Saturday 1 December 2012

It's beginning to feel a lot like...the end of my sabbatical

Since my last post I have celebrated my birthday with a surprise visit from Mum and Dad. D, as usual, surpassed himself on the present front. I even got backstage Asia tickets so I can hang out with my favourite rock legends for the night. Very exciting!

This week I travelled across to Edge Hill University to give a wee talk. One of the best things about my sabbatical has been the opportunity to say 'yes' to invites. It was another fun trip and another great post-talk Q&A session. I also had the chance for a few hours in Liverpool. Although, as a Manc, it pains me to say this, Liverpool is actually rather nice, at least in the centre. I visited the Tate for the first time - fantastic building and very annoying art would be my conclusion.

This was my last big trip for a while. I'm spending December at home, editing the book and writing a chapter for the next book proposal. Because these things take so long, you have to start thinking about the next project a couple of years before you actually begin. I am very excited about this new direction. Yesterday was the last day of acwrimo. I have really enjoyed my November writing month and have been particularly encouraged by the way the community has supported each member. Sometimes academia can seem a little cut-throat or individualistic. Acwrimo and PhD2Published's twitter feed proves you can be pleasant, supportive, kindly, generous and an excellent academic. I find that super encouraging.

I was back horseriding today and it was a pretty tough lesson actually, although I am finally riding without any leader so that's encouraging. This week is a mixture of long writing days, getting the house into a Christmas mood and finishing my Christmas shopping. The week after plunges us straight into Christmas with a concert, the department's festive do and (joy, joy!) The Wizard of Oz at the LPAC. Last year's The Snow Queen was so magical and I'm really looking forward to Dorothy and all that this year.

Anyways, I'm going to crash on with a bit of writing before we go outside to sort out the BBQ. Yes, you hear me right. D has been slow cooking a large piece of pork all day. I realise that BBQing in December is a little mad but it is just wonderful to be able to get a bag of sunshiney BBQ food out of the freezer when it's snowing outside! And we really have felt the onslaught of winter in Lincolnshire over the past few days. We were discussing the difference between living in the city where everything feels as if it stays pretty much the same (street lights etc) and the country where you really feel the changing of the seasons. The trees are now bare and the frost on the grass in the morning is beautiful. I think I am going to love our wee country retreat as much in the winter as in the summer.

CSW

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