My December was a busy one, managing a team of 35 temporary Xmas Data Entry keyers. A mostly fine bunch who belied any bullshit thrown in their direction by Channel 4’s Despatches program and BBC’s Watchdog. From the youngest (17) to the oldest (60) they mostly gave their all and made my job a lot easier. Sure, some days they stayed home but I can’t really blame them. When you agency buggers up your pay (sometimes paying nothing at all), getting up for work at 10am on a Sunday morning would be beyond most of us. The same would have to be said when some didn’t turn up on the last day - for which they would be paid in January…

Still I got them a cheap Xmas card each and they repaid me with a smile and a £35 bottle of Scotch. What a nice bunch. I am definately not management material..a good manager is not supposed to be popular.

Before I knew it, December 23rd was here and work over for a while. I had managed to save holiday time for Xmas so I won’t be going back until 9th Jan. Last year, I was not as gifted with foresight and went back on the 27th. What an idiot.

So. Xmas. Presents. Food. Sleep. TV..etc. Repeat until whenever…

There was a minimum of visiting this year. Some came to Badgers Wood and I only found myself in somebody else’s house twice. That’s the way to do it. I learnt the perils of being the only driver in my extended family many years ago and I always make sure I have a had a (sometimes fictional) few cans of cider before 10am most days. This usual keeps the “quick lift” requests to a minimum.

Dad and his good lady came down on the 19th and treated me to a meal that cost more than my IPOD in one of the best hotels in Plymouth. It was expensive but quite wonderful. I only wish I had taken a taxi so I could have tried the wine..

My sister’s 3 kiddywinks had a great Xmas. I don’t think its possible to have a bad one when you are under 10 years old. Uncle Neil had fun playing with most of their stuff anyway. They just don’t do it right do they?

Its now Monday the 3rd and nearly everyone goes back to work tomorrow. Most of the food is gone and all we have to do now is break our New Year’s Resolutions. I have broken two already - only one left.

Happy 2005

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