(no subject)

Katrina, Rita and Isabel came into work in witch costumes. With it being Friday, allowing them to sit anywhere they liked, they all sat in a row. I suggested they borrow one of the big litter bins for a cauldron; Isabel said Paul had asked if he could wear her witch's hat, but she said it wouldn't suit him :)

They were the only people in the Halloween spirit. I said Christine #3, duty supervisor, that I'd thought she'd be dressed up, being on the front desk; after smiling "I've let the side down, haven't I?" she asked why I wasn't in costume. I explained that I didn't have one, then mused that maybe I could have draped a sheet over my head and been a ghost...

When Kim #1 was walking along the main aisle, I said hello to her; as she was a little way ahead by then, she didn't see me, looked round until she spotted me and said "I wondered where that noise was coming from. I know it's Halloween..."

Got an old woman who wouldn't do the survey but, worse, absolutely refused to give her reason for not wanting to do it. She insisted I settle for "I just don't want to do it." My attempts at probing her to be more specific, explaining that it helps us if we know why, were greeted with "Thank you. Goodbye." Bloody annoying. I really can't understand the mindset of these people. Just why is withholding the reason for them not wanting to help so damn important to them? It doesn't begin to make sense.

Thank frack it's the weekend.

(no subject)

Went over to Gunwharf for their firework display. In addition to the large crowd on the waterfront, including a witch, a skeleton, a werewolf and a little Grim Reaper, there were plenty of people watching the fun from the balconies of Tiger Tiger and The Slug and Lettuce. Rick Jackson of Ocean FM opened the proceedings at six. The time passed nicely with a nice selection of 80s party tunes including, joy of joys, Tiffany *mwah* with I Think We're Alone Now, a hot roast pork baguette with apple sauce and stuffing, and a caffe mocha. The music was interrupted by 'Buttock Balloon Blast Off', a quiz in which three volunteer kids, each accompanied by a parent, raced to be first sit on and burst a balloon when they knew the answers. Rick also made a couple of references to Harry Redknapp, drawing boos from large sections of the crowd. I can understand Portsmouth fans' disappointment at his departure, but those booing at the mention of him sure have short memories.

A bloke dressed as the Emperor of China passed by on a raised platform, followed by a procession of kids carrying Chinese lanterns plus large paper-style models they'd spent months making - a bright white boat (a ghost ship for Halloween?) and two majestic birds (I like to think they were hawks). After they'd gone by a troupe of drummers from East London came on stage and played their African-style drums in time with an R&B record and an Indian dance tune.

Then the Emperor led everyone in a countdown from ten, the idea being that the fireworks would start going off at the end. When we reached zero, he lit a large Roman Candle that he was holding (in a safety holder, at arm's length), it went off - and nothing else happened. "Thanks for coming, everyone," said Rick - was it a planned joke or had the fireworks really not materialised as they should have? Then the Emperor said maybe the people due to start the display hadn't heard us, and urged everyone to join in, loud, with this countdown. Same again - at the end he lit a Roman Candle, it went off, nothing else. We tried a third countdown and, this time, a magnificent shower of sparks rose up from the water.

The display was spectacular, lots of shooting colours, soaring trails and explosions of sparks, while mostly Chinese and Indian music played, and lasted about 20 minutes. Well worth seeing - but I wish it had been a week today.

Sorry to come over all Grumpy Old Man, but I do have a big problem with dragging bonfire/firework celebrations into October half term where they don't belong. The kiddies will be back at school this coming Monday anyway, so the firework spectacular would have been just as well held next Friday, which would have been in the right week. The inappropriateness was summed up for me by the playing of a song 'This Is Halloween' while the fireworks were going off. I'm all for Halloween, and I'm all for Bonfire Night, but I am emphatically not for fusing the two. When I was a child one thing I really loved about Guy Fawkes Night was that it brightened up drab term-time. Having your fireworks in half term instead deprives the kids of their mid-term treat.

Remember, remember, the Fifth of November. Keep Guy then or on the nearest weekend.