I’ve been banging on about working for Home Bargains for years now. I was eyeing the job when I worked at Booker. I’ve had my name down on company website for years. I was willing to travel to Liverpool to do it, then I heard they were opening an RDC just down the road from me (3.1 miles away by road, about 2.5 by pushbike) so I was even more interested. That must be 18 months to 2 years ago. Not heard anything about it. No replies, nothing on their website, not seen any jobs, not a sausage.
Then over the last 2 weeks I’ve seen an agency job recruiting for them saying 12 weeks, definite temp-to-perm. I applied. Nothing.
My current agency head office text me to say ‘you used to work for us at Royal Mail, would you be interested in HB, 8 weeks, temp-to-perm. I said yes, depending on the shifts. 02.00- 06.00 starts. No too early. Got back to me a few days later. ‘06.00 onwards starts’.
But in that few days I tracked down a third agency recruiting for HB and they named the firm who would be the permanent employer, GBA logistics. I applied to them directly. I’ve got an interview next Wednesday. I think it is my destiny.
I’ve looked at a bunch of their sites on google maps, they all seem to be big-arse stores on retail parks, with their own service roads. So, easy driving. 2 drops a day. The hard part of the job is tipping and collecting at the stores, but that’s just physical labour, nothing to stress about. A steady, permanent wage. 4 on, 4 off. And it’s on my doorstep, so I don’t need to worry about getting in to work on the motorway on the ice and snow days of winter. My only worry is about start times. I can’t do 02.00 starts. If they can offer me 05.00 or later I’ll definitely take it. Gladly.
I’ve not blogged for a bit because I had a really nasty cold and felt like death. It seems to have gone now and taken most of my anxiety with it. Then, oddly, the last two days I’ve been a bit anxious again. Hopefully just a blip.
I’ve had a to-do with the Bonnie. It was running fine then I washed it. Clearly a mistake. It started running on one cylinder. I looked at the bits, and it wasn’t dear so I replaced the lot. Plugs, plugs caps, coils and HT leads, Just to be on the safe side. I got that sorted then the throttle started sticking. I had to twist it wide open, then it would slowly pick up. If I took my hand off the throttle it would stay open. It was odd. I took the bar end mirror off to check for friction. Nope. Took the hand grip off the handlebar. Nope. Yesterday I replaced the (again, cheap) throttle cables to rule that out. It’s still sticking. I think the bar that runs through the fake carbs to open the butterfly is jamming. I don’t know if it’s rust, salt or what. I oiled it, put the fake carbs back on and the tank and seat. Then it was revving like mad. I thought I’d done something badly wrong, but it was just a matter of adjustment. I took it for a spin. The throttle is still hard work, but it responds properly now. Just looking, I can get a set of fake carb/ injector bodies for £160. That might be the way to go. An afternoon’s work, straight swap.
Otherwise I have to take it into a garage, be without a bike for however long, and get charged £30 an hour or whatever for labour. OK, I’ve ordered them. That bloody better be the problem. As I was fitting the new cables and testing them the bar was clicking and jerking, so I’m pretty sure it is.
That will be another great thing if I get this new job. Any time I have bike issues I can just pushbike in.
I’ve been quietly obsessing over getting a new bike. An SV650 or a VFR750. Something that will do big miles, has a fairing to shelter behind in winter, and handles great. If I get the HB job most of that goes out of the window. For 6 miles a day the Bonnie will do fine. For now. I would like a knee-down capable bike at some point, but the urgency will have been removed.
In other news, that heart rate monitor thing. I thought I had it for several days. It turns out it was just overnight. I had to return it between 08.30 and 09.30 the next morning. I came home, drank a cup and a half of coffee, did a slight warm up to avoid injury, then straight out for flat-out mile. 6.32 m/m. Stopped. My heart was fine. I jogged out for another 1.5 miles, got my breath, then did a flat-out 5k. I held a 6.50 average pace. Stopped, near dead. Nothing. Jogged back, sprinted the last half mile. Nothing. Shadow boxing. Skipping. Nothing.
I got up early then next morning, drank a cup and a half of coffee did a 7.15 mile. Stopped. Nothing. A 7.39 back with a sprint finish. Nothing. Put on my muay thai hoodie to overheat, shadow boxing, skipping. Nothing. Gave up in despair. I started to stretch off and BAM! tachycardia! Ha! I win! That was at 08.20.
The next day I started cleaning my teeth and got it. sigh.
That was 3 weeks ago. They’ve still not put any test results on my NHS app. I may have to ring and see if they got a good read.
The only other thing is I finally heard back from the army about that pension. It’s not the £8k that Wendy’s mate is getting, but even if I get taxed on it for taking it all as a lump sum, I should still come out with about £4k. Which is £4k more than I thought I was getting 6 months ago. I’ve sent off the claim form. Hopefully I’ll get that on my birthday.