[Sam:] This is a fax I want you to send to Ian in Aiden Mouth and it reads as follows [reading] good afternoon Ian, at long last I've been able to get down to this memo of yours, dated the thirtieth alt... can you please let me know the actual deliveries' figures in the first part of this memo. You have shown four, inverted commas, delivery Aiden Mouth close inverted commas... one hundred, sorry, one thousand, one hundred and ninety two kilos, stop, I think there should be fourteen ninety two kilos, please confirm I am correct as soon as possible, otherwise I agree with all your other figures in this memo, best regards, Sam [] This is a memo to Caroline at Aiden Mouth... Good evening Caroline, can I refer you to Aiden Mouth, invoice number A four hundred which is linked to invoice number one, nine, O, seven, six, paragraph invoice where total is one, sorry, seventeen thousand, one hundred and six kilos, of which Aran A R A N contributes twelve thousand, eight hundred and ninety two kilos, which is seventy five point three seven percent of the total weight, stop, in your invoice number A four hundred you have charged us the full charges, whereas we are only liable for seventy five point three seven percent of the New Zealand to U K charges, dash, am I not correct, question mark. Paragraph, earlier reply will be, be appreciated as I want to finalize the Aran price for the units as soon as possible, best regards, Sam. [phonecall starts] Good morning er Sam here is Carol there please?
[speaker002:] Can you hold on a minute?
[Sam:] Thank you very much
[speaker002:] Okay... Good morning
[Sam:] Good morning Carol, how are you this morning?
[speaker002:] Well a bit wet and windy
[Sam:] Oh, well it's dry and very cold and er and bright periods
[speaker002:] Is it?
[Sam:] er but no doubt we'll have a few showers I'm sure
[speaker002:] Yeah, we've had really heavy rain this end and it's beginning to dry up, but it's still very strong winds
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] we've been told to prepare for frost tonight
[Sam:] Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me because it's quite, quite cold here
[speaker002:] Well I believe it's snowing in Coventry
[Sam:] That wouldn't surprise me one bit
[speaker002:] Mm, anyway what can we do for you?
[Sam:] Well I tell you what I'm on about, er, Penn Eagle, er, it the code, the A F P number is
[speaker002:] Yes
[Sam:] if you may or may not remember we were able to buy the D U S from Holland on it
[speaker002:] Yeah yeah I think we did yeah
[Sam:] Yeah, does that mean er whenever I send out the application fee of two hundred and fifty pounds some months ago, er did we get that back or do we get it back?
[speaker002:] No you don't get that back
[Sam:] That's
[speaker002:] that's all part of the administration procedures
[Sam:] that's what I thought, I wasn't quite sure, I just wanted I'd been sort of going through various things, and I want I'd wanted to make absolutely sure
[speaker002:] No because erm, I mean, you've paid a hundred and forty pounds in the post
[Sam:] Correct
[speaker002:] out of seven hundred pounds for testing each year
[Sam:] Yeah, that's fine, I just wanted to confirm that that was okay
[speaker002:] That's okay
[Sam:] It's one of those things that sort of sort of puts a little query in your mind and
[speaker002:] You have a blind sometimes don't you? And
[Sam:] I, er,un unfortunately I have too many of them [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]
[Sam:] but someday you'll be old too Carol, so
[speaker002:] I'm getting that way now
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]
[Sam:] Well that's grand, and okay
[speaker002:] Have a nice Easter
[Sam:] Thank you ver and the same to yourself, yes indeed, thank you very much indeed
[speaker002:] Bye bye
[Sam:] Bye bye [phonecall ends] [phonecall starts] Good morning Sam speaking, er, is Phillip there please?
[speaker002:] Just a moment
[Sam:] Thank you...
[speaker002:] Morning
[Sam:] Good morning Phillip sorry I didn't get back to you sooner
[speaker002:] That's alright, just about the group conference
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] I'm not flying up, I'm driving up
[Sam:] Alright, okay
[speaker002:] erm, I can be there two days, two and a half days beforehand
[Sam:] Ah right, you're doing a wee tour
[speaker002:] That's right
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] erm and as far as, erm menus and everything is concerned
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] don't worry about something for me I'll have what anybody else has
[Sam:] Ooh right, okay, well there'll be another one going out to you for the, I think the Saturday night er hotel
[speaker002:] Don't worry about it, I'll just have what er, what's going
[Sam:] Er, oh yes well I think it, I think bearing in mind the size of the hotels, I think probably it would be a help if there was something sort of decided, but I, I know, I'm, I'm a wee bit sort of, possibly like yourself, er I might order something now [LAUGHTER] and then [] not look forward to it that particular night
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] wished I'd booked something else, er but I'm leaving it sort of, you know, sort of three, four days maybe before we depart
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] so er, I'll be in touch er Phillip no doubt, er once you get the second menu there'll be another one coming along I think
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] er from the other hotel, I've been promised that anyway.
[speaker002:] Right, fine.
[Sam:] Er, how are things there today?
[speaker002:] They're a little bit faded today, we're all in today, which makes it a little bit easier.
[Sam:] Ah right, right. How's trade?
[speaker002:] Still going along, still going along
[Sam:] Good, good
[speaker002:] but er
[Sam:] ground still wet is it?
[speaker002:] We've had a lot, a nice drop of rain
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] nice drop of rain
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] erm, you know which is, we've had more rain in the last fortnight than we have for about in the last three years.
[Sam:] Good God, yes I know it's been very, very heavy here too, there were certain areas over here certainly needed a bit of rain, but now there's [LAUGHTER] certainly didn't need it at all
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] but it's erm, och it's ticking along the trade you know, but er if, it's bitterly cold here, I don't know what it's like with you at the moment?
[speaker002:] It's not particularly warm Sam
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] erm, I, I think it, because it has been warm, then you feel it when it becomes cold again, don't you?
[Sam:] Yes that, I think that's possibly true, er, I was talking to Cambridge there about oh fifteen, twenty minutes ago and they said it was raining with them, and then they'd been talking over to somebody over in Coventry and it's, it's snowing there [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]
[Sam:] and it wouldn't surprise me one bit, because it, as I say it's bitterly cold here, while it's dry at the moment, it's bitterly cold
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] so there we are, nothing else strange or startling?
[speaker002:] I don't think so, I don't think so
[Sam:] Good, okay, okay Phillip, er
[speaker002:] Can you can you transfer me to Ruby or are you on your
[Sam:] I can, yes just one second
[speaker002:] Thank you
[Sam:] hold on a wee second here, just one second, where's Ruby's number? Here we are, okay, cutting off now.
[speaker002:] Cheers...
[Sam:] Hello Phillip
[speaker002:] Yep
[Sam:] suddenly remembered er Ruby's off today
[speaker002:] Okay
[Sam:] is there anybody else?
[speaker002:] No it's okay, it'll wait till tomorrow
[Sam:] Okay, fine
[speaker002:] Okay then
[Sam:] all the best
[speaker002:] Thank you, thanks for ringing, bye
[Sam:] Bye. [phonecall ends] Pat I wonder could you, send the following letters to the... various Scandinavian... sea testing trial grounds. First is to Finland and it is to Penti P E N T I [spelling] [], and it reads as follows [reading] dear Penti, at the moment I am looking for information on the cost for officially trialing grasses and clovers in your country, stop. The agricultural grasses we are considering entering, will be Italian rye grass, hybrid rye grass, white clover and in the amenity section, and slender creeping red. Paragraph... at the same time can you inform me if, apart from your national list trials, do you have a recommended list similar to that operating in the United Kingdom, question mark, paragraph, as far as the agricultural seeds are concerned I take it that you operate a distinctness, comma, uniformity and stability trial as well as the... value for cultivation and usage trial, question mark... paragraph, can you inform me how long your official trials last, and what weights of seeds are required for these trials... paragraph, I look forward to hearing from you in the near future, kindest regards, yours sincerely [] For the Norwegian trials people will you send it to Kare K A R E, space capital O, stop, [spelling] []... and for the Swedish people will you send it to Edvard E D V A R D [spelling] [] Pat you could also send the same letter to doctor of the Ministero M I N I S T E R O Dell'capital D E L L apostrophe, capital A G R I C O L D U R A Spise, small E, Spise Delle D E L L E space Foreste F O R E S T E in Italy, you have the address I'm, I think, but if you haven't let me know. This is a fax to Neville in Aiden Mouth, the heading capital B, capital S, five seven, five O. Good morning Neville, many thanks for your memo of the sixth inst and I've duly noted your comments, stop. I think a lot of the companies who have got or are in the process of getting certified are working with consultants already stop. Do you know some people well enough in some of these other seed companies to approach them and find out with whom they are dealing with or do UKKASTA that's capital U, K, capital K, capital A, capital S, capital T, capital A [] have a recognized list of consultants? Paragraph, this is quite a major job, as I am sure you will appreciate it and I think a consultant is very likely a must for us, bearing in mind our various units. Paragraph, I look forward to receiving your comments, best regards... This is a fax to Limited, the attention of David, [spelling] [], heading Air Freight Charges for Aaron, ex Ireland, message reads as follows. Good morning David, I'm enclosing three pages of a fax which I have just received from Teagasc capital T E A G A S C which is self explanatory... stop, I hope you can make it all out, comma, if not please come back to me, full stop, paragraph, it would be a help if you could get your shipping agents to provide us with the rates they would have charged... paragraph, many thanks and best regards, Sam. This is an internal memo to Ian of B S H Haven Mouth, with a copy to Ann. Heading, nineteen ninety one and nineteen ninety two harvest, certified is aaron, white, clover, ex-challenge seeds, New Zealand, underline... I am sending you copies of correspondence which I have sent to Phillip, comma, Roger, comma, Oliver and Joe, which I hope is self explanatory, paragraph. I have not done your allocation acts of nineteen ninety one harvest as I am not absolutely sure of all the movements of that allocation, maybe you could detail this out for me as it will greatly help when I'm eventually charging oblique crediting you. Paragraph, as far as the nineteen ninety two harvest and seed is concerned I list below all the allocations for the various units including your own. Paragraph, I would appreciate it if you could let me know when each unit has uplifted their allocation. Stop, as you can see I have warned them to let Haven Mouth know well in advance of the collection period for all the obvious reasons. Stop, then drop down a line and put a heading in the middle of the page originally, and underline that, and then out to the right, allocated, underline, then next line, left hand side. B S H Haven Mouth under originally put fifteen thousand kilos, under allocated put er thirteen thousand, eight hundred and fifty kilos, next line B S H Swinderby, three thousand kilos, two thousand, seven hundred and fifty kilos. B S H Warrington, five thousand kilos, four thousand, six hundred kilos, Germinal Ireland Limited, one thousand kilos, nine hundred and fifty kilos. S McLaus Limited, two thousand kilos, one thousand, eight hundred and fifty kilos. Paragraph, of course this seed is still in Christchurch New Zealand and it is not our intention to bring any forward to the U K at this time. Stop, end of memo. This is a fax to OSEVA, capital O, capital S, capital E, capital V, capital A of Czechoslovakia... and it is for the attention of Dipling capital D I P L stop capital I N G stop Josef J O S E F and the heading is your fax of the twelfth instant. The message then is, good afternoon, many thanks for your prompt reply... stop. What you've said in your first paragraph is absolutely correct, stop. I have duly noted what you have said in your second and third paragraphs and I fully appreciate what you are saying, stop. Your Mr may have explained the position to Joe of Samuel McCauls Limited when he was over in Northern Ireland last September, but Joe did not inform me of your company's position. Stop, we will of course continue to put the varieties into unofficial trials, bracket and will pay the fees in full close brackets, in good faith on the understanding that when the varieties are to go into U K official trials, the position of your company will have been resolved and you will then be in a position to offer us the excrusive, exclusive rights at that time. Stop, do please inform me when you have been privatized and my, may I wish you a smooth change over. Stop, kindest regards. Fax to N, heading duchess brown top, in U S A underline. Some time Neville I would appreciate it if you could let me have what tonnages we received, ex the nineteen ninety one harvest... which we have with exceed and seed research of Oregan... stop, end of fax. [phonecall starts] Good afternoon, erm I wonder if it's possible to book a table for high tea on er Tuesday the twenty first, that's er Easter Tuesday
[speaker002:] Right, Tuesday, twenty first
[Sam:] Mm
[speaker002:] that's okay, what time sir?
[Sam:] Erm, what time do you serve it up to?
[speaker002:] Erm, high tea's from five until seven
[Sam:] Five until seven
[speaker002:] Aha
[Sam:] I would say probably about half past six
[speaker002:] Alright, for how many?
[Sam:] Er for five
[speaker002:] For five and the name is?
[Sam:] [spelling] []
[speaker002:] That's lovely we'll see you on Easter Tuesday
[Sam:] That's great thank you very much indeed
[speaker002:] Okay, much obliged bye bye
[Sam:] Bye bye
[speaker002:] Bye [phonecall ends]
[Sam:] This is a fax to Teagasc T E A G A S C see in er for the attention of Doctor Vincent and head it air freight charges on Aaron. Good morning Vincent, I'm enclosing copies of faxes received this morning from New Zealand, and certainly the rate quoted is more realistic, then drop down a line and put eighteen by two point nine five pounds, oblique kilo, equals fifty three pounds, ten pence, next line documentation, twenty pounds, next line customs clearance etcetera, thirteen New Zealand dollars, I'd say Irish pounds, three point three, O, O equals nine pounds approximately and total it up, eighty two pounds, ten pence... which is approximately a third less... as you see David [spelling] [] suggests you lean heavily on Air Lingus and point out at the same time that Challenge Seeds have no intention of paying this exorbitant rate, also what is a consolidation rate? It seems to cover a multitude of sins. Look forward to hearing from you, best regards, Sam.
[speaker002:] Hello Sam
[Sam:] I, I want to talk to you about er the conversation I had with Alec yesterday, he seems to be inundated with having to get details about on his er, all his paperwork and so on, and he seems to be inundated and he sounded a bit low, quite frankly, to me yesterday on the phone that he was getting inundated with all this
[speaker002:] Mm, mm
[Sam:] work. I said I'm quite sure there must be something that could be done computer-wise
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] but he sort of pooh-poohed it and sort of said well you know, we're getting a bit to old for all this modern sophistication of computers and so on, well I said well quite frankly I am not totally in agreement with you, because as you probably know Clyde was looking into a program which will could alleviate a lot
[speaker002:] Yes I know, I know
[Sam:] of the work, that I do, but I
[speaker002:] yes it's on the
[Sam:] would tell you right here and now, er I'm still retaining my bible you know the book
[speaker002:] Yeah, yes, yes
[Sam:] that I have downstairs, because it's, if it was to be computerized, it would be a massive great bloody great volume
[speaker002:] Yes
[Sam:] and I would be carrying this around and it just wouldn't be feasible
[speaker002:] Quite, right
[Sam:] so he said that apparently whenever he came back to B S H he was told by Neville roughly about eighteen hundred acres would be sort of his target
[speaker002:] Target, right
[Sam:] and it's, it's multiplied by about three or four times that you see
[speaker002:] Oh right, right, right
[Sam:] so consequently he's getting inundated, he really is apparently under pressure
[speaker002:] Mm, mm, right
[Sam:] so this is why I raised the very conversation about it
[speaker002:] Right, right
[Sam:] and er, I said well look I'll have a word with the erm, with and see if he can think of anything that might
[speaker002:] Yes alleviate the point
[Sam:] all things in mind that are possible on er, on er, on er computer, and he said that he hadn't much time to think about it and said well look, maybe over Easter
[speaker002:] Mm
[Sam:] put down on a piece of paper what essentials you want done
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] and what things that you're liable to get asked
[speaker002:] Right, mm, mm
[Sam:] so he's going to do that, so I said well look, do you mind if I had a wee sort of prelim talk with him
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] see if, if it's a possibility
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] What he's looking for is certified numbers, field numbers
[speaker002:] That sort of
[Sam:] all this sort of information
[speaker002:] [cough] right, well the, the, well there's good news on that front because in our, in the actual new version of the seeds package which we have now
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] erm developed and it's gonna be released in the next few months
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] there is er, a very complex and detailed er section for a
[Sam:] oh
[speaker002:] and indeed keeping the history of fields and so on
[Sam:] Right oh I see
[speaker002:] in that and I know Alec has seen the previous version of this package
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] and er it was certainly er then, a very primitive
[Sam:] Yeah, yeah
[speaker002:] erm package and it has been developed now to quite, quite a high level of sophistication
[Sam:] Oh good
[speaker002:] Now that certainly should cater for all his requirements, the only problem that Alec will have to go through now, is that actually get all this information
[Sam:] Yes, right
[speaker002:] keyed into the system
[Sam:] Yeah, yeah
[speaker002:] erm and since the volume has increased quite dramatically
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] he's heavenly gonna need outside help to do this
[Sam:] Well that's when I said to him, I said have you any outside help, and he said well really, no
[speaker002:] It's just him
[Sam:] it's him
[speaker002:] I, you see that, that, that, initially he is gonna have a problem
[Sam:] You see he's so
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] and then he's coming back to this mass of work
[speaker002:] He has to get it done
[Sam:] and er, and, and, he feels look, well I'm caring with it now but some time
[speaker002:] Mm
[Sam:] four eyes, as he calls it, is gonna get
[speaker002:] Uptight about it, yeah
[Sam:] No, no, he, he'll, well, no Alec is going to get uptight about it
[speaker002:] Yes, yeah
[Sam:] and the last person I want to see leaving is Alec
[speaker002:] Would be Alec absolutely
[Sam:] cos I
[speaker002:] I think what he needs to do er is to say right, well there's a problem here, go to Netherlands Alec, they need help here to get things set up
[Sam:] That's right
[speaker002:] because I'm ab I'm absolutely convinced having seen the package
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] erm Sam, it does produce er you know tremendous information
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] and it's easily updated because er from what I've seen now you can actually key in sort of the acreage and then update the crop inspecting reports
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] and each time you go out and look at the crop update
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] that very, very easily
[Sam:] Oh I see
[speaker002:] and print out a variety of reports on that
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] and then erm it will as you go along, as the crops are actually growing in the fields, you can change the yield on it so as
[Sam:] Oh, aye
[speaker002:] as, as it gets near to the harvest you can come to
[Sam:] Yeah, yeah
[speaker002:] quite a close estimate of what the
[Sam:] Estimate, yes, yes
[speaker002:] the harvest is gonna be
[Sam:] Oh that's excellent because er I said, he said oh I don't want to be lugged with a big computer sort of thing and so on, so I said well you might, you might be able to get
[speaker002:] It's
[Sam:] a little portable thing that can
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] go out with you and you, you can push a button and it'll come
[speaker002:] [cough]
[Sam:] up with a standard form
[speaker002:] That's
[Sam:] and click on the informat information that you've got already on it and whenever you come back home, or not, into work, you plug it into the master and it it boots in
[speaker002:] That, that is certainly, you know, it, that can be, and, and it's something which we'll probably look at a wee longer term
[Sam:] Well what, what sort of made me say that was because er across the crevy well at least all these travel ones are
[speaker002:] Yes all these little
[Sam:] little manual things, yeah
[speaker002:] hand held terminals, yeah and they go out
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] and they can do all the measurements and the trial grounds and so on
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] and then come back in
[Sam:] Right
[speaker002:] and push it into the big
[Sam:] and download it into the system
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] Yes that, that's certainly something which I know computer applications
[speaker002:] Well
[Sam:] are now currently looking at
[speaker002:] must do
[Sam:] erm, but the one other area which I'm sure Alec would find useful for as well, this new thing, er it's trying to find as many benefits for them
[speaker002:] Yes that's right
[Sam:] as possible to make it easier for them to set it up, is that we're hoping to develop within the next er few months in fact, a certification form
[speaker002:] Oh
[Sam:] system
[speaker002:] yes
[Sam:] so in fact what will happen is, they will have all the details about the fields and so on
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] and then they will be able to generate all the certification forms for the Ministry
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] so Alice, er what do you call, Alec at the present
[speaker002:] I wonder does Alec
[Sam:] time, he does all that manually
[speaker002:] I wonder does Alec been told about this?
[Sam:] I don't think he may have been told about that, now he himself if he knew about that, that might be sufficient digging him over this hill
[speaker002:] That's right, correct
[Sam:] because at the other side of the hill he can see well, life's gonna be a lot easier
[speaker002:] You know Alec er, Alec comes up and informs me and I always say well Alec how are things, urgh, do you want the good news or bad news first [LAUGHTER] sort of thing [] [LAUGHTER]
[Sam:] Yes, so it's not easy, yeah. No well that's alright, maybe if, er you are talking to him, I don't know whether you do talk to him
[speaker002:] Well I don't, Alec's probably er one person who I don't speak to a lot really
[Sam:] Yeah, right
[speaker002:] because er
[Sam:] If you are
[speaker002:] Yes
[Sam:] and you get talking about always see if I am
[speaker002:] Aye mention that, yes
[Sam:] Aye, aye mention that and say that you
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] you have
[speaker002:] Mm
[Sam:] possibly something that's coming along in the
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] pipeline that would alleviate his problem.
[speaker002:] I think it's always the problem Sam where people have used a manual based system for so long
[Sam:] Yeah, that's right
[speaker002:] and that the new technology coming in, there is, in the early stages of a lot of
[Sam:] to you [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] work put in to actually set up the system
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] but once they've gone through that pain barrier
[Sam:] Yeah
[speaker002:] and got it set up and running
[Sam:] Yes
[speaker002:] things then start to taper down again
[Sam:] Right, okay
[speaker002:] er, but there is a very steep learning curve
[Sam:] Yes
[speaker002:] to go through
[Sam:] right
[speaker002:] and a lot of people do fight against it, and I, I can understand it er, it's so different to me
[Sam:] Yeah, well he sort of said oh we're, we're a bit old for this or something, I don't know what Alec is, I thought he was only early forties or something
[speaker002:] I think he's probably mid, mid, mid late, mid late forties probably
[Sam:] could be forty something, mid forties
[speaker002:] mid late forties, yeah
[Sam:] I thought it was rather strange er I admit, but I, I sort of, I think I've got him round
[speaker002:] Yes
[Sam:] that he's going to sit down
[speaker002:] Right
[Sam:] over the, over the, over the holiday period
[speaker002:] holidays and look at it
[Sam:] and just, is it all you have to do is jot down what you want from the terminal
[speaker002:] Yeah
[Sam:] or what information you want on this thing and what generally information is asked of you
[speaker002:] Mm, mm
[Sam:] from maybe Neville or me or somebody
[speaker002:] No
[Sam:] cos I mean, that's what prompted all this cos I was getting some information from my
[speaker002:] right
[Sam:] ninety one harvest
[speaker002:] So that's it, okay
[Sam:] Well he should have that all on the system
[speaker002:] That's grand okay
[Sam:] Okay
[speaker002:] Sam
[Sam:] thank you very much indeed
[speaker002:] Pleasure
[George:] Is that two O three one N?...
[Sam:] Zanussi two O three one N is correct a Zanussi two O three one N with a remote control
[George:] I tell you what you can find out about them is
[Sam:] Well I, I, what I'll do is I write off to them, and say what I do is, can't remember where, where we bought it, I think it was Comet
[George:] There's no er, no you don't
[Sam:] Comet they're chosen
[George:] they're terrific er
[Sam:] No, well they're closing down
[George:] for the, all the more reason they must have a big stock [LAUGHTER] big stock []
[Sam:] Well right, well then, how long has, how long has that been going?
[George:] Er, that's a good question, four or five years, more
[Sam:] Must be more
[George:] four years and er, er, oh it must be ten next, ten
[Sam:] been here eight
[George:] We had it fixed, we had it fixed before Christmas
[Betty:] Mm, mm
[George:] and it just went and we had to get these guys who, who did the washing machine
[Sam:] Right
[George:] they were somewhere out in the North Road
[Betty:] Mm, mm
[George:] on the North Road
[Sam:] Aha
[George:] but they came out... collected the set, we managed to borrow a set from elsewhere
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] and it was bloody and erm
[Sam:] This was at Christmas?
[George:] this right at just
[Sam:] oh god
[George:] you know?
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] Couldn't of happened at a worse time
[Sam:] Worse time
[George:] and erm... they had it back within a week... and it cost twenty eight quid...
[Sam:] Oh that wasn't too bad
[George:] and they gave a list of what they did
[Sam:] Yeah that wasn't bad was it?
[George:] and they cleaned it and everything
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] and, we must say it was very warm
[Sam:] Yeah, right, oh that's good.
[George:] I mean, most is labour and we have to when you think er
[Sam:] A call out today
[George:] a call out
[Sam:] is twenty quid
[George:] twenty quid it's thirty quid here
[Sam:] That's right
[George:] Some fella told me that only a couple of weeks ago, but the greatest rip off of them all, have you heard the greatest rip off about Betty and the, and the roof?
[Sam:] Oh yes she did
[George:] Oh
[Sam:] she told me, I, I felt sorry but er
[George:] I told her before, I said he was a con
[Sam:] I knew, it's so easy
[George:] I said er, you wanna make sure like er
[Sam:] Get a price
[George:] get a price before he climbs up er is thirty quid okay? Well he climbed up on the roof and he came down again and whatever he done, there was nothing wrong with the roof for a start
[Sam:] That's right
[George:] and then he charged it and er she if, she know, she couldn't do anything but pay him
[Sam:] Mm, mm och oh she was conned
[George:] but when he came, he came back for the money he came back she told them that, that's mine, she told them that I didn't think much of this and I thought it was a rip off
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] and he had the nerve to say that is the first time I've ever been said about it
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] the first time ever
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]...
[George:] he, all he did, he kind of
[Sam:] Cemented something
[George:] No, no he, he unstuck er a drain and then said he did something on the roof
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] there was nothing wrong with the roof, the roof was all heavy fixed, for
[Sam:] Mm, oh well we all learn by our mistakes
[George:] Yeah, I tell you, even Ian now is very about paying bills and, and Barry I say hit the roof when he heard that one...
[Betty:] Oh these people that I don't have people that call at the door, I want somebody I get them
[George:] That's something, that's something I must
[Sam:] He did a couple of things on the roof
[George:] that's something, but this thing reaches publicity stage, which it could in a couple of weeks time, appear in a paper, you'd have all sorts of weirdos
[Sam:] What, what's this?
[George:] cold calling, once they've put the house on the market as such they start the advertising of the house
[Sam:] Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Betty:] Are they going to advertise it or are they not? Er are
[George:] It's in the Irish Times like on the property section
[Betty:] I know that, but there are ways
[George:] on a Friday
[Betty:] there are ways of doing that they don't do that, you know there's a thing I
[George:] well they may just put it, a photograph of it in their offices, they may not put it in the paper
[Sam:] Mm
[George:] and then your man also told me, he said, this is something you have to watch them, John says they've already paid that for doing all the advertising
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] and I said well why did you pay them before they, the job had been done
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] oh that's the way we did it and we got it something off, this guy also said which some auctioneers like who are highly recognized
[Sam:] Mm
[George:] you can do a deal
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] whereas they will work on a lower percentage of the house sale
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] than what is tendered
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] and you can do a package deal as such, but you incorporate all the advertising they do, but you'll have to get in there and kind of knock a deal out
[Sam:] Mm, right
[George:] you don't say I want my house sold full stop, cos they'll make you that
[Sam:] Well we have, yes that's right, they could do it
[George:] er, and you say, you said you have to watch them
[Sam:] Er what you're saying then is that the house then is being, gonna be put up
[George:] It's gonna be put on the market, but that
[Sam:] Aye
[George:] doesn't mean it's gonna be sold, after,af supp supposedly after Easter
[Sam:] Oh
[George:] that is when the so called, which is another point I don't agree with, the so called tide comes in, that people are more interested in buying houses
[Betty:] Well that actually is true
[Sam:] Yeah well that is
[George:] The general it is true but
[Betty:] Yes
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] in this particular area you sell a house any time
[Sam:] Er I, well
[George:] in this particular area
[Betty:] well if people have money if the people have money
[George:] Well they do, look, the rich people can buy a house any time they want
[Betty:] Mm, mm
[George:] and the rich will buy a house in this area, like you have Embassy people
[Sam:] Mm
[George:] who, who buy, have fixed up staff in Dublin, where did they fix them up around here, I mean er, so many different Embassies are understaffed
[Betty:] Well you see somebody who's who's if, if they buy it they're going to say well they have to do this one
[George:] Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Betty:] want to make that all different there, the kitchen all in one and the utility room have
[Sam:] They also want to sell their own house as well probably
[Betty:] Well if they had a house to sell if they're moving
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] there'd be people come along
[Betty:] It's more likely you'll get somebody that's
[Sam:] Well you'll get people coming along surely out of curiosity
[George:] And you get the one
[Betty:] And they're the ones you need to watch
[George:] and you get the walkers as well saying I'll give you er
[Betty:] No, if it's strictly by
[Diana:] Oh yes only view by appointment only and it happened the first
[Sam:] That doesn't cover, see
[Diana:] after the first night
[Sam:] they don't give appointments to any
[George:] I know the time, you've got people who stay, who stay
[Shirley:] I understand this, the selling of the house will not take place here at all, it'll be taken away from the house
[George:] No it's the appointments to view, we're talking about
[Shirley:] and also there be no auctioning out furniture in the house or any other
[Betty:] Oh yes, yes
[Sam:] No, no, no but they'll, they'll have to people that view it
[Betty:] they know that, people to come to see the house
[Sam:] you can, you can state the time to go
[George:] what somebody comes to that, tomorrow and knocks at that door and says look I've been sent here by you say good bye, good night, good luck nothing has been said to me, I know nothing about this
[Betty:] And you have to be firm and not let anybody in
[George:] Once you have... let anybody in... they'd chop you up and put you in their next stew
[Sam:] Oh aye certainly yes [LAUGHTER] oh I can believe that, that's quite true, but you get a lot of deal, I mean even that, when we were selling our house, there were people a lot of people
[Betty:] Oh
[Sam:] knew, knew the minute walking, walking in, that they were only just coming in just to see
[George:] Yeah
[Sam:] how the live
[Betty:] Yeah, but in fact, in Betty's case you can see the difference in Betty's, in Betty's
[George:] That's why I don't want to have any placards out there, no way
[Betty:] Aye, cos we even had people where, where, where the placard you see, people'll say oh that house, I wonder if they'll let us have a look at it now as they're passing
[George:] And they annoy you
[Betty:] and they come in and, and, at your meal times
[Sam:] Yeah
[Betty:] and had one on New Year's Eve or Christmas Eve or something, they came in, a couple were passing, well they were only on holidays and they were looking, well our house is different I mean
[George:] They don't, they don't think of, they think of themselves...
[Sam:] Oh God some people
[Betty:] But I mean that
[Sam:] some people actually do drive around in area
[Betty:] I dunno whether
[George:] I know for a fact that people have actually got the wind that this pub is going to be on sale, on sale
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] even before [LAUGHTER] we have mentioned it [] well I know
[Sam:] that's, that's
[Betty:] Well you remember when mummy was, when mummy was alive there was a man came to the door and said if you're ever selling let me know
[George:] Oh they always do that yeah
[Betty:] let me know
[George:] yeah, you can't totter a bit without them being on it, they're like vultures sitting on a rail there, looking at you
[Sam:] Mm
[Shirley:] Darling you, darling you weren't in the house the time when she, this man wasn't very well on, she saw him up at her window and she saw he wasn't very well on the other side of the road and she sent down to ask him to come in and she gave him a cup of tea and everything and she was talking
[Sam:] She was on her own?
[Shirley:] Yes, she was on her own and she was talking to well she thought it was a bit peculiar then, luckily she either got Mr or
[George:] She's always doing that
[Shirley:] somebody else to come and apparently he escaped out of a prison somewhere, she's
[George:] Yeah, she was always doing it
[Shirley:] And, well mummy thought she was doing a good
[George:] she was desperate and she'd be walking
[Shirley:] and she helped him, cos he wasn't well and they, then they send for an ambulance and at the the man, he wasn't really well
[George:] you'll be walking down the street
[Betty:] Yeah I know, I've heard that
[Shirley:] Yes and they sent for er Mr sent for an ambulance and all, but he refused to get into it, once he heard the ambulance was coming he was all
[George:] Once he saw the fellows with white coats, that's why he ran
[Shirley:] so he was
[George:] aye sure she had another, she, she allowed er another fel
[Shirley:] Oh she had a prince here
[George:] no, she had another fellow used the garden to plant take and he used to come up pissed out of his mind at night
[Betty:] Oh that was the fellow who
[George:] that was
[Betty:] oh he used to leave her cabbages and things at her back door
[George:] Oh he was terrific, he had green fingers oh yeah then he got worse and worse, he got worse and worse, he got worse and worse and then he just disappeared
[Betty:] You see, before that, that land behind us, before it was all built on, it used to be plots and you know the man coming up with the
[George:] Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
[Betty:] you know, throw something over the wall to you, but that was many, many years ago.
[Sam:] do you remember we took your mum down the
[George:] That was during the war years
[Betty:] No I, I was only a baby then, I wouldn't remember that
[George:] but the clock stopped
[Shirley:] Yeah the clock were there
[Betty:] I was only a baby
[Sam:] Little baby
[Betty:] all around er look and up round that way, and she couldn't get it over
[George:] Oh yes
[Betty:] she said I never thought I
[Sam:] You couldn't get it over?
[Betty:] would see this again
[George:] Yeah, yeah
[Betty:] but she said also that er, she's made, she couldn't get it over, I couldn't get it over the houses myself
[George:] Aye, they were there's no recognition at all, once the, nursery sold their land
[Sam:] Oh the that's right I remember we did business with them
[George:] all the houses went up, now these were respectable houses
[Sam:] Mm, mm
[George:] but then on top of that a whole exploded and the people, the people said hello, hello, there's no way I'm gonna have a breed of
[Sam:] No exactly
[George:] little travellers coming over my wall, so they all sold up and got out
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] now there are some very nice houses there, but the security system, you're constantly at it
[Sam:] Yeah at night
[George:] these guys are constantly repairing his car and that's what I said originally
[Sam:] Yes
[George:] I said did they breed them like flies up there?
[Sam:] That's right, that's right
[George:] Er when you have ten in a family they wanna half of them are, from one day to the next
[Sam:] They're not interested anyway
[George:] There's daddy er, daddy nearly knocked out she nearly knocked down a woman, a child in er
[Shirley:] Who's having tea?
[George:] Summer Hill, up around the back end of
[Betty:] I'd love a cup of tea
[George:] er in the centre of the city
[Sam:] Right
[Shirley:] Excuse me
[George:] and er all these lolling around he was raving, you know daddy ah look after your children, keep them off the streets blah, blah, blah
[Sam:] Yeah, yeah
[George:] ah shut, they're easily got she says
[Diana:] What did she say George?
[George:] That's what she said that, they're easily got
[Sam:] Oh my God.
[Betty:] Well I remember a doctor and a rich man saying to me, I'm gonna get out of this place, it's just like a
[Sam:] yeah, I remember I did
[George:] Oh I mean, I, the best one I heard we were up in Ann and myself er
[Diana:] Is that my cup?
[Shirley:] I think that's yours isn't it?
[George:] Rochers town, we were only a short way and we went to this house, we were only young coppers, and we had this friend call on us and we looked out, he was going back into the car and he looked down the street and he said, my God there's an awful lot of children around here, they must do nothing but screw all the time
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] oh, at the top of his voice, and all these neighbours turned
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER] I think so []
[George:] and there was another one across the way and she was deteriorating, she was getting nervous right there, see if I had to be brought away you know
[Sam:] Yeah
[George:] she was a kind of an early person in the mist with all these horrible little snotty kids
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER] Oh God []
[Shirley:] See if that's warm enough...
[George:] that looks like mushroom soup
[Shirley:] What about coffee or, or, another coffee for you Sam?
[Sam:] I'm okay
[Shirley:] Yes I have
[Sam:] I have worked
[George:] [LAUGHTER] Yes []
[Sam:] is that hot? Is that water?
[Shirley:] Yes it is
[Sam:] Well then I'll have another cup
[Shirley:] I was just wondering is it hot enough?
[George:] [LAUGHTER]
[Diana:] sit down and relax for God's sake
[George:] I'm alright, I'm quite happy just to walk around I've been sitting, sitting down
[Shirley:] Do you take sugar?
[George:] No, no, thank you
[Shirley:] Now, I think, I put
[George:] Now then
[Shirley:] a little of this water
[George:] so anyway I go into this doctor and I erm please and and all, and I ain't been feeling well and all and this no I don't like them at all he says, now my doctor had been given me this one
[Shirley:] Why should you sit on the hard one?
[Sam:] Cos I like a firm seat
[George:] and then she go and get all the three different inhalers, one for two blows in the morning twice in the morning and the evening
[Betty:] Are you still standing a lot no?
[Shirley:] I'm going on a diet, I'm gonna start a low fat diet
[Betty:] We're eating a biscuit the picture's hanging crookedly
[Shirley:] no the thing is, if you're standing a lot
[George:] Slight that's right, that's it
[Shirley:] it's very bad for your varicose veins
[George:] Yes, well done...
[Sam:] Okay
[Shirley:] Do you get, do you get erm breathless going up and down stairs?
[George:] Yes
[Diana:] Yes he does, he just can't get up properly
[George:] I don't have to get I don't have to get up and down stairs, [LAUGHTER]
[Betty:] No I was going I was going to to a friend's husband's funeral
[Sam:] Oh yes, yes, yes
[Betty:] and if the, the hill up to the chapel it's in Down Patrick and it's on the very top of the hill and it's it's deep that
[George:] The one that's
[Betty:] really deep and
[George:] You were running
[Betty:] he's out, oh you ran up and I thought he was going to die when I got into the
[Shirley:] go like this
[Betty:] No, but it was such to see sense it was so er,
[Diana:] no he shouldn't do it
[Betty:] it was so erm steep and it took him half the service to get over, just, well then in the equity I am not fit, I'm gonna lose weight and do exercise I know exercise, that was a year ago
[Diana:] it's all very well joking about
[George:] I walk out
[Betty:] I'm not joking about it
[George:] I walk out to the bus, I get on the bus at the end of Care Street, I walk right along Care Street, right up Dawsons Street, brisk walk and then I'm walking around the garage, I don't do that much walking now, the bloody car, but I take a walk at lunchtime and I walk down to the bar, walking, if you walk, that would be total couple of miles a day that's why I'm thin and slim and you're fat and la, la, la, la
[Betty:] You're, you're
[Sam:] You're, you're probably one of these
[Betty:] you burn
[Sam:] horrible types that can eat and eat and don't put on an ounce
[George:] No, no it's affecting me now, I can't eat that much, because if I, like, I eat I've put on, I'm twelve stone
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] I'm twelve stone I used to be ten stone, er all my life I was ten stone seven, eleven stone
[Shirley:] But since he's been up here, he's been eating me out of house and home and he doesn't pay for it
[Betty:] That's because you cook for him
[Shirley:] I'm not going to cook any more, I'm going to dry rye biscuit now and lettuce
[Diana:] very little
[George:] I go and buy stuff in town and I leave her money in various places, to find it, but she doesn't find it [LAUGHTER]
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER] You don't find it then []? [LAUGHTER]
[George:] One of these days I'm going to tell them
[Sam:] A treasure hunt
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]
[Shirley:] He looks like Dracula now in this
[George:] When you go and fall into somebody's arms I won't be around to hold it
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]......
[Sam:] Hold that cup up in the air
[George:] You want to tell them, bring the tourist around show them the spot
[Sam:] The spot?
[George:] where you spilled your blood he did a good job on it, good job she was saying upstairs sitting in the bed saying don't get a, don't get a doctor
[Sam:] Oh ya
[George:] if you get the doctor out, so I had to ring you, once you had said yes, what's it, what's the hell with her
[Diana:] She was annoyed, she said why didn't you get here earlier?
[George:] Yeah... now you're here, I said I have to put up with this
[Diana:] If he keep going about nervous because of
[George:] what do you mean, you can't say, I'm practically alright
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] there's
[Shirley:] Anyway
[George:] nothing wrong with me
[Shirley:] I've no doctor at the moment
[Sam:] What?
[Shirley:] No doctor
[Sam:] Why?
[Shirley:] Doctor has been given a big job in Trinity
[George:] He says
[Shirley:] he's given up his practice, well he's not, he's still
[George:] I'll just have to leave the country quickly
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[George:] There you are
[Shirley:] He hasn't given up the practice but he's, he's still a partner and he does a large weekend duty for us all
[Betty:] Surely, surely he's transferred his patients to somebody else?
[Shirley:] Yes he has, to a lady doctor
[Betty:] And where, where is it?
[Shirley:] Doctor Penny but he said you may not always get her, you probably get or
[George:] [LAUGHTER]
[Shirley:] doctor or
[George:] Yes doctor
[Shirley:] they're in the, the three of them
[Betty:] There a whole lot, you don't get
[Shirley:] he's still the head of the, the practice
[George:] I know but you're still
[Shirley:] but he's, he's the more that has all the qualifications, he has more than any of the others
[Betty:] Och eh they all have qualifications
[Shirley:] Oh I know the others have and they've all been at medicine for years, they've had that
[George:] Listen for a guy I don't know and he did, he does
[Shirley:] I know you never liked him, but that's
[George:] if he
[Shirley:] He didn't like you, he didn't like you, he didn't take to you at all
[Sam:] [LAUGHTER]
[Shirley:] had no time for you
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER]
[Diana:] Would anybody like salmon Mar erm
[Margaret:] No I'm okay here, no I
[Diana:] Would you like a salmon?
[Sam:] Oh I certainly would
[Bill:] So would I
[Sam:] I'll tell you I'll do
[Bill:] I'll say, say, we're, we're not as fussy as you
[Sam:] We've only got, we've only got, what's our sal what's our fish then
[Margaret:] Well it's tuna then
[Diana:] It's lovely
[Margaret:] Tuna, I love tuna fish
[Diana:] Can you have a tuna sandwich there love, if you can get hold of one there's corned beef and tomato Tuna
[Sam:] You're not sure of
[Bill:] No
[Margaret:] Oh it does look as if
[Sam:] Just say when you want your
[Diana:] I'll do it would you like a salm?
[Margaret:] No, no, not for me thanks
[Bill:] Do you want a coffee Margaret?
[Margaret:] Yes please Bill, Bill
[Sam:] Do you want one of these
[Diana:] Well I'm using the lid so it's alright, well give me, give me, there should be another one.