Tuesdays usually mean site meetings – and today is no exception.
The alarm goes off at 5.15am and before the rest of the house has even stirred, I’m up and out the door. A quick half hour later I’m at Pete, our Director’s, house – ready to share the 130-mile journey down to site.
As we set off, the sun is just beginning to rise and the motorway slowly wakes up with us. First stop: Toddington South – Pete’s regular ritual. Some things never change! I take the chance to check in on my wife Gillian who’s holding down the fort with the usual morning routine of kids, school runs and the dog. Of course she’s got it all under control.
By around 10am, we’re parked up and heading into the hotel for the Design Team Meeting. We meet up with the wider team before heading up to the roof bar for the session – hard to complain about a meeting with a view like that. The hotel owner joins us too, so thankfully I’ve remembered to put a shirt on today!
The meeting focuses on the Interior Designers’ presentation and it’s great to see the designs really coming together – this project is definitely up there as one of my favourites.
I duck out a little early to attend a separate meeting with the company supplying the new service lift. It’s a key part of the project and with the existing lift going out of service, getting the programme right is absolutely critical – for both the hotel and the main contractor. A really useful session with some great input.
By around 2:30pm, I finally get a chance to grab some food. I catch up on emails while eating, just in time for Pete to emerge from his meeting…equally in need of lunch.
While Pete wraps up, I grab us a couple of drinks from the café and then we regroup for the journey home. We’re on the road by around 4.30pm, retracing our route back north.
The usual M1/M25 congestion greets us, followed by a downpour that turns a long drive into an even longer one. Not much you can do but crack on and chat through the day. Pete’s done this trip more times than he’d probably like to count.
I’m home just before 9pm – very relieved to see my home come into view. I step inside and I’m greeted by Clover, our Labrador, proudly presenting me with a slipper (not mine, of course – but it’s the thought that counts).
Another long but productive day in the books.