Saturday April 30th 7am.
Richard of Richard's Bass Bag* is in Grenada North on a very cold morning and about to drive a truck out of a yard and follow another truck to a depot to pick up some asphalt.
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| A photo later that same day. |
So, what is a violinist doing climbing into a cold truck with misty windows and a wide open window on such a cold morning? One thing is for damn sure, he won't be playing Paganini on this morning!
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| No way. |
"Follow Adnan!" the instruction is given. No time to turn off the wipers or work out how to shut the window because Adnan is already moving in an identical truck. Richard (of RBB) is trying to find the right gear and he jerks and bounces out of the compound and onto the road. A couple of minutes and they're on the motorway and heading in a two truck convoy to a quarry somewhere in the distance. Cold air is blowing into the truck but, for the life of him, Richard (of RBB) can't find how to shut the window. There is no winder and no sign of an electric button - remember it is dark. Cold and dark and the windows are covered with wetness that gives little vision. The two trucks head down 'the gorge' and, after making a turn, they're now heading back up the motorway. Richard (of RBB) now knows where they are going. Adnan picks up his load first and then it's Richard (of RBB)'s turn. He remembers doing this about 35 years ago when he actually worked for this company. You do a narrow back in under a big silo thing that dumps half the load on your tray, then you receive an instruction to go back a little further so that all the asphalt doesn't fall in the same place. Richard (of RBB)'s Irish mate, who's name is still on the side of the truck, calls the stuff hot mix and it is. So the first job, before leaving the quarry, is to cover the load with a big tarpaulin. Richard (of RBB) knows that collecting the next load will be easier, once the windows have demisted and he's had a chance to get used to the gears and shut that bloody window.
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This is basically a group of boys, led by Mr. Kelly, sealing a drive for a friend. I got involved because they were a driver short and I must admit that it was a trip down memory lane. If you think that your job is hard, spare a thought for the people who do this kind of work every day.
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| That's Adnan. |
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| That's Aidan. |
Here's the finished product.
Not a bad day's work!
* the original bass bagging site
33 commenti:
I would have thought that The Curmudgeon would be up by now - lazy bugger!
Robert will be working in the church shop.
Well done. That's pretty intrepid stuff but ..... I was involved in a trucking convoy yesterday picking up the kauri dresser and the oak wardrobe. They were both very heavy and I've munted my bac again. I'm writing this comment on my iPad, in a hot bath that has Radox and Epsom salts in it.
To be fair, the trucking convoy consisted of the truck driver in his truck and me in my car but I felt like a truck driver, OK?
At least I knew how to change gears and close the window.
Yours from a parallel universes.
Sorry to hear about your bac. Take it easy old fella. Boy, I'm glad I'm not your age!
ps. I did close the window a little later.
Yes, I told you I had a bad back. I've got the 'k' back (a joke there for you) after a soak in the bath.
"I love the smell of hot asphalt on an Autumn morning."
Yes, we know that you're strange.
It reminds me of that napalm line from the film Apocalypse Now.
Excellent job! I walk past that house regularly, and did chat to the owner chap when he laid the bricks. He told me asphalt was the next step, and in the intervening year or so I always walk past anticipating whether the next step has been achieved. I shall inspect closely tomorrow!
That guy is Aidan. Not the owner, just a very good friend to the lady who lives there.
You know a person could get confused between Aidan and Adnan.
Can you please choose your friends more carefully in the future?
Sorry. Robert loves you.
Anonymous said...
Don't worry Rob, but watch out for devils.
I guess we'll never see Robert, in one of his posts saying that dinner will be devilled kidneys or sausages.
All good?
Tutto bene.
That Benny guy again eh?
Let me know if you want help sorting him out.
Good joke.
Not really
Be nice, Toiletman.
Hey, I'm getting the comments!
True but there might be a slight similarity.
Just kidding.
Keep the comments rolling folks.
Maybe you should create an award for the lowest frequency of posting.
You're a genius poet Robert!
Not
I think he's pissed (and not on a nice mellow lager like Heineken).
27, no 28, comments!
I wonder if I'll get to 30? That would be special!
Not yet. Oops! I made it!
Hold on to your hat. The Supreme Court in USA seems to have overturned the Roe vs. Wade abortion legislation making it now illegal for women to have abortions so Robert will, as advised by his little friends in those black dresses, be banging on about the fact. No doubt he'll drop a comment or two on your post.
I heard that. ☹
I heard that, Pardon?
https://youtu.be/MfWr9JNUWfg
It's a bit of a stretch when Robert purports to be a champion of women's rights given that he, in previous posts and comments has shown himself to be a misogynist and supports a Catholic Church that is clearly antagonistic to the idea of giving women equal power in its running.
But they are going with women priests!
Not
Oh, so you'e back.
Robert's been filling in for you making comments all over the place.
Kind of like a seagull.
You removed Robert's comment which is a shame as I was about to respond with what Cardinal John Dew really said about abusing priests - and it wasn't an apology about them. Never mind. Maybe I'll write a post if Robert writes any more silly stuff on the matter.
Ha ha - it's early. I was reading your latest post in bed on my iPad and when I got up, turned on the laptop and looked, I saw this earlier post.
Sorry I got confused but, as I said "It's early".
I've since left a comment for you and Robert on your latest post
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