Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Martin (Admin) on April 13, 2011, 04:51:05 pm

Title: It's a job...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on April 13, 2011, 04:51:05 pm

I've just been made redundant after 10 years, which a record for me!

So let's find the longest serving Mayhemer on here.

1. What's the longest you've had a job and what was it.

2. What the best job you've had?
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Shipmate60 on April 13, 2011, 05:01:23 pm
32 yrs Marine Engineer with RMAS.
Best job by far.

Bob
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: chugbug on April 13, 2011, 05:13:10 pm
48 years with a medium engineering co. As to best, who knows, as it was the one and only.
                                                                                                                              Dave Gibson
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: wartsilaone on April 13, 2011, 05:13:49 pm
I'm a train driver and it's the best job in the world!

Ali
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Patternmaker on April 13, 2011, 05:55:06 pm
50 years as a Patternmaker, from 16 retired at 68 with a 2 year gap for national service.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 13, 2011, 05:57:11 pm
Quote
I'm a train driver and it's the best job in the world!

We'd all like to be train drivers when we grow up but sadly for most of us that will never happen. Lucky you!

Colin
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: John W E on April 13, 2011, 06:02:59 pm
hi ya

I worked for 14 Years at Rolls royce and after the first 3 years literally.  The rest of the time in that company was like a Prison sentence - redundancy was my gate to freedom.

I then joined a tuppenhalfpenny engineering company who never kept people on for long - and everyone dreaded Friday (black spot day) cos you didnt know if you were going to be shown the door - but to me one of the best jobs I ever had. Used to work short contracts all over UK and abroad. Spent many a freezing week in Rosyth in Scotland working on various naval vessels + other naval dockyards around the country.  Whilst contracting for the above company was offered a job for a company which make laminate and it took several of the bosses a long time to convince me  to go back in a factory, but, I was glad I did cos that was a good job as well.   I wasnt located in more than one place, and I think that is one of the bug-bears for me ITCHY FEET now and then ..... but the variation in work /engineering was vast. 10 years blimey....

aye
john e
bluebird
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on April 13, 2011, 06:16:42 pm
How do you guys concentrate for such long periods when driving?
... on 2nd thoughts, don't tell if you don't!  ok2


I'm a train driver and it's the best job in the world!

Ali
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: ACTion on April 13, 2011, 06:29:05 pm
1. 31 years in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. One promotion. Blagged an early retirement at 54.
2. Running ACTion - no contest!
DM
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Patrick Henry on April 13, 2011, 07:02:43 pm
Best part of 40 years as a trucker...wouldn't change a thing, loved every mile of it.

Mind you...retirement is sweet.


Rich
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: PMK on April 13, 2011, 07:13:22 pm
Martin, sorry to hear that you've been made redundant.
To answer the inital questions...

1. The longest job was that of electrician since leaving school.
2. The best job was a couple of years working for a local family business down at N. Devon.

Cancer took my then lady, a bad time all round, so I upped roots for a couple years and found myself doing any sort of work that came along - anything to earn a crust. Landscape gardening, white van man, general building maintenence, plumbing, plastering, roofing, installing LAN systems... you name it.
The S. Devon experience was totally different to what I'd been trained to do as an apprentice, but oddly enough was the happiest time ever. The wages were dire, but not such a bad thing because I had free accommodation in a six-berth holiday chalet all to myself. I had free meals, free utility bills, free booze at the end of each day, a gorgeous holiday location right on the doorstep of the local beach, loads of new friends, loads of female holiday makers to take your pick from, was basically my own boss... and then suddenly finding myself back in the building trade when one of my elder bro's needed help with a large barn conversion contract. Basically back to the usual 07:30 to 20:00 hum-drum malarkey. Aforementioned brother ended up ripping me off big time, and then the incident with falling from scaffolding, which pretty much was the start of a downward spiral.
Presently having the time of my life with a hot soldering iron, making circuits and gizmos, building model boats/planes, blah.

</CV>

Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: funtimefrankie on April 13, 2011, 07:35:46 pm
........when we grow up but sadly for most of us that will never happen........
Colin
If you read many posts on here none of have grown up.... :}
selective quoting is wonderful :-))

oh.... and 32 years with GPO telephones and BT, retired on 50th birthday with a nice pension...those were the days %)
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Subculture on April 13, 2011, 08:12:18 pm
I'm a Signals Technical Officer working on the London Underground. 21 years this year, was an apprentice until 1993.

Before that I spent a couple of years as an apprentice engineering technician with a small company in Finchley called Vacuum Interrupters Ltd, who made medium voltage (22kV) switchgear. Interesting place, with interesting people that was, IMHO, asset stripped by GEC Alstom.

My job involves some pretty unsociable hours, being shift based, but I'm usually doing something different each time, and I'm not chained to a desk which is my idea of hell on earth.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Double D on April 13, 2011, 08:13:14 pm

I've worked for the local Council since I left school.  I work at a Crematorium and I absolutely love it  :-))  

I wouldn't like a job in private sector because then I would have to start working for a living  %%
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: wartsilaone on April 13, 2011, 08:21:04 pm
Tell me about it. Getting up at 3am is no joke I can tell you.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: oldiron on April 13, 2011, 09:14:21 pm
 I worked 26 years in the electrical power industry. Started in coal fired generating stations where I got my Stationary Engineers accreditation (all things steamy like boilers and turbines and such), moved on to nuclear power then to power system dispatching for the last 15 years. Finished off in management when they decide to restructure the company and show a bunch of us the door. Got an early pension then went on to steam boat engineer, industrial maintenance, steam consultation, and farming (cattle and sheep). I think I'm pretty well retired now. Time for rebuilding old vehicles and old motor bikes and doing modeling from boats to live steam.

John
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Wetwater on April 13, 2011, 09:28:36 pm
   
    Longest job  .....   29 years hydraulic engineering.  Everything from palm size tiddlers  O0
    to 1/2 ton monstrosity's.  <:(

    Best job  .....   The last five years.   Now chief ( unpaid ) dishwasher at home.  The only
    downside with being retired is that the days seem a LOT shorter now.   :((










   
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: tobyker on April 13, 2011, 10:26:06 pm
Sorry to hear that Martin. The lad was made redundant (from a pharma co. IT Division) at Christmas and discovered that British Gas were hiring. Worth your while looking in that direction? He was with BG at Staines, now being moved to Heathrow. Hope you find something good soon. I'm done with all that - civil servant, retired. Hooray!!
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Peter Fitness on April 13, 2011, 10:37:33 pm
I spent 36 years in the family meat business, and after we sold it I had 12 years of coach driving, which I loved. I've been retired for the last 8 years and love every second of it.

Peter.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: RaaArtyGunner on April 13, 2011, 11:03:25 pm
Raising 4 kids from 1974 and still ongoing, grandkids etc, %) %) :} :}
not to mention 50 years in Building construction  :-)) :-))

What a breeze  {-) {-) {-)
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: pugwash on April 13, 2011, 11:23:56 pm
Only had two jobs - 10 years as  Signalman in the Royal Navy,  27 years in the Police
Best job the Royal Navy curtailed by having to leave to look after my first wife who had bone cancer.

Geoff
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: dreadnought72 on April 13, 2011, 11:54:17 pm
I left Uni in 1984 after a degree in Archaeology to become a BBC cameraman. Like you do.

It's a great job if you're young and have no commitments. After eight years of going all over the UK and doing and seeing pretty much everything to do with TV, I decided it was getting in the way of "life outside work". I had to book leave if I ever wanted a gauranteed weekend off, for example. So I took the 'dundancy package offered in '92 (£12k - a fortune!) nearly bought a boat, and did my own thing for a year.

Then I slipped into a job at a Scottish Uni doing video work, later web-work and IT stuff, and after 18 years I decided I needed to get out before I became totally institutionalised. Took the redundancy package offered in 2009 (£30k - a fortune!) nearly boat a boat, and did my own thing for a year.

(There's a pattern developing here!)

These days I do freelance web design work (hi Carl!) but the current state of the economy (there are not enough web jobs) means I have to top up Mr Mortgage's insatiable pockets with a part-time role in a well known supermarket. The pay's awful, the shifts insane, the consumerism and waste I see everyday immoral, but I feel strangely free! More in charge of my life than for a long time. I'm still applying for full-time IT/web posts, but I think my age/general iconclastic & independent attitude/car-crash of a CV are all against me. :-))

Do look at redundancy as an opportunity, Martin. A chance to do something you really believe in.

Andy

Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Capt Podge on April 13, 2011, 11:58:41 pm
Left school at 15 with "no levels" and "nay levels"  {-)

Out into the big world of work:-

Small supermarket as a trainee manager (warehouse boy) then:

Butchers apprentice then:

Fish filleter (cold) then:

Trawler deckhand (VERY cold) then:

Road sweeper then:

Back to butchery then:

Heavy Goods driver then:

Royal Navy then:

Northumbria Police (civvy) then:

Offshore (cold again) then:

Admin Officer DWP then:

Large supermarket (freezers) very cold again ! then:

School Caretaker (current)

.....so I seem to have come full circle  %%

......oh, and somewhere in between that lot I can throw in 12 years with the T/A.

............and now, at last, I've discovered model boats ! Hoping to retire soon.  O0

Regards,

Ray.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: matphoto on April 14, 2011, 12:29:37 am
Forty years in heavy engineering press shops, in various positions and with various companies - from press operator through the ranks to press shop foreman. Loved it, but totally deaf now. Made redundant in 2003 after serious injury to my back on the shop floor and not worked since, officially retire middle of this year.  :}  :}  :}
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: carlmt on April 14, 2011, 01:19:39 am
Left school 1980 to apprentice at Architectural Technology with Taylor Woodrow Construction.
5 years day release later I qualified and jumped ship to the south coast designing retirement apartments for McCarthy & Stone.
redundant 1989 - did allsorts for 2 years including postie - until I got back into architecture with local practice in '91. Not much paying work on so took my coach licence to have a fall back. 94 - back to McCarthy & Stone with a step up the ladder (TA!!).
Got very bored with designing the same old thing day in and day out so jumped ship in '99 to work for the Boss' sons designing luxury thatched cottages and the like. We got so busy that I had to recruit more designers quick - so I pulled in some of my ex-colleagues from M&S. Bad move - we now had a nucleus of expertise in retirement apartments, so the sons wanted to take dad on at his own game...........back to designing retirement schemes full time - but with the compensation that i was now a Director. THEN..........
THE RECESSION / CREDIT CRUNCH!!! Massive downsizing, many redundancies (not me) - little work (although it is picking up a bit now).....BUT....after 12 years I am getting just a little tired of retirement flats.......SO...

Am now starting on the new adventure of designing and bringing to market the r/c ferry kits........and Andy (dreadnought72) is designing the website - and a fantastic job of it he is doing too!!!! (Hi Andy!!!!).

Looking forward to the new adventure....................
Carl
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Bryan Young on April 14, 2011, 05:21:14 pm
Left school at 15 with "no levels" and "nay levels"  {-)

Out into the big world of work:-

Small supermarket as a trainee manager (warehouse boy) then:

Butchers apprentice then:

Fish filleter (cold) then:

Trawler deckhand (VERY cold) then:

Road sweeper then:

Back to butchery then:

Heavy Goods driver then:

Royal Navy then:

Northumbria Police (civvy) then:

Offshore (cold again) then:

Admin Officer DWP then:

Large supermarket (freezers) very cold again ! then:

School Caretaker (current)

.....so I seem to have come full circle  %%

......oh, and somewhere in between that lot I can throw in 12 years with the T/A.

............and now, at last, I've discovered model boats ! Hoping to retire soon.  O0

Regards,

Ray.

And now the best job in the world...Scale captain at TMBC!! Regards. Bryan.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: regiment on April 14, 2011, 07:23:02 pm
the best job and mates 22 years R A F ... pension not bad either joined jan 1949 demob 1971 then worked on a caravan site here in cornwall now retired  trying to make boats
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Tombsy on April 14, 2011, 08:30:06 pm
I'm a train driver and it's the best job in the world!

Ali
Freestyle downhill train driving in the Rocky Mountains. :}
34 years so far in my railway career and only a couple to go. But it's not as fun as it used to be, getting called anytime of the night or day for an 18 hour day driving a 2 mile long train.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Bryan Young on April 14, 2011, 08:52:32 pm
Please, what is a Freestyle Engine ? I have visions of "The wreck of old '97" running through my head! BY.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Tombsy on April 14, 2011, 09:21:35 pm
It's just a joke we had like "freestyle downhill skiing" because of the 25 mile hill we used to run down in Jasper Alberta. We set the train brake when the engines tipped over the hill and tried to "float" down or pull against the train brakes all the way down. It was too steep to be able to release the brakes and set them again on the way down. Sometimes the brakes smoked so much it looked like a forest fire behind you coming down the hill. These days with dynamic braking on the engines and fuel conservation it's a big no-no to pull against your brakes.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Netleyned on April 14, 2011, 09:24:31 pm
23 Years RN --The best years were 5 spent as a geophysics engineer on two Hydrographic Survey Ships
All civilian equipment with the accompanying courses were just the job for the North Sea Oil Circus
Swimbo said I want you ashore so I hung up me survival suit and got a job as a area superintendent eng
for a national entertainments centre company
I thought surveying was stressful as every thing had to be done yesterday but when it comes to money grabbers
its a different ballgame.
Told them to Shove It and took myself off on a year on the UK canal systems
Passing time as a transport controller until Sept when I will be 70 and DEFINITELY retiring

Ned
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Fifie on April 15, 2011, 11:31:04 am
Martin

perhaps you can now finish the windows on your model
Hope you can find a new job
Fifie
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Nordsee on April 16, 2011, 09:03:32 pm
School ( hated it), Army ( Airborne, loved it!) then Coachbuilder, enjoyed that until the proper trade died when I became a carpenter, this continued until I came to Germany as a shuttering Carpenter, learnt to lay bricks, drive a Tower crane and do drains and ground works. After 22 years the Firm went bust and I was out at 61, 3 years Dole and then Retired, Great!!. I really enjoyed building houses and Flats etc, ended up running Sites, what you might call a Site Foreman. No formal training, learnt it all by doing. My last big job was a complex of 42 Old Peoples Flats. I can drive around my neighbourhood and think " I built that!" Nice feeling, when I Pop my Clogs my buildings will still remain...
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: fatcat123 on April 16, 2011, 10:03:34 pm
We'd all like to be train drivers when we grow up but sadly for most of us that will never happen. Lucky you!

Colin

I want to be a train driver too  {:-{   Lucky devil!
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 16, 2011, 10:06:25 pm
Well, you'll just have to grow up then.... :}

Colin
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: wartsilaone on April 16, 2011, 10:09:34 pm
We haven't grown up, That's why we are train drivers.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: fatcat123 on April 16, 2011, 10:15:09 pm
Lol,

Personally, i left school and then went to college and did a pointless IT course.  Then worked for Npower in their techincal support dept and got sick. I then worked at manchester airport at a refurb company. All through this time, i was gathering my experience and qualifications to go offshore as a welding inspector, NDT tech and pipeline coatings inspector. This lasted around 18 months until i was involved in the saipem 7000 medgaz accident in september 2008, where 4 were killed and i was the worst injured survivor and only narrowly avoiding death.

Currently not doing a lot except still recovering and going through the legal wranglings.

Dan
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: wbeedie on April 17, 2011, 10:43:35 am
Fishing, Army Bapiper, Fishing, Building trade made redundant Back at sea, left school with nothing and always have a fall back ,do I enjoy it ? Sometimes, does it pay the bills ? Sometimes but would I ever stop the sea ? Never, I dont have blood in my veins just red salt water :-)), .
The only time I quit the sea for an length of time was when  the boat I worked on foundered and lost a crew mate and friend , but new I would have to go back sometime to earn a crust ,
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: malcolmfrary on April 18, 2011, 10:37:21 am
Left school at 16 to be a "Yoof" with the Post Office Engineering Department.
Learned how to look after various kinds of telephone exchange, had the best job in the world as a special faults investigator for about 8 years, then had the worst job in the world for about 4 years locked up in an office, and had "them" close said office as a 50th birthday present.
Went back to school as an "active job seeker" to get a certificate to say that I could walk upright and read instructions, then alternated between being a civil servant and a delivery driver (bread, magic smell first thing in the morning) before, at about 56, working out that I was spending a third of my breathing time for a nett gain of about £35 a week.  I decided to "spend time with my family".  The plan was to survive comfortably until I got my wrinkly pension, then we could enjoy things.  As it turned out, we never got to enjoy the last bit - my wife had a fatal heart attack before I managed wrinklydom, just before our ruby wedding, but we did have a good 6 years together.

Martin, the very best of luck with your job hunt. I hope you find "the job" that you deserve, and may you and yours live long and prosper.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Roadrunner on April 18, 2011, 10:48:18 am
10 years from age of 16 at a packaging firm, ended up shift supervisor for the last 2 years, took voluntary redundancy in 2009 as a way of escape they had nothing else to offer me.
Past 2 years now been quite happy being a full time modeller and doing commissioned pieces for others being a full time house husband is great possibly the best job in the world, why do women moan about being home all day looking after the kids its beyond my understanding!
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: cloggie on April 18, 2011, 11:07:19 am
Signed the visitors book at Swan Hunters for 16 years then someone asked me to pick up a hammer ....so I left....Cheeky sods "Did they think I was there to work?"  {-) :o
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: essex2visuvesi on April 18, 2011, 12:34:49 pm
Not much really.... left school in '88 YTS Computer bloke and tea boy, then into the Royal signals (6 months active duty, 9 months in hospital/rehab after I fell off an icy wall doing an assault course and broke my leg in 4 places) real jobs with an accountancy firm (IT Manager) and Power companies.  Freelanced for a for several years with some interesting jobs with Raytheon Systems (Classified) and trackside IT support for Williams F1.

A selection of crappy contracts doing IT support then moved to Finland, worked in estates management for 18 months and now back in IT for a local ISP
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Guy Bagley on April 18, 2011, 01:52:49 pm
did various jobs as a student, barwork, fish filleter in a billingsgate wholesaler, supermarket shelf stacker..... the usual...

then graduated and left uni when the fun began,

worked making architectural models for about a year, then made some sets and a few props at pinewood studios, then did some product development and rapid prototyping work then got the best job of all which is bricklaying...

 i have been doing it now for 18 yrs sticking little bricks together.....dont want to change it for anything....
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: DickyD on April 18, 2011, 03:10:04 pm
A job you don't want to Lego of Guy ?
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: essex2visuvesi on April 18, 2011, 05:36:04 pm
did various jobs as a student, barwork, fish filleter in a billingsgate wholesaler, supermarket shelf stacker..... the usual...

then graduated and left uni when the fun began,

worked making architectural models for about a year, then made some sets and a few props at pinewood studios, then did some product development and rapid prototyping work then got the best job of all which is bricklaying...

 i have been doing it now for 18 yrs sticking little bricks together.....dont want to change it for anything....

My boy wants to know how you become a professional lego builder?
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Bryan Young on April 18, 2011, 06:38:30 pm
Re-reading all the previous posts, I can't help but admire the fortitude and "grit" of those who've overcomed so much adversity and still have a sense of humour. By comparison my (40 year) seagoing career was relatively trauma free, interesting (at times), but always "educational".
Best job? Early retirement that lets me do most/some of the things I missed by being away from home so much. "Retired" now for 16 years.....16 of the happiest years of my life! BY.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: stoney on April 18, 2011, 09:14:40 pm

 27 years in the building trade, now suffering with a bad neck, shoulder, elbow, back and knees still must'nt grumble only 21 years till I retire  O0

 Paul
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Guy Bagley on April 19, 2011, 09:34:35 am
My boy wants to know how you become a professional lego builder?

Its a long story but basically  my route was via a degree in industrial  modelmaking- then several years of freelance modelmaking/ rapid prototyping and a little bit of set and prop building....i saw an ad for a  job and applied, it was a short term contract to build a landscape/ topographical model .......this was the model used in the planning application for legoland windsor...once this landscape model was complete they asked if i wanted to build more models, - i said yes not fully realising it was making models with just little bricks....

the rest they say is history- after 3 years of building models for legoland windsor, i then worked on legoland california for 3 years, then germany, and now i am repsonsible for the design and build of models for the new inner city legoland discovery centres which are being rolled out worldwide....

there is alittle more to it than just sticking bricks together but  basically thats the route i took, you obviously develop a style  and the more models you build the better you get, but even after all these years i am still learning -all models are still  designed  'by hand/ people' - very few computers are used to design any of the lego creations we build, - with so many standard lego bits any CAD package would never know what part to use, - thats down to each individual modelmaker to decide  :-))
 yup there are downsides to it, - weekends are often working days as are bank holidays,( plays havoc with going to boat shows ! ) we also maintain all the animated models on parks too so this can mean  over night strip downs of pneumatic and electromechanical systems, but its not all bad....i manage a great team of people and its its a fun atmosphere -  i wish my salary was nearer that of the MD of tescos  but hey we all want to earn more !!!, but i do alright... and i never get up on a monday morning thinking i dont want to go to work...and you cant put a price on that.....so all in all i am a happy chap really !-
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: pugwash on April 19, 2011, 09:58:18 am
Sorry Guy I was being very dense when I  read your first post - I thought you had had  career change and gone off the be a brickie
I'll go back to sleep now - sounds a great job.

Geoff
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Guy Bagley on April 19, 2011, 10:24:10 am
Sorry Guy I was being very dense when I  read your first post - I thought you had had  career change and gone off the be a brickie
I'll go back to sleep now - sounds a great job.

Geoff

 i am a brickie.......just a junior one ! O0
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 19, 2011, 11:17:32 am
Quote
i am a brickie.......just a junior one !

Don't you mean a Bricklet - with knobs on?  ;)
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Guy Bagley on April 19, 2011, 12:37:59 pm
how rude...........but yes ! {-)
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Spook on April 20, 2011, 11:48:16 am
I started off as an accounts assistant but got bored with that, then I was in IT for almost 30 years (different companies) but was made redundant TWICE in October 2008. Retrained as a railway signaller in 2009 and now I keep train drivers happy by letting them whizz along the South Wales main line without stopping them at my three level crossings.
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: wideawake on April 20, 2011, 05:31:28 pm
i am a brickie.......just a junior one ! O0

It looks like you may have competition Guy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13139918

Cheers

Guy
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: Guy Bagley on April 21, 2011, 08:47:03 am
no competiition, his model doesnt float !!! O0

- but to be serious i've known ed for several years- we also supplied some of the bricks he needed and i also interviewed him for a job last august !- hes a great chap and a good builder, - and its a nice model....
Title: Re: It's a job...
Post by: cloggie on April 21, 2011, 10:35:55 am
Sorry Guy I was being very dense when I  read your first post - I thought you had had  career change and gone off the be a brickie
I'll go back to sleep now - sounds a great job.

Geoff

I've heard he loves the job so much, he goes off on a busmman's holiday every year going up a scale building huts for pygmies in the rain forests of Brazil..... %%