After each summer we always shed staff- it's our annual moult. With the loss, even though it is temporary,of our summer staff and Florian moving on to pastures new we find our selves in the position of being able to hire some full time newbies.
The summer newbies will return, for holidays, and bring their own shall we call it "special"brand of professionalism, but in the mean time we have two new starters, who have blown fresh air through the cafe.
With so many people looking for work at the moment I thought we would be inundated, and as time is generally short we put an advert in the paper that would put off the time wasters. We were brutally honest. We dared to put "hard work, long hours" we didn't make it pretty.There is no point putting all the good stuff on adverts- if they still want to work after reading the advert then good for them. If they think we are lying, then they will find out we don't do that.
It is amazing though how bad some people are at writing even a covering letter. They are miss spelled, have smiley faces or just downright awful.
The ones that start with "Hiya", "Alrite" or "Hey" followed by a smiley face in any form are generally disregarded. I know email etiquette is informal, but you are applying for a job, speaking to your new boss.
The email address is also a good thing to look at. I would, personally, change my address to my name, and a number or something that was adult and "normal". I would not keep the address I created at 14 that I thought was cool, sweet or sexy.
We have had various interesting email addresses. Anything that starts DJ tends to scare me, more so when its followed with words like skunk, gangster or killer. I am aware the name does not reflect the personality generally, but these names have been picked by themselves to show what they would like to be.
Gothy-lucy-babe was another we had. She turned out to be blond and in her 40s. A past revealed unwittingly? Sugarboymassiv is one of my favorites. It conjures up so many images. I-love-sex-and-chocolate was another that I don't think I would have kept. I have smiled at some; mums-email was quite sweet, a lady being dragged into 2009 possibly? I have received emails blatantly sent from the works address. This is surely either very brave or just stupid if the company isn't going belly up.
As an employer cv's are the initial introduction and the covering letter can really help that cv to stand out. Fancy fonts, colours and awful clip art pictures will not generally enhance anything. Clear, concise and enthusiastic is what I am looking for, and unless you are going for a job in computer design type stuff, I would imagine most employers are the same.
If you are in the market for a job then check you cv, and make sure your covering letter is enthusiastic and most of all spelt correctly!
Monday, 26 October 2009
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Every Little £1.5 Billion helps.
A rep turned up today to sell me an oven that could cook everything in 7 minutes. I didn't understand it, and why you want everything cooked in such a short time I do not know. It was not a microwave, but he couldn't tell me what it was. I asked what sort of meat it was that would cook so marvellously in that time and he replied "Any you would normally get from Tescos". My hackles rose.
I will not even start on the crap that various companies pump into meat, that now worryingly seem to be a selling point- "pork chops tenderised with glucose" was one I saw. Pork chops should be tender. Why would you put glucose with it? Amazed.
I have done a little research on the supermarkets. This recession we are in does not seem to affect good old Tescos. In fact they have just released the figures for this last 6 months of trading. Pre tax profits of £1.5 billion. In 6 months mark you. I wonder what the pre tax profits of our one remaining Butcher in St Neots is? I could have asked the 4 that we used to have, but they have all closed. Since Tescos arrived strangely.
Supermarkets have 85% of all grocery retail- it goes in this order, Tesco, Asda, Salisbury's, Morrison's and Co-op/Somerfield. And yet 63% of British farms are unable to make a sustainable profit. Supermarkets seem to be unable to buy British produce- yes, they buy some, they buy "local" stuff, but they offer such a low price to the farmers that it is no way profitable to sell to them.
There are certain towns around the country that are Tesco towns. £3 in every £4 spent is given to Tescos. Inverness is one such town. Tesco moved in, and bought up the land around the town. They have "banked" this, so no other retailer can build on it, and as it is a small town, Tescos is the only place to go. They now have the most profitable store per square foot in the whole country.
It's not just Tescos that are making profits from the recession. The small shops that are having to close down are apparently being bought in their dozens by the likes of Waitrose and Sainsburys. They will be made into "express" type stores. Waitrose are planning to put these small stores within Boots stores too. I guess while you get your anti-depressants that you need because you've had to close your family business, you can at least also buy some biscuits and tea bags.
The good news is that the Competition Commission is on the case. They will go slow, as they do, but they have finally realised that somebody needs to do something.
They are trying to stop the Big 4taking over the country and completely decimating our already dwindling high streets. They will stop supermarkets opening a new store if it already has more than 60% of grocery sales in the area, within a 10 minute drive, or where they have more than 3 rival stores.This I think will help, although they won't start for a good year. It will not help the high streets that have already gone, but it will hopefully slow down the process of loosing anymore good little shops.
For those of you that are happy with Supermarkets, and still believe that they provide jobs in the area, and cheap food, let me explain. Butchers can sell better meat at the same price. You need less of it from a butcher, as it isn't full of water and chemicals, and they know exactly where it comes from. Vegetables tend to be fresher from the green grocer. They are cheaper and seasonal, and have not had soil rubbed into them to look authentic, they have soil on them because that's how they should be. Markets and green grocers have limited storage so the veg and fruit won't have been stored for weeks in chilled warehouses.
I will admit that for £10 spent in a supermarket is worth £14 locally in rent, tax and wages, but lets think. Take a box scheme. £10 spent with them is worth about £25 to the community on workers (who are generally better paid then supermarket workers)and the use of local trades people, repairs to vehicles etc etc. We will never get rid of them, but let us take a closer look and make sure their friends in Westminster don't bow down to their demands.
I will not even start on the crap that various companies pump into meat, that now worryingly seem to be a selling point- "pork chops tenderised with glucose" was one I saw. Pork chops should be tender. Why would you put glucose with it? Amazed.
I have done a little research on the supermarkets. This recession we are in does not seem to affect good old Tescos. In fact they have just released the figures for this last 6 months of trading. Pre tax profits of £1.5 billion. In 6 months mark you. I wonder what the pre tax profits of our one remaining Butcher in St Neots is? I could have asked the 4 that we used to have, but they have all closed. Since Tescos arrived strangely.
Supermarkets have 85% of all grocery retail- it goes in this order, Tesco, Asda, Salisbury's, Morrison's and Co-op/Somerfield. And yet 63% of British farms are unable to make a sustainable profit. Supermarkets seem to be unable to buy British produce- yes, they buy some, they buy "local" stuff, but they offer such a low price to the farmers that it is no way profitable to sell to them.
There are certain towns around the country that are Tesco towns. £3 in every £4 spent is given to Tescos. Inverness is one such town. Tesco moved in, and bought up the land around the town. They have "banked" this, so no other retailer can build on it, and as it is a small town, Tescos is the only place to go. They now have the most profitable store per square foot in the whole country.
It's not just Tescos that are making profits from the recession. The small shops that are having to close down are apparently being bought in their dozens by the likes of Waitrose and Sainsburys. They will be made into "express" type stores. Waitrose are planning to put these small stores within Boots stores too. I guess while you get your anti-depressants that you need because you've had to close your family business, you can at least also buy some biscuits and tea bags.
The good news is that the Competition Commission is on the case. They will go slow, as they do, but they have finally realised that somebody needs to do something.
They are trying to stop the Big 4taking over the country and completely decimating our already dwindling high streets. They will stop supermarkets opening a new store if it already has more than 60% of grocery sales in the area, within a 10 minute drive, or where they have more than 3 rival stores.This I think will help, although they won't start for a good year. It will not help the high streets that have already gone, but it will hopefully slow down the process of loosing anymore good little shops.
For those of you that are happy with Supermarkets, and still believe that they provide jobs in the area, and cheap food, let me explain. Butchers can sell better meat at the same price. You need less of it from a butcher, as it isn't full of water and chemicals, and they know exactly where it comes from. Vegetables tend to be fresher from the green grocer. They are cheaper and seasonal, and have not had soil rubbed into them to look authentic, they have soil on them because that's how they should be. Markets and green grocers have limited storage so the veg and fruit won't have been stored for weeks in chilled warehouses.
I will admit that for £10 spent in a supermarket is worth £14 locally in rent, tax and wages, but lets think. Take a box scheme. £10 spent with them is worth about £25 to the community on workers (who are generally better paid then supermarket workers)and the use of local trades people, repairs to vehicles etc etc. We will never get rid of them, but let us take a closer look and make sure their friends in Westminster don't bow down to their demands.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
A Toast To Keith Floyd
I am raising a glass to the late Keith Floyd. I was a teenager in the 80s, and grew up on his wood/alcohol voice and chaotic cookery programmes. He was my hero.
My generation had Delia Smith and Patricks Pantry. Both studio based, quite stuffy programmes, and then in the early 80's along came Keith Floyd. Flamboyant and often well on the way to being drunk his programmes consisted of him going to meet chefs or fishermen, farmers or restauranteurs and cook with them. He did a programme from a trawler, steaming the fish as they caught it. This was new and very different.
I loved his voice, and the way he was in control of the kitchen- wherever he was. The only time I can remember when he wasn't was when he was cooking with an Italian lady who appeared to be about 103 who refused to let him go near her oven. He was bemused, and quite scared and brilliant. Anything he questioned she hushed him, so he rattled on about what he thought she'd done.
He told the cameraman-Clive- to focus on this dish, that ingredient and then "back to me, Clive" with such speed he could hardly keep up, regardless of the camera steaming up or getting hot fat splashed upon it. The programme used to do little segments of local history, or rants about how the British don't eat enough fish, used usually to pass the time while a stew was cooking. Clive would have to get up early and "Do the pretties" as they were called- the artistic bits. The segment was introduced thus "Lets have a fruity, passionate piece to camera about the sorry plight of English fish-eating habits". It felt almost dangerous for him to be introducing pieces with the words "The Director says you should see some local landscapes-I'll finish this bottle while I wait for you to come back" or words to that effect! Due to the amount of takes they used to do during filming, Keith's glass of local red was filled over again for continuity-he would be smashed by the time they had finished filming.
He also ran restaurants- three at once at one time, while doing radio and television. Unfortunately due a lack of business acumen, and the need to feed people and be generous he used to "comp" people and give away far too much, he declared bankruptcy. His food was all about local, fresh and simple. It wasn't the new fad- and there were many in the 1980s, it was history, what real people live on, and it was passionate and cared for. He taught a young Jean- Christophe Novelli in one of his restaurants and his passion for food shone through his programmes.
His director-David Pritchard- said of him, on first discovering him;"When I was in his restaurant I would see him talking to customers after a fairly gruelling few hours in the kitchen before, and helping himself to their wine and brandy, and gently taking the piss out of them. I would watch this floor show and I thought he was brilliant. He would apologise to people who were wearing Gucci shoes and faux-fur jackets for not having any scampi on the menu. I thought, this is what cookery programmes could do with. they're all so po-faced and prissy, we want someone who is actually a bit of an anarchist in the kitchen."
He was an anarchist- a big fan of the Stranglers. Peaches was the theme of his show- if you don't know the song youtube have it, and it now always brings a smile to my face.
He taught me that cooking should be fresh, simple and brilliant. You didn't have to abide to recipes, add a glug of good wine to everything and the restaurant business was hell, but fun and there will be many interesting people on the way.
I shall leave you with my favorite quote from his book Floyd in the Soup (my life and other great escapes) "It's best to know high people in low places"
Here's to you.
My generation had Delia Smith and Patricks Pantry. Both studio based, quite stuffy programmes, and then in the early 80's along came Keith Floyd. Flamboyant and often well on the way to being drunk his programmes consisted of him going to meet chefs or fishermen, farmers or restauranteurs and cook with them. He did a programme from a trawler, steaming the fish as they caught it. This was new and very different.
I loved his voice, and the way he was in control of the kitchen- wherever he was. The only time I can remember when he wasn't was when he was cooking with an Italian lady who appeared to be about 103 who refused to let him go near her oven. He was bemused, and quite scared and brilliant. Anything he questioned she hushed him, so he rattled on about what he thought she'd done.
He told the cameraman-Clive- to focus on this dish, that ingredient and then "back to me, Clive" with such speed he could hardly keep up, regardless of the camera steaming up or getting hot fat splashed upon it. The programme used to do little segments of local history, or rants about how the British don't eat enough fish, used usually to pass the time while a stew was cooking. Clive would have to get up early and "Do the pretties" as they were called- the artistic bits. The segment was introduced thus "Lets have a fruity, passionate piece to camera about the sorry plight of English fish-eating habits". It felt almost dangerous for him to be introducing pieces with the words "The Director says you should see some local landscapes-I'll finish this bottle while I wait for you to come back" or words to that effect! Due to the amount of takes they used to do during filming, Keith's glass of local red was filled over again for continuity-he would be smashed by the time they had finished filming.
He also ran restaurants- three at once at one time, while doing radio and television. Unfortunately due a lack of business acumen, and the need to feed people and be generous he used to "comp" people and give away far too much, he declared bankruptcy. His food was all about local, fresh and simple. It wasn't the new fad- and there were many in the 1980s, it was history, what real people live on, and it was passionate and cared for. He taught a young Jean- Christophe Novelli in one of his restaurants and his passion for food shone through his programmes.
His director-David Pritchard- said of him, on first discovering him;"When I was in his restaurant I would see him talking to customers after a fairly gruelling few hours in the kitchen before, and helping himself to their wine and brandy, and gently taking the piss out of them. I would watch this floor show and I thought he was brilliant. He would apologise to people who were wearing Gucci shoes and faux-fur jackets for not having any scampi on the menu. I thought, this is what cookery programmes could do with. they're all so po-faced and prissy, we want someone who is actually a bit of an anarchist in the kitchen."
He was an anarchist- a big fan of the Stranglers. Peaches was the theme of his show- if you don't know the song youtube have it, and it now always brings a smile to my face.
He taught me that cooking should be fresh, simple and brilliant. You didn't have to abide to recipes, add a glug of good wine to everything and the restaurant business was hell, but fun and there will be many interesting people on the way.
I shall leave you with my favorite quote from his book Floyd in the Soup (my life and other great escapes) "It's best to know high people in low places"
Here's to you.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Pirate update and Celebrations
I am pleased to announce that I have just signed a cheque for £700 to the RNLI. This was from the sponsorship we recieved and a percentage of our takings that weekend.
Thank you to everyone that helped us- the boys that did the pedaloe laps overnight so my staff could get some sleep, the Rangers and "friends of the Cafe" that did some laps too, and the more serious sailors that didn't shout too much when we drifted onto their course! Also all of our customers that sponsored us and supported us, and continue to do so every year
This year is the Parks 21st Birthday. Next weekend- 8th and 9th we have a Family weekend. The Park has invited all of the groups that use the park throughout the year to do displays etc for the weekend. Heart FM are coming with their stage, there will be an '80s Tribute band and Pat Sharpe- he of the Saturday morning shows. There is also kite flyers, face painting,taster courses in sailing and windsurfing, fire and police stands, willow work, Stick making, demonstarions by the Rangers and of course The Collabor8tors will be at the cafe on Sunday lunchtime to serenade you while you eat.
We also have a Hydrosphere in the park now, up on the small lake(Lynch Lake) next to us. For those uninitiated with the concept, and I still don't really understand it, you are in a see-through ball filled with air and the idea is to walk across the water. This is apparently very difficult to do and most end up falling and then crawling around. Very funny to watch, possibly quite annoying while you are in it. It is weather dependant and should be on each day over the summer.
So lots happening and I hope you can come and see what the park is all about on
8th and 9th August.
Thank you to everyone that helped us- the boys that did the pedaloe laps overnight so my staff could get some sleep, the Rangers and "friends of the Cafe" that did some laps too, and the more serious sailors that didn't shout too much when we drifted onto their course! Also all of our customers that sponsored us and supported us, and continue to do so every year
This year is the Parks 21st Birthday. Next weekend- 8th and 9th we have a Family weekend. The Park has invited all of the groups that use the park throughout the year to do displays etc for the weekend. Heart FM are coming with their stage, there will be an '80s Tribute band and Pat Sharpe- he of the Saturday morning shows. There is also kite flyers, face painting,taster courses in sailing and windsurfing, fire and police stands, willow work, Stick making, demonstarions by the Rangers and of course The Collabor8tors will be at the cafe on Sunday lunchtime to serenade you while you eat.
We also have a Hydrosphere in the park now, up on the small lake(Lynch Lake) next to us. For those uninitiated with the concept, and I still don't really understand it, you are in a see-through ball filled with air and the idea is to walk across the water. This is apparently very difficult to do and most end up falling and then crawling around. Very funny to watch, possibly quite annoying while you are in it. It is weather dependant and should be on each day over the summer.
So lots happening and I hope you can come and see what the park is all about on
8th and 9th August.
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Things people say
Those of you that pop in now and again will have noticed the vast amount of newbies we have on the staff. The "summer" hols mean that we are rushed off our feet and our new Uni students are a welcome breath of fresh air, never mind really useful. In this lovely weather we have been discussing staff past and present and the funny moments we have had over the years. Often Jodie or I will cry "That has to be quote of the day" and the story is resigned to the "for a rainy day" file. As we have a few rainy days I thought I would share a couple of quotes with you.
Tables on the balcony are numbered 1-6 from the steps. On asking a waitress to take a sandwich to Balcony two, I got the reply " But we only have one balcony"
On learning that we employed two Emily's one summer, Emily B asked "What's the other Emily called?"
On restocking the chocolate bars, I was confronted with a waitress that informed me that all the Bounty bars were broken.
A member of staff was showing a newbie how to clean the loos. She went through the chemicals and then stressed that the sanitary bins needed to be emptied. She asked him to then clean the Gents and he asked if he should clean the sanitary bins in there too.
On working the BMC rally- formerly British Leyland cars built in the 50's, 60's and 70's Jodie looked at the old R reg burger van and said that surely cars THAT old shouldn't be allowed on the road.
"Do you buy bread from the butchers as well?"
Many members of staff answer the phone, in my office, in my cafe, then call me and say "It's for you, I don't know who it is" (Always helpful!)
"Will you do the barbecue indoors if it's raining?" I'm thinking the insurance on lit coals in a wooden building would be quite high!
"The ocean is looking rough today- is it a sea or an ocean?" What's the cafe called- does that give you a clue?
On a really quiet morning where we had not seen any people at all, we convinced -almost- a member of staff that there had been some dramatic event and we were the only people left on the planet. Discussion ensued and on being asked what he'd do if he was the only person left he said excitedly "I'd go and rob a bank"
It's comforting to think that in our dotage these are the people that will be looking after us and running the country.
Tables on the balcony are numbered 1-6 from the steps. On asking a waitress to take a sandwich to Balcony two, I got the reply " But we only have one balcony"
On learning that we employed two Emily's one summer, Emily B asked "What's the other Emily called?"
On restocking the chocolate bars, I was confronted with a waitress that informed me that all the Bounty bars were broken.
A member of staff was showing a newbie how to clean the loos. She went through the chemicals and then stressed that the sanitary bins needed to be emptied. She asked him to then clean the Gents and he asked if he should clean the sanitary bins in there too.
On working the BMC rally- formerly British Leyland cars built in the 50's, 60's and 70's Jodie looked at the old R reg burger van and said that surely cars THAT old shouldn't be allowed on the road.
"Do you buy bread from the butchers as well?"
Many members of staff answer the phone, in my office, in my cafe, then call me and say "It's for you, I don't know who it is" (Always helpful!)
"Will you do the barbecue indoors if it's raining?" I'm thinking the insurance on lit coals in a wooden building would be quite high!
"The ocean is looking rough today- is it a sea or an ocean?" What's the cafe called- does that give you a clue?
On a really quiet morning where we had not seen any people at all, we convinced -almost- a member of staff that there had been some dramatic event and we were the only people left on the planet. Discussion ensued and on being asked what he'd do if he was the only person left he said excitedly "I'd go and rob a bank"
It's comforting to think that in our dotage these are the people that will be looking after us and running the country.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Fruit cake
I have been asked to publish this recipe as it is really lovely for wedding and christening cakes because it is not too heavy, and very good for afternoon tea and seems popular with the caravaners and ramblers.
It is a recipe from the Lake District. When the trade routes first opened the wool from the area was shipped all over the world. The ships bought back spices and sugar. One of the first spices to get to this country was pepper, and was used in all sorts of recipes, and although we now use it mainly for savoury dishes it does go extrordinarily well with fruit.
Westmoorland Pepper Cake
300ml water
125g demarara sugar
425g mixed dried fruit
75g glacee cherries- preferably natural
125g butter
pinch salt (optional, if you use salted butter, you really don't need it)
--------------------------------------------
300g plain flour
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon mixed spice
Quarter teaspoon nutmeg
Quarter teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 egg
Put all of the top set of ingrediants in a pan. Bring to the boil- be careful at the beginning so the sugar doesn't catch the bottom. Turn the heat down to simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes. The fruit will all plump up and your kitchen will smell of Christmas!
Let the fruit and juice cool while you weigh out the rest and line a 10inch tin. Put all the bottom set of ingrediants in a large bowl. When the fruit is cool- blood tempreture will be fine, add it to the large bowl and stir well.
Pour into a lined tin and cook at 325F for about 2 hours. If it looks like it is getting too brown on the top, cover the tin with foil, greaseproof paper or newspaper.
To check if it is cooked insert in the middle of the cake a skewer, or a kebab stick. If it comes out gooey then it is still raw. If it's clean, then it's done.
Tips
~Rather than just using normal dried fruit, add some chopped dates, figs, apricots etc. I add the amount of fruit and cherries up together, then make that amount up with a good mixture.
~You can also add nuts- walnuts go really well. Take out some fruit and replace the amount with nuts. Don't boil them though as it's good to have a bit of crunch and texture. You can decorate the top with pecans or walnuts, just before you cook the cake. We do this so our customers know it contains nuts.
~To get the shiny finish you see on television fruit cake, heat some apricot jam, add a little hot water and brush it over the top of the warm cake.
~The cake can be frozen, and it keeps well- as do most fruit cakes, in a sealed container.
It is a recipe from the Lake District. When the trade routes first opened the wool from the area was shipped all over the world. The ships bought back spices and sugar. One of the first spices to get to this country was pepper, and was used in all sorts of recipes, and although we now use it mainly for savoury dishes it does go extrordinarily well with fruit.
Westmoorland Pepper Cake
300ml water
125g demarara sugar
425g mixed dried fruit
75g glacee cherries- preferably natural
125g butter
pinch salt (optional, if you use salted butter, you really don't need it)
--------------------------------------------
300g plain flour
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon mixed spice
Quarter teaspoon nutmeg
Quarter teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 egg
Put all of the top set of ingrediants in a pan. Bring to the boil- be careful at the beginning so the sugar doesn't catch the bottom. Turn the heat down to simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes. The fruit will all plump up and your kitchen will smell of Christmas!
Let the fruit and juice cool while you weigh out the rest and line a 10inch tin. Put all the bottom set of ingrediants in a large bowl. When the fruit is cool- blood tempreture will be fine, add it to the large bowl and stir well.
Pour into a lined tin and cook at 325F for about 2 hours. If it looks like it is getting too brown on the top, cover the tin with foil, greaseproof paper or newspaper.
To check if it is cooked insert in the middle of the cake a skewer, or a kebab stick. If it comes out gooey then it is still raw. If it's clean, then it's done.
Tips
~Rather than just using normal dried fruit, add some chopped dates, figs, apricots etc. I add the amount of fruit and cherries up together, then make that amount up with a good mixture.
~You can also add nuts- walnuts go really well. Take out some fruit and replace the amount with nuts. Don't boil them though as it's good to have a bit of crunch and texture. You can decorate the top with pecans or walnuts, just before you cook the cake. We do this so our customers know it contains nuts.
~To get the shiny finish you see on television fruit cake, heat some apricot jam, add a little hot water and brush it over the top of the warm cake.
~The cake can be frozen, and it keeps well- as do most fruit cakes, in a sealed container.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Pirates of the East of England
The 24hour sail in aid of the RNLI is a spectacle to behold in the cafe. The flags and the bunting go up, the staff are briefed and there is a sense of expectation in the air.
The theory is that each team keep a vessel on the water for 24hours, counting the laps of the lake, and the time in which it takes to go around. Some of the sailors take this really seriously, it is a race after all. We, on the other hand, dress as pirates and take a pedaloe out, and generally get in the way. We do however have a really good weekend and try to get a generous donation to the RNLI.
This year the staff really got in the mood. We got a pedaloe team going, and even the Newbies got involved, not forgetting the help from Barry's lads from nextdoor, some random customers who just fancied a go and even Ian the Ranger who did laps for us before and after his ranger shifts on that weekend.
There seemed to be more boats on the water this year, and a good wind saw them flying over the lake. This is brilliant for them, but not good when you are so low on the water, but our chaps carried on regardless. The 5am shift- valiantly covered by Jodie, is great- calm water so you can overtake the boats, much to their chagrin.
There is a flypast every year- this time it was a Hurricane, a Spitfire both of which were dwarfed completley by the majestic Lancaster.
Shakehands Eric(see post below) played a set in the cafe, and were once again fantastic. They then moved to Barrys side to play for the worn out sailors. They played in the garage- although I don't think they now come into that genre- and said how lovely it was to play overlooking such a beautiful lake. They are sorry for the view their audience had!
Our team managed to do 30 laps, and we won the prize for most committed team. That may have been the team that needed to be comitted most! Thanks to the fabulous generosity shown by our customers the cafe has raised over £300 for the RNLI. The figure for the whole weekend has yet to be published. The race has been a great success this year, and we hope will continue to be so. It always takes place around the longest day. We hope to see you there next year- dressed as pirates if you wish.
The theory is that each team keep a vessel on the water for 24hours, counting the laps of the lake, and the time in which it takes to go around. Some of the sailors take this really seriously, it is a race after all. We, on the other hand, dress as pirates and take a pedaloe out, and generally get in the way. We do however have a really good weekend and try to get a generous donation to the RNLI.
This year the staff really got in the mood. We got a pedaloe team going, and even the Newbies got involved, not forgetting the help from Barry's lads from nextdoor, some random customers who just fancied a go and even Ian the Ranger who did laps for us before and after his ranger shifts on that weekend.
There seemed to be more boats on the water this year, and a good wind saw them flying over the lake. This is brilliant for them, but not good when you are so low on the water, but our chaps carried on regardless. The 5am shift- valiantly covered by Jodie, is great- calm water so you can overtake the boats, much to their chagrin.There is a flypast every year- this time it was a Hurricane, a Spitfire both of which were dwarfed completley by the majestic Lancaster.
Shakehands Eric(see post below) played a set in the cafe, and were once again fantastic. They then moved to Barrys side to play for the worn out sailors. They played in the garage- although I don't think they now come into that genre- and said how lovely it was to play overlooking such a beautiful lake. They are sorry for the view their audience had!
Our team managed to do 30 laps, and we won the prize for most committed team. That may have been the team that needed to be comitted most! Thanks to the fabulous generosity shown by our customers the cafe has raised over £300 for the RNLI. The figure for the whole weekend has yet to be published. The race has been a great success this year, and we hope will continue to be so. It always takes place around the longest day. We hope to see you there next year- dressed as pirates if you wish.
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