where art collides philosoperontap

and other breakfast stories

Up early to catch the 07.30. Not a bad kip. Usually when I set the alarm I’m awake every hour or so during the night. Probs only a couple of times this time. Snapchat from Joe at 00.25 still in the pub suggesting that he should be in bed as he has a big NUJO gig tonight.

Sat on the train waiting to depart (and thence breakfast). Wifi 0.93Mbps down, 0.98Mbps up, ping 101ms. I should get my 4G dongle out. It’s very quiet here in first class. Probably very quiet up the back too. This is not one of the new liveried trains. Looks like it’s on hire from East Midlands Trains. I guess they have to do that whilst switching the Virgin Trains in and out for refurb.

The trains recently changed their breakfast menu. Not much difference really – swapped egg flan out for a fried egg, added black pud instead of potato fritter (or whatever it was called) and a single flat field mushroom instead of multiple smaller ones. Designed by “award winning chef James Martin” and inspired by traditional flavours:)

Lincoln station is about to undergo a refurbishment as well as the trains. Scaffolding all over the place. Roof must have been on the verge of collapse. Someone committed suicide up there recently. Lots of cops and management types milling around the platform. It’s a somewhat dismal day. Not wet in Lincoln although the forecast for London is rain.

The trolley has just been to take my order for brekkie. The lady was from Dublin – I mentioned I was off there on Saturday. Could hardly understand a word she say so just nodded and asked if I could have another piece of bacon instead of the black pudding. She said she would ask though the chef is a miserable one today! 🙂 I’ll let you know…

Now racing through the back alleys of Lincoln. Industrial estates and unused land waiting to be built on. Hartsholme Park & Whisby Nature Reserve. Time for another walk there perhaps the next weekend I’m in Lincoln.

The Euro 2016 sweepstake is going well. I’m joint first with about 4 others having guessed the outcome of 7 out of 10 games. Mostly random guesses not knowing who was favourite. A combination of established names and personal bias.

This is the greenest time of year. Just passed a field of poppies where the dots of red provide a lovely contrast.

Breakfast came with an extra slice of bacon. Result:) Only problem was a tiny drip of mushroom juice or simlar onto my shirt. Wiped this with my red paper napkin and the shirt now has a red stain on it! Have to wait until we leave Newark Northgate to nip to the loo and see if I can clean it up a bit. I’m terrible with this sort of thing. V messy eater, no matter how hard I try.

I can now hear someone else on the phone. I mean someone at the other end. Bloke got on at Newark. Just stood up to look. He is holding the earpiece away from his ear slightly so that we can all hear. Can’t be bothered to let you know what’s being discussed. Sales numbers. “Need to get some definitives as to where we are.” “You know he can be a bit of a martyr. Do you think they will renew our contract?”. There you go I’ve told you. “Buy us some time. Let’s have another look at it. I’ve been in this situation too many times. Get the contract signed and we can work it through with IT.” It’s Mike we are talking about. Just need to find out who the companies are now. I’ll hold off going to clean up my shirt until the conversation is over.  “Get me the heads up on it. I can’t afford a half a million pound hole in SCA. Not with 8 days left. Let’s help him with it”.

Back at my seat having successfully cleaned up the splodge. He is now talking to Steve, the owner of the company. Discussing Mike. Everyone has a back to protect.

It’s going to be a tedious train journey if he is going to go on like this all the way to London. I’ll have to put my earphones on which is my normal recourse in this situation. Not sure I want music at this time of the morning though. Today programme maybe except every other word will be “referendum”.

This is not the smoothest of trains. He’s stopped thank gawd.

The boys are meeting in the Strugglers on Thursday to watch Wales v England. I’m sure they will put it England v Wales. I’ll be the only Welshman there. Problem is the game is at 1.30. Lunchtime. It’s going to be messy. I have Wales down for a win. Obvs.

He’s on again. “I’ve made a commitment to my boss to get the information. I’ve had this bollocks from Steve this morning.” Now there’s a Stuart involved. “I want an absolute confirmation of what finance are saying”.

The corporate world eh? I can imagine that the buyer is stringing them along. Applying the pressure. He’s asked a second time for a bottle of still water. “I’ll be coming through in a minute love with the trolley”. That’s telling him. She’s busy collecting plates.

I note they are continuing to let you access YouTube videos on the train satellite link. Whilst this is good in another sense it isn’t because it will chew up the meagre available bandwidth.