Interview

I have been invited for a second interview. This one is on Monday afternoon so very little time to be nervous and anxious. I'm still counting on the Anglo Saxons which I'm reading and very happily. Now I just have to worry about what to wear. Zoe suggests a JoJo outfit but I'm afraid it might be too colourful and flamboyant. On the other hand, I don't want to look like some blue stocking frump or some older woman trying too hard. Any suggestions gratefully received.

P.S. I am serious about the course but one has only one chance to make a first impression!

Branching Out

I've been going along now for two years living as a single person. It has been quite rough at times but I'm doing pretty well. However, my activities fall into the niche of older retired woman; taking things quite easy and doing many things outside the house that I've always done. Lovely though it is, I had begun to realize that it wasn't enough. I need to try something that will take up all of my time and energy and clog up my mind. So guess what I'm trying to do? A proper first degree at University. It turns out that in order to be considered, I have to do an Access/Foundation Course. I haven't been a student for about a hundred years and I need to get back in the groove and prove to the College that I'm serious and that I can do it. I have applied for a few different preliminary courses and I'm waiting to hear if any of them will have me. I have actually got one interview for a history access course on 4th September. Apparently I have to be ready to discuss the period of history in which I'm most interested and books that I have read. Oh Oh! I knew there was going to be a catch. Never mind. I started last night reading a book on AngloSaxons and I have historian friends who will help me with vocabulary. I had coffee this morning with some of them and already they suggest that I start learning Old English. This is a precursor to Middle English and then Modern English. It is like a totally foreign language so I had better get busy. When I start writing this blog in Old English you will know that I have succeeded.

Enter, The Fox

I spent three days in Brighton last weekend looking after The Fox while his parents went away overnight for a much needed break. It was Sian's birthday. I was slightly nervous but I needn't have been. He slept all through the night and woke up happy in the morning. They had put him to bed the night before so having me appear beside the crib was a surprise. I was treated to a big smile. We breakfasted together and then he went back to bed. His Mummies came home at lunchtime. Everyone was glad to see everyone else.

Here he is smiling, pursing and looking like a stud.

Mummy Ali and me

My Mummy reads me a story every time I put my head down for a nap or a good night's sleep. I'm getting the hang of it and pretty soon I'll be able to read to her. Oh! I forgot. I can't talk yet.

On the Upswing

I appear to have recovered from my last bout of flu. At least I'm up and about and doing things. It was my birthday on Sunday. I was 67!!! I don't feel a day over 65. On Friday evening I went out for a meal with Diana, Zoe, Nancy and Amanda. We went to the Black Boy and I enjoyed a large plate of fish and chips. Nancy insisted on drawing the attention of the staff and other patrons to the event taking place "a la table moi" so they put a tea lite in the middle of a bowl of strawberries and sang Happy Birthday. I pretended to be embarrassed but I was secretly pleased.

On Sunday (actual birthday) I went down to the farm for a Birthday Tea. The children had made a cake and decorated it with strawberries and cream and candles. Once again, we sang, we blew, and we ate. Adam was a considerable help with all three. I had a lovely birthday. Thank you everyone.

I had my final photography class last evening. It was an excellent series, pitched at just the right level. I feel much more competent now with Photoshop but I still need hours of practice. I rushed from the class to a meeting of the Book Club. We read "Readings in the Dark" by Seamus Deane. Set in Northern Ireland in the 50's, it is an excellent book. It is interesting how, no matter where I go, there are always a few people with a Catholic background.

I'm going to Brighton on Thursday to have my first overnight session with the Fox (without his parents). I was thinking of taking him to Revenge. That's the gay nightclub in Brighton that I love and I haven't been there since 2002 when we were all super groovy! I had better be careful since his parents might be going there and I don't want me and the Fox to have our style cramped by a couple of middle aged ladies.

Sick Again

I seem to be plagued by illness. I spent last Thursday with Rosie who had a streaming cold. I find it impossible not to pick her up and be close so, of course, I came down with same streaming cold. I can cope with a cold and this was fortunate because I had booked myself into an open day at Harris Manchester on Friday. I snuffled through the event and then drove to Brighton to spend the weekend with Alison and Harry. As luck would have it, Harry had diarrhea and vomiting. Once again, couldn't resist holding and cuddling. We were afraid I would give him the cold but instead, he gave me what he had. I woke up on Monday morning (back in Oxford) with all three complaints in full force. It would appear that my immune system is not at its best. I know I blogged recently about joining the gym and I did feel good. Oh well. Nowhere to go but up.

The Gym

Here is a perfect example of how lazy I am. I joined a gym at the beginning of the month and promised myself that I would go at least every other day, aiming for four times a week. Today was meant to be a gym day and there is even a class that I like on Sunday evening. Am I there stretching and puffing? Of course not. I'm sitting in front of my computer pretending to be doing something worthwhile. My gym interactions have been interesting. You have to be induced (induction) by one of the little gym rats before you are allowed loose on the machines. My little chap is called Dave and he wanted me to list my problem areas. Where to begin? How honest should I be? I decide to be truthful so I write down things like, "pain in my legs, pain in my joints, shortness of breath on walking upstairs, dizziness, headaches." He looks at the list and says, "Have you seen your GP lately?" I assure him that it is just age and inactivity and nothing to worry about. He's not having it so I have to promise to go and bore my GP for ten minutes. I do this and GP does his thing and declares me fit and well. He says that the only help for my symptoms is exercise!! So there, Dave! I go back to the gym and Dave shows me things to do. Very simple, very elementary. I've done a lot of gym stuff in the past so, the next time I go, I ignore Dave's mamby pamby routine and really go for it. This followed a two mile walk with Rosie so I was feeling pretty chuffed and pleased with myself until I woke up the next morning. Oh dear. I'm telling myself that that is why I didn't go today but the real reason is that I went to a lunchtime party and had a couple of glasses of wine so exercise was off the agenda. I spoke later to my allotment partner who had also been at the lunch. She had just come back from a run down to the allotment to check on the beans, etc. She was running, I was napping. We each do what the Lord put us on earth for.

Because I'm such a lazy sod, I seem to have to start every blog with an apology for not keeping up. In future take my apologies as a given.

Yesterday morning I went to Nigel's for an extra special soiree. He was reading a lead-in poem for his epic and the first chapter of same. It was excellent; especially the poem. I've read his stuff before and sometimes it's hard going - replete with lots of gods and goddesses and I can't even put a function or talent to the well known ones, my classical Greek education being nonexistent. We were the usual group with a few omissions but, instead of just coffee and biscuits, he had laid on wine, bread and cheese, tomatoes and chutneys. It was not only a feast for the ears and stomach but also for the eyes. Nigel was dressed in a floral patterned, silk brocade jacket with a similar waistcoat underneath plus a floppy scarf which figured in the procuction. He carried a sword as well and waved it about from time to time to make a point. The epic is based on goings on in Whitehall so lots of in jokes. Hunting figured in it as well. The thing I regret was not taking my camera. It would have made a wonderful picture. Maybe I can get him to dress up again for a photoshoot.

Thank God for Grandsons

Charlie and Adam have provided me with two wonderful cinematic experiences. Charlie and I went to see "Indiana Jones" yesterday. It was a full on date with dinner after the film. I let him choose the restaurant and he picked Cafe Noir because it is French and trendy and suitable for a sophisticated 11 year old. We spent the rest of our evening watching Medieval shows on telly and then he had a sleep over.

Today was Adam's turn. We went to see "Speed Racer" followed by luncheon out. Again, it was his choice. I assumed it would be MacDonald's but he threw me a curve by suggesting Burger King. I went from smoked salmon with Charlie to chicken bites and fries with Adam. It is nice to have eclectic taste. Both films were excellent, especially "Indiana Jones". I was afraid Harrison Ford might look very old and very face-lifted but not a bit of it. In fact he was so hot that I rushed out today and joined an upscale gym for six months. The boy who showed me around the gym expressed surprise when I told him I am 66. So I said, "You don't have to flatter me; I'm going to join." And he said, "No, really, you look good. My mother is only 61 and she looks like she's just about to fall off her perch." I shall have my induction session tomorrow and then set to work on the flab ab and crummy tummy.

Allotment Goddess

I think I mentioned before that I have an allotment with my friend, Zoe. Here she is being wonderful with weeds. She did 90% of the ground preparation and most of the planting of our potatoes, courgettes and parsnips. Another friend has extra runner beans which we will put in after he has started them in his green house. I like runner beans because you can have those cute wig wammy looking things made from bamboo poles. We haven't yet set a date for our harvest festival supper. Probably better wait until we get a shed where we can store the wine. Someone on one of our allotments is growing hops so we will definitely invite him to the festival and he can bring the beer.