Communications Disruption

Friday 8th June

I don't know quite how James Bond does it.

I've never seen a film where halfway through a pivotal conversation the hero or heroine loses phone reception or loses a wireless connection and yet I seem to be afflicted by this kind of nonsense all of the time. To make an uninterrupted mobile call from my house, I have to sit in the attic. My county Blackberry seems to covet received voicemails until such time as I'm driving or in a meeting, when it rings to tell me that I have six new messages. And if I'm trying to send an email from the mobile device, then I generally may as well head to Berkshire.
I'm not an engineer, but I suspect that part of this is to do with my home being situated in the lee of High Curley where the nearest masts are. In any event, if you have difficulty in contacting me, rest assured that it is the communications disruption to blame and not my call management.
But why, you might ask, do I insist on using the mobile devices for county business? Well, in spite of the poor reception, the Blackberry is infinitely preferable to the laptops that we members are provided with. The problem is the age of the machines coupled with the number of security protocols so that crashes are all too prevalent and far too frustrating to deal with expediently. The last time I used the laptop, it took three hours to delete six emails.
I'm advised that the county is in the process of rolling out new machines, but in the meantime do bear with me if you are trying to get in contact. The emails and calls get to me eventually.

Now, where's that Martini?

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