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Looks like 11.00 am starts for the 4th & 5th Tests - so I`m wrong again!

Strange because County matches in Sept always start at 10.30 am!

The first hour will still be difficult though!

tyke

thanks - I think batting will be difficult all match. Long tail without Woakes and Moeen. I am all set for 10.30 starts in Lancs matches in next 2 weeks.

Tyke, Chrise

I agree with your views on Grammar Schools. At mine, good (religious) education but very strict.

Malone

it is kind of you to refer to me as a "people person". I quite like that. Definitely better than "ladies man", which I dislike, although I am not sure what it means.

Thanks for the offer of a reference. I may take you up on that, as I expect to be applying for jobs quite soon.

Malone, Grunger

You will be pleased to hear that I am on a 3-man short list for the chambermaid job. Ida Down asked me to go to the Glitz hotel this morning for a second interview.

“The post has been re-named Bedroom Assistant” she told me. “The hotel has been criticised for having an all-male board, and an all-female housekeeping staff, so we are trying to redress the balance.”

“You probably can’t service a room in 12 minutes, but your references show that you are a “people person”. Guests won’t mind a less than perfect room, if you are friendly to them”.

“I don’t know about that” I said. “By the way, what are you calling the staff who clean the reception rooms?”

“Parlourmaids” she said.

I thought that had disappeared with Miss Marple, but I can’t think of a better word.

Thanks, jigjag.

My orthopterophobia - or perhaps gryllidaeophobia? - kept me away from the thread for a while. Who knew a fear of cricket(s) could be so powerful?

I'm glad you've made it on to the short list for a Bedroom Assistant post, though I can't help feeling there's something slightly Frankie Howerd-like about that term. I am sure you're perfectly capable of 'servicing' (FH again?) a room in 12 minutes. I had a trial run earlier - three minutes to make the bed, two minutes to empty the bins, four minutes to clean the sink, bath/shower and toilet/lavatory/whatever and three minutes for general tidying/straightening. You'll have noticed that vacuuming isn't on the list, but I believe an extra five minutes is allowed for that, every second day..

I'm afraid you've failed to keep up with the times - Receptionistas are responsible for cleaning the reception rooms. (There's an ongoing dispute with the coffee shop and bar staff - both insist on the term Barista.)

jigjag

I enjoyed your report. I am sure you would be able to assist anybody in a bedroom, but I have not got the same confidence that Malone has in your "servicing" abilities.

I hope you get the job, or any other you apply for and would like to hear about it.

Malone

If you had seen the last 2 Test matches, your grillidaeophobia would have been cured.

I was pleased that I was not asked to demonstrate my "servicing" abilities (FH or otherwise). I am very impressed with your trial-run times. I could probably empty a bin in 2 minutes, but could not compete with your others.

I love your "receptionista" - describes the job perfectly and no problem with sex. I have heard of baristas, though have no idea what they do. I did read about the defendant who praised his barista for getting him off, but did not understand it.

Grunger

glad you enjoyed it.

Jigjag, I tried - really tried - to watch televised cricket years ago. Sometimes an hour would pass, with very little happening, sometimes there would be 10 minutes of exciting stuff … and then another hour of virtually nothing. It really was hard work, I felt! The highlights at the end of the TV news always made things look much more dramatic and exciting. It is definitely not for me, and I don't begrudge anyone else their pleasure in the sport.

I think you could surprise yourself at how quickly you'd manage to spray, wipe, and rinse a sink, and by the time you're on sink 18 of the day, you'll have a good rhythm going. I'm glad 'receptionista' met with your approval. I'm thinking of extending that - so we'll have shepherdistas, conductoristas and actoristas. This will avoid the cumbersome gender/sex appellations which irritate me.

I think every barista in Costa, Café Nero and Stardeer* has heard every barrister/barista joke going. The Scottish are lucky, they have baristas and advocates. * This avoids any Starbucks/Stardoes debate.

Malone

That was hilarious - thank you! I am glad you gave cricket-watching a trial. It is not for everyone.

I like the -ista ending and hope it becomes common. I have never been to Costa Fortune, Cafffe Zero or any other coffee shops in England. In Florida I did go to Stardeer, which was dear, and I spent a few bucks in Starbucks. I like your Stardoes. In fact I love "does" clues and I was pleased to see one in the Times yesterday.

I need a coffee and will make a Maxwell House one.