Monday was a beautiful, still, sunny day here on the coast. There’s certainly a nip in the air, but we seem to have got to Christmas quickly, don’t you think.
Winters never seem to last long here, not like they did inland, thank goodness. I bet I’m not on my own when I say I don’t like dark nights and early mornings. Just to cheer you up though, the nights start to draw out in two weeks. That always gives me hope for Spring being around the corner, even though it is a long way off still. It just seems to buck me up.
I’m glad it was sunny as Jane went to Kirkham after being invited to see, guess what, Father Christmas landing in a helicopter! Not many people can say he arrived in a helicopter – I always thought it was a sleigh with reindeers. How times have changed! She made a video which you can watch here –
It’s not just any old helicopter either. No, it’s the last remaining helicopter to have fought in Vietnam that’s still be in service that can carry passengers. How about that! The inside was trimmed up and Christmassy and the local school children are coming out class by class to receive their presents.
I bet they’re tickled pink. Hopefully some of them might not know that Father Christmas should come down the chimney after flying through the sky with his reindeer. They believe in him and it’s so wonderful for them – a time you won’t get back, as we mums and dads know.
Vaccination News
Changing the subject and onto the dreaded coronavirus for a minute and the news of the vaccine.
Apparently, the Vic and the Royal Preston hospitals are going to be hubs for it. They are able to store the batches of 975 doses at -70 degrees to keep them viable.
I’m hoping that by the time us over 75’s are due for one that GP’s surgeries will be doing them instead of going to the Vic. As you can guess, hospitals aren’t on the top of my list of favourite places to visit. Neither are GP’s surgeries after many bad memories of the places in my past when I lived in the other place. That’s if I could even manage to get there – the state my back and legs are in!
A lot of people still say they won’t have the ‘jab’ done as they think it’s not been researched enough to make sure it’s safe. Nobody can say hand on heart what will happen of course. But in my mind, surely they wouldn’t vaccinate so many millions of people if they thought it would bring horrible consequences.
I do know what people mean, because I’ve had a think about it too. But the greater risk to me at my age is in catching the virus, with a prognosis of ‘you haven’t got much luck if you are elderly’. Anyway, we can hope can’t we, that one day there will be a return to normal. Whatever that is as I seem to have forgotten!
Bad Hotel Experiences
Anyway, changing the subject completely again. Hubby told me the story of Britannia hotels and all the woes and troubles of people who’ve stayed there. Then I read a shortened version in the local paper which prompted me to put you in the picture.
It’s not the first time this group of hotels have been in the media. They seem to have a bad name for being dirty, serving poor food etc. The Norbreck Castle is one of them and the Metropole at North Shore another. I’ve heard many times how bad the Norbreck is now. I’d stayed there some years ago before Britannia took it over – what a shame that it’s being run down like it is. It certainly wasn’t dirty when we went and the food was good. It was quite a few years ago (in fact about 20!) but guests are saying that both of these places are filthy. OK, they are cheap at £58 a night, but no matter what you pay it’s no excuse for dirty rooms.
It seems that bathrooms and toilets were absolutely filthy, along with the bedrooms, and the awful food. I’m afraid if I stayed somewhere like that, I would vote with my feet and ask for a refund, along with playing pop. (Meaning I would be livid for those who don’t know!)
I certainly wouldn’t stay anywhere that wasn’t clean, and I bet you wouldn’t either. The hotel chain have spent, they say, £2 million on covid precautions, but say they have more to do. Well get on with it then instead of running fine buildings into the floor! How on earth are they allowed to stay open is my question. Surely, from the health and hygiene point of view something should be done.
They also own the Grand at Scarborough, a magnificent massive building on the cliffs overlooking the sea. It seems that one has the same fate as the rest and is dreadful. I’m not surprised because at one time they kept having big outbreaks of norovirus, and it happened frequently. I wouldn’t have stayed there if it was free!
Somebody somewhere isn’t doing their job properly that’s all I can think. But who is to blame for years of awful accommodation? I bet it’s that Mr. Nobody, don’t you!
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