UP, UP AND AWAY
It’s been the most wonderful summer I
can remember. My garden has not looked so beautiful for many years but you can
feel the end in sight as the nights draw to close and the shops fill; with back
to school goodies. As I pushed my trolley around Tesco today, I felt elation
and relief that those school days –even though they were many decades ago – are
over. School for me was nearly as much a challenge for me as it was for my
teachers. Of course things have changed, in my days, when you didn’t hand in
homework assignments on time, or in my case, at all, you were sent to the
headmaster and caned. Oh how things have changed! And thank goodness they have
in many ways.
On the business front, I always find August
difficult. So much of Europe closes down and work generally tends to slow with
so many off on their holidays. However it’s been pleasing to see that this is
not the case this summer and we have seen considerable increases in enquires
which I always believe is a good reflection on the economy. Let’s hope this
lasts throughout all the seasons ahead.
I was very touched by the birthday
gift that my team bought me back in May. Something I always wanted to do (they
thought!) a hot air balloon ride with my wife! They obviously weren’t aware of
the therapy I undertook in relation to my fear of heights. Or maybe they were…
as they were cutting the cake they were telling me how much they enjoyed
working for me and how exciting our industry is at the moment. Perhaps behind
those smiles, there were some more sinister thoughts going on! This was not
just an ordinary hot air balloon ride over the beautiful English countryside.
There was a full champagne reception on offer. The gift was very extravagant
and generous. I have a very positive outlook on life but still I also have a
very small cynical side. Let’s spend more this year on a gift for Larry, the
esteemed leader this year, that would involve him clambering into a woven
basket and tied above the basket were slits of rope precariously holding a hot
air balloon in place, with half a dozen unsuspecting people and let him float
without any engine power, parachute or safety net, high in the sky – they
really do love me!!!
Back down to earth. On the way to the
launch site, Michele seemed so confident and excited and I pretended that I was
too but just between you and I, I was practicing my deep breathing exercises
that my therapist had taught me would help me calm my nerves. Then I realised
that there was a God. We received a message from the great Virgin in the sky
(Richard Branson’s Co) that due to adverse weather conditions, the flight, for
safety reasons had been cancelled! I hope my team aren’t reading this as I punched
the air and said “Yippee let’s go and have an ice cream instead“!
That was not the end of the drama
though. Below you will find a small clip where one of our friends who was
part of our group was enjoying an ice cream with me. At the start of the clip I
was singing that old song “there once was an ugly duckling.” At the end of the
clip, you can see me interacting with the swan. What you are not seeing is that
he obviously didn’t enjoy my singing. Fortunately the camera didn’t catch what
he did next: nip me in the bloody leg! Later in the evening, I had an enjoyable
meal of Duck* a l’Orange. Who said there’s no justice in the world? (I know
swan is not exactly duck but its close enough for me)
*apologies to my veggie friends but
there’s only so far you can push a person. I would not have had the same sense
of satisfaction with ‘Orange a la tofu’.
Have a great weekend,
Larry
