From David GRAY
@. . . . . . Very sorry for my lack of contributions;
this apparition had the planet most unfavourably placed from this latitude of
+54ﾟ40'. What opportunity there was,
has been accompanied by very poor seeing. This coupled with my continuing
awkward nightshift at the bakery has meant there was nothing obtained worth
reporting or indeed recording!
Just to
summarise the sorry history of my observing aspirations these past months I
include below some extracts from replies to John Rogers, Richard McKim, and
recently Alan Heath. I do not know if you will be inclined to print all of what
follows, but it explains the situation I am in; and it is becoming rather
monotonous go into each time a fellow observer get in touch! Few things put
people off like whiner so I apologise for that!
Dear
John,
Many thanks for your letter of June 21st.
It is good to know that visual work still has a place with the section. No I
have not given up - observing is a joy to me, whether the date is reported or
simply filed away. In particular, coming home from work and observing the
planets using the time honoured visual disciplines is my ideal stress reliever!
However, work and other factors are
seriously eroding my observing opportunities on all sides. I have been at the
Shildon bakery (3 miles, south, as the crow flies, but nearer 5 on the
bicycle!) for over two years now; still all night-shift. They have of late
taken on far more trade than the premises, let alone the diminishing number of
skilled bakers, can cope with. This foolishness means I spend little quality
time at home these days/nights. In a nutshell, I am three years away from my
60th birthday and having to‘fly’about most of the shift like a 20-year old. Our nights off
are suspended and we are doing six 10 to 12 hour shifts a week (add 30 to 40
minutes total travel time per day etc. etc.). I have already warned them once
our health and fitness goes we are no use to anyone; a shrug of the shoulders
is the only response! You know, when I was at the Spennymoor bakery and things
were not going well with the production I would at times mutter“God get me out of this”- he did - he sent me to
Hell! Be careful what you pray for!
Nothing worth reporting from the recent
apparition, I live in hope for the current one. Will, hopefully, again be in
touch as to what I can manage. At least this and subsequent once will find the
planet better placed for me in the darker morning hours......
Dear
Richard [July 21],
.....Well
the situation has eased a little (had my first Friday night off in months
yesterday) - but not for long I fear. They are shortly to take on two more
outlets, with another twenty three in prospect for October!! This is
complete folly and I doubt if they will retain the staff they have let alone
find more, which they are having little success with anyway. We are getting two
type - imbeciles (I have heard of chimpanzees that can do better), and those
who have the sense to get out quickly when they see the situation. Leaving us
the added stress of supervising the former category. They plan to introduce a
three shift system by October but I do not see how given the current state of
recruitment. What is putting the load on myself these past months is that,
Johnny, the foreman, is off on indefinite sick leave. So they have me as a
virtual (unpaid) foreman; I have told them that in spite of 32 years as foreman
at previous bakeries I want no more, but they seem to be putting it on me by
stealth, and asking for the going rate would be acceptance in their eyes I
fear. The situation is becoming impossible; at the first opportunity I am
getting out.
Apologies for the prolonged moaning, but I
feel I should get across to one and all that I have not deserted the eyepiece -
at least not willingly - and certainly not due to CCD. John Rogers says that
someone had told him I might have given up; well they had no right say that
without consulting me. I suspect that this has been done on the
(mis-)information highway. I am only frustrated that this visual/CCD thing has
occurred when I am in no position make a decent contribution for the visual
site - not that it should be a conflict, but rather a complementary partnership
I feel. At 57 my eyesight is virtually unchanged, though I sometime have to use
reading glasses (1.25×) now. I can still see the most difficult n.e. test features
on the moon, resolveεLyrae, go better than mag. 6.5 in good skies, and the
latter with less than 10 min. dark adaption as in my youth! Not sure when
Father Time will take all that away but then CCD (or whatever) will be
considered....
And lastly to Alan Heath....
Dear
Alan,
....Well
the situation has eased a little more since those letters. A former employee
has returned until March - he works for a holiday company during summer months.
So the ovenman and myself now have our nights off again. And we two (he also
worked in my shift at Spennymoor) have had a ￡30 a week pay rise. This
came out of the blue after veiled threats from both of us, in concert with our
subtly demonstrating the mayhem that would ensue regarding our absence!! Only
one outlet out the 23 has been realised. Hence the 3-shift system is shelved.
Although they are considering doing away with the nightshift in favour of an
afternoon one. Actually I feel this may interfere more with observing. They are
calling it the
I will
close by saying that I feel honoured that you have continued to send me your
CMO in spite of my not being able to send observations. You have shown more
understanding than one, or more, others. Let us see what the next apparition
brings! Finally I do not wish my recent poor showing to be even a small part of
apparent. Finally I do not wish my recent poor showing to be even a small part
of the apparent disheartening of other visual observers. After all in spite of
things I have still managed over 30 decent sessions with Saturn, and a few with
Jupiter.
NO I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP!!
(
David GRAY (Spennymoor,