Since starting work in 1979 I am now working locally for the first time ever. It did start off as a bit of a novelty as I could leave home at 8.30, catch the bus at 8.37 and be at work on time for 9am. However I had started in half-term week. The reality is that I wait at the bus stop and the bus goes sailing past full to the gills with students. The bus (397) runs once every half hour and is only a single decker. Grrrrr….. Can’t TfL realise that either the service needs more frequency or a double-decker at least during school start/rush hour times! Last night I penned an email to TfL along those lines so watch this space. I’m trying to persuade other passengers to do the same! There is an alternative but it means getting 2 buses so I have to pay twice plus the first bus (179) goes from the opposite side of the road so you have to pay a dangerous chicken-type game scanning the horizon in both directions seeing which bus will appear first and then wondering whether you can even get on it. So much for a stress-free journey. I would rather travel up to town on the train as at least I can sit down and know I will get on train OK.
One good thing about working in Loughton is the quality of merchandise in the charity shops. I have odd wide feet and it’s always a pain to buy shoes. Amazingly there is someone in Loughton with similar feet to myself who is donating nearly new boots to the Sue Ryder shop. In the past 2 weeks I have bought 2 pairs of boots for £9 each. Both pairs fit perfectly and both pairs are practically new. I don’t think I have ever in my life bought more than 1 pair of boots a year let alone 2 in 2 weeks.
At least I have work. It is around about half the money I’m used to but it’s good to be in the black again. The work is interminably boring but at least I’m earning some money to spend on boots!
Good news about the boots, Joanna, but what a shame about the buses. I commuted between Lewisham and Richmonf for ten years before coming round to the idea that a) nobody was paying me for the 3+ hours daily commute and b) I could do without the anxiety caused by strikes and train delays. The 36 bus reached Lewisham college in about 5 minutes,so I didn’t regret the move, even thought the pay was less. Mind you, there was more choice of buses.