Saturday 20 September 2008

Heaven on Earth

Well I am writing this from the Virgin Lounge at Heathrow, if you ever get the opportunity to use this lounge take it, it is my idea of heaven. My flight is not until 10.30 but I have been here since 7!

Before you make assumptions, let me clarify a few things. I get lounge access simply because I am a Gold Star Alliance card holder, I am only flying economy, then I took the opportunity to come in early as breakfast here is free and in my hotel it is not, as I live in N Ireland it is too much of a risk to trust in the first flight out arriving in time for this connection.

So the lounge is heaven except there is cold air blowing around my feet, but the champagne makes up for all that. My facial is in 10 minutes and my shoes are being polished. I could get used to this life........

Sunday 7 September 2008

My Silversurfers

I love my job but it is good to do something different and so when a friend at Church who works for Help The Aged asked me to teach computers to OAPs I thought why not. However the scheme was to teach in a local library for 10 weeks and my job means I cannot commit to being in the same place every week.

Then this year she told me of a new scheme 'EverybodyOnline' where PCs and Internet access have been put into Retirement Homes and volunteers go in to teach, and as this is not a formal course it suits me well, I can go in whenever it suits me.


So I am teaching two ladies, Jean and Rita who are keen to use the Internet and email to keep in contact with their families and they say it is to keep their minds active.


There is also a gentleman Martin who is researching the Royal Navy from 1890 onwards. In this case it is me who is doing the learning. Martin was the 5000th person online and you can read his story here. He got the laptop he wanted for his birthday so there is no stopping him now.

And where does 'Silversurfers' come into it? Their name not mine. So what I started thinking was to give back actually gives a lot to me.