London to Crewe via Camden Town and Milton Keynes

So another, seriously, overdue couple of thank yous.

The first is to Dami at a Unite Student building between Camden Town and Kings Cross on St Pancras Way.  

So there's a bit of backstory here, so bear with me...

There is a fabulous (new to me) app call Printt App - check it out at https://printtapp.com/ - which if you're a student let's you print stuff for free* but with advertising.  So no good for that final dissertation but perfect for those things you want to read offline or work on in draft.

(*It used to be totally free but as of mid April they now charge a small postage fee for delivery).

You could upload the material on the app and it would be mailed back to you within a couple of days or, some universities have installed Printt friendly printers where you can print out your stuff via the app.

photo courtesy of Unite website

Anyway, during March (I told you this was a long overdue thank you) I needed some stuff printed and normally I upload to the app and the next day or two later, voila it appears.  But we're now at five days and various things I had uploaded hadn't arrived so I contacted them via twitter, @printtapp, and sure enough they were having a problem with their delivery system and advised me to go to a nearby 'station' that I would be able to find via their app.

photo courtesy of google maps

Hence my turning up at Unite.  Now, it turns out that Printt think anyone can walk into their stations and use their app but for security reasons, (which makes sense when you think about it), no they can't.  However, we were met by Dami in reception and I explained our dilemma to him.  

photo courtesy of Unite website

Dami was fabulous, having pleaded our case and checked with the supervisor, Dami made an exception for me and my friend (also needing some printing done), and we were allowed to go up to their very nice and impressive study room to use their Printt printer.



Dami couldn't have been nicer or more helpful while making clear that it was against policy but that he and his supervisor were making an exception.  Thank you both for being human and Dami, thank you for the laughs too!







Meanwhile, also overdue, I want to thank Marc, a senior conductor on London Northwestern Railway.  


















Travelling from Euston to Crewe is one of those journeys where your tickets can, depending on how much you paid, be only used at certain times or more importantly, on certain train line companies since different companies run the same route.

On boarding this LNR train, over the tannoy we heard an announcement about the tickets, which ones were valid etc etc, and then a different ending; the conductor added that since he really didn't like having to sell new tickets could everyone check theirs now before leaving the station and get off if necessary.  This little bit of humour added to the routine message made us all look up and acknowledge that someone was even speaking.

photo courtesy of LNR

Then we were off, and after a short while another announcement over the tannoy.  The conductor asked us all a question; "In 1934 what did a Yorkshireman, Percy Shaw lay the first of in this day? No Googling, I will tell you the answer before I leave the train at Milton Keynes.".

Well suddenly everyone in the carriage was laughing and smiling and looking at each other. It changed the atmosphere totally from the usual British one of everyone ignoring each other and just being in our private little worlds to one of community.  We were all discussing the question too and certainly in our carriage, we weren't checking it on the web.

When Marc came along to check our tickets, he was all smiles.  A really lovely attitude when asking to see the tickets, (unlike some conductors who assume you are a criminal without a valid ticket), and spent some time with Maggie, a giggling 4 month old on her first train journey.













I talked to him about how his attitude had affected the whole carriage and he said that's exactly what he wanted it to do, for strangers to talk to each other.  And it worked, I talked to three people in the carriage that day that I wouldn't have done otherwise.

So Marc, thank you and one more pic of that terrific smile!

Oh and the answer.... cats eyes!

Now, it's your turn.  Do you want to say thank you to anyone?  Well this is the place to do it.

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.  We just need some words and preferably some nice smiley photos.  (don't forget to ask if you can take them).  This blog is for you, somewhere for you to have your say.  Thanks.

....And if you don't want to write a whole post, then comments are lovely too.  Thanks.

no power or heat but the team were on hand to help

You know what they say, it never rains but.....

Sometime during the night, (it turns out at 2:00 am), our power went out so we woke Sunday morning to no heat or power.  Not the best timing for personal reasons since we are a bit bed/house bound at the moment but we called a company called UK Power Networks (think they used to be known as Eastern Power) about getting back on line.

Tina

We'd done all the fuse checks and things like that so Tina, who took our first call was really helpful and nice on the 'phone and said she would check the local status and call us back in ten minutes.  She did just that and said that they hadn't got any sign of outages in the area so does look like just us and would get someone out to us straight away.  So a big thank you and thumbs up to Tina  .

Lee - DST

Within about forty minutes of her call, Lee, the first DST (engineer to you and me) turned up and did some tests. 

He confirmed there was no power at our house so went away to check at the local sub-station.  No, he came back the problem wasn't there so they were going to have to get a team with a digger to dig the street up.

This was only moment where communication went a tiny bit awry.  We were told half an hour but two hours later we called Mark {picture of Mark maybe to follow - fingers crossed} who said he would look into it.  We got cut off and while we were waiting for him to call back I then got in touch with UK Power Networks via twitter.

Well everything took off at the same moment!

The team started turning up in the street; first to arrive were Lewis (on the right - who was in bed with the flu the night before) and Clayton (on the left) from Morrison Utility Services with a digger.  I was a bit worried when they arrived when they started marking up the garden on where to dig but they couldn't have been more considerate of my plants and worked around the "death trap" of a plum tree.   So a big thumbs up and thank you to both and, Clayton, hope your back gets better and Lewis, look after that cold and, don't forget, any time you want to help out at the allotment you're more than welcome!

Lee - twitter

Meanwhile, Mark called back with a very helpful update on what we could expect and when.  Simultaneously to this, Lee on twitter started sending me DMs with really helpful, up to the moment updates.  Thank you both Mark and Lee and

Jack and Mick

At one point there were seven vehicles outside (including the digger).  From UK Power Networks were Mick, (the guv'n - standing), Jack (Sitting down on the job - that's for his kids!) - who has two cats with some problems I recommended Liquid Garlic for - 





and Dave - who I've promised this isn't a dating site.   We also had a very nice man, (who I failed to get his name or picture - shame on me), who must have been a civil engineer or something as he had the local up to date plans showing the other utilities in case they needed to dig outside our property.  Thanks and thumbs up to you all

Dave

Luckily around three o'clock in the afternoon, just as the temperature was really dropping and it was getting too dark for anything, Lee (DST) came back with some gear and they managed to give us temporary power via a "loop" off our lovely neighbour's outside supply.  So a thank you and thumbs up to Lee .

Clayton

Lewis

They all worked on until just after six p.m. when we got back our power.  Great job.  (Big holes left in the path etc but promises for a follow up team to come the next day to fill them all in.).

Have to say, first dealings with UK Power Networks but am very impressed with the level of service and smiles from all. 

Thank you. 

******

   

ps - unfortunately the follow up team to fill the holes who came two days later, (from W**** - you know who you were) weren't in the same class and indeed scarpered without even knocking on the door to check all was okay or doing what they said they would do.

Winter Smiles

As I suspected when I started this blog back in the summer, the quantity of smiles one gets during one's day greatly reduces as does the light and temperature.

With the grey, wet weather we've had this winter, I can't say I'm coming across as many smiles as I was back in July and August however, that does however mean the ones I am seeing, are all the more lovely for the sparsity.

Tuesday, 21st, (January), all too quick to get a photograph or a name, I'd like to give a nice thumbs up to the female bus driver of the number 13 who stopped and waited on the Llanvanor Road stop on Finchley Road for the lady running to catch it in the morning .

The other Tuesday thumbs up goes to Richard, a waiter in Carluccio's in St. John's Wood.  Although there were some problems with our order; our wine wasn't available, we didn't order the lemon Pelegrino or the tomato pasta, Richard made us laugh and feel like important patrons.  Thank you Richard, and a thumbs up .

In light of this blog, I am also taking the 100 Happy Days Challenge - if you don't know about this, check out http://100happydays.com  and the hashtag #100HappyDays on twitter, instagram and other social media sites.  The challenge is to yourself - no one else - to try and find something that makes you happy in your day for 100 consecutive days.  It can be a puppy wagging it's tail, a good coffee, a smile at a bus stop, whatever it is, big or small, try and remember it and "log" it.  Take the challenge!

So move forward a week, the weather is even worse with miserable cold rain everywhere, (although I shouldn't complain thinking about all the flooding in Somerset and surrounding areas, those poor people www.bbc.co.uk/news/), and a friend, the lovely Lauren from St. John & St. Elizabeth Hospital, and I are on the top deck - best seat in the house at the front - of a 139 bus in the West End on our way to see The Book of Mormon.  We're stuck in traffic on Oxford Street and on the bus in front we can see two inspectors really checking an empty top deck; under and behind the seats.

Lauren and I are chatting away, looking at the Christmas decorations, (still up), when suddenly right beside us are the inspectors from the bus in front.

Now this guy, who wasn't allowed to give us his name, couldn't have been more fun or nicer on a dark, wet, Monday night in January.  Regent Street seemed to just whizz by.  So Mr. Inspector, a thumbs up from us for the banter, thanks.

Another bus thumbs up ; this time to the driver of a 460 (unnamed/unphotographed - to protect the innocent) who allowed me to travel two stops without my pass and without paying as I was accompanying my mother.  Thank you, that was a lovely gesture.  

But it isn't all thumbs up to bus personnel this post: two thumbs down: Monday, 20th January, the bus driver who was at the stop outside Holland & Barrett in Swiss Cottage and knew I was there, that I knocked on the doors and said excuse me but still decided not to reopen the doors and drove off and also to a restaurant manager that when I told him we had a reservation, didn't look at us or smile, but instead answered a phone, walked off at the same time to adjust a pastry plate, carried on talking on the 'phone and the most we got was a raised finger .  You guys know who are you.

Now, you must be getting a bit bored of my voice by now so why don't you send us your guest post, (details on how below), and use this blog as your opportunity to say thank you to someone who made you smile, or something else?

RNIB Black Lion Pub Quiz - the whole thing with thanks and photos

Anyone that follows me on twitter (@14NC) will know that I've been going on and on lately about a special pub quiz http://readforrnib.org.uk/event/london/literary-pub-quiz/ at The Black Lion Pub in West End Lane, NW6 http://theblacklionnw6.co.uk/ on behalf of the Royal National Institute of the Blind, (RNIB), Read For RNIB Day Campaign.  Well this post, which is a slight departure from the norm, is to say thank you to the many that helped with the night and to share some photos from the evening.

My idea was to take over the usual pub quiz and make it into a "literary" one, i.e. Read For RNIB, to raise awareness of the RNIB's work and to highlight the fact that only 7% of books are available to those that can't read normal print (http://readforrnib.org.uk/about/accessibility-of-reading/) while having a bit of fun at the same time.

I needed help.  I managed to recruit Carla who works at Paramount Properties (@west_hampstead) in West End Lane, and I couldn't have involved a better person or company. 

Carla and I went "cold-calling" to the pub and saw Gloria, (see earlier post Half A Bank Holiday for more about Gloria).  She loved the idea but had to check with management.  Management, in the guise of James, couldn't have been more helpful and supportive. (@TheBlackLionNW6)

Yes, we could have the pub on Sunday, 13th October and take over their normal quiz.  Usually all the entrance money goes first to paying the Quiz Master, Gareth, and then whatever is left over is the winners' prize.  The pub very generously agreed to hand over the entry money to us for the RNIB.

We had a date and a venue.  Now we needed prizes.  We had two main ideas.  Books and local businesses.  At this point, we had no idea how just how generous people were going to be!

To the authors and agents and anonymous individuals that donated signed copies of books, an enormous, huge, thank you and thumbs up 

           

Ruth Cherrington (@CHistorians) http://www.clubhistorians.co.uk/

Barbara Levy Literary Agency

Dame Stephanie Shirley (@LetItGoOfficial) http://www.steveshirley.com/splash.php http://www.let-it-go.co.uk/

Fiona Barrows (@fbarrows) http://about.me/fbarrows

Joseph D'Lacey (http://josephdlacey.wordpress.com/)

Kay Sexton (@kaysexton) http://www.kaysexton.com/

Rupert Crew Agency (@rupertcrew) http://www.rupertcrew.co.uk/

Other prizes donated included books, farm jam and proseco.  These were from various individuals but from someone I would particularly like to mention, Andy Sarner, (@Bubela), some mixing bowls and a kitchen towel as prizes for the winners.  Even though Andy couldn't make it on the night she went especially to the local kitchen shop to buy.  Other individuals and companies that deserve a thank you are Kamils, Chris and Ed at Browns, West Hampstead Library, Matthew at Cycle Surgery, Lena's, Jonathan of http://www.westhampsteadlife.com/, Anne, Marlee and Dave.  (If I've left anyone out, in this list, above or below, forgive me, let me know and I'll add you in!  Also, throughout here I've put twitter names if known and websites but I haven't included facebook pages which I know a lot you have, forgive me.)

To the local businesses, who so stepped up the mark, both putting up our posters and contributing prizes, you get an overwhelming thumbs up and thank you 

Danny and Saskia at West End Lane Books - a credit voucher (@WELBooks)  http://www.welbooks.co.uk/

Andre at West Fish Cafe - a meal voucher (@TheWetFishCafe) www.thewetfishcafe.co.uk

Shane at Art 4 Fun - six individual studio sessions (@Art4FunCafe) www.art4fun.com

Sylvia and Neel at Banana Tree - a credit voucher, a cuddly toy and a tote bag (@bananatree) www.bananatree.co.uk

Debbie and David Colour Division - voucher for photo session (@ColourDivision1) www.colourdivision.com

James at Little Bay Restaurants - credit voucher (@TheLittleBay) www.littlebay.co.uk
Esmeralda at Nail Suit - credit voucher http://www.nailsuiteuk.com/

Ed and Maziar at One Blenheim Terrace - a meal voucher (@OneBlenheim) www.oneblenheimterrace.co.uk

Mukesh and Nilesh at Peppercorns - (@peppercornsuk1) www.peppercornshealthstore.com a credit voucher 

Alicia and Davood at Hana - a meal voucher (@HanaRestaurantx) www.hanarestaurant.co.uk

Elijas and Sam at David's Deli - a meal voucher

The Black Lion in the end, didn't just donate the door money, they also donated bottles of wine as prizes, a meal for two voucher, arranged a Truman Brewery tour and stuck their hands in their pockets to add to the collection.  I can't say thank you enough and then we come to Carla.  

Paramount Properties http://www.paramount-properties.co.uk/ are very involved in the neighbourhood and through Carla, Robert Lazarus, the Sales Director and Spencer Lawrence, the Letting Director, not only did Paramount give a beautifully designed tote bag to absolutely everyone that took part in the quiz, but they also agreed to match whatever we raised at the pub.  Thank you  

The Tote Bag

So this was my idea for what the evening would involve but then, married couple Carol and Bob Bridgestock,who write the D.I. Dylan (@DIJackDylan) crime thrillers under the name R.C. Bridgestock (@RCBridgestock) and who had already sent me a signed copy of one of their books and an Audio CD of another came up with a great wheeze; I could auction off being a character in their next book.  Brilliant, in keeping with the theme and, more importantly, a great money raiser. Thank you both, so much.  http://rcbridgestock.com/ 

Okay, we've got the prizes now we need an event.  The RNIB helped (in the guise of Benjamin, Julia and Julie ) by sending balloons to decorate the pub, more tote bags for prizes, pins for the winners bags, bookmarks, posters, and literature for anyone who wanted to know more, but still, we needed a Quiz Master.  

In stepped Gareth.  Gareth usually does the quiz at the pub but we had the idea of wanting to add extra book-ish and blind-ish questions, (like "What time travelling author who fooled a nation with his radio broadcast also wrote short stories including one entitled, The Country of the Blind?" and "Which author of the Adrian Mole books has lost her sight?" and "Which blind Labour politician was Home Secretary from 2001 until 2004?"), no problem.  He was game for it.  I want to do a sealed bid auction at the beginning and end.  no problem.  But there was a problem, (to me); we couldn't speak until the week of the quiz or meet until the night.  Now I'm not a control freak, (no really, it's all lies), but this was giving me a little bit of anxiety.  Absolutely no need.  Gareth excelled and couldn't have been more helpful, intuitive or collaborative.  No only that, but after he'd left and said goodnight, Gloria handed me more cash; Gareth had donated his fee for the night.  Gareth, thank you and  a huge thumbs up   

And in case I didn't say thank you enough to James and all the staff at the Black Lion who were so brilliant on the night and before.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, we'll be back! 

Now to the night itself - wow it was great and I hope these pictures give a little sense of how much fun we all had! (if anyone would like a copy of any of these photos, please do just get in touch)

And.... the grand total raised?  £700.00.  Thank you all so much and give yourselves another thumbs up or two.

In closing, anyone who is unfamiliar with the EverdayFolk Blogspot, we're here for you, this is a public pinboard where you can tell us about that great smile, that bit of extra service you encountered in your day which just made the difference.  Please feel free to send us posts, comments or just follow.  Thanks.