OVUM
Ann decided it was best if she headed inland to the village which was about 2 miles walk. She found the remains of the beach road that used to lead to her home and set off as fast as her legs could carry her, the little noises from the rucksack had changed now to a small worried chirrup every few minutes.
“It’s ok” she said quietly “we’ll soon be in Wellend Village and be able to find help there”.
After what seemed like forever she came to the crossroads. Looking up the road opposite she could see no lights. “Strange” she thought “Its’ not usually this dark perhaps it’s a power cut” which was not uncommon out on this peninsula. But as she walked into the village it was apparent that things were not right, several houses showed signs of very bad damage, one with its roof laying in the front garden, another with a collapsed side wall, none of the houses had any glass intact. Ann began to feel very frightened.
It was hunger and thirst that snapped her out of fear and she headed for the post office store in the centre of the village. The door was open so she went in calling “Mrs Cottrell!”
There was only eerie silence.
Walking through the store she went to the living accommodation at the rear and called again. Nothing. No-one was there.
Going back into the store Ann looked for something to eat and drink. All the fresh produce and milk was looking bad so she selected some beans and a bottle of fizzy drink. Going back to the kitchen she found a tin opener and opened the tin. Looking in the top of the rucksack she was greeted by a sad looking creature, it was shaking and obviously scared.
“What’s the matter little fellow? I wish you could tell me what and where you came from” she said. Lifting him out of the bag she set about feeding them both.
“Sorry its cold beans but there no way of warming them up” she said stroking its black soft fur.
Sipping the cola which she’d poured into a teacup and into a saucer for the creature, she had avoided giving it a name because no name seemed to fit this strange little thing. Feeling very weary after the trials of the day, Ann curled up in a large armchair and, covering herself with a shawl she had found, was soon sound asleep.
It was just getting light as Ann awoke more than just a little disoriented, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She surveyed the room. The small creature was curled up on her lap under the shawl. As Ann moved it awoke and gave a whimper and a strange little shudder.
“Ooh what’s wrong with you?” she said, but was answered with a very quiet little trill. She then set about finding something for breakfast and decided on dry Cheerios as the milk had set in the bottles. Ann felt a little guilty about helping herself to food from the shop so she found some paper and a pen, then wrote an IOU which she left on the till. Then gathered some supplies and chocolate which she packed into a carrier bag from behind the counter. She gathered up her rucksack with its live cargo curled up on top and set off into the daylight.
The Village was silent, not even the sound of birdsong broke the eerie quiet. The storm had caused a lot of damage, windows broken, cables down, holes in many roofs, “it’s no surprise they have been evacuated” she thought to herself. There seemed no point looking around for help so Ann decided to head out of the village on the road to the town. The sign stood awkwardly, pointing downwards, but generally in the right direction reading ‘Culncaster 12 miles’. A long walk but it was early in the day, plenty of time.
She set off at a brisk pace through the high hedged lane that led to town. She looked as she passed gateways for any sign of life, nothing, not even cattle or sheep in the fields, most strange. Ann came around the sharp bend in the road where the hedges were replaced by fences and the land was more visible. Then she looked and saw a familiar shape and colour.
It was her Father’s car stopped in the road, driver’s door open.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
A Short Story Not Written By Me (Part 1)
OVUM
“Get your foot out of my face!” she screamed as the small round creature danced over her body. “You're nothing but a blooming nuisance!”
With a slight look of dejection the little animal cowered on the linoleum covered floor.
“And don't look at me like that young man, it hurt”.
Then bending down she scooped up the tiny ball of soft fur and planted a kiss on the top of its head! He immediately let out a whimper of satisfaction.
Anne had been wandering around on this involuntary island for two months now after it had been cut off in the strange storm, the wide deep channel between her and what was now the mainland was treacherous as she had discovered when trying to swim it. It was also a mystery to her why there was never anyone on the opposite side. She had shouted, waved, and lit a smoky fire to try and draw attention to her plight, but all in vain. But now things were getting desperate, she had finished off most of her supplies and any water she left was rapidly running out. She must get off!
It was then it caught her eye - on the far end of the island just nudging the sandbar was a boat, not very big but a boat nonetheless. She ran to grab it before the movement of the sea could carry it away. Holding it fast, she quickly hauled it onto the sand and grabbed a rope that was just in the prow, tying it securely to a piece of the old sea defence wall reinforcing rod. Then she stood there breathing heavily.
After her heart had stopped beating so fast she surveyed the small craft. It was a small rowing boat the kind yachtsmen used to tow as tenders before the days of inflatables, it had obviously been drifting for some time and the oars were missing. Where was its owner, had it been drifting since the storm, were they out in that crazy nights maelstrom?
She decided not to dwell on that thought.
Back at the house Ann set about collecting together what supplies she had left to take an inventory. There was precious little left. It was imperative she got to the mainland now! Sorting through the shed she found some old oars that her father had found whilst beach-combing years ago. They were not a pair, one was a lot shorter than the other but they would have to do. She took the oars to the boat and stowed them aboard.
Walking back to the house she saw the small furry animal standing on the threshold. She bent down and picked it up: listening to its small trill-like purr bought a feeling of calm over her. “I wish I knew what you were” she said tickling its head. She had found the small ball of fur on the porch floor the day after the storm, it had been badly battered by the ferocious winds and rain that night and was close to death she had reckoned. Keeping it warm and feeding it small amounts of warm milk it had recovered and was now as active as could be, although very nervous of venturing outside the house. ‘Hmm now what am I going to do with you’ Ann pondered. Well there was no choice - it had to come too!
She packed some food in a large rucksack and filled a large water bottle, selected some easy to carry clothes and walking boots, then pulled on her waterproofs and wellingtons as although she had lived her whole life by the sea. She was not a very good oars person and was bound to get wet! The small creature sat on the kitchen table watching all this activity with much curiosity.
“OK where are you going to travel?” said Ann picking it up. The creature looked at her then jumped into the open top of the rucksack and curled up on top of the clothes. “Well that answers that!” she exclaimed.
Walking to where she had stowed the boat, she scanned the far shoreline hoping to see some sign of activity. There was none. “It’s not very far” she told herself.
Her heart was pounding as she reached the boat and placed her baggage in the middle. She untied the rope then with much puffing and panting slid the tiny craft into the water, hooked her leg over the side, and sat there catching her breath. Small whimpering noises came from the rucksack as if to tell her someone was not at home on the sea. Putting out the oars Ann tried several different strokes before any motion was achieved, settling eventually for a small paddling type scull, which was very slow and quite tiring. But little by little the boat crossed the short but dangerous stretch of water. When they reached the other side Ann paddled along the line of the bank as there was no safe place to land, after about hour of this she found a hollow with a steep rise just wide enough to climb up, although there was nowhere to tie the boat. She unloaded whilst holding the rope but then had to let it go, the boat drifted off - her only way of getting home gone! She sighed, picked up the rucksack and water, and then scrambled up the bank. Darkness was starting to fall.
“Get your foot out of my face!” she screamed as the small round creature danced over her body. “You're nothing but a blooming nuisance!”
With a slight look of dejection the little animal cowered on the linoleum covered floor.
“And don't look at me like that young man, it hurt”.
Then bending down she scooped up the tiny ball of soft fur and planted a kiss on the top of its head! He immediately let out a whimper of satisfaction.
Anne had been wandering around on this involuntary island for two months now after it had been cut off in the strange storm, the wide deep channel between her and what was now the mainland was treacherous as she had discovered when trying to swim it. It was also a mystery to her why there was never anyone on the opposite side. She had shouted, waved, and lit a smoky fire to try and draw attention to her plight, but all in vain. But now things were getting desperate, she had finished off most of her supplies and any water she left was rapidly running out. She must get off!
It was then it caught her eye - on the far end of the island just nudging the sandbar was a boat, not very big but a boat nonetheless. She ran to grab it before the movement of the sea could carry it away. Holding it fast, she quickly hauled it onto the sand and grabbed a rope that was just in the prow, tying it securely to a piece of the old sea defence wall reinforcing rod. Then she stood there breathing heavily.
After her heart had stopped beating so fast she surveyed the small craft. It was a small rowing boat the kind yachtsmen used to tow as tenders before the days of inflatables, it had obviously been drifting for some time and the oars were missing. Where was its owner, had it been drifting since the storm, were they out in that crazy nights maelstrom?
She decided not to dwell on that thought.
Back at the house Ann set about collecting together what supplies she had left to take an inventory. There was precious little left. It was imperative she got to the mainland now! Sorting through the shed she found some old oars that her father had found whilst beach-combing years ago. They were not a pair, one was a lot shorter than the other but they would have to do. She took the oars to the boat and stowed them aboard.
Walking back to the house she saw the small furry animal standing on the threshold. She bent down and picked it up: listening to its small trill-like purr bought a feeling of calm over her. “I wish I knew what you were” she said tickling its head. She had found the small ball of fur on the porch floor the day after the storm, it had been badly battered by the ferocious winds and rain that night and was close to death she had reckoned. Keeping it warm and feeding it small amounts of warm milk it had recovered and was now as active as could be, although very nervous of venturing outside the house. ‘Hmm now what am I going to do with you’ Ann pondered. Well there was no choice - it had to come too!
She packed some food in a large rucksack and filled a large water bottle, selected some easy to carry clothes and walking boots, then pulled on her waterproofs and wellingtons as although she had lived her whole life by the sea. She was not a very good oars person and was bound to get wet! The small creature sat on the kitchen table watching all this activity with much curiosity.
“OK where are you going to travel?” said Ann picking it up. The creature looked at her then jumped into the open top of the rucksack and curled up on top of the clothes. “Well that answers that!” she exclaimed.
Walking to where she had stowed the boat, she scanned the far shoreline hoping to see some sign of activity. There was none. “It’s not very far” she told herself.
Her heart was pounding as she reached the boat and placed her baggage in the middle. She untied the rope then with much puffing and panting slid the tiny craft into the water, hooked her leg over the side, and sat there catching her breath. Small whimpering noises came from the rucksack as if to tell her someone was not at home on the sea. Putting out the oars Ann tried several different strokes before any motion was achieved, settling eventually for a small paddling type scull, which was very slow and quite tiring. But little by little the boat crossed the short but dangerous stretch of water. When they reached the other side Ann paddled along the line of the bank as there was no safe place to land, after about hour of this she found a hollow with a steep rise just wide enough to climb up, although there was nowhere to tie the boat. She unloaded whilst holding the rope but then had to let it go, the boat drifted off - her only way of getting home gone! She sighed, picked up the rucksack and water, and then scrambled up the bank. Darkness was starting to fall.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
I'm a bit Proud....
I know they say 'pride comes before a fall', but there are some things I'm quite proud of about me.
No.1: With one or two exceptions that I know are beyond me i.e. complex electrics, I have a very wide streak of practicality. I can wield a screwdriver, paintbrush, plastering float, whatever, and with a little practice can get quite proficient. And what's more, I like doing that sort of thing. I'm quite prepared to pay someone to do some things for me / let someone do some things, but generally only when I know I could have done it myself. It's something to do with a desire to be independent, I think.
No.2: I'm a bit of a technophile. It's the same idea - the bloody computer is not going to defeat me, I'm going to find a fix, and I won't pass the problem on until I've exhausted all the possibilities. As well as stubborn independence, this is also a desire, as a woman, to never let it be said that techno stuff is beyond the female brain. I don't accept it, and I won't accept it in any of my female students either.
No.3: I can also do all the 'girlie' stuff like use a sewing machine, knit, sew, and bake. I can also sail (after a fashion), ski, and I drive well. I'm also interested in cars as well as clothes, shoes (especially, it has to be said, boots), and decor. Never mastered the art of crochet, though.
No.4: I can also draw well and used to do a lot of quite detailed watercolour painting. I have sense of perspective and proportion. If I won the lottery tonight (which is impossible as I forgot to enter on time), I'd go back and get trained properly in the art of line drawing before moving on to something else that interested me. I've always had a desire to paint huge, abstract canvasses filled with vibrant colour!
No.5: I really enjoy learning about science and maths. I recently finally understood quantum - I can't write out any theoretical stuff, but I understand the principle behind it. I also understand the theory of Chaos. Now I couldn't have an in-depth discussion with an expert, but I could listen and it wouldn't sound like so much blah-blah-blah. And that, incidentally, would have been impossible when I was at school, because no-one could explain it in any sort of way I could understand.
No:6: I have an almost obsessive desire to be learning new things. There's so much out there to find out about and experience, and life is so short.
And there, actually, is the dilemma that has haunted me all my life. Half or me is practical, sensible, deft, organised. The other half is creative, dreamy, ever searching for new things to learn, willing to follow anyone else. And on top of everything else is the constant need to find out about things, read as widely as possible, immerse myself in new experiences.
Which probably explains why I became a teacher, because since doing this job I've learned far, far more than I've ever had the time, need or opportunity to pass on to my students. And my creative side has been satisfied as I've put together resources, usually ICT-based ones, and tried to make things as interesting and engaging as I can for my students.
This is one of my favourite quotes from 'The King and I':
It's a very ancient saying,
But a true and honest thought,
That if you become a teacher,
By your pupils you'll be taught.
Well, they have taught me a great deal. But not nearly as much as I've learned by trying to decide what I'M going to try and teach THEM!
No.1: With one or two exceptions that I know are beyond me i.e. complex electrics, I have a very wide streak of practicality. I can wield a screwdriver, paintbrush, plastering float, whatever, and with a little practice can get quite proficient. And what's more, I like doing that sort of thing. I'm quite prepared to pay someone to do some things for me / let someone do some things, but generally only when I know I could have done it myself. It's something to do with a desire to be independent, I think.
No.2: I'm a bit of a technophile. It's the same idea - the bloody computer is not going to defeat me, I'm going to find a fix, and I won't pass the problem on until I've exhausted all the possibilities. As well as stubborn independence, this is also a desire, as a woman, to never let it be said that techno stuff is beyond the female brain. I don't accept it, and I won't accept it in any of my female students either.
No.3: I can also do all the 'girlie' stuff like use a sewing machine, knit, sew, and bake. I can also sail (after a fashion), ski, and I drive well. I'm also interested in cars as well as clothes, shoes (especially, it has to be said, boots), and decor. Never mastered the art of crochet, though.
No.4: I can also draw well and used to do a lot of quite detailed watercolour painting. I have sense of perspective and proportion. If I won the lottery tonight (which is impossible as I forgot to enter on time), I'd go back and get trained properly in the art of line drawing before moving on to something else that interested me. I've always had a desire to paint huge, abstract canvasses filled with vibrant colour!
No.5: I really enjoy learning about science and maths. I recently finally understood quantum - I can't write out any theoretical stuff, but I understand the principle behind it. I also understand the theory of Chaos. Now I couldn't have an in-depth discussion with an expert, but I could listen and it wouldn't sound like so much blah-blah-blah. And that, incidentally, would have been impossible when I was at school, because no-one could explain it in any sort of way I could understand.
No:6: I have an almost obsessive desire to be learning new things. There's so much out there to find out about and experience, and life is so short.
And there, actually, is the dilemma that has haunted me all my life. Half or me is practical, sensible, deft, organised. The other half is creative, dreamy, ever searching for new things to learn, willing to follow anyone else. And on top of everything else is the constant need to find out about things, read as widely as possible, immerse myself in new experiences.
Which probably explains why I became a teacher, because since doing this job I've learned far, far more than I've ever had the time, need or opportunity to pass on to my students. And my creative side has been satisfied as I've put together resources, usually ICT-based ones, and tried to make things as interesting and engaging as I can for my students.
This is one of my favourite quotes from 'The King and I':
It's a very ancient saying,
But a true and honest thought,
That if you become a teacher,
By your pupils you'll be taught.
Well, they have taught me a great deal. But not nearly as much as I've learned by trying to decide what I'M going to try and teach THEM!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Rant
I had a bit of a rant on Twitter this morning. I was tired and grumpy after only five hours sleep, and then I watched the news. One of the story lines was about binge drinking and what to do about it, which got me cross about all the things I hate about the UK.
Don't get me wrong, there's loads I love about living here. And there are loads of good things that are happening every day that counter all the yobbish behaviour I see on a regular basis. I'm just fed up with seeing grime, litter, beer cans left on people's window-sills, dog mess on the pavement, and chavvy kids in thin trackies and hoodies when the outside temperature is below freezing and there's over six inches of snow on the ground.
A close friend of mine wrote this in response to my rant, and I couldn't have put it better myself!
Land of yobbish glory (with apologies to Elgar)
Land of yobbish glory, all on CCTV,
How shall we defraud you, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider, may our trash piles be.
Even the PM told us, there’s no society,
Even the PM told us, there’s no society.
Birthplace of the skinheads, give some dole to me,
We do as we want now, screw authority.
Playing dumb’s in fashion, it’s so plain to see,
Robbing upper class bankers speaking “Estuary”,
Robbing upper class bankers speaking “Estuary”.
Throwing up in public, brawling in the street,
Swearing at the teacher, Britain’s all on the cheat.
Chavish is our nation, chavish is our creed,
Smash up somebody’s property
Drive off at a high speed,
Smash up somebody’s property
Drive off at a high speed.
Lo the old ways dying! See them while you can,
Here’s one I found crumbling “Manners maketh man”.
Each man for himself now, shout your “where’s mine?” loud,
Help to keep Britannia dirty, yobbish and proud,
Help to keep Britannia dirty, yobbish and proud!
Don't get me wrong, there's loads I love about living here. And there are loads of good things that are happening every day that counter all the yobbish behaviour I see on a regular basis. I'm just fed up with seeing grime, litter, beer cans left on people's window-sills, dog mess on the pavement, and chavvy kids in thin trackies and hoodies when the outside temperature is below freezing and there's over six inches of snow on the ground.
A close friend of mine wrote this in response to my rant, and I couldn't have put it better myself!
Land of yobbish glory (with apologies to Elgar)
Land of yobbish glory, all on CCTV,
How shall we defraud you, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider, may our trash piles be.
Even the PM told us, there’s no society,
Even the PM told us, there’s no society.
Birthplace of the skinheads, give some dole to me,
We do as we want now, screw authority.
Playing dumb’s in fashion, it’s so plain to see,
Robbing upper class bankers speaking “Estuary”,
Robbing upper class bankers speaking “Estuary”.
Throwing up in public, brawling in the street,
Swearing at the teacher, Britain’s all on the cheat.
Chavish is our nation, chavish is our creed,
Smash up somebody’s property
Drive off at a high speed,
Smash up somebody’s property
Drive off at a high speed.
Lo the old ways dying! See them while you can,
Here’s one I found crumbling “Manners maketh man”.
Each man for himself now, shout your “where’s mine?” loud,
Help to keep Britannia dirty, yobbish and proud,
Help to keep Britannia dirty, yobbish and proud!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
New Years Resolutions: Part 1
1. Make more of an effort to find out what's on Radio 4, and either listen, listen again via iPlayer, or download the podcast. All of which I can do using my iphone.
2. Not leave work until the lessons for the following day are planned OR stay on for an extra hour-and-a-half, whichever comes first.
I'm fed up with coming home, and spending the whole evening doing stuff for the following day. When I get home, with the exception of finding some things that are filtered out by the school's network gateway, that really has to be it. I know I 'waste' time because it's easy to do - I really have to be more ruthless next year.
3. Go to the cinema at least four times next year. That may not sound like much, but my 'local' cinema is rubbish. There is, though, a brilliant one in Exeter, which is about an hour's drive away. And, if you read my previous blog, you'll know that I am struggling financially. So four times a year is do-able, and any more than that probably isn't.
Part 2 later....
2. Not leave work until the lessons for the following day are planned OR stay on for an extra hour-and-a-half, whichever comes first.
I'm fed up with coming home, and spending the whole evening doing stuff for the following day. When I get home, with the exception of finding some things that are filtered out by the school's network gateway, that really has to be it. I know I 'waste' time because it's easy to do - I really have to be more ruthless next year.
3. Go to the cinema at least four times next year. That may not sound like much, but my 'local' cinema is rubbish. There is, though, a brilliant one in Exeter, which is about an hour's drive away. And, if you read my previous blog, you'll know that I am struggling financially. So four times a year is do-able, and any more than that probably isn't.
Part 2 later....
End of the Year Review: 2
As I was lying in bed this morning, I thought I just had to write about the best purchase I've made this year. My iPhone.
It has become indispensible. Without it, my trip to London in May would have been lonely. It was the first time I'd been away totally on my own, and it was my 'friend' when I sat down at a bar or restaurant. I could people-watch in a way you can't do with a book or newspaper, but I also felt I had something to do as well.
Of course, it does the usual phone stuff. I am free from having to keep an eye on how much credit I have, and similarly I can use the phone without too much thought. There are times when I've chosen the iPhone over the landline.
And on the subject of using the phone, at work I have been able to call for assistance, or report incidents, immediately. Of course it's at my expense, but it's worth it, believe me. The kids know I don't have to send anyone out to call for back-up, and it cuts down disruption time considerably. A sad indictment of school, I know, but all too common.
I use it to check my emails of course, which had proved useful when I've been waiting for something important and I've been out and about.
It took over from my MP3 player. Yes, I'm tied to iTunes which I don't rate very highly, but instead of two gadgets I now have just one. And of course I can download podcasts and listen to my favourite radio programmes too.
I'm a bit of a gamer on the QT, not up to x-box live standard, but I do enjoy a few hours immersed in a virtual world. The iPhone has scored here to, as there are some really good games out there. I Dig It 2 is a personal favourite, which has cost me at least 48 hours of my life so far this holiday.
The very best thing it does, though, is give me access to BBC iplayer. Hurrah for the BBC in terms of making programming so widely - and quickly - available. On many Saturday and Sunday mornings I've had a lie-in and watched something I was too tired to stay up for previously, or perhaps realised I'd missed something in the tv guide. Fantastic.
I would be completely and utterly lost without my iPhone. There aren't many things in life -especially inanimate objects and gadgets - that I would rate as essential, but this is one. It's a complete information, communication and entertainment centre the size of my hand.
Douglas Adams would have loved it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It has become indispensible. Without it, my trip to London in May would have been lonely. It was the first time I'd been away totally on my own, and it was my 'friend' when I sat down at a bar or restaurant. I could people-watch in a way you can't do with a book or newspaper, but I also felt I had something to do as well.
Of course, it does the usual phone stuff. I am free from having to keep an eye on how much credit I have, and similarly I can use the phone without too much thought. There are times when I've chosen the iPhone over the landline.
And on the subject of using the phone, at work I have been able to call for assistance, or report incidents, immediately. Of course it's at my expense, but it's worth it, believe me. The kids know I don't have to send anyone out to call for back-up, and it cuts down disruption time considerably. A sad indictment of school, I know, but all too common.
I use it to check my emails of course, which had proved useful when I've been waiting for something important and I've been out and about.
It took over from my MP3 player. Yes, I'm tied to iTunes which I don't rate very highly, but instead of two gadgets I now have just one. And of course I can download podcasts and listen to my favourite radio programmes too.
I'm a bit of a gamer on the QT, not up to x-box live standard, but I do enjoy a few hours immersed in a virtual world. The iPhone has scored here to, as there are some really good games out there. I Dig It 2 is a personal favourite, which has cost me at least 48 hours of my life so far this holiday.
The very best thing it does, though, is give me access to BBC iplayer. Hurrah for the BBC in terms of making programming so widely - and quickly - available. On many Saturday and Sunday mornings I've had a lie-in and watched something I was too tired to stay up for previously, or perhaps realised I'd missed something in the tv guide. Fantastic.
I would be completely and utterly lost without my iPhone. There aren't many things in life -especially inanimate objects and gadgets - that I would rate as essential, but this is one. It's a complete information, communication and entertainment centre the size of my hand.
Douglas Adams would have loved it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, December 26, 2009
End of Year Review
It's been a bitter-sweet year, actually.
Financially, I'm worse off to the extent of an increased overdraft and a bigger solicitors bill. My ex-husband and I have been divorced for three years, but still, for various reasons, we have spent several hours in court, and there's more to come. Let's just say he has 'control issues' and cannot let go.
On the plus side, I've met some lovely people both virtually via twitter, and in person (again via twitter). And if I hadn't, I never would have gone to Las Vegas, so there's a massive plus right there!
Other massive pluses include seeing The Bad Shepherds (twice); going to London for a long weekend entirely on my own, Paris for another long weekend (which cost me nothing but my spending money!); seeing two fabulous art exhibitions in London (The Italian Futurists and the Surrealists); and finally two incredible events that will stay with me forever: HitchCon and Eddie Izzard.
I've already written about Eddie in a previous blog - he was amazing. We were sitting almost in the front row, in the middle, and it was fantastic.
HitchCon was amazing for a different reason: I don't think the original cast of the original broadcast of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (with the exception of Douglas Adams, obviously) will ever be together in the same venue, at the same time, again. They did a live 'broadcast' of a condensed version of the whole of the HHGTG to date, after Eoin Colfer had read from his contribution to the trilogy in (now) six parts, and following a live discussion (Chaired by Clive Anderson - CLIVE ANDERSON!) with all the top people behind the original radio show, and the film, talking about Douglas and what he was like personally and professionally. It was incredible.
And a personal triumph for me was driving into, and out of, London. I did have some excellent assistance from my passenger, but nevertheless I'm quite proud of myself.
Work-wise, things have been bitter-sweet too. I enjoy my job, but I don't enjoy the intense pressure of measurement, targets, and assessment (and that's not just me, it's the students as well). There are other issues too, none of which I can discuss here. Yet.
Other items on the balance sheet:
Positive:
Re-plastered some of my kitchen walls.
Refurbished my lovely Morso Squirrel (a multi-fuel stove).
Fitted a roller-blind in the bathroom.
Negative:
Badly scraped my car.
Flat-roof over the kitchen leaks when it rains after a dry spell.
Still haven't replaced the broken window in the shed.
Plans for next year? You'll have to read my next blog, due in a few days, to find out!
Financially, I'm worse off to the extent of an increased overdraft and a bigger solicitors bill. My ex-husband and I have been divorced for three years, but still, for various reasons, we have spent several hours in court, and there's more to come. Let's just say he has 'control issues' and cannot let go.
On the plus side, I've met some lovely people both virtually via twitter, and in person (again via twitter). And if I hadn't, I never would have gone to Las Vegas, so there's a massive plus right there!
Other massive pluses include seeing The Bad Shepherds (twice); going to London for a long weekend entirely on my own, Paris for another long weekend (which cost me nothing but my spending money!); seeing two fabulous art exhibitions in London (The Italian Futurists and the Surrealists); and finally two incredible events that will stay with me forever: HitchCon and Eddie Izzard.
I've already written about Eddie in a previous blog - he was amazing. We were sitting almost in the front row, in the middle, and it was fantastic.
HitchCon was amazing for a different reason: I don't think the original cast of the original broadcast of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (with the exception of Douglas Adams, obviously) will ever be together in the same venue, at the same time, again. They did a live 'broadcast' of a condensed version of the whole of the HHGTG to date, after Eoin Colfer had read from his contribution to the trilogy in (now) six parts, and following a live discussion (Chaired by Clive Anderson - CLIVE ANDERSON!) with all the top people behind the original radio show, and the film, talking about Douglas and what he was like personally and professionally. It was incredible.
And a personal triumph for me was driving into, and out of, London. I did have some excellent assistance from my passenger, but nevertheless I'm quite proud of myself.
Work-wise, things have been bitter-sweet too. I enjoy my job, but I don't enjoy the intense pressure of measurement, targets, and assessment (and that's not just me, it's the students as well). There are other issues too, none of which I can discuss here. Yet.
Other items on the balance sheet:
Positive:
Re-plastered some of my kitchen walls.
Refurbished my lovely Morso Squirrel (a multi-fuel stove).
Fitted a roller-blind in the bathroom.
Negative:
Badly scraped my car.
Flat-roof over the kitchen leaks when it rains after a dry spell.
Still haven't replaced the broken window in the shed.
Plans for next year? You'll have to read my next blog, due in a few days, to find out!
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