Tuesday 2nd October 2007: Another month started as the mornings draw in and the rain gets colder than it was in the
summer. I began at a disadvantage today having hurt my hand at home yesterday. It now gives me pain when I bend or twist it
in a certain way, yet oddly I managed to pick most of the bundles up with few problems. My wife gave me the usual sympathy -
"If it's no better tomorrow, go and see someone. For now though can you make me a cup of tea?" - Papers were nicely on
time and we had a new call with directions about how to find the house. As is usual, I like to find it myself first so
that I can then explain to the deliverer where it is. The house was easy enough, I just couldn't find the footpath to
the door. Eventually I twigged that the path which I thought led to the side door also led to the main front door! I blame
it on my hand!
Wednesday 3rd October 2007: `Tis foggy and misty this morning as winter gets closer. Thankfully it didnt really come down until 5am or so and the papers weren't delayed by it. Great story in the Mail today about how thefts in a Derbyshire shop dropped dramatically after the owners put up a life sized cardboard cut out of a policeman. Sadly the situation hasn't remained the same after someone pinched the cutout! There is another postal strike coming up so if any of our usual postal payers are reading this, we would request that any cheques are either dropped in the office personally ot, better still, give us a ring and pay by phone.
Thursday 4th October 2007: Unlike last week there was no mystery regarding the Standards as they arrived
before I did and were nicely stacked in the corridor. The local Bath Chronicle has recently changed from daily to
weekly which has caused us a few problems as it arrives to us overnight and is left outside. There is an inabilty for their
office to get a message to the driver to tell him where to leave them safely and out of sight but hopefully it'll be sorted
soon.
Saturday 6th October 2007: The dreaded re-run curse hit us today with the Western Daily Press printed late and not
on board at 4:30am. Apart from the Mail, the WDP is what we deliver most of so you can imagine the logistical
problems of having to get almost 200 re-delivered separate from the main batch of papers. The only saving grace was that
many of our kids are in later on a Saturday and only one had been and gone before they arrived at 7:15am and just about everything
was done by 8:30am apart from seven calls which I did very late (10:30am) after a misunderstanding between us and one of our deliverers.
Never mind, all thing considered, it went smoothly.
Sunday 7th October 2007: Papers were a little later today at 4:40am however everything was on board which after yesterday
was a bonus. Black mark goes to the Indy on Sunday which was last in, although that seems common for a Sunday. Two of our main
deliverers were both away today, however even after later papers, myself and one of our Mon to Saturday helpers were all done by
8:15am. One of our kids overslept and went round somewhat later than we'd have liked but it's unusual for him so only a minor slap
on wrist today.
Tuesday 9th October 2007: Main papers were in nice and early with the Sun and Times following up at 4:40am so not too bad. One of our early adults managed to catch the top of her fingernail with her stanley knife which caused a bit of pain if nothing else, so not to be outdone, yours truly here tried to be a little too quick when cutting open the bundle of Times and caught the ball of my thumb with the open blade, causing some minor bloodshed and major bad language. To be fair, an hour and a half on, it has healed very well and perhaps the bloodletting wasn't quite as bad as a scene from Saw as I originally feared. Bloody hurt though.
Wednesday 10th October 2007: Both vans were lovely and early today with all papers in by 4:10am. Two of the papers have craftily inserted leaflets/mini catalogues into their pages for our hard working staff to deliver for them free of charge which always irratates me and, I would imagine, most delivery agents. So black marks for the Mirror and Western Daily Press (not their week really after Saturday!) for their additional extras. I didn't feel 100% this morning probably due to having a very broken night's sleep (no, nothing to do with the excitement of Leeds winning on live TV last night!), however a combination of Pepsi and Galaxy chocolate has helped a bit. Thumb update - healing well although it hurts when I stretch it or wash up or hoover. That sort of thing.... Finally it's my wedding anniversary today! 15 years since tying the knot. By a weird quirk of fate, it's my wife's anniversary today as well.
Thursday 11th October 2007: Not much to report today I'm afriad which is always a good sign for us. Standards in on time as were the papers and all told no major problems. Sorry. Boring I know, but we'd rather have it that way!
Friday 12th October 2007: Papers were in a little bit later today which seems normal for a Friday although our driver was jammed down with Saturday's Telegraph mags of which we have 18 bundles ourselves. The postal strike ended a couple of days ago and it seems to be gradually getting becak to normal ahead of mroe strikes planned next week...
Saturday 13th October 2007: Big news first thing is that the post strikes seem to be off after the two waring factions came to an agreement. Still to be confirmed but we live in hope. Papers nice and early although we are missing a bundle of Tele weekend sections. One elderly lady who comes in early to collect a load of papers for her block of flats came in as usual today and said that she'd been a couple of men walking toward her as she came along the road. Slightly wary, as you would be at 6am, she said good morning to them to which they replied in kind and then handed her a booklet. It was only a Watchtower booklet which as you may know is the required reading for the Jehovah Witness! They are starting early today!
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