Firstly, apologies to any regular readers I may have. Not for you being regular – that's good! No, it's me.
I've been quite slack recently in adding new posts to the blog. And this has been for a number of reasons.
My day job is getting busy, even with the Credit Crunch we are still getting work. January was actually our best month yet for attracting new advertisers on to the Good Access Guide.
I was working in Norwich today and the old grey cells were working overtime. The flickerings of a new business idea has now given me even more things to think about.
I've also been doing some extra things with the fire service too.
On Monday I stepped in as an instructor on the first FireBreak course to be held in Waveney. The course has been running all this week at Beccles Fire Station with a group of youngsters from the Beccles and Bungay area.
I was only needed for the one day and wondered how I would cope with this group. We're not privy as to why an individual has been put on the course – we just take them as they are.
It's a bit like a recruits course, with Day One consisting of lining up, coming to attention, at ease, running out lengths of 45, under-running, hose rolling, ladder drills, leg-locks, sill dismounts and then a combined drill to finish the day.
And I was seriously impressed with all the students. They put a great deal of effort into the whole day and achieved some fantastic results. Those instructors that are old-hands at this were genuine when saying that this was the best Day One they had ever seen.
It was nice to see the reaction when the youngsters received praise – heads came up and chests puffed out. Who knows, they may not get praised that often…
I'm hoping to get over to Beccles tomorrow to see the passing out parade. Each student can invite two guests to the event – and, hopefully, those guests will be justifiably proud of their son, daughter or charge.
Yesterday saw Rachael and me delivering two Learn and Live presentations at the North Suffolk Skills Centre in Halesworth – both to hairdressing courses. I did the first presentation, hoping I wouldn't get all hot and bothered delivering to an all female audience. Matters weren't made any easier when, in a stage whisper (loud enough for everyone to hear), one girl thought that her missing course-mate was not there because 'she probably had it last night'.
Thankfully I kept my composure and these two presentations were the best yet for audience participation – plenty of questions and discussions. This was probably helped by the fact that there was a mixed range of ages, not just all youngsters.
So, I've been busy for the last few weeks and it looks like it going to stay that way. But I'm going to try and get more posts on here. I think it's been too easy for me to update our shouts on alerter.co.uk, which meant I didn't feel too guilty about not posting to the blog!
I'll be back soon…