Easing through the day

Lord H and I had great fun last night (steady, people, steady …) watching a juvenile green woodpecker hopping about next door’s garden. Fabulous. We’ve never seen a young one before, so another tick on the great Bird List of Godalming, hurrah.

Meanwhile, here in real time, I am easing through the day, whilst thinking about the annual report. Mind you, as we don’t usually panic about it until September/October, I’m only thinking. For the moment ... Was also planning to have a coffee and catch-up with Sally from Student Advice at lunchtime, but she had to sort various domestic stuff out this morning so we’ll have to escape later. So went for my usual walk round campus instead – and very pleasant it was too, though my own personal lakeside bench in the shade was already in use and the two lads on it wouldn’t move no matter how much I glared balefully at them. So I had to make do with the sunny side, sigh … Anyway this afternoon, I signed off the Student Care Services Mini-Guide – so here’s hoping it’s 90% right! It does look lovely though, all thanks to the super-talented Emily in the Marketing Department. Who is an Official Genius and All-Round Nice Woman. Thank you, Emily.

Neither must we forget this week’s heroes at work. A late entry this week, I know, but they are St Luke (for being practical and having a doctor’s heart), St Paul (for being direct and not afraid to say what he thinks) and Ruth’s guinea-pigs (as she’d missed them while she was away). So a truly catholic mix, but all holding their own, I’m sure. As it were.

I’ve just finished reading Podium – a collection of poetry and prose from Woking Writers’ Group. Lots of variety for everyone and I particularly enjoyed the lyricism of Newark Priory by Amanda Briggs, the fun of Liz Ramsdale's My Tooth Fairy and the pure terror of Elle Georgiou's Flowers in her Hair. Great stuff. I’ve also read Michael Frayn’s Spies. A wonderful book and truly a modern classic. Everyone should read it. I couldn’t put it down – a marvellous depiction of the terrible gap between a child’s view and an adult’s view of the world and what really went on during one particular series of events. It’s also the only book I’ve ever read which understands how you can know and not know something at the same time, a situation I’ve always felt to be true even though people laugh at me when I say that. Really, the book is excellent. And I say that even with knowing how it ended, as I’d already seen the stage interpretation of it (also very good). Anyway, buy it and read it – it’s a masterpiece.

Funny though that I’m feeling very disjointed and despondent at the moment, and it’s not the usual time of the month for it either, dammit. However, I must admit I’m (a) extreeeeeeemely tired and that always makes me depressed (I’m nobody without sleep); and (b) wishing the tests on Tuesday might be over and done with and I can know where I stand. Soon be here, no doubt though. Talking of which, the results of my first blood test have arrived, and apparently my levels of whatever it is they're testing for are higher than they should be, but not hugely raised. Thus the need for the second test next week, and they're now also talking about bringing my second scan forward from October. Ah, the plot thickens, Carruthers ...

Tonight, I’ll probably do some more to Hallsfoot’s Battle, where I’m now on c17,000 words. I might even be able to make 20,000 by the time we go away – who knows? And there’s a nature programme on TV I quite like the look of too – Lordy, but I must be middle-aged; that’s just the sort of thing my grandmother would have said.

Today’s nice things:

1. Signing off the Mini Guide
2. Reading
3. Writing
4. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website