We have a builder round just now, doing a few of the jobs that should have been done a while ago.

He's out there busy now, weighing things up, working at a steady pace to some kind of intuitive pattern.

Ever so often he stops, takes a breather & gets the offer of a cuppa...half 8 a bacon butty is offered.

With brown sauce!

He seems as happy as Larry, whoever he was, very skilled, everything weighed up, his own Boss.

Used to have a few pals who were bus drivers, they used to love it.

Once they were out of the depot, they felt like they too were there own Bosses. Their bus, their passengers, their route & able to impose their own style, their own ways onto their chosen job.

Posties, not too sure if it's still the case. We used to have Postman Les & Postman Mart. You could set your clock by Les, our post was always 8:05. That's 8:05.

Nothing was never too much trouble for Martyn. Two content men, delivering a service to people's homes.

Another pal of mine started his life as an apprentice motor mechanic.

He was always there in the days when the timing could go, the points needed adjustment, plugs needed a clean. He'd open the bonnet & then...just listen.

Is it the carburetor, the tappets, the fan belt I'd ask, without any clue. "Shut up, let me listen & I'll bloody tell you" he'd always retort.

We've had an electrician & a plumber round recently too...all great artisan trades, craftsmen with great skills.

I used to love the TV repair man coming to our house when a little boy. Brown cotton coat, row of screwdrivers in his top pocket. Obviously knew what he was doing.

I've worked on the Post, in a health service laundry (ugh, Orange bags!), as a petrol pump attendant, supermarket shelf stackers, Youth Hostel Warden, in shops & bars.

What are the best jobs in the world? What do we like about working, what don't we like about it?

What happened to those great skilled jobs? Would I have enjoyed being a butcher or a baker?

Is it to do with being able to stamp your mark, in some way, on what we do?

What job that you had, did you love? What job did you always fancy?

If you could turn back time, would you take a different career path?