oranges are not the only fruit

...there was this American from the mid West and she was a really nice girl with two young boys - except that they won't be young anymore, they will be 19 and 17. I liked her very much although I didn't know many Americans in those days and so the whole Halloween/Thanksgiving thing was a bit of a mystery to me and when she said she was planning to eat lamb for Christmas I wondered if she was a bit odd. She also did scary, high concept stuff with napkins and when I went for lunch one day the Caesar salad was in individual parmesan cheese baskets and I was knocked back a bit because in those days I thought that taramasalata with pitta bread was quite outré.

Anyways (as MasterM would say) one day she asked me what the small orange fruits in the bowl were and I wondered if she was pulling my leg so I looked at her very, very carefully. She didn't blink so I said didn't they have clementines in America? And she said she had never, ever seen them before. And to this day I don't know if she was teasing me or if there really are no clementines in America and I worry about it quite a lot. Did she think that I thought she was stupid? Or did she just think that I was stupid.

On Clare Bridge

As I took this photo the woman paused beside me
and when I had finished I thanked her.

"It is even more beautiful in the winter
than it is in the summer." she said.

"Shall I tell you something..." I replied
"I walked across this bridge
twenty five years ago as a young bride
because I was married in the chapel."

She was older than me and she smiled
"And are you the same person now
as you were then?"

I thought of all that had passed in that time
"No...no, I am not that person"

"But there is continuity...no?"
I thought of MissM visiting the Charming MasterN
in this same college and I smiled back at her
"Yes, of course there is continuity."

And she turned away from me,
this stranger who had offered such compassionate insight,
and walked over the bridge.

Frost in November

MrsM enjoys scraping the ice off the car in the morning.
She finds it quite soothing.

MrsM thinks that this is probably
not a socially acceptable admission
so she decides to keep it as a guilty secret.

The Student Experience (1)

I think that you need to meet Gareth,
my favourite PhD student.
I was planning to keep him all to myself
but that would be selfish because
Gareth needs an Appreciation Society.

Today Gareth arrived in my office
with a bag of fruit scones and plain scones
(baked by himself)
and a jar of home made jam
and a tub of clotted cream.

Thank goodness it is at least three years
before he submits his thesis.

The Student Experience (2)

I am very sorry but I will not be able to attend tomorrows lecture as I have managed to stupidly give myself food poisoning . But I will ensure someone gets me a hand out and I catch up on what I have missed. Very sorry again, will cook chicken more thoroughly from now on.

(just for the record)

The New Principal visits The Department

1.
MrsM wakes up at 4.30am
and wonders if she booked the catering.

2.
MrsM spends an unreasonable amount of time
trying to decide whether
a contemporary wooden necklace
is more appropriate than
a shimmery necklace of mother of pearl.
She takes both.

3.
The Head of Department
is anxious about his tie
because the knot is slipping.
MrsM assures him that it is not noticeable.

4.
The Lady Professor
is worried about her skirt.
It is a beautiful purple silk
with a clingage issue.
MrsM assures her that it is not noticeable.

5.
The Head of Department reviews the presentation
and makes changes at the very last moment.
MrsM shuts her eyes and prays
that he will not delete it accidentally.

6.
At 9am the Principal arrives with the Dean
and finds the whole Department
sitting expectantly in the Board Room,
name badges neatly attached.

7.
MrsM is thrilled to discover her photo
at a feature point of the presentation.
She resists the temptation to whisper "That's mine!!"
She notices that the Principal smiles.
Well...she is sure he did.

8.
As the Principal leaves the Board Room
to tour the Department
MrsM's best friend from catering
is waiting around the corner
with the trolley of coffee and biscuits.
MrsM resists the temptation to hug him.

9.
MrsM briefly panics when she remembers
the Daniel Craig feature wall
in the Departmental Office but knows that
it is part of the Student Experience.

10.
MrsM wonders if the Principal notices
the smell of furniture polish,
or the impressive display of posters
or the immaculate noticeboards.

11.
The Principal leaves promptly at 11am
and the Head of Department breathes out slowly
for the next hour and a half.

12.
The Principal writes to thank the Department
and praises the evidence of excellence
in teaching, external engagement and research.

There are exceptionally difficult times ahead
for Higher Education and particularly Geography.
The Department will need friends in high places.

Small Talk

I love meeting people at parties

because if you are patient
and listen carefully

you reach the moment in the conversation
when you discover what really matters
to the person in front of you...

it might be gardening, fast cars, gospel music,
vineyards in France or mountains in Austria
and these are all good subjects to chat about

but if you are really, really lucky
you might end up talking to a person
who collects vintage kimonos.

a living candle

this year I planted three Paperwhite bulbs
and as I watch them grow towards the light
I think of Elspeth Thompson.

I shall do this every year
to celebrate Elspeth's courage
and her inspirational writing

Movie Night

MrsM
I feel like watching Love Actually

MrM
We don't have Love Actually...

what about:
(1)
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
(2)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
(3)
Death of a Salesman
(4)
The Bicycle Thieves


MrsM
I am not sensing that you are listening to me.

MrM
Okay...
Okay...
Here is my wild card.

A Circle Completed

This is Clarkes
in Kensington Church Street,
one of my favourite restaurants.

It is always full of interesting people,
the service is immaculate
and the menu is never less than enticing.

We sit there on Saturday
waiting for MissM and the Charming MasterN
and it is difficult to comprehend
that so little has changed
since the first time I came here
when I was pregnant.

I would not trade this today
with my beautiful MissM
for that yesterday
and I am grateful for that.

*****

Thank you for your wonderful comments.
My email box overfloweth with friendship.