28th January 25

Today's job is nice and easy. Train from Aylesbury to Cannock. Which means a few quick changes. Aylesbury to Princess Risborough. Over the bridge to platform 3 Then the 7.30 to Oxford. Jump off that fairly busy train full of Oxford commuters, one regular who obviously takes her two boys to school and has to take her, "caring" dog along with her in case she needs assurance about that very difficult journey. One which she bores the pants off anyone who listens, I've developed a very good, don't dare talk to me face over the years. The level of conversation that people endure is obviously much higher than I can stomach. She is obviously a lovely woman and doesn't mean to be stupid, she just is. Why do people think they can make unwanted advances on others. I like dogs, really. But I don't like other people's dogs, like babies, your own are beautiful, never smell bad or noisy. Other people's are to be avoided . So when I sit on a train I don't want your dog forced on me. Or your constantly chatting loudly children.

Anyway thankfully that doesn't last long as I jump off at the next station which is Haddenham and Thame Parkway. Don't change platforms and wait for the Birmingham Moor Street train to which another regular traveller is avoided as he's constantly on the phone talking very important business.

Birmingham Moor Street is a great place the station has some very old but well preserved or restored old signage and I also like the walk over to Birmingham New Street. Past Selfridge's newish modern building and through a great area which was full of a great looking Christmas market in December. When I also couldn't hang about as going for a train to Manchester on which I had to stand😡

So to Birmingham New Street and past the mechanical bull which is an amazing spectacle. Down onto platform 6 Onto a train to Cannock. On this train were two interesting characters. Twitching and clucking as Users do. Also had that druggy smell of a rapid runny shit.

They were no trouble. But there was police everywhere and a couple on the train. Who looked terrified as if these two characters had eaten their children.

Quite a walk to the customer house to collect the car. A (well) used Fiat 500x which drove ok back to Aylesbury. Collected from a lovely couple who collected me from the station, very kind. They had owned the car for years and loved FIAT. My kind of people. I love driving old Fiats my favourite cars. They are nowhere near built to last and the seating position is always wrong. But it always has been in Italian cars exported to our stupidly fussy and snobby market. FIAT don't care. I worked for them they told me. The UK market means nothing to them globally. You only have to visit Brazil to see the huge range of cars and small pickup's they send to that market.. The cars are simply well designed built to a price and drive like a car should. No crap. Apart from the build quality.

Another day bites the dust.