Friday, March 30, 2007

I think one of the most entertaining programmes on TV at the moment is Chaos at the Chateau - on Channel 4, Thursdays. It really is proving to be my own personal TV highlight of the week.

It's about a couple who have bought a derelict Chateau in Slovakia with the view to renovate it and open a boutique hotel. The fact that neither of them have experience of renovating a property or running a hotel does not stop them in their quest and to give them credit the place inside does look stunning.

There's some very clever editing going on to make the programme as entertaining as possible - some of which you have to take tongue in cheek - like the bit when the only time they can view a flat to rent is whilst she is having her hair highlighted so she has to race around the streets of Bratislava with a tinfoil head.

Last night they were trying to find prospective staff to run the hotel, using some interview techniques that certainly hadn't come out of any HR handbook. The final decision to recruit seemed to rest on the applicant's star sign - a technique I might adopt if it works as it would be lot quicker than some of the interviews I've sat through lately!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Friday night found me anxiously watching the boys perform in their school band competition. Quite what disaster I was expecting to see, I'm not sure, but the amount of nervous energy I consumed waiting for them to come on stage could have lit a small town for a week.

Anxious moments (or should I say trials) start as soon as they are born and there never seems to be any let up. First there is the hearing test (both referred) then the toddler test (me practically dislocating my neck trying to show them which was the blue block without saying anything and negating the whole exercise). Finding out later both were colour blind helped me to come to terms with that trauma.

Then it's performances in school plays. Subtlety suggesting a small part can be more fun; trying to find out when precisely their bit was so that I could work out how long the agony of waiting was likely to last.

Back to Friday - in the end it was great - as soon as they started to play I felt fine - could almost relax and enjoy it.

And very well done to Matt and James for bringing home the cup!