Aprail showers

A BEWICK IS THE CAR OF THE MONTH

James Bond 7 Number of a passing Rolls Royce

So the Luas goes through a red light then it blocks the traffic on the quays

I picked up a nail and spent an hour getting it fixed

This wheel would be great

Cherry blossom time again.

I hope you had a great Easter.
A Muslim group here have suggested that we remove the Celtic cress at Harrolds cross road.
They find it offensive to their faith.
Well I suppose they must learn to tolerate other faiths and religions.
We would never go to their country and object to the noise when people are being called to prayer.
Or complain about them praying 20 times a day.
But on the other hand they have become persecuted in their own lands and came here for refuge.
If we tolerated total lack of empathy for others we would be sending them all back again.

How we treat others is a point to ponder.

She was from Sardinia and it was her birthday, a bright friendly girl.
Her boss kept her late and she hoped to make it to a cake shop in time to pick up her birthday cake.
The very next day she was off to Sardinia to visit Mama and Papa.
But her boss had told her to bring her laptop with her as he expected her to work while on holiday.
A lot of these teckie jobs pay less than they should and they have their workers on strange contracts.
Some companies in Eastpoint were shown up in the media as paying less than the minimum wage.

So I told her about a Canadian guy called Robin Sharma who gives talks on YouTube.
There has to be a way to talk to bad bosses?
Perhaps they only bully people because they can, but if they were challenged it would be interesting to see the reaction.

One young guy was working for a large building supply company years ago where his boss was aggressive and rude. Through family contacts he got a job in a smaller building supply company where his cousin was in charge.
2 years later the big building supply company went bust and the young lad was called into his cousins office. "Your old foreman is looking for a job, how would you feel about him coming to work here?"
"If he comes I go"
So he didn't take on his old enemy.
Anyhow the young guy would have been his old bosses foreman, which would have been interesting.
The clock ticks and the hour hand comes back to the same place again.
So behave yourself, or it will come back to bite you.

So going forward I give you the master,

Baby you can drive my car

Temple bar

College of surgeons

Reading about the taxi drivers in New York lets me see that things are not so bad here at all.
The NY medallion was once valued at over $1million now it would be hard to get half that for a medallion now.
The Yellow Cabs sit in their yards as the drivers who used to hire them now drive for Uber.
The punter is happy as there are more cars available and they come quickly...But not all is that good.

When I took out my taxi license years ago I had to have my past vetted by the police, then I could apply to proceed to have my knowledge tested.
Then I got a PSV permit .
Now to get a license for the car took another few leaps and twists.
Once valued at £90,000 in old money our system changed to make a taxi plate worth £5000
Then you couldn't sell or transfer your taxi plate so things got worse.

But I am sure you don't want to know about that.

So for Uber you drive on your own insurance until someone hops in and Uber takes over the liability.
Or do they?
Google it to find  Uber horror stories..

Even today a British rapist taxi driver who was guilty of murders as well as many rapes was about to be released on PAROLE but after a fuss was locked up again and people in the parole board have resigned instead. It was a close call. He was nearly out. His name was Warboys

So you have to be careful, you yourself know best of all.

A real diamond of a woman stopped me, she had a zimmer frame walker (With wheels), going to Inchacore.
She was a dealer (Not a drug dealer) on the street. Told me about her daughter in Jameses St hospital dying from cancer, 41 years old.
"Its hard to be cheerful, but I have to visit her"
She was a true diamond and when I took out all her stuff she handed me the fair.
"Look son, take this
be lucky.
Buy a lotto ticket"
She gave me €2 extra with a beaming smile.

God bless her and all who belong to her. I hope her daughter dances at her next wedding.
The Dublin people are made of great stuff.



On the other hand I won't be bitter and write about fancy travelers in shiny suits who ask for a €40 receipt for a €35 journey then ask for their €5 change  etc. etc

I wish I could distill the happiness that my customers exude!
That would be awesome.

At this time every year my mind returns to a very rude English couple going to the airport on a Sunday morning at the Conrad Hilton hotel.

This couldn't happen today as technology would not allow it to happen.

So we were on our way and the woman leaned forward.

"Your driving us round ta ouses!, just take us to ta da aiport"

No point in giving her an argument! She knew it all.
I drove with the radio on low while they argued in the back.
They sounded like a cement mixer with gravel in it.. If you know what I mean.?

So at the airport I pulled out the suitcase and with the correct change in my hand I straightened the handle.

"I hope you left enough time for your flight ?"

"Corsre I ave ya fucking moron"

"No! that change on the clocks fucked up my whole day"

"Wats ya takin abaut?"

"The clocks, they went forward last night! Its an hour later now"
It took 3 seconds until his demeanor started to shrivel up.

He had missed his flight....

My God! Such a girl from Brazil with the most beautiful face and smile, a budding film star, or so she told me.
No I won't show you her photo from the dash cam but she was indeed very beautiful.
She was going to the cinema complex on Parnell st and at €15 she stopped me on O'Connell St  she had no more money.
I still brought her thinking of that old Beatles number

"Baby you can drive my car"

Happy St.Patricks day

This giant mural looks great from across the river.Up close its made from junk

Another crane appears on the horizon

Balfe St at the Westbury has been dug up for weeks.

The world is on the point of going green. St.Patricks day has come around click here for more information.

I finally took the day off and went to the barber and took a look around the city by foot.
The city is changing very fast, a lot of beggars and junkies around. Its a pity that the powers that be won't do something to help the unfortunates.
There was a girl of around 20 years old around Pearse St. sitting on her school bag her head on her knees.
The poor kid was really suffering and I wished that I knew of a way to help her.

That evening I picked up a guy at the James Larkin center an outreach center i Ballybock.
He had been through the mill himself and was putting in time to give something back.
So I got the outreach number and the number for the center as well.
He was doing security for a movie last night, he also told me that he would love to be an actor.
I think I might know someone who could give him a leg up to fulfill his wishes.
That would be great.
So all the way to Ballymun with no charge.

"Giving something back"

A fair few crashes at the moment, wet roads? Long texts?

Who knows.

A little female soldier from New York in the car looking for a car hire near the airport.
 "Ace"
I never heard of it and we drove around the different car lots asking, Then she gave me the phone number.
"Turn left at Keyleys" down that road there was no signs for the place. There was a big Eurocar place and another one internet hire. I went in there and there on the back wall "Ace car hire"
So she then had to drive the car back into town to pick up the rest of her crew to drive to Kilkenny.
Not a great plan as the drive back in would take its toll on the nerves.
Better to have all come out together and traveled on from there.
Only a suggestion, save the time and the frustration.

If you plan to travel and hire a car use holidayrentals.com we have used them many times without fault.

There is a sign at the bus station "Airport €20"

So I was bringing 3 people in the mad Friday traffic to the airport for €20 !
I had the meter running €26 with traffic.
One of them handed me €20 and I gave her €10 change
Then the other couple offered a €20 to the other girl.
I was lifting out the suitcases and I heard "I will square up with you in the terminal"
I got into the car
The truth hit me and they were gone...

Lets sell some stuff

A day off ?

It was like the end of the World when the storm struck out in Portmarnock

Where  is GOOGLE? Right here in Barrow St. Dublin

Nearly £500 Punts found after being "Put away" in 1991

What do you think could I really be living in a house on the edge of the twilight Zone ?
Doing a big tidy up the other day in the bookcase up pops an envelope put away in 1991 to be found now in 2018
£490 old Irish pounds traveled through time to be found again.
A Polish guy told me the "Old money" it cannot be exchanged.
But in Ireland it can.
So its back to the central bank with my passport and bank details.
They won't just exchange the money.
You have to wait until it is transferred to your account,
Still money is money.

I am waiting for OIL, we just about ran out and he should be here soon.
We couldn't be bothered to change over to gas as you get a bill every month whether you are using gas or not.You only pay for what you use with oil, no monthly charge.
The wood burning stove that we installed a few years ago gives us an awful lot of heat, then with using old pallets for fuel it costs nothing to run.
Business is picking up in the taxi in comparison to other years. Time was 10 years ago you would be better off going to stay in Spain for the heat and the rest as there was no work here until St.Patricks day..
More than 800 taxi drivers left the business last year, whether it is the economy improving or the falling income I cannot judge.

A really interesting lady from India the other day.
She was an artist had just arrived here and was looking for a sim card.
Most phone shops don't open until 11.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then she had to go to her solicitors on Ushers quay.
She had a great wonderful happy laugh. Then she showed me some of her paintings on her fone. They were really good for sure.
I am sure that I saw them in the Sunday Times a while back.
Then she said.
"You are a very interesting man and great fun to be with.
I really enjoyed your company.
You are very handsome in spite of your age!!  "

My balloon went with a big bang.

I am taking all day off today..  much work to do here in the house.

Cabin fever leads to Lidl distruction and looting

Clontarf Castle

Time to get the shovel

Meanwhile in Brazil.Wish I was there too

I went out and I worked and it was like what Christmas used to be like.
One jumping out another one in.
The only problem I had was when I ran into a snow drift and the snow lodged under the car.
When I went to reverse the front wheels had lifted off the ground.
So we had to scoop the snow from under the car !!
But a few drivers put in a 16 hour day slept for 5 hours and another 16 hour day.
Next thing is "Crash Bang Wallop" and they are out of action and all the money they made will be gone.
People wanting to be brought to and from the airport was mad. Surely the website would say no!

Things got rough over in Tallagh, this is an iffy area at the best of times, so the spark hit the powder keg and riots took place. Looting started and then they destroyed a Lidl store.
Now they have to go many miles to pick up the groceries.

I am still thinking about the 26 year old girl who died from cancer last week.
I hope her mother and sister have been taken care of.
Such a tragedy, a young life gone.
You could understand her not worrying her parents.
Then it was too late when they heard the news.

Her friend who was in the taxi had a problem with her credit card payment.
I told her to put the money to good use and give it to the Brazilians mother.
I asked MyTaxi to refund me the 12% at least.
They came up trumps and refunded the entire amount. 
Fair play. 

 



They restored order after a few hours with the help of the army

No Bread !!!

Dying in Dublin

This guy had a big place in broadcasting for many years

I picked her up near St.Vincents hospital going to Church St.
On the way she told me about her friend who was diagnosed with cancer in January, at 26 years old you never think of dying. She had held back about telling and worrying her mother.
Just hoping to get better.
Then her mother was told and she is flying in with her sister to arrive on Monday.
But it seems like she might have died before then, she was very weak.
She paid with a credit card, touch and go.It beeped and then just before I turned off the SumUp card reader I read the message "Communication error!" I hadn't been paid and she was gone.
I had rung her before she got into the taxi so I rang her again, then sent a text.
Later on she texted me and we arranged to meet om Monday at her English school to get paid.
I met Virginia from Brazil and later on that evening she sent me a text that the girl used to be in her English class and she knew her.
On Monday morning Virginia sent the message
"John she is with the angels, she died this morning."
I sent a text to the customer and told her to give the money to the girls mother.
I had put the transaction through the MyTaxi app and they would be taking 12% out of that.
Fair play I wrote in and they refunded the 12%

God bless her, I hope her mother made it to her bedside in time to say goodbye.

I could easily see how you would tell your folks back home that you were fine so as not to worry anyone.

So today the snow came, then more snow.
Tomorrow the airport will be closed, all buses stopped from 7pm and they are off all day tomorrow.
I went out and drove around, I found work.
The big problem with bad snow or flooding is that if you damage your car you get no compensation from anyone.
You also get "€25 ? it was only €18 yesterday"

We beat the welsh !!!!!

 I saw this trick preformed on the train going between Blackpool and Manchester.
I sent away my £20.. Can you guess how its done?????????????????/



Fantastic weather at the moment, but things are set to become worse.
So enjoy it while you can.
The Welsh arrive in this weekend to play rugby and sing out of key.
They were beaten so there will be crying in Temple Bar tonight.

With this job the minute you step back into your taxi after being away its like you never left.

One of the first people back in the taxi was going to the four courts, facing bankruptcy he could not afford legal representation.
He had bought property and told me a chunk of his history.
A brother in law worth €20 million who just hung up when he asked for help.

As I wished him well two elderly men got in and they were going to Crumlin. The had spent the early part of the morning filing in papers to send their sister into the nursing home scheme. She was not able to act on her own behalf.
Sad to come to the end of life while living in the twilight zone.
But it could be worse, think of Syria.
A shipping clerk was a refugee from Damascus,  he had been asked to attend the FAS center in Ballyfermot to have his skills accessed. I was not sure which exact road the place was on.
So he rang her and asked and the answer came.
"Are you fuckin thick? Its in Ballyfermot !"
I nearly crashed the car as I struggled to get the phone from him, but I shouted at her and told her that she would be the one drawing the benefits if I had anything to do with it.
"That is no way to speak to anyone."

He praised me and said he did not want things made worse for him.
 Then he told me this
"In the Koran it is said that if there is ever war and bloodshed in Damascus it will signal the end of the world. 
What is written in the Koran is the truth"

We had arrived and we wished each other long life  and good health.
I would still love to have nailed that bitch on the telephone though. 
If I had a shipping company I would employ him in a flash, fluent Arabic, French and not bad English, plus he would know his way around the shipping forms.

Smallest house on Careysfort ave

Spring has sprung with snow to come

3 Wheeler food van

 

Blackpool

I was away for a long weekend at the Worlds biggest magic festival.
We all need a little bit of magic in our lives and this must be the best of its kind.
More than 4,000 delegates 150+ magic dealers
Competitions for best.
Comedy magic
Stage magic
Childrens magician
Close up magician     Etc Etc

Paul Daniels told me
"John in this life MAGIC is as much fun as you can have without taking your clothes off "

The town of Blackpool was big up to the 60s when cheap flights took people to the sun.
Now it is very run down.
But they are building a new convention center.

Magic and me go away back.
I did a great trick for a guy years ago who sold his bookie business in Ringsrend,
off to the airport. I was practicing the "Elmsley count" a big part of a trick called B'wave.
He asked me to show him.
I did and he was floored !
The cost to the airport was £15 way back then and he gave me £20

"Would you accept Sterling ?"
I went to give back the  £20
He then gave me £60 Sterling.

I was confused.

"No No its all for you
That was fantastic"

He was from Bristol and I told him where he could buy it.

Every time I pass Ladbrookes I think of him

Here is the trick



There was a guy WHO IS BLIND doing incredible card magic he was there



IF YOUR ACT ISN'T WORKING
WORK ON YOUR ACT

The dealers hall 2015