A Gentle Saturday.

A week has now passed since the epic wedding. Beka and Mike are on a Greek island having a honeymoon, the autumn sun of earlier has disappeared, and I'm making the most of a gentle Saturday before the pandemonium that awaits me in 2 weeks.

A quiet day of shopping, tidying and organising my cluttered desk has ensued. There are still bargains to be had in the shops as summer disappears, managed to get a most splendid coat with 70% off today. I'm going to Bali for my dinner, a slow cooking of pork shoulder with chillies-lots of-ginger and Kecap Manis. I do so love the latter although it is some time since I used it. I discovered it in Amsterdam in 1999. That time I went alone, a strange experience. Back in the days before I found the Holy Grail. That was a long time ago.

I'm sure I'm just talking to myself here as no one seems to be out and about in blogland. Maybe someone will read this later.

So into the silence I bit farewell until the next time. See you all then!

I Heard a Voice

Autumn Beauty.

Most of you may have noticed that I'm not really a morning person. So going to bed last night I wasn't really looking forward to such an early start to return to work. Yet the the morning that greeted me was so beautiful in the bright autumn sunshine with that tell tale chill in the air. The leaves are already beginning to turn. Give it a couple of weeks and the main route into town will look more like New England in the fall than Hertfordshire in autumn. I don't approve of the lack of pubs in my town-it was conceived by a Quaker-but the tree lined avenues are most special. Few sights offer such early morning beauty a a sun lit autumn morning.

Buoyed by this I faced the day. Lots of e mails to deal with, coffee with our excellent chaplain and a phone interview. Never done one of those before. It was not for a job but for my Service Improvement project on my MSc which has been nominated for an award for innovation. I assume it must have gone okay as next stop is Black Tie ceremony in October. Exciting stuff although I suspect I will be an also ran in the great scheme of things. Nice to be included. I wonder if I can still fit in my Dinner Suit which has not been worn since I gave up smoking?

Back at home I did a fiery Vietnamese dish of chicken stir fried with lemongrass and chillies, a glass of Chardonnay, and a Handel opera. Not too bad a start to the back to work phase that now faces me. How long until I get tested I wonder? Not long I guess, I have had to go to hospital with detained students in the first week of each of the last 2 academic years. Here's hoping for no repeat of those scenarios.

I Heard a Voice.

The Final Day.

All good things must come to an end. Yes today is the last day of my holiday. Tomorrow I return to early starts, expecting the unexpected and generally being bust pretty much right through to April. The next few weeks will see me undertaking some of my least favourite parts of my jobs but I'm sure we will soon be up and running with important things.

Fortunately the sun has been shining and generally agreeable. I went for a 40 minute walk which was good. Given how much I'm eating not smoking I think I will have to try to make that a regular event. Where I'm going to find the time though I have no idea.

By way of a change I'm listening to the Bruch violin concerto, not listened to that in some months. Some days too since I listened to any opera.

The time has flown but in the main I have enjoyed myself. Seeing Ros, my fantastic birthday and then such a splendid wedding. I guess I have been spoiled by good things this summer. I'm quite fond of autumn as a general rule. No doubt it will fly to Christmas, then the dark months of February and March will slow my mood. But that is leaping ahead. Far too much to do before then.

I have chosen the Middle East for today's food, some chicken roasted marinaded in sumac, cinnamon, lime juice and olive oil, perhaps some harissa and cumin potatoes to go with it. On my last day I must have some fine food.

I Heard a Voice.

Touching the Sublime!

What a day! Where do I start? It was truly sublime at Beka and Mike's wedding. Looking radiant if anxious, I managed to get her to the the church on time, didn't stumble over my reading and all well went down without a hitch. And the sun shone.

Such a magical day for some of my oldest friends. My speech brought out a lot of emotion in those gathered and was hugely well received. We feasted on roast hog-got through an entire 60 kg pig-the bar served real ale and the music was loud. Too loud for my dad so we sadly left a little early. Actually that was pre-planned but we had such a great time.

Waking today I now have to face reality after such a fantastic event. I will drive home late tomorrow morning-here's hoping the traffic is okay. A day at home devoted to watching NFL games that I am recording tonight. Then and only then do I return to the University. At the moment it is far from my mind but it will loom large when I'm back in Hertfordshire.

So I must make the most of my last few days. Happy times.

I Heard a Voice.

Preparations On Going.

It is Thursday evening UK time. In 36 hours the wedding will be underway. Having chatted to both bride and groom today it is all going more smoothly than I anticipated. I can get into my new suit and shirt-was a little worried about the latter as my weight keeps creeping up off the cigarettes. I will do another reading through and reminder of my speech prior to our church rehearsal in 23 hours time.

So I think I have done all I can do. Now to focus on our curry night and enjoying the end of my holiday. Thankfully the sun is shining in Kent, I'm catching up with a few people and my mood is holding. Sleep still a little erratic though.

I'm trying not to think of next week and the return to work. No doubt there will be plenty that comes in during my absence-many e mails to discard.

I guess we are now in the autumn. The NFL season starts tonight-hurrah-and the nights are drawing in. Year 8 will be underway. I wonder how it will pan out?

I Heard a Voice.

A Milestone!

20,000 hits on my blog right now! Can't believe it. Many thanks for all your support over the last 4 years.

I Heard a Voice.

Don't Look Back, You Can Never Look Back.

Parking in most towns in England is a nightmare. It also gets worse with every passing year. Some years have passed since I last drove in Cambridge; viewing it now I'm not sure I will risk it again. When one has lived and worked in a place for some time one learns all the free parking areas. That is especially true working in the community; and all the good coffee shops.

Today I took a little trip into town and parked in my old road. I felt a strange pang of nostalgia there. Then I thought about it for a while and remembered the utter loneliness of being a new comer there and also the fear and anxiety I had creating a job from scratch. Thinking about that I realised that it was exactly 7 years ago today that I moved to that road.

Did I think I would be in the same job 7 years later? Not really. I had never done a job for more than 2 years before. Someone said when I started you will either last 6 months or 20 years. 20 years, I cannot imagine that doing what I do now.

Back at home I'm listening to the marvellously haunting songs of Michael Head. It only just occurred to me that most are in minor keys. Beka's parents knew Michael Head. Tortured man I would imagine. I've been practising my reading for Saturday, a Shakespeare sonnet. And reminding myself of my speech.

I drive down tomorrow for happy days. This has been a long time coming. See you all when I see you.

I Heard a Voice.