Making the most of the peace and quiet

Thursday was my only day physically at work this week, as primarily I’ve been following government advice and working from home.  You can achieve quite a lot working remotely, but every now and then it still requires someone in authority to be present to sign off completed batch sheets and move things on to the next stage of the manufacturing process. 

I was quite happy to be that person, and to provide the necessary QC cover; after all other members of my team had done their share earlier in the week. So, despite the diminished output at present, there was still a large pile of paperwork for me to sort out. Quality management systems rely on carefully specified checks at each stage of the process, especially where accountability and lot traceability are concerned.

I had one of the quietest journeys into work I’ve ever experienced. There were almost more cyclists than motorists on the road; a situation that’s unheard in normal times. We have taken advantage of the government’s furlough scheme by laying off our production and packing operatives, leaving just a skeleton crew to keep the place ticking over. This meant there were only nine of us in the building, rather than the usual 30 plus. So, with little to distract me in the way of phones or other colleagues, I was able to get plenty done, whilst alternating between my desk upstairs and the QC laboratory downstairs.  

I even did some product testing, not just to keep my hand in, but because production were looking to fill the two batches I passed today. Demand for normal dental restorative materials may have plummeted, (put bluntly drilling a patient’s teeth with all those tiny droplets being aspirated, is a risky procedure, particularly when Corona virus is an ever present threat), so with many dentists dealing with emergencies only, there’s been a huge demand for over-the-counter, temporary filling materials and other DIY remedies.

The time passed quickly and at lunchtime I headed off for a short,  30-minute walk – making full use of my government prescribed exercise period and the fact the roads were practically deserted. It made a real change not having to throw myself into the nearest hedge to avoid being mown down by a speeding motorist. In addition, silence reigned. With few cars, and no aircraft overhead, birdsong and lambs bleating were the order of the day. 

The village where the company is based, is on the flightpath into Gatwick and normally there are planes flying over at two-minute intervals.  You get used to the whine of jet engines overhead, so it’s only when they’re not flying (as at present), that you start to miss them. It’s likely to be some time though before any of us are flying off to foreign parts, so in the meantime it’s nice to make the most of the peace and quiet.

It was also nice to make the most of the fine weather, on what must have been the warmest day of the year so far. Having worn my usual thick coat to work that morning – it was chilly when I left home, shirtsleeves were the order of the day by lunchtime!

I noticed a few changes since I last walked that route – the best part of a week ago. For a start there were the odd clump of bluebells poking their heads up in shady areas at the side of the road. Also, the lambs which, just a few weeks earlier were skipping about, seem to have bulked  up and are now looking remarkably mature in comparison.

Apart from a couple of dog walkers and the occasional cyclist, I saw few other people out and about. A new-build barn-conversion was still being worked on, and there were others out tending their gardens on the outskirts of the village., but all things considered it was one of the most enjoyable walks I’ve had in a long time, even though it’s one of my regular lunchtime walking routes. 

We’re into Easter now, and normally I would have been heading off on the annual Good Friday Ramble. This year’s event has been cancelled for obvious reasons; the first time in over 40 years, but needs must and all that. I’ll be taking a walk out later, as I’ve got a letter to drop off for a work colleague, but on what looks like being one of the most glorious Good Fridays we’ve had for a long time, in terms of weather, it seems a real shame not to be heading out to somewhere more exciting.

I’ll leave it at that, and wish everyone a happy and relaxing Easter under the current circumstances, and here’s to a return to some semblance of normality in the years to come.

10 years on - looking back at the Isle of Man

Douglas, Isle of Man, was the venue for the 2010 CAMRA Members’ Weekend & AGM, but the weekend will really be remembered for the travel disruption caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano; the one with the unpronounceable name! For me, it will go down as my first visit to the Isle of Man and the chance to see and enjoy much of what the island has to offer visitors in terms of scenery, heritage, pubs and means of getting around.

I travelled on my own across to the island, by the fast Sea Cat Catamaran service from Liverpool, arriving in Douglas shortly after 10pm. It was Wednesday evening in mid-April, and prior to boarding the ferry, I’d spent the afternoon exploring a few of Liverpool’s finest pubs. After stepping off the ferry in Douglas, I walked along the brightly lit promenade to my pre-booked guest house. 

The proprietors  knew the arrival times of the ferry and were expecting me, but by the time I’d booked in and been shown to my room I decided that a relatively early night was in order, and that I would leave my first pint on the island, until the following morning.

I slept well and after enjoying an excellent breakfast of Manx kippers – what else? I headed out explore the island. Before doing so, I phoned Mrs PBT’s, and it was then that I learned that all European airspace had been closed because of the enormous ash cloud emitting from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, and that all flights had been grounded. Until that moment I’d been oblivious to what had been going on in the outside world.

I was due to meet up with a couple of friends from my own West Kent CAMRA branch, later that morning, and with a group from Maidstone CAMRA. My friends had flown over the day before, whereas the Maidstone contingent had, like me, travelled over by ferry. It seemed that most of the delegates had also arrived the same day, so the conference went ahead almost as though nothing had happened.

I spent the first two days in the company of friends Iain and Carole, plus Kent Regional Director Kae. We travelled first to Laxey, by means of the wonderfully eccentric Manx Electric Railway, which operates several sets of restored vintage trams, over a 17 mile stretch of narrow-gauge track between Douglas and Ramsey.  

After alighting at Laxey, where we spent some time admiring the impressive Laxey Wheel, which is the largest working waterwheel in the world. Iain and I climbed the winding staircase of the supporting structure, and as the photo's show, there was quite a view from the top.

We then journeyed onto Ramsey but made the mistake of riding in one of the semi-open carriages. The sun may have been shining, but there was still a real chill in the air; a factor made worse as the railway continued to climb into the rugged hills, before making its final descent into Ramsey. I felt stiff and seriously cold by the time we arrived in what is the second largest town on the IOM.

We found a pub to warm up in, and to partake of a spot of lunch. Unfortunately, the notes I took at the time have gone missing, so the name of the pub escapes me, but after looking at a map on WhatPub, and remembering that it was close to the station, I am guessing that the pub was probably the Swan.

The beer was Okell's - no surprises there,  and my first beer since setting foot on the island. The sandwiches though were a real disappointment, consisting of white, thinly sliced, supermarket bread - pappy and bland. Strange how you sometimes only remember the bad parts! Afterwards we took a stroll along the quayside, before diving into Trafalgar Hotel, where we met up with the contingent from Maidstone CAMRA.  

We returned to Douglas by the same mode of transport, but this time we sat in one of the fully enclosed carriages. We stopped off en route, at the village of Old Laxey, which involved  a steep descent from the main road, down towards the picturesque old harbour. There we enjoyed a drink at the atmospheric Shore Hotel.

This comfortable pub has a nautical feel and attracts many additional visitors in the summer owing to its proximity to the nearby sandy beach and promenade. Our reason for stopping was slightly different, but no less important, as the Shore Hotel is the island's only brewpub, and its single house-brewed beer, the malty Bosun's Bitter was much appreciated.

It was a steep climb back up to the main road, and then just a short tram ride to the Mines Tavern, a real gem of a pub nestled in the picturesque, semi-woodland setting of the Laxey Tram Station. The trams run right past the pub, and some of the outdoor tables are practically on the station platform. 

The Mines has a good reputation for food, so I’m fairly confident that we ate there. Unfortunately, I only have vague recollections of the place, and that might be down to the amount of beer I’d sampled by that point in the day. I didn’t even take any photos!

We’ll call it a day now, as there’s more to come when I describe my second day on the IOM and how we went on to explore the other side of the island.

Best stay at home today, folks!

I took the decision not to venture out today, or at least go no further than my own back garden. The weather is glorious, with wall-to-wall sunshine, and a gentle cooling breeze – ideal under normal conditions for a walk to an idyllic country pub. But conditions are far from normal at present, and the government have urged people to stick to the guidelines and stay at home.

If the scientific and health experts are correct, the next two weeks could be critical in flattening the curve, and slowing down the spread of this insidious virus, but with warm spring conditions, at least for today, the authorities are concerned that people will head out in their droves to parks and local beauty spots, potentially un-doing the containment that’s already been achieved.

My neighbours and I are fortunate in having large gardens to enjoy and to exercise in, should we wish, so I do feel for those confined to apartments or high-rise flats, but the situation is was it is even if this is of little comfort to city dwellers.  I had this conversation over the fence yesterday, with Terry next door, keeping at least 2 metres away from each other, of course. His sister has lived in Italy for several decades, and her and her family are under complete lock-down, which is still being rigorously enforced. As he said to me, you wouldn’t want to argue with the Italian police!

So, it’s the back garden or nothing for the Bailey family today, but yesterday, son Matthew and I did go out for walk. Our destination was the grounds of Somerhill House, a Grade 1 listed Jacobean mansion, set on a hill to the far south-eastern edge of Tonbridge. The grounds are about 10 minutes’ walk from Bailey towers, so a stroll through the grounds, and up to the house and back seemed eminently do-able.

Somerhill House is home to several independent, fee-paying schools, which are obviously closed at present, so we weren’t sure if the grounds would be closed as well. They were open, but with a prominent notice advising people to keep to the footpaths – more on that later. We therefore passed through the ornate wrought-iron entrance gate and into the grounds.

I have walked this route on numerous previous occasions, mainly whilst out with friends on walks out to the pubs in Tudeley or Capel, but with no welcoming hostelry waiting at the end, it was a stroll to the top of the hill, and then back down again. 

The first part of the route follows a paved road, which then crosses a bridge across the opening of a large, ornamental lake. Such man-made areas of water are a common feature of stately homes up and down the country. After passing a substantial lodge, the path then deviates to the left, and this was the route we took. 

There were people out and about, but overall, they were few and far between and in sensible numbers. There are however, a couple of observations I wish to make, and they concern social-distancing. First, if you are an obviously un-fit or overweight jogger, please consider others as you come lumbering towards them, puffing and panting thereby releasing all sorts of nasties as you approach. 

Second, whilst it’s fine for families to be out in the fresh air, taking some exercise, why walk four a-breast, forcing others to take evasive action as you approach them? A little consideration and thought for your fellow citizens goes a long way in helping to bring the end of this pandemic that little bit closer.

There’s not much more to more to report, apart from saying how beautiful the English countryside is starting to look, and that applies to carefully managed, artificial parkland areas as well.

Enjoy the photos, they speak volumes about what I have just said.