So, the opening of the hotel is getting closer by the minute.

Tommorrow, all the new recruits join us for the first time and embark on their three week training programme that involves learning the system that we use - Fidelio, the company mandatory training (boring) and spending some time in the central London hotels getting used to how we do things.

And I'm pretty heavily involved in this.

But.

I am acutely aware that the hotel is only getting about 40% of me at the moment.

Unlike the opening of Manchester, my heart just ain't in it.

Why?

A few reasons, the internal politics of the company are at an all time low.

A few months ago a guy whom we shall call CarSick joined the hotel as the Deputy General Manager.

Which as the House Manager was the aspect of my job that I was really looking forward too.

This guy has been with the company a few years and I think has distant links to the 'Family'.

But no Operational experience.

He told the Chairman that he wanted to be the next General Manager , so the Chairman decided to stick him with us so he could learn and then be he GM of the next hotel.

'Cause, like, you can learn to be the big cheese in a year.

Really.

I found the GM in Manchester to be a truly inspiring person to work for.

He was a great guy and a good Gerneral Manager to work for an aspire too.

I remember when we were in a similar situation in 2004 witht he arrival of all the new staff, he went into the conference room, welcomed them and gave them a speech about being a 'hotelier' first and a Receptionist or Waiter second.

When Nick the Chief Engineer was killed in a motorcycle acident he broke down in tears in front of the whole hotel, not afraid to hide his emotions.

He has a lot of professionalism, a good head for business and above all else, he has dignity.

The GM at Canary Wharf GM isn't inspring in anyway.

And that is not his fault entirely, he is a product of teh Company to a certain extent.

But then, so am I.

I have been silently angry with him on several occasions, most notably with his lack of regard to the HOD's.

The way I see it is this;

The Front Line look after the Guest.

The HOD looks after the front line.

The GM looks after the HOD's.

Simple, innit?

You'd think.

But the Canary Wharf has displayed such disregard for his HOD's that I have had to take myself out of the office for a walk lest I say something regrettable.

He's a great Manager, fantastic with figures and rates, but I think lacks the vision to be a true, great General Manager.

Anyway.

As we trundle along toward the opening, my attention is drawn toward possible new pastures.

Again, really.

I have a few irons in the fire and if one of them comes off, it's Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.

Whoever said that Brussel's was boring was a dirty yellow lying bastard.

We arived this morning courtesy of he Eurostar and have so far had a blast.

A bit of shopping, some good food, some great waffles with chocolate...

And some 'us' time.

And we needed it, we sometimes try and please to many people, not leaving time just to be together, to be a couple.

It's good.

So how far have we come?

I mean really?

We were sitting in the movies watching a screening of 'Brief Encounter' that is part of a season of British Films.

Included in this season was 'Goldfinger', 'Wicker Man' and the 'Dam Busters'.

And it was great, sitting there in the dark watching this old black and white movie, marvelling at the sheer....well Englishness of it.

Lot's of stiff upper lips and a dash of the old 'Dunkirk Spirit'.

Everybody was a 'Darling' or an 'Old girl'.

It was great.

It's a great movie.

But once the word 'gay' had been used in teh context of 'I had a very gay afternoon' there were sniggers from parts of the cinema.

Jeezus, get over it.

This happended yesterday;

''....Yes, well firstly yesterday I picked up a pair of shoes in your shop and when the young girl brought out the other shoe to the pair, it was distinctly a different colour.'' I almost spat down the telephone.

''...and secondly'' I continued '' when I purchased another pair of shoes I asked not to take the box but was told that I had to take the box for 'Health and Safety' reason's. Now, as far as I know, cardboard boxes are no longer life threatening..''

I took a breath and then carried on; ''..and when I got home to try on the shoes there was only one in the box!!!! One bloody shoe!! ....''

Sheesh.

Even though it was pitch dark, I still saw him do it.

We were sitting in the Cinema, watching the 'Simpson's' movie.

Which was actually pretty good.

It does play like an over long episode, but it has lots of laugh out loud funny moments.

And each character gets a moment to shine.

And when it was the turn of Comic Book Guy, G gave me a sideways glance and a wry smile.

Guilty as charged.