Icy Streets.

An icy sheen of frost has descended for the last 3 days. It is treacherous out there and bitterly cold. That said the sun is shining, I still have a few days off and much to my surprise my flat remains warm. Still no luck on the replacement part for the boiler, having got an answer phone 9 times I tried a different number and finally got to speak to a real person. Sadly all she could do was promise to send an e mail to the parts department. So the wait goes on.

It is New Year's Eve. A time to celebrate and mourn. A year ago today my friend Jeff lost his battle with cancer. Facebook is covered in references to him and he will remain in all our thoughts as we party in The Hedgehog tonight.

Mourning aside I am feeling more relaxed. My 1000 word reflective piece is written. Whether it is any good or not is another matter. I really had no idea what was expected of me. A friendly academic has offered to look at it but that fills me with dread. Do I send it to her or not? I feel just like chancing my arm and hoping for the best. There is still more than 2 weeks before hand in day. Time I suppose to adjust if necessary. I just don't want to do it.

So it leaves me wishing you all a very Happy New Year. My final post of 2014. See you all in 2015.

Back Home, No Answer and Rendang.

Well the snow held off and I made it back to Hertfordshire after a slightly truncated journey on 3 motorways punctuated by various hold ups. Having done what I thought was the hard part I spent the much of the rest of the day trying to get the boiler working long enough to heat the flat. It works although somewhat precariously limping onwards.

So as you can imagine it was good to find a letter from the heating company to say my replacement part was available. What I didn't expect today was that not 1 of my 6 calls actually made it through to a person on the other end. Goodness knows when it will now get fixed. I have another week off and very much hope it is not in the cold.

Putting off my academic work until tomorrow I thought I would check out the sales. Nothing of interest although that is clearly good for my bank balance after Christmas. Bit dull though.

To make up for a day distinctly lacking in success I pounded a Rendang curry paste and have it all cooking away with some good beef as I write. There are 7 Thai chillies in it so hoping for some heat.

Tomorrow is tomorrow, have to do battle with learning theories. But once that 1000 words is done I can rest for a few months. Not thinking about my next project just yet. More in the week.

I Heard a Voice.

Bitter Cold.

Dark threatening clouds are now masking the pale winter sun that had lit up this bitterly cold day. In my part of Kent we missed the snow thank goodness. But it is bitterly cold and an icy wind blows.

So Christmas is done and dusted. We had a magical day despite a couple of catering hiccups. The ham was a triumph, Mike's roast potatoes were a dream and the wine kept flowing. Strangely enough I felt utterly sober by the end of the night. Then again after the mighty Boxing Day run. Very odd.

Tomorrow I drive home hoping not to have to contend with snow. It looks doable at the moment. Very much hoping the heating is still working when I get back-awaiting a replacement part at the moment. A day of rest before the final MSc furlong on Tuesday. Should only take 2-3 hours to run off the required 1000 words. After that relaxing week before having to settle into my new office and back to the mayhem. See you soon.

I Heard a Voice.

PS The belly pork in the oven smells extremely good-nice slow cook seasoned with thyme.

Christmas Greetings.

Happy Christmas everyone. Quick sneak on here before we go to Beka's-we may be some time. Have a wonderful day all you out there in blogland and I will return in a couple of days.

I Heard a Voice.

Hope is Born.

Seasons greetings on Christmas Eve. Yes we are nearly there. As I write there have been precisely 22,000 hits on my blog since I started in the autumn of 2010. Where everyone has gone I have no idea, hits are really down this month. But never mind.

You find me pretty much prepared for the big day. Presents all wrapped and delivered, ham is poached in cider and going up to Beka's this afternoon. Dad is just about keeping up although he does find it all quite stressful. I have bought some nice wine and some cheese-the French are bringing the cheese so likely to be a little too strong and soft for me. So Cornish Yarg will suffice for me.

If anyone out there is actually reading you will note it has been a while since I was on here. No excuse, just didn't feel like it. I drove down on Sunday after going to the most amazing musical event the previous evening. Hope Russell Winter is only 15 years old yet has an extraordinary voice with power, control and delicacy. What a performance. A star was truly born that day. Her mum may well become my new manager. Hope is all over Youtube and her EP is downloadable from all the usual outlets-bit technically demanding for me so I have a CD.

And so to the end. I don't think I will be back on until the very early hours of Boxing Day morning. Merry Christmas to you all and have a wonderful and peaceful New Year.

I Heard a Voice.

Waving Goodbye to the Heron.

Pale winter sunlight is glistening on the surface of the lake. Little stirs on this day. This day is the day I say goodbye to that place of tranquility. Fearing I would not see the heron before I left I went for a wander earlier. And there he was, grey heron accompanied by silver swan. A fond farewell.

My office is packed and bare. I'm tying up loose ends and trying to work out what to do with the large picture of me that came in my direction following the award that wasn't in 2012. That seems a long time ago now. Recovering from another relapse I muse on how fragile my mental health can be at times. And I'm the one who got out. Each day I must be on my guard.

At 2.30 pm I will go home. Tonight we have a retirement dinner in London. When I get back it will be to something new. Will it get easier? I doubt it. Will I look for other jobs? Probably. But for now a holiday beckons. My MSc assignment is complete along with my references. Just the 1000 word reflective piece to go when I return from Kent. Then I will have done it.

I may be in Kent next time I'm on here; off to dad's on Sunday. Take care out there in the pale winter sun. See you all soon.

I Heard a Voice.

The Day Mum Waited For.

Mum would have been delighted. It has been auspicious day. No I'm not back to full health. I haven't had any change in my life. But something mum and I both wanted to happen occurred today. The Church of England finally announced the first female bishop.

I walked away from religion years ago. Mum never did. And she was adamant about the role women could and should play in the church. That was one of the themes of my eulogy 2 1/2 years ago. Sadly mum never got to see her dream. My only sadness-and it is a very small sadness-is that it was not my old Cambridge friend Lucy Winkett who was elected first. Her time will come.

In my little world I continue to battle fatigue but I'm ploughing on. I finished my MSc assignment this afternoon. Needs checking and have to update the bibliography. When I get back from dad's I will write the required 1000 word reflective piece. Then it is done. Hand in date is mid January.

After that who knows? Another book perhaps? Maybe, but first a rest. See you soon.

I Heard a Voice.