Post Christmas post

Christmas has been a pretty dreadful affair this year. Mum and Dad were both ill, the house was declared an isolation zone, and all festivities were consequently cancelled. Dad was crabby, Mum was upset and I could have banged their silly heads together. It made going home a little redundant but I'm glad that I did it. I got some reading done (Part of Beowulf and the end of The Devil in Amber) and had some time to think about future projects. It also provided something of a contrast with the week before.

That was a bit of a bit of a roller coaster with rekindled affections, quite a bit of drinking and a really good evening with Dunc, Verity and Laura crammed in. The latter ended with a very late and very tuneless sing song around the computer (it is a variation on the Victorian theme).

I walked back to Cowley via Abingdon Road and Donnington Bridge. There was a thick white frost and a swirling fog. I stopped and looked down into the black water. I felt a deep sense of ambiguity as I stared into the rushing current. A fascination with the idea of the drop and a wonder at the silent beauty of the night around me. A desire to be and a desire not to be. I guess we all get that.

I'll be in Sri Lanka for three weeks as of tomorrow so I may try to update this while I'm away.

Gary Nelmes