Things I still don't like - BUSES!

Last night should have been cricket nets night. I missed it last week so I was all set to go last night, not even the England v Switzerland game was going to make me miss it. I checked the bus timetable - the 800 due to pass through Marlow about 1715, so I got to the bus stop at probably 1714, having walked for three or four minutes along the route of the bus, without it passing me.
Anyway, sure enough, no sign of it! 3 buses went the other way in the 50 minutes I was waiting until the next bus arrived (10 minutes late...). Suffice it to say I was very cold and annoyed by the time I got home at 6.20, rather than 5.30. I would have to leave home at 7pm to make the start of nets, and I just couldn't face rushing to make tea, eat it and get changed, nevermind spend some time with Olga and Lara. As it happens Olga had made me anyway, bless her cotton socks, but I just wasn't in the mood and sat down to play with Lara and watch the game anyway. I was thinking of composing a rude and sarcastic email to the boss of Arriva, but after a large whiskey and once the footy started, I couldn't be bothered to do that either. Next time, Mr Arriva!!

Just to rub it in, this morning, as I was driving to work, the morning bus to Marlow pulled out in front of me from my stop (absolutely dead on time to the minute, it had been 5 minutes late when I got it yesterday morning) and crawled up the hill at 10 mph. If I'd not nipped past it round Handy Cross roundabout, I'd have been stuck behind it most of the way to Marlow! They annoy me when I need to use them and even now have annoyed me when I don't need to use them!! Arrgghhhhh.

Things I've Liked and Not Liked

An update on Arriva Buses - they were in my bad books again for making me wait 25 minutes one morning this week, but then in the evening I had to run for the bus home. If I was being cynical, I would say that the bus was early, which is even more unforgivable than it being late, but seeing as I did actually catch it, and I'm not cynical, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it was exactly on time :-)

I also can't decide if I like being so busy at work or not. I've had one of the busiest weeks I can remember this week, mostly getting ready for my trip to Oslo on Monday and Tuesday. Obviously it's good to be busy rather than have no work to do, but this has almost been too busy, given that I would have preferred to get home at 5.15 so I can play with Lara a little, rather than 7pm and then I have to bathe her straight away and put her to bed. It's interesting work, which helps, and challenging, and I'm on top of it, which makes the hard work worthwhile. But then I would prefer less work and more time at home!

I like that I can do some of this work from home, which means I don't have to go into the office at the weekend, well, not until tomorrow. Modern technology - couldn't live without it!

Football update - I like that Bury are drawing 0-0 with Southampton at half-time, and I also like that the online commentary has just left the microphone on so I can hear the half-time entertainment at the ground, as if I were there, without the hassle of getting cold or queuing for my pie! Lara & Olga are here listening too!
In a masochistic way I like that Havant are giving Liverpool a game at Anfield, it was so predictable!

Today's Likes and Dislikes

So far today I like Local Radio (www.mix107.co.uk) for telling me when the Handy Cross roundabout is a car park in the morning. I log in to work from home until I hear it's cleared up.

I like Southampton FC for sending Bury 3200 tickets for Saturday's game. I called Bury today and they're not going to sell anywhere near that many, so plenty will be returned to St Mary's, so I'm going to buy my ticket on the day. Who knows, maybe Olga & Lara will want to come too!?

I don't like the drivers who park their lorries across junctions or jump red lights on Handy Cross, only making the problem worse.

Things I've not liked this week

Arriva Buses!
I tried using the bus on Tuesday morning to get to work. The timetable suggests there are buses every 15 minutes from Wycombe to Marlow - I was aiming for the 9.05. It was raining heavily, and the first bus that came was at 9.50. When I made a polite enquiry to the driver about if Arriva were now running an hourly service, his reply was that his was actually the 9.20 bus. Anyway, we've all been there and know how frustrating it is. They should do away with actual timetables, and just show the times of the first bus, last bus and the frequency they are supposed to run at.
They didn't redeem themselves on Wednesday evening when I waited 35 minutes in Marlow, only for the bus I got on to be overtaken by another Arriva bus on the same route five minutes later.
I'm toying with keeping a record of how long I spend waiting at bus stops after the timetabled arrival time, and sending a monthly report to the boss of Arriva, just to see what he or she would write back with! It's all time I could better spend with Olga and Lara.

NatWest Online Banking
I tried opening an online account that we can put Lara's child benefit into. I know I can open one instantly with Barclays, but I preferred to try Natwest so it would be easier to transfer money into our joint account when we needed it. The website certainly gives you the impression you can "Apply Online" and it will take "Less than 10 minutes". I did apply online and it took less than 10 minutes, but the last page of the application informed me that now my forms would be posted to me, I had to sign them and return them, then my account would be opened. That's not what I wanted, as I'd filled in Lara's CB form, and all I needed was a sort code and account number. So I'm having to wait for those now.