Something else I'd like to sort out is this business of metrication. Jeff Gilbert, who is quite happy it seems
to continue serving beer in pints, reminded me yesterday of the surprising fact that the change-over has never been put to
a vote. Certainly nobody ever asked me whether I wanted my ten shillings to become fifty pence! Well apparently
there are now so many people concerned about it all that an 'anti-metrication board' has been set up by a group of protesters
and I must say I feel just a little bit sympathetic. Their main point is that our old methods of measure weren't quite
as silly as they might seem. The inch was simply the approximate distance from the tip of the thumb to the first joint,
the foot the average length of the human foot and so on. They argue, that it's just not necessary to throw away part
of our culture, so as to fall in line with somebody else's. I must say I hate change for the sake of change and I'd
question anything that tended to make people more confused, lonely and depressed than they are already.
Sunday ...
Poor old Mrs Addy. It must have been a terrible shock for her to wake up on Saturday morning to find she was still
alive! The discovery that Faye apparently substituted her old crystal with a new one seems to have solved the riddle
of the bad reading. Now the new ball is 'tuned in', Mrs Addy is glad to report a long life stretching out ahead of her.
I'm glad to hear it. It could take all of that and more to pay for yesterday's farewell party at the Motel. I'm
not saying that I blame her though. If I thought I was about to pop off any moment, I'm pretty sure I'd have a good
fling the day before ... it certainly doesn't do any good worrying about it! Anyway, moan and groan we may, but it really
does brighten things up having a character or two around and Mrs Addy is certainly that. Mind you, we can't go on paying
for too many free parties.
Something Hugh has instilled in me is never to forget the Crossroads Motel is above all a business. That means
money-wise it has to do more than just break even. Of course we all have our bit of fun working here but if there wasn't
some sort of profit at the close of the day we'd all come to a sticky end and nobody (least of all me) wants to see that happen.
Happily though, we are still able to cope with the occasional Mrs Addy (although the next time her future looks to be in doubt
... I'll be running the other way!). Hugh's probably right too when he says that to a large extent lack of planning
and foresight have been the two main bogies of British industry in general. He feels that right from the turn of
the century there's been far too much frittering away of money by businesses leading to the decidedly unpleasant position
that the country now finds itself in. Well, I'll believe him and I'm certainly going to do my little bit to make sure
it doesn't happen here - whatever the dire predictions of Mrs Addy's crystal ball!
