Moochy

It's been a great few days away, just what I needed really. And the weather certainly held up its end of the deal, being rather too warm.....but I'm home again now with my usual sunday night feeling, though it's lasting somewhat longer than normal since I came home earlier (:-((((

Back to the beginning, at any rate. Tuesday morning last was quite chilled, only had to get up, wash and pack last remaining items before Dad arrived for the journey south. And this was accomplished successfully, and we hit the road pretty early. Blazing sunshine on the way south, getting progressively warmer and warmer as latitude decreased, thank bollox for air-con, what did we do in those heady days of the 80s when it hadnt been installed in cars? Sweated to death, no doubt.

The M1 is a very dull road, though it does get you where you want to be quite quickly. Few stops on the way down, just enough time for me to snap my keyring somewhere in the vicinity of Oxfordshire and hence lose my front door key. I reckon it's nestling somewhere inside Dad's car, but we couldnt find it..... anyroad, not a lot I could do about it since it wasnt until much later that I noticed it had gone!

Arrived in Romsey, which is a very nice little town and somewhere I could see myself living quite easily, given half the chance. Though would probably go slightly insane quite rapidly too, I've turned into far more of a city boy than I'll admit to myself (not surprising, considering where I've lived for the past 10-odd years or so). Pottered around with Dad in the evening calm - most pleasant - and then picked up P from the station for first meeting-with-the-family event, most stressful but went off without too much uncomfortable on all sides. One thing about my family, we can be quite stilted if not watched carefully, but also are quite a formidable monolith of *mmph* given half a chance. I mean, we're very good at just clamming up and making tracks, rather than facing things head-on, though the presence of Jason (bro-in-law) ameliorates this somewhat, he having a more outspoken character.....anyhow...... once everyone arrived, it was time for dinner (very nice, very rich, very expensive! Not my money though....). And then bed. Our room (mine and P's, if I may) was quite nice, but with one major flaw. The window looked out onto a little nook in the roof, though we werent too bothered about that. Problem is, this nook prevented any kind of flow of air into the room and hence the place was baking hot and didnt even seem to cool down with the coming of night. Poor P, who suffers in the heat at the best of times, had a hell of a time. Coupled to this were the thunderstorms in the night and a sleepy me who didnt seem to be bothered at all! I never knew I was the 'fall asleep on a pole' type, but it appears I am. And have random conversations which I then do not remember in the morning.

Wednesday. Day of silly hat wearing, for which we had to get up very early and high-tail our way to Southampton. My sister, though very sensible in herself, seems to have an inordinate lack of ability to take directions, or give descriptions of where she is. Hence snappy phone conversation was had, but nothing too bad. Got hold of my silly outfit (for which I can no longer find a picture online, dammit) and put it on, to be fussed over by P [which was a very nice feeling (:-) ] and then had to go and sit down. It was OK, I suppose, not much to do but walk up and get hood put on, and shake hands, and there were plenty of people there and mostly those from 'the year above', if I can say that (though owing to odd start times etc etc etc....), and very only four of us who started in the same October, at least that I can remember. Nice to bump into people, though not a lot of time for talking what with the family in tow, and a desire not to drop P in the deep end too much and abandon him to their tender cares, though I did have to a bit.

Photo taken in the whole get-up, which we'll see what comes of it in a short while. No doubt I'll look like a pillock, but it only took one shot from the photographer and he seemed happy with it (and it looked OK in the proof), so hopefully it'll be good! Since I will no doubt see it every time I go home now. Then went and picked up my copy of thesis to go with my certificate, and left. No time to talk to boss, unfortunately, since this will now entail exchanges of e-mail, and discovered that italian post-doc following on from my work cant get my solid-phase stuff to work properly. Oh dear, what an arse, which made be a bit jittery for quite a while, but I've resolved that issue now. By trying to forget about it (:$

Rest of day spent in Winchester, which probably now vies with York as my favourite place in the country (I've grown very attached to it), in the sweltering heat. And finally home to a nice dinner, and back to bed but with added fan in the room. P still had a swelter-y night, and I feel a little bad for him about that - sorry! Weather is at least cooler now.

All in all, I think the event came off as quite a success, I now can return to work safe in my Dr. and can fact the Ugrads next year with a slight sense of superiority. Ahem. Actually, it doesnt feel like it's actually happened, and will probably sink in more later. Still, good excuse for a small holiday.

Rest of week and weekend spent with P, not doing very much because of the hot weather except playing of computer games. I'm rediscovering my inner teen in this line, since I was about 14 or 15 when I gave up playing them as excessively as I did.....but I think the market has come down to a level now where I can probably get back in without it costing me an arm and a leg....but we'll see. Had to come home early to make sure I could get into house (though housemate had forgotten entirely and wasnt in, grrrr, but no matter), and so I've spent the last few hours in my usual *sob* state. It doesnt get any easier, but I cope better these days. P, I miss you big style, as well you know.

Oh yes, and the beardage has currently vanished, for purposes of looking smooth at ceremony. I look weird without it, but I'm growing used to it not being there again. Think I'll grow it back though!