PeteB

Bereft

sad

Early get away and for once, an uninterrupted drive up the M6 to Bamber Bridge. I met the council chaps in the yard and we spent a couple of hours talking about woodchippers and how best to look after them and how to get the best out them. Sound set of lads, but LA things are hard work at times. For the Counties tree work, the have a Unimog with front mounted chipper, and a specialist trailer with crane to tow behind it for picking up lumps of wood or rough terrain access, the whole package is in the order of £150k. But the registered it as a truck rather than a tractor and as such, they need HGV1 to tow the trailer, no one has a licence! Their little truck which they use to tow this trailer and tracked chipper is a well built, good looking thing but, the garage ordered it without asking and it can only carry 350kgs legally! Pretty useless in most ways then....I discovered this when I ran a tree surgery company, the last two trucks that I ordered new, had a standard height tipper body so that the blokes couldn't get too much woochip on there and be running around with a huge overload! After that, I went to call on a couple of local people with ours but they were at work. I then went to Dunnockshaw to meet my dealer there which was fruitful. I arrived as he was opening an order from Rossendale Council for another machine! The off to Tarvin to see another dealer to show support and willing there and then home in time to have done another 12 hour day! Wednesday is the 'divorced dad's day' and my two still come for supper. Caz has swapped her days for a couple of night shifts to be with a better crew. So she is having a lie in tomorrow and I won't see her until friday morning for an hour!

Emotion

Thanks Graham, I do live quite an oddball work life and non standard home life too! I say oddball and non standard but in reality, divorces, wayward kids, shift work and life as a rep can be depressingly normal to some! Caz was away at three and I was sat behind the desk at 7:30, I sent a message to the chap who wanted to see me in Shropshire, the address should have come through last night. He got back to me at 9:30 having just seen the message. Mission aborted. He forgot I was coming and the site wasn't right! So I stayed at home to write up notes for next week's sales meeting, do some used business and generally catch up with office stuff. Amongst the detritus is an email from that colleague. He is upset because one of his dealers has given him a shoeing because it was noted that one of mine is advertising a two year old new machine on machinery4golf.net for £21,500 - some £1,500 cheaper than where would expect to be. In reality, the dealer is free to sell at what price he dreams up, but we ask them to maintain value and margin in our offerings. He seems to ignore the fact that one of his is advertising the same, but brand new, for £21,750! But then, that is okay as it is in deprived S Wales, and his dealer commands my respect! I haven't voiced my thoughts, but it is on the lines of 'Man up, get a life, which tree surgeon is going to be viewing a golf machinery portal for a chipper!' and 'I'm more concerned that you are making demands when you told us to go forth when we questioned your uplift of our parts prices!. As Caz came back in the afternoon, we decided to go to hers to say hello to her folks, dog and kids. Fish and chip dinner! Had some bad news from the depot who lost their lorry driver in a tragic accident in the yard. One of their Ag reps had an Anyuerism(?) and died at his recently. Nice chap too. Early start tomorrow, 1st appointment in Preston at 08:00!

greed

I had to meet a group of workers on site in Swindon today, they're boss has supplied them with two new machines and they are unhappy. He has had our chippers for 20 years or more and had this model before. They are complaining that in comparison to the older units, these don't pull brash into the machine as well, they had video'ed a slim branch not being chipped when you'd think it would have wolfed it down! Fundamentally, we haven't changed anything with the machine and they have the hump. So I go to see them on site. Good bunch of lads, who want things to be better, but cannot understand that we haven't changed anything! I took my demo unit and that did exactly the same as theirs and I was happy with what it did, to be honest. I had to say 'sorry chaps, if you think that that bundle should have gone through, then you need to get a bigger machine. I will try and look at getting a few changes done, as a trial, but, I couldn't say that I could see what they are on about! Trouble is, I got another customer ,with the same model, and they are complaining of the same issues. He too has had the older version and thinks that the new version isn't as productive. I got to try and catch him on site in Shropshire tomorrow too. I shouldn't really have to get involved but everyone else seems to be in a shrugging mode..... I called in at the factory for something on the way back and drove home through a tremendous thunderstorm that absolutely hammered down the rain from the Stratford on Avon, Warwick, Coventry area! Hard work driving in conditions like that at times. Home to an empty house, Caz is on nights and has gone to the gym. She has a fixation on being the right shape/size etc. There isn't much fat on the girl at all and but still thinks that she has to tone up and get fit. Bless the girl, she puts a lot of effort into life! The night shift at the airport can be tedious at times - the other night, she had to sit in a Zafira, watching an imaginary fence to stop contractors wandering through it while a new facility is put up for JCB. When it came to moving and going back to the main building, the hand brake was stuck on and they had to leave the car and cadge a lift of another team!

Caz was up at 02:30 and came back at 10:30 and that is the pattern for the next week! I got up at eight and after a few jobs and breakfast, set about the paperwork on this Section 75. I hope it comes off as I cannot be bothered to discuss it anymore! I tried to be civil, reasonable and fair but they just gave me the bird, do battle it is then! I made soup for when she woke, then we went to town on an errand. We had intended to go to The Beacon for a walk, but we both felt a tad down hearted and gave it a swerve! Roast Pork for tea and she's in bed soon after eight! I'll watch some tripe and go up at 22:30 isn't. If I go at the same time as her, I cannot sleep well when she is gone and end up having a tough day! eBay and Autotrader dreaming of the next dog bus to be done too!

Sins

Dwarf

We got to bed at midnight, absolutely shattered. Decent lie in this morning and a easy breakfast, no rushing about. We drove up to hers and after axeit about and chat, did a bit of shopping etc. Caz's daughter had me sit in the passenger seat of her car for the first time as she is learning. To be fair, I got too many bad habits to be a teacher but she drove with confidence and commitment and I hope she passes in a couple of weeks. I missed doing it with my kids, I have always had a company truck which isn't available for learners so missed out on teaching or even road time. Watching the International rugby now, the England match was good although the disallowed try was disappointing. Ireland aren't getting it easy against the Panthers. I'll look online for the other results. Caz and I are mulling over what to get if we get a refund on our lemon. We still want a Q7 but, the seed has been sowed over a MB GL420 and she would like to sit in an X5. Not my thing though!

Shy

Sorry, late doing this! Early start, leaving some 20 minutes after Caz got in, 06:20. Headed up to Ulleswater for a demo of a small tracked unit! Lovely weather and lovely spot by Aria Force waterfall. A long drag up and the drive home just seemed to go on and on! Got home for soon before 18:00, and a quick change and kid of tea and off to Welfird Road to watch Tigers v Sale, Caz, myself and our four kids and one other. Evil weather, cold a wet! It pished done! Got that done and came back to a takeaway and a glass of wine.

unsure

Caz came home at 5 and crawled into bed, I slept a while longer after drinking the tea she had brought up, bliss! Good start to the day which went downhill pretty well from that point! I had to deliver a flagship unit to a customer that has risen from the ashes of another firm that I had several machines with in the past. This is a variant of an existing machine and the first to be supplied in the UK. It is going on a rail blockade tomorrow night and if it performs then several other could follow. I got delayed on the way to the factory, then I noticed several niggling little issues to do with fit and finish which had to be rectified before I left. Very annoying when it has been signed off as fit to go! I found a missing sticker and omissions in the manual which the tech people just gave me that bovine look again. Anyhows, I set off, slightly disgruntled, to their spot. I showed the contracts manager over the machine and he is highly delighted, we spent time talking about people in the trade, things that went on in the past and who was running the job now! All well and good.... I stop at the shop on the way back to get Jayde a leaving card and after chatting in the office, head home towing a trailer with another tracked unit on it for the demo in Cumbria tomorrow. I hadn't got far and noticed that while talking to someone else, the contract manager was speed dialling. 8 times in two minutes! The damn thing won't start! It gave all the signs of fuel issues but had a full tank. I was on the Coventry Bypass so a quick decision was to forget going home and head East for another hour! The directors and the contract manager were in a right tizz! A huge contract that they need to shine on and their newest asset won't go! I felt a twit but it wasn't our bit of the machinery but a fuel cut off solenoid had decided to die! While they accepted this and were pleased I had gone back and that I got two people there at 08:30 tomorrow, they are now rattled. I got to try and find a back stop for their job which is a big ask at this late stage! I could weep with frustration at times! Got home at 21:00, Caz had sorted my tea and has gone of the work again. I sometimes feel like I'm a hamster on a wheel! Slightly cross that the bank papers haven't arrived to sort the Section 75, I wonder what the process is if the garage has changed accounts, gone insolvent etc....I will be very cross if they have! Apoplectic more like!

Stayed at home today - Caz wasn't at work so it was good to spend some time together today. Even though I'm trying to deal on the phone and she is doing keep fit/dumbbell video on YouTube and you concentration wanes! I screwed up big time this week having had too many things on the go and trying to remember stuff instead of diarising everything that goes off! I cancelled a bank meeting on Friday for a demo in Cumbria. Only to find that unsettling feeling when I contact the dealer rep by txt to say 'okay for Friday? Got site details? Is he okay for finance?' and the response was 'Wednesday you mean?' Holy Moly!!! Quick consult with the customer - many apologies etc. 'No probs, lets do Friday but I cannot start with you until late morning?'. I agree to this and regaling the story to Caz, she reminds me that we are off to the rugby at Welford Road on Friday night as a group of 7! So I got to be on my toes on Friday back from Cumbria towing a lump! Spent most of the day doing office stuff, writing up notes for a sales meeting, organising meetings and demos, (ahem) writing stuff in diary etc...I got passed an enquiry from the office 'Please contact this fellow, he is after a 'used' unit.' I love having this conversation - 'What kind of budget do you have in mind?' a silence.....'I got close to £5k.'....'Oh, our cheapest machine has a list price of over £12k + vat!'.....'I got £5k including VAT'.....'Okay, have you looked at Ebay?'.......'Yes, but they are all junk'.....'Have you considered using your money as deposit and VAT on a new one?'.......'yes, but I got a couple of CCJ's, will I have to tell them?' I got in the Ranger to go to town and the AdBlue warning tells me that I got another 300 miles to go before the engine won't work, later, it decided that that figure was incorrect and I could double that! The folk that I got the Q7 from still haven't responded to me emails and txt messages about the Lemon, so I sent them another request. I fear that by the time time the bank dos a Section 75, they will have emptied their account and changed their name. I wonder where I stand then? Will the bank refund my loot anyway?

Glad it got resolved! Mines still useless and there is a discussion between me and the folk I got it off which, hopefully, means I'll get my money back!

unbelievable

Dumbarton customer for soon after 8, my dealer was there to assist and deal done! Back to his office at Bishopton for sorting out the deal details then strike out for Selkirk. That A708 is a hell of a road! Shame that there isn't much business for along it but the drive, the view is spectacular! Quick meeting at Selkirk then head south, through Jedburgh and over the Carter Bar! Again spectacular, but it is a means to an end, getting A2B. Home for 19:30 and it feels like a long week already! Sales figures come through and it looks like I'll hit target again! Bonus!

Halloween

I took the trailer and tracked chipper down to Alcester but the traffic on the M42 delayed me by a few hours. Did some chatting and updating folk on a few issues then hitched up a loan machine and headed North. Pretty easy trip with it rarely dropping below 50mph (M6 roadworks and Glasgow city) but otherwise had it at 60 all the way. The AdBlue registered 1280 miles to go when when I left and is now at 450! I got 20ltrs of the stuff from an Ag dealer for £14 but it is £19 for 10 ltrs on a forecourt! I ought to question Ford on whether I'm using too much. The Dispute section from the bank rang, but couldn't talk to me as my 'phone banking is blocked - password issues. I got passed to another department to reset it but after 4 attempts, we gave up! The technology going forward is voice recognition - I got a number to ring and when prompted, have to say, 'my voice is my password', and that is that! Magic! They are sending the paperwork for me to fill in to get a Section 75 done over the lemon Q7, I hope that I'm successful as I don't trust them to carry out a satisfactory repair. They haven't bothered to respond to my request for a detailed written and signed document to show what they intend to do, what arrangements are in place for warranty on the repairs etc, timeframe etc so I home the the 75 goes through! Slightly nervous......If the refund happens, I will look for another but am also intrigued by the S6 or S4 Avant, have I got deep enough pockets for the fuel I wonder! Sat in a Premier Inn at Lomondgate in Dumbarton - slightly bemused that during the summer, this room is £96 per night plus food etc, and now it is £56!

Count

Caz wasn't due back until mid afternoon, her son and mine wanted a roast beef dinner, so off to the shop for stuff! Also got the ironing done as well as other housework. I also fitted another reversing lamp to the back of the Ranger. A lot of vehicles only have one on one side and it gets a bit of a game in the dark. I quite often have my foot resting in the brake for extra light! I wired this LED work light into the bulb, if I picked up at the trailer light socket wiring, the ECU would have sensed the load and disabled the parking sensors! The roast dinner was delicious but having it early so Joe gets home reasonably early has had a knock on effect, we all think that it is now mid evening! Managed to get to watch the highlights of the England v South Africa and we did well. The 'Boks made a lot of errors and Farrol was lucky not to get done for a high tackle in my book!

Caz woke me at 01:00, had fallen asleep on the bean bag watching some old tripe! Up again at 07:30 and got some housework done before she came home. We had a meal together, breakfast type stuff, rare thing in this house as I don't usually bother weekdays. Had a call from this garage in Oldham that sold me the Lemon Q7. Asian yoofs with attitude and bolsh! "Been thinking Gaffer, yeh? We'll settle this with a grand, no questions, yeh?, I spoke with my lawyer who says you'll get nowt if you don't take it, yeh?" I just let him know that the CAB tell me that nothing short of a full refund will heal the job! He then goes on to offer to get it fixed at his mates with parts off a newer car. Admittedly, they can offer to carry out a 'satisfactory' repair and in my book that means genuine parts, done by someone who knows what they are doing. Hopefully, the bank will do a Section 75, charge back and that will do nicely. S Line in Loughborough just said, if they do a repair, get it in writing exactly what they are doing, who is doing it and where they are getting the parts from and insist that a cast iron, 12 month warranty on the car is given! Missed the rugby this aft, which is a shame, now back in the bag again!

Statement