As we descend into the miasma of Christmas, I wish you all a merry one.

I’ve tried getting internet from Dialog, but failed – the kamienica is protected as heritage, so no hole drilling. We had to use Toya cable TV, best value for money… it’s just that they would at times switch it of… So now in the office there is cable TP, and at home ISDN TP… And they work all right – but there is one thing I fail to understand – why I have to log in and activate to be able to use it !? I’ll tell you: red plague, that is. And TP is French anyways. Red plague.

In the UK after winning with BT and having battled the BT serviceman to activate both phone sockets, we now have a land line. But I’d rather die than have their internet. We have be.com – nice little company, cheap and friendly. it’s just that sometimes they switch it off..

MaterialGirl… what is the scolding for? The guys just ranted as usual…

Friday, December 19, 2008, 07:00

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An honest Bristol bus driver handed in £2,750 in cash found in a bag which was left on his vehicle.

Grzegorz Ksiazczyk was driving his number 21 bus from Westbury-on-Trym to Broadmead when passengers told him an elderly woman had left a bag on a seat.

He opened it and found it contained £2,750 – the woman’s money to buy Christmas presents.

He did not hesitate in handing in the money, and within hours the woman, who asked not to be identified, was reunited with her missing cash.

“Another passenger told me a bag had been left behind so I put it to one side,” said Grzegorz, 48, who lives in Whitchurch after moving to Bristol from Poland two years ago.

“When I opened it I saw there was some money in it, and then I realised it was actually full of cash.

“I couldn’t believe someone could leave that kind of money on a bus.

“I’m just glad we were able to get it back to her, especially at Christmas.

“A couple of days ago I found a wallet with £120 in it, and last weekend I had to call an ambulance after an elderly passenger collapsed on a service 75, so it’s never boring.”

The woman had just drawn the cash out of the bank in the village but on her way to the city centre felt ill and went home.

She only realised she no longer had the bag with her when she reached her front door.

A neighbour went to nearby Muller Road bus depot for help while the woman reported her loss at Southmead police station.

She thanked Grzegorz for his honesty in taking her money to Hengrove bus depot last Wednesday night, where First Bus’s inspector Mark Clouter and Hengrove vehicle allocator Tim Leigh were calling drivers and liaising with police.

They rang the neighbour to tell her the bag and cash had been found and confirmed the passenger’s identity before handing back the bag.

The woman said: “The staff from First and the police were fantastic.

“I was sick with worry when I realised I’d left the bag behind and I thought there was every chance I’d never see the money again.

“But they kept it safe for me at Hengrove bus depot and made sure I got it back.

“I can’t thank them enough. I use the bus all the time and all the drivers know me – since this happened they’ve all been telling me to keep hold of my handbag.”

First Bristol, Somerset and Avon managing director Justin Davies said: “Our staff help reunite passengers with all kinds of lost property every week, from handbags to cuddly toys, and I’m delighted our staff were able to help this lady.

“This is a huge amount of money to lose at any time of year, but it must have been especially distressing so close to Christmas.

“These staff handled the situation in the professional manner we expect, and helped make Christmas brighter for one of our customers.”