Merry Christmas!
A week today - as I write, it’s Christmas Day.
Maybe, maybe not. A better question might be - does it matter?
Clare has a friend who is a postie. He explained how the Royal Mail were keeping going. Workers are split into pods and following Covid protocol. If one of the pod tests positive, then the whole pod has to self-isolate, having a huge impact on the amount of hours available for a fortnight. All this, in a time where everybody is ordering more things online for home delivery.
Is it any surprise that some deliveries have been slow? The surprise is, that they have managed to provide such an amazing service in such trying circumstances. I think that Royal Mail have been absolutely fantastic through the pandemic. Heroes, every one of them.
Meanwhile, Brexit. No politics here - just an observation. The UK left the EU at the end of 2019. The parties agreed a year to work out what would happen on January the first, 2021. That they haven’t, is a dereliction of duty. If you are pro-Brexit, you might blame the EU, if you anti-Brexit then you might blame the UK. I’d fire all of them. I bet they are biro-users. Still, if 2020 has taught us anything, it has taught us that…
Clare will sort it out.
Merry Christmas.
Deliveries
If you order now, will stuff get to you?Maybe, maybe not. A better question might be - does it matter?
Clare has a friend who is a postie. He explained how the Royal Mail were keeping going. Workers are split into pods and following Covid protocol. If one of the pod tests positive, then the whole pod has to self-isolate, having a huge impact on the amount of hours available for a fortnight. All this, in a time where everybody is ordering more things online for home delivery.
Is it any surprise that some deliveries have been slow? The surprise is, that they have managed to provide such an amazing service in such trying circumstances. I think that Royal Mail have been absolutely fantastic through the pandemic. Heroes, every one of them.
Pencils
Blackwing has been a nightmare. We have been told that they have had real difficulties with their supply lines, and we have no choice but to believe them. I observe that the UK market has fared much worse than the US and other international markets - but somebody has to be bottom of the pile, I guess. In January we will have XIX, and Volume 6 - who knows?
On the other hand - Musgrave have gone from strength to strength. The Tennessee Red is my favourite pencil, and the wooden box of 24 is awesome. The scent! It’s divine. My product of the year.
Nero’s Year
Nero has two huge strengths. The first is you - the customer. Thank you for your support this year. In March, we faced an existential threat - and you lovely people went on line and made a purchase. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The second, is Clare. Every single order despatched in 2020 was wrapped and posted by Clare. Whatever the world has thrown at Nero’s, Clare has calmly dealt with it, no fuss, no bother. I’m in awe.2021
It’s going to be as tough, if not tougher, than 2020. That’s not pessimism, its common-sense. I’m delighted that such amazing progress has been made on vaccines - and I’m confident we will, as a planet, get on top of Covid-19: However, it will take time. The economic cost of the lockdowns is huge - and we’re all going to pay it.Meanwhile, Brexit. No politics here - just an observation. The UK left the EU at the end of 2019. The parties agreed a year to work out what would happen on January the first, 2021. That they haven’t, is a dereliction of duty. If you are pro-Brexit, you might blame the EU, if you anti-Brexit then you might blame the UK. I’d fire all of them. I bet they are biro-users. Still, if 2020 has taught us anything, it has taught us that…
Clare will sort it out.
Merry Christmas.
