Williams & Co Fareham - reborn 4th April 2014

[Ray Stafford]

Hi All

What the Eff have I done?

Well, last Friday I signed more legal documents in one sitting than I have signed in my entire life before. By the end of it, I wouldnt be surprised if I had taken out a new american express card, subscribed to the Readers Digest for the rest of my life and joined the foreign legion.

And the upshot is that we have acquired a new head-office, branch, ecommerce fulfilment and distribution complex of such a size that it is bigger than our next 10 largest branches combined. Spread over two major buildings on a campus that includes a 40 space car park, 4 loading bays, 2 main access roads, we are seriously considering getting some golf buggies just to get round the site.

Here's an overhead of the site with our bits subtly shaded in



The white rectangles lined up towards the centre of the pic are 40 ft trailers.

Heres a pic of the inside of the smaller building



I daren't go in the larger building in case I get agrophobic.

What the actual F**K was I thinking?

Wish us luck. And for those of you that know Ian, wish him luck next time you speak to him, because this is his new train set. I just get to pay the bills. Well, no actually you lot get to pay the bills. Oh ****.

Ray

 

[Ray Stafford]

Wo. A little eggs in 1 basket. I assume there is reddundancy built in.

Yep. This rack contains the first tier redundancy and back-up - the protection against run-of-the-mill problems. The second tier is offsite in a data centre at "an undisclosed location"

 

[Ray Stafford]

Strange experience today - as I handed back the old building to the landlord. It was smelly, and dirty, and I can't believe how small it was, but it had been my workplace for 28 years. And thats a flippin' long time. After all the internal walls had been knocked down by the demolition guys, I could still work out where my desk had used to be.

And whilst I don't want to move back, I also don't want to let go...

Funny old world, ain't it?

 

[tamz]

A lot of memories Ray good and bad no doubt :smile:

 

[Ray Stafford]

A lot of memories Ray good and bad no doubt :smile:

Aye Tamz. My earliest memory is of MickW and myself phoning round on a thursday afternoon, getting customers to pay their account so we could make the payroll on Friday. From little acorns...

 

[tamz]

We've all had to do that and drive to their office to get it in pound notes just incase :lol:

 

[Toxic Ted]

Aye Tamz. My earliest memory is of MickW and myself phoning round on a thursday afternoon, getting customers to pay their account so we could make the payroll on Friday. From little acorns...

The sense of achievement must feel immense!

 

[Ray Stafford]

The sense of achievement must feel immense!

If you let it pump up your ego too much, life has a habit of cutting you down to size. The best plan is to get your head down and work on the future.

One of our guys just had to have a leg amputated. Younger than me, but had a vascular problem, and after a couple of "routine" ops went t1ts up, suddenly they are trimming his toenails nearly to the knee, with just a day or two notice.

It doesn't do to get too cocky. Who knows what mischance is round the corner?

 

[Ray Stafford]

I'd like to know more about this coffee machine. Have you reached a decision on flavored syrups??

Finally, yes. Vanilla. And Hazelnut.

I hope that Masood will forgive me plagiarising his catchphrase if I ask "what the blinking flip kind of plumber has flavoured syrups in his coffee?"

 

[tomplumb83]

I have a nice shiny INSINKERATOR STEAMING HOT TAP. V
Very good they are - make a lovely cup of tea and so handy.What would I do without one....

Other hot taps are also available...

 

[markfxy]

Wot no vegetable soup?