"La musique a Joe c'est la rumba, La vieux rock & rumba"

So far this week it’s all work, work with a little bit more work thrown in for good measure. Today I am working about 16 hours.

I probably ought to tell you a little about what I’m actually doing here. Usually back home I’m a laboratory technician, but I have come out here to Lyon to take on the role of Quality engineer. This is by no means new to me, I worked in quality for some years before taking up my pipettes & sachrometers.

Our operation here is a paint line in another company’s factory. The other company manufacture axles for lorries & we paint them. We have a new purpose built super-duper paint line here. Trouble is, due to all manner of cock ups, it’s not yet ready to run. Thus we are having to run the existing, very old paint line. As it was not anticipated that this line would still be in use my company put very little into it in terms of quality procedures & the like. The customer had gotten to a point where they were seriously pissed off by the lack of quality control they were seeing from us.

That’s where I come in.

I have been furiously writing & implementing work instructions & procedures. I have introduced a daily process audit which I have to carry out. I have a meeting with a rather forboding Frenchman every morning who represents our customer & is in a permanent state of being pissed off. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Thing is, I’m actually winning this battle.
I am doing my job rather well & though there is no place for complacency, I’m receiving praise from all the right places. The customer is gaining more confidence in us with every passing day, which is in no small part down to my efforts here. And one night last week I was given a drunken celebratory hug by none other than Le Grand Gaffer!
Zut alors!

I am firmly taking this opportunity to show myself in a positive light, god knows it’s about time. I am a very popular figure back home with the rest of the workforce but I’ve always felt like those in higher places had little faith in me. To change that perception of me would be wonderful.

The other great thing is that with all these hours I’m doing I’m earning much more money than usual. And though so far I have spent a bit of it (going to see Coldplay, treating myself to some new clothes, the weekend with Nice), mostly I’ll be earning much more than I’ll be spending. Which is great.

So it really is all good. Not just the wonderful time I’ve been having in this enchanting city, but even my work is going really well.

Add to that the fact that I will shortly have acquired a ticket for a gig in nearby Grenoble for January 30th. Who will I be seeing?

Only Oasis.

And the support?

Only Stereophonics!!

That’ll be a cracking birthday present to myself, eh?

I really hope you are all well. I miss keeping up with all your lives but it’s become really difficult to get online. This post has only been possible due to my late hours here.

I must also next time tell you about the book I’ve almost finished reading. A book I’ve enjoyed so much that I pretty much finished it in two days straight.

Finally, I’d just like to note the commenting debut of Delusions Of Grandeur. If you are reading again mate, I want to publically say how much your comment meant to me. It was nice to hear from you & your description of me as "the happy man" made me tickled pink! Thank you my friend & I’m sure you’ll be safe from any bunny violence now!

It’s all good!!

Bon sour, mon amis.