this site. It is also spotlessly clean, being cared for by the visitors. I 'd originally seen it from above on Monday night, but seeing it from the bottom, gives you a better idea on its perspective.

Israel

Today I flew into Tel Aviv, Israel for a business trip. The flight was BA and left Heathrow around 08:30. We had a slight problem with the wind when we took off...apparently, the gusts were "more than the aircraft was capable of"...reassuring...anyway, we eventually took off and actually it wasn't that bad...just a little bumpy.

Flight time was around 5 hours and then we arrived at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. What a nice place! This aiport has apparently been voted No. 1 in the world and you can see why. Its pretty new, having opened in 2004 and is airy, clean, spacious and well-designed.

I was then picked up by a representative from our distributor who drove me to Haifa, a city in the North of the country where I am staying for two nights. The hotel was the Dan Carmel and was very comfortable. We went out for something to eat at a place called Renne...also very good. I'm now just finishing off my wine and then its off to bed...I have a big day tomorrow...

McNeill Gallery

Today it was back down to Radlett as we had an invite from Beverley at the McNeill Gallery to attend a viewing of Alex Rennie and Lawrie Williamson paintings. SJ had already bought an Alex Rennie and really likes his work (so do I for that matter). We went down to the gallery and unfortunately Lawrie wasn't there but Alex was. We spent a fair bit of time talking to him and it was pretty intersting to determine some of the reasons for his paintings...it makes the painting we have that much more interesting...

I'm sure there'll be more purchases in the future...watch this space...

Crufts 2008

Today was the annual visit to Crufts...the Working Group was on a Saturday this time which is unusual, the last few times its been a Thursday or a Friday. I'm not sure if they move the days every year, I guess they do so it'll probably be on Sunday next year...we'll see...

We saw the Mallies and then spent some time with the Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bull Mastiff's and loads of others. I think my Mom wants to have another dog when she retires (probabaly next year) and she was asking various breeders for their advice. My dad on the other hand was not so excited by the prospect...he still needs convincing...

Update: Just watched the Best In Show and SJ and I both predicted the BIS and 2nd. It was won by a Giant Schnauzer called Philip or correctly known as CH JAFRAK PHILIPPE OLIVIER owned by Mr and Mrs K Cullen. He deserved it in my opinion, he's been in the final 3 times and this year was his year, unquestionably...

RBIS was a Samoyed...a lovely dog by the name of Hermioni (I think). Both were well deserved...

Scotland...again!

I've been back up to Scotland again. This time it was only for a day trip. I caught a BMI flight from Birmingham to Glasgow at 07:00, went to do a presentation in a company just outside Glasgow, had some lunch and then caught a flight back around 18:00. Its tiring though, I know you're not doing much for a large portion of the day but it takes it out of you...its surprising...

Dogs now fine...fingers (& paws) crossed...

Without speaking too soon, I think the dogs are now OK. They've are now together all the time and they are now only separated when they are eating. Its still a little bit tense (from our point of view) when they start play-fighting but generally speaking, they're OK. Long may it last!