Ichabod's Day

Ok, have been back to Lincolnshire again this weekend after a 2 day stop off in Derbyshire to carry out my external examiner role at the University of Derby. It has been well documented on facebook - but suffice to say that my plebian tendencies were very much to the fore as I sat alone in the v. posh hotel dining room. Had hoped to be inconspicuous - but ended up being the ONLY person in a huge white, pristine dining room. Waiter couldn't have been any more "waiting" and was there to second guess my every whim. Apparently I now qualify for the term "madam" - hmm not sure too happy about that! Sitting alone with my book (wish now that I had taken some classic or mighty tome - instead was the latest Maeve Binchy!) I was presented with a goat's cheese bonbon served on a china spoon and a bed of crushed tomato, "compliments of the house, madam" (hate goat's cheese but waiter was so pleased with himself and waited for my reaction so had to feign d...

I seem to have spent the majority of my weekend in a variety of tin boxes, in some cases an enjoyable experience and in others - definitely NOT enjoyable. It all started when I decided to visit Grantham again for Dad's birthday and Father's Day. Now, remembering my last experience of visiting resulted in my "breaking" my ankle - maybe I should have been more wary! Anyway, did what I needed to do at work, chaired an examboard and then left at lunchtime to beat the traffic. Ha! Tin Box #1: My car. Pootling along, M62 busy but not too bad - ipod on shuffle playing bizarre combinations of Mario Lanza, Sweet, Carpenters and Thin Lizzy - to name a few (is my taste eclectic or just plain mad?), sun shining, stomach anticipating a stop at a Little Chef, all was well with the world. Then, as I joined the A1 - they closed it!! Spent the next 3 hours sandwiched between lorries, white van men (out of their vehicles and constantly bemoaning the fact that they might miss the En...

I am a hospital - which hospital am I ?........................ I position myself at the furthest point of the borough away from you making you use the busiest thoroughfare  ensuring you are late to your appointment. On your arrival I insist that you live at an address you vacated 20 years ago. When you implore me to check again I will be amazed to  find a second set of notes for you - with the correct address - but with a date of birth that ages you 10 years. I will giggle when that is pointed out. For your entertainment, whilst you wait 45 minutes beyond your appointment time, I will enthrall you with intimate excerpts from the lives of my staff. You will find out what they are doing at the weekend, how their relationships are fareing and what they will be shopping for for tea. I will adorn my walls with all manner of wall coverings - including striped, dotted and patterened wallpaper, together with the ubiquitous border strip, to trick you into thinking that you are no...

Ok. So. I may not be a fully paid up, card carrying member of the great outdoors brigade, but I like to think I am close to nature. I feed the birds everyday, I donate on a monthly basis to a number of local and worldwide nature charities. I spent most of my chlidhood in caravans or boats. However, none of this prepared me for a great british bank holiday camping trip to the wilds of Lincolnshire (well, Woodhall Spa is actually quite civilised but doesn't have the same ring to it!). Followers of the blog may remember that I bought husband (at his request) a tent for his birthday last September and ever since he has been dying to use it. So, off we go, me, husband, dog Disney forgot to draw (dDftd), brother, sister-in-law, 3 kids and 2 teenagers (Kevin and Perry wannabees) and their dog. We packed car at 5.30am on the friday morning - beds, bedding, stove, table, chairs, food, water carrier, blankets, dog stuff, cooking and eating utensils,  "all eventuality" clothing ...

I have managed over time to carefully construct a self-image of a silver-haired, voluptuous woman of a certain age. Whilst fragile, unless I spend too much time with reflective surfaces, it is an image that serves me well most of the time! This weekend I had a lesson in how others may see me - not the most flattering I can assure you. I had resigned myself, a number of years ago, that I am invisible to anyone under 30 years of age - even though inside I belong to that demographic! I have outwardly started to wear my badges of maturity - feeling I have earned the right not to have to colour my hair for the rest of my life, and I try hard to believe the hype that wrinkles demonstrate how much laughter there has been in my life. With these thoughts in mind I go about my daily business. On saturday, walking into a boutique that I kinda knew wasn't for me - but I liked a top in the window - I was told in no uncertain terms that there was only one thing in the shop that was for me - ...

Is it Murphy's Law that states "anything that can go wrong will go wrong"? I think there should also be a Law that states that misfortune will fall at the most inconvenient of moments - if there isn't one already then I claim this as Ichabod's Law! This particular time seems to be one of my busiest in the year so far, heavily involved in a research project interviewing participants and analysis of transcripts ready for a first report at the end of the month, developing a resource in Second Life for further research in its educative and practice value within occupational therapy, an invitation to co-author a book chapter, a workshop presentation to plan for the World Federation of OT Congress in Chile (my goodness my best wishes go out to all over there at the moment) and a trip to MEN to see my hero Cesar Millan the Dog Whisperer (not to mention the day job of teaching, marking and planning for the next round of intake for our online MSc). So.....with all this g...

Ok, I've tried, I've really, really tried.....and I know it's only been 3 days!!! I can't listen to Chris Evans in the morning - it's not the same, I can't do it and I have tried. How strange that it can have such an impact on my morning routine. Terry was the best: "They say what is his secret, and it is just that he puts his audience at ease. That's why they want to listen, because they feel better about themselves after they have listened to him. He has made the nation feel at ease with itself and that's a great gift and we owe him a lot for that."Today presenter John Humphrys I miss hearing what Chuffer Dandridge has been up to, Janet and John stories that made me laugh out loud like an idiot stuck in traffic on the way to work. What shall I listen to now to help me wake up gently, ease me into the day gradually and allow me to smile whilst facing the day ahead? I MISS TERRY. P.S Just found a great blog detailing Terry's last show....