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So it's been a while but....

Now I have a reason to do a quick blog and let's hope it's the first of a whole new stream of thank yous not just from me but from you too.

So imagine Embankment tube station at 11:30 pm on a Saturday night.  For those reading not familiar with London, not only is this a very busy train station at most times but on a Saturday night it is positively heaving with revellers and people wanting to get home after an evening of "on the town".

Drop into this Martin.

Martin was on the platform of the Northern line.  His job was to announce when the next train was coming, where it was going (the Northern line splits and you have to get the right branch to where you're going) and telling us to 'mind the gap'.

Most of the time one hears but doesn't hear these announcements or just ignores them but Martin had a very clever trick.

He did his announcements in funny voices making us all listen and laugh in equal degrees.

So thank you, Martin, and a thumbs upfor doing your job with a smile and taking us along for the ride too.

So to remind you or explain to new readers, if you would like to write a post to thank someone or tell us something nice that happened just get in touch and we would love to hear from you and to spread the thanks.  You don't have to know how to do the formatting and stuff, we'll help you with all that.  This blog is for you, somewhere for you to have your say.  Thanks.

A Guest Post from Deborah & Leslie Smith - THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

From Deborah Smith

My dear uncle, Leslie Smith, has been a resident of North London since he moved to the Capital from The Midlands as a young man of 30, back in 1958. Now in his mid-eighties,

Leslie continues to be admirably active in his community – and so it was particularly heartening to hear that the community supported him when he needed it. Here is his story…

“Recently, late on a Friday evening, I was dismayed to discover that my wallet was missing. I had travelled in the afternoon by bus from Finsbury Park, North London to my home in Islington and was unsure whether the wallet was lost or stolen.

I walked again over the streets I had used when leaving the bus, to no avail, and then to Kentish Town police station to report the loss. 


The policewoman on duty was very helpful – straight away calling Cardguard, where my bankcards are insured, so that I could speak to them promptly to report the cards lost with the wallet. She took my name and address and telephone number and shortly after I arrived home 'phoned me to see that I had got there safely, which I thought was most kind. (An EverdayFolk thumbs up and thanks to the policewoman )

The next day I mentioned the lost wallet to my neighbours who immediately offered to lend me some money, though I did not need to take them up on their kind offer, as I had a few US Dollars at home that I was able to change for Sterling at the local post office. The post office cashier was extremely sympathetic and helpful – as was enquiry lady at Archway tube station, where I went next, to purchase a temporary Oyster travelcard, as my senior citizen’s Freedom travel pass was also in my missing wallet. (More EF thanks and thumbs up to the neighbours, the local post office and the enquiry lady at Archway station )

Later that evening I received a very welcome 'phone call from Cardguard to tell me that my wallet had been found and handed in to the London Transport bus garage at Cricklewood.  

I travelled on three buses to reach the bus garage, each time offering my temporary Oyster card to the drivers, while explaining why I didn’t have my senior citizen’s Freedom pass, and each one kindly waived me through without charge.(EF thanks to those drivers

)

At Cricklewood bus garage I found the contents of my wallet to be completely intact. I asked which driver had handed in the wallet as, of course, I wanted to thank him. The manager, though very courteous, said that he could not disclose the driver’s identity. (And a huge EF thanks and thumbs up to the manager and the driver that handed the wallet in )

One hears such stories about impersonal and uncaring behaviour in London, but here is an incident where everyone was completely the opposite: concerned, kind, considerate - and honest.

My heartfelt thanks to them all.”

Leslie Smith

Deborah Smith and her Uncle, Leslie Smith

London in glorious spring sunshine

Well I said it when I started and I said it when winter arrived, I suspected there would be more smiles, thank yous and posts in the spring and summer with the sunshine than there are in the gloom of winter and I was right.

Spring arrived in London in glorious fashion; the blossoms seem more abundant and perfect that ever.

Now you may or may not have heard of the London Book Fair, and if you haven't it's a trade fair for people in publishing which for the last few years has been at Earls Court in West London, (it's moving next year to Olympia), anyway, all you need to know is it's an enormous trade fair that descends on Earls Court in April.  

If you can find half an hour or an hour to get out of the Fair at lunchtime, everywhere in the Earls Court Road is packed and used to dealing with one time customers; either people attending an event at Earls Court or tourists passing through so it's not known for it's service.  That is until I discovered Gusto this Fair.

Gusto on the Earls Court Road, (corner of Kenway Road), was such a pleasant surprise.  It looks like any other sandwich bar from the outside but when you step in, you're greeted with smiles and excellent service.

We were in a serious rush and Milo and Sonni got us in, served, and out again in the time we had while not only not feeling rushed, but feeling cared for and looked after.

Milo didn't want a picture so here's two lovely smiling ones of Sonni.  Thanks and thumbs up to you both

(p.s. we liked it so much we went back the next day too!)

Day two of the Fair and my route to Earls Court on day one was a disaster so I decided to get the Overground from West Hampstead to West Brompton.  Good decision.  Not least for the journey time and comfort but because I started my day with a lovely smile from Alan at West Hampstead station and a nice chat.

One of the downsides of people wearing headphones is that they can't hear you when you say "excuse me".  I could hear my train pulling in so I went to run down the stairs at the station but the woman in front of me wasn't catching that train and because of her headset was totally oblivious to us behind trying to get past her to catch it.

Fair to say unfortunately, due to her obliviousness, I missed the first train but Alan, who was on the platform and who saw what happened came to chat.  

The sun was shining, picked up lots of good gossip about rumoured tunnels to link the three stations at West Hampstead, (currently the tube, the Thameslink and the Overground all go from separate West Hampstead stations which can be very confusing if you don't know where you want to be), and I was still an forty minutes earlier arriving than the day before so all in all, a great start to the day.  

Thank you Alan and a thumbs up to you too.

Don't forget, if you want to say thank you to anyone, just send us your post and we'll get it up in the future.

p.s. If you're trying to follow the blog, apologies, Google is having an issue with all blogger sites and the follow button.  We hope they'll resolve the issue shortly but if you want to complain, write to Google,  thanks.

it's hard to be positive some days

Today was one of those days when one just hates the West End; there were far too many tourists, far too many children and, on top of that, it seemed the world was hell-bent on being rude and hitting me; no less than four times!

I got hit on the arm getting out of the tube, (bruise worthy), I got my heel trod on, I was run into by a child on a scooter and most painful, a man hit me in the breast with the corner of his bag.  Not one of these people even paused to check what they had done never mind dream of apologising.

However, this blog is not about focusing on the negative but to find those bright sparks in our day and today it came from Citibank in Hanover Square.  (picture courtesy of Google). 

I needed some Euros and since I was walking past, popped in.  What an oasis of calm and smiles.  Although I want to give a particular thumbs up to Simone (who didn't want her picture here) I really want to thank all the counter-staff who never fail to be friendly, efficient and helpful.  Thank you.



So just a mini post today, but remember guys, please do post, comment, follow and spread the word.  This is your pin-board.  
Thanks for reading.