Happy Birthday Joey and Nick

It's been quiet on the birthday front around here for a few weeks but then, like the proverbial bus, two come along at once. Yes, today little Joey Jones from our assembly department reaches the ripe old age of 18. Last night he went to Anfield to see the not so mighty reds lose to the not very mighty Fiorentina. Well actually he would have seen them lose if he hadn't left five minutes from time. At least he travelled home in the misguided belief that Liverpool had drawn.

It never ceases to amaze me how football clubs manage to field weakened teams for unimportant matches on the basis that they are resting players for more important games. Having shelled out the best part of £130 on tickets for the game I felt that I deserved more than that. It's a bit like going to see an Elton John concert and getting Jedward because Sir Elton needed a rest before his next performance.I mean to say! They've got another game on Sunday. Talk about a hard life!

Anyway, I digress. It's been an up and down year for Joey. He joined us last year and then, when the recession hit, he was one of the unlucky few to be made redundant but as we liked him so much, we were happy to welcome him back when things turned better. Joey is a big Liverpool fan and he's also a bit of a comedian having entertained us with a five minute stand up at our last Christmas do. Have a great day Joey.



And, no less important, it's Sales and Marketing Director Nick Neal's forty somethingth birthday today. Congratulations Nick. Nick also went to Anfield last night to see the boys put on their inspired performance. Here he is beneath the statue of the great Bill Shankley. Nick has been at Instanta for eleven years now and has become the face of the company for our customers throughout his area. In fact, Nick has become so well known to many people that I sometimes get calls asking to speak to MD Nick (what have you been telling them Nick?). Nick loves fishing, technology and DIY. He has just finished a marathon DIY effort on his house. It's been a labour of love that has taken him about five years but he says that he's finally finished having completed the toilet last week. So you can get rid of that bucket now Nick. Have a great day.




Here's another sneak preview of next year's models. Our WA5 has been a big success and we're giving it a bit of a faclift in 2010 and a couple of new models to keep it company. Keep watching this space as more will be revealed in the next few weeks. In the meantime I'm busy working away on getting the sales literature ready in time.


We're supporting the 10:10 initiative next year both here and at home.At work we are introducing some green initiatives to the new products. At home, Marion and I have reduced our home power consumption by an amazing amount (mind you, sitting under a blanket in the lounge makes us look like a couple of paupers). We are really determined to do something about climate change and the Prius arrives in a few weeks. It probably won't affect our lives but we're thinking of the grandchildren (if we ever have any) here's a short film to make you think.

Rafa Rafa Sign Him Up

We Liverpool fans have been a bit short of goals recently with Fernando Torres being sidelined with a hernia. But here's an ideal replacement, Rocky Baptiste. Marvel at his skills.

Meanwhile, out in the factory, Operations Director Dave Wilson is working around the clock getting the new models ready for photography tomorrow.He's on time at the moment and we should be able to slot the photos into the new brochure next week and be well on time for publication in February.


We worked late on some accounts last night (don't die of shock we have been known to work after 5pm from time to time). As it was late, Marion and I decided to buy some fish and chips from the chippy near the factory on the way home. The lady in the shop was really nice. I ordered two fish and a portion of chips. As she piled the chips onto the paper, I was looking around the shop to see if another customer had come in and ordered chips for the whole street but no, I was alone, and the mound grew bigger and bigger. The chips were delicious but half of them ended up in the bin. The single portion could easily have fed five. As I left the shop a number of her regulars waddled in to a jovial welcome and I made an instant decision to leave fish and chips off the menu for quite some time.



Here's our buyer Gavin looking very happy. And he has good reason for this time tomorrow he will be somewhere over the Atlantic on his way to Barbados where he and his partner Julie are joining a two week Caribbean island cruise. Have a great time Gav (Is it possible to write through gritted teeth?).

Gone Fishin'

One of the benefits of the four day factory week that we have been operating here at Instanta for years is the chance for people to indulge in some of their hobbies on a Monday when the golf course is emptier,the riverbank quieter and the swimming pool isn't clogged with screaming kids.The beauty of the working hours for both Instanta and the staff is that they still put in a 35 hour working week but if an increase in production is needed they can always work Mondays in an emergency.This Monday welders Craig Peach (top) and Darren Rodwell used that time to visit some ponds in Mawdesley and they both ended up with a net full of fish.Here they are with two of the specimen carp that they landed. I've been told that there was a wager between the two about whose was the biggest but Darren suggested that they go fishing instead.



And just to show that we didn't spend Nick Neal's winnings for coming second in our Guardian Pick The Score competition on bacon butties here he is with his £50 prize. Nick led the league for most of the early months but Tony Lowe with an incredible run of correct predictions had a late surge to take the prize from his grasp.



Speaking of sports predictions I see that the bookies were suspicious of the huge number of bets that they took on Jurgen Melzer to beat Wayne Odesnik 3-0 at Wimbledon and they suspended betting on the match which strangely went on to finish er 3-0 to Melzer. Odesnik said that he would never do anything to jeopardise his career although rumours that he spent the night before the game at an O'Neils bar may have set the jungle drums off amongst the betting community with suggestions of an almighty hangover.Until the incident is investigated they will remain just that - rumours.



Proof that democracy is alive and well under the new (old) regime in Iran. When six of the national team, including their captain, wore green wristbands in support of the opposition candidate Mir Hossein Musavi in their World Cup Qualifier against South Korea they were told to remove them at half time (although captain Mahdavikia wore his green captain's armband for the entire match). All of the players have had their passports taken off them and four have been banned from playing for life. Which I imagine is exactly the sort of thing that they were protesting about. I had to laugh when I read in The Guardian that the team's chief administrative officer, Mansour Pourhiedari, initially claimed the wristbands had been intended as a religious tribute to a revered Shia figure in the hope that it would deliver a victory on the pitch. It reminded me of Gerard Houlier's comments after Robbie Fowler snorted the white line of the penalty area in a goal celebration "Robbie was pretending to eat the grass. It is something that Rigobert Song does all the time at the training ground" Hmmm. Obviously Gerard.



And still on Iran, let's all please remember Neda Soldani like this. Her tragic death during the political protests has been viewed by millions on YouTube but I have deliberately avoided watching it and won't be posting any links here. Surely the simple fact that a young woman's life has been taken away by an undemocratic regime is enough without our needing to see her life blood draining onto the streets. R.I.P Neda. Let's hope that your death was not in vain.



Following the results of yesterday's very special offer we are continuing it today. Yes. We are offering 30% YES THIRTY PER CENT off the super AF40 heated cup stacker.That's a reduction of £79.50 Designed to take forty 85mm stacking cup this is a great little unit and you can take advantage of this offer by ordering today and quoting blog offer 230609. Offers must reach us by Friday 26 June at 4.30pm.



It's Orange Wednesday today but we might give it a miss. It's a glorious day here in Southport and we may just spend the evening in the garden as the nights do start drawing in from now onwards.

It was Father's Day on Sunday and I got a great card from Sarah and Paul tells me that he has sent me something but didn't realise that it was ten day delivery!Here's a video on the topic. Give it a go. It made me laugh out loud.