Lancashire Roamings

What an incredibly long day today. As Sara is down with the 'flu I decided to sleep on the couch in the lounge last night. Consequently, I did not get a great deal of sleep. I set my alarm for 4.30 a.m. and got up immediately it went off. I made myself tea, had a shower and finished my packing. I left the house at around 5.30 a.m. to drive to Southampton Airport for my flight to Manchester. I parked my car in the long stay car park and checked in at around 6.45 a.m. I was very early and unlike my previous trip to Manchester last week I went through security very quickly. I bought myself some of my favourite eau de cologne at a tax-free price and also noted the cost of Sara's favourite (and mine) perfume for future reference - much cheaper than the high street prices. Mt flight to Manchester in a Dash-400 (G-ECOH) was uneventful and we arrived about five minutes early. My overnight case was already on the carousel and I was through to "Arrivals" in about five minutes. The taxi picked me up after a further five-minute wait and I finally arrived at our offices at ten minutes after ten. Sara Bra arrived about half and hour later and we worked on the TUPE presentation we are to give next week. Lunch was a plate of chips with mayonnaise sauce! A final Mancunian delicacy before they close the office. The afternoon was taken up preparing for tomorrow's tribunal when the tribunal office telephoned at just before 3 p.m. to say the claimant wanted an adjournment. I objected but, unfortunately, an employment judge agreed the adjournment. I now need to come back to Manchester again on the 19th October! I met my good friend Malcolm on Manchester Piccadilly's Platform 14 and we caught the 17.07 train to Liverpool together. We dashed into his house, washed and changed and then drove up to Preston for the Carling Cup clash between Preston North End and Spurs. Not surprisingly Spurs won 5-1. It was a great match and an opportunity to see some great England players perform so well. Peter Crouch scored a hat trick. We returned to Malcolm's driving through the centre of Liverpool. It was lovely to see the Roman Catholic Cathedral so wonderfully illuminated. Back at Malcolm's it was the usual tumbler of Scotch and a natter before penning this blog and a must earned sleep!