Nil by brain

Sorry folks but not feeling too bright or inspired. Too much to do, especially writing, and worse still things involving numbers and pictures. Yikes.  Have training on how to upload content to the portal, all looks terribly confusing and time-consuming. Up against multiple deadlines (main one being impending implosion of head).

Kept up late last night by need to iron clothes for trips down south, feed medicine to ailing kitty, and electrical blackout mit crackling caused by placing ironing board in cupbaord – knocking fusebox out of whack in the process. Two of us wandering round dark house at 10pm, can’t find torch, light candle but afraid to put too close to source of crackling and fizz. Hubby remembers we have electrical knowhow in the form of friend round corner, and sets off. Said saviour turns up with torch on his head and sorts out the problem. Normality temporarily resumed. Humour hanging by a thread…

Terrorise the nervous chap in Waterstone’s again today. Freak him out by buying 3 copies of same book – When we were bad – it’s on 3 for 2 so Book Group buddy up and pool resources, I buy and ask for fiver plus bar of chocolate each as contribution. Choc not forthcoming yet so have to visit vending machine.

Tonight is two lots of packing for trips to London and Liverpool – hoping I will be energised by meeting with colleagues in different contexts.

It’s train time – if I leave it much later it will be a case of run, fat librarian, run…

 

Honey, I’m home

Back at work today after a flying visit to relatives in Lagartera, a village in Castilla La Mancha. (That’s Spain, for the geographically challenged.) The dusty dry bit in the middle, about 2 hours drive from Madrid. I say dry, but I seem to have a knack for coinciding with unprecedented torrential downpours. Lucky I packed the mac; should have thrown in the gloves as well. Did lots of eating and drinking and reading (all good things).

Visited the family’s flock of sheep (9 at the last count) and was quite impressed. Kirsty is the ringleader, then there are Morag and Shona (who according to the locals should be made into rissoles and according to my anthropologist stepmother provide social stability for the group), also Angus, who has to date sired Douglas, Davina, Lorna, Aileen and one whose name escapes me. Go Angus! Sheep are not intended for meat or milk or even wool, but will primarily be used as heavy duty lawnmowers.

Was present for the annual Corpus Christi fiesta, the first time I’ve seen the place actually come to life and show a bit of colour. Normally it’s rather drab and slow. At Corpus they strew fennel and wild thyme branches on the ground, and people set up altars outside their homes with the family’s lace and embrodieries all displayed, flowers and little Jesus figures (let’s not even get into the theology, let’s enjoy the cultural experience!) It’s a result if you can get some small children dressed up in the local costume to sit and look rustic in front of your altar. (They don’t sacrifice them or anything…) Anyhow, a unique event to witness and I look forward to uploading my photos on Flickr and Facebook at the weekend.

On my travels read Clare Morrall’s latest, The Language of Others – great story, rather sad but compelling as is all her stuff. And a good Brummie lass into the bargain! Also threw in some Marquez, Allende, Hello and Gardener’s World. Marvellous.

So, work today, meeting with the Head of School to twist his arm into taking out a shiny new multimedia subscription. Also trying to write a paper for another senior academic, struggling to fit it into the agreed sides even after reducing to point two font. Doing everything in fits and starts between my travels, but actually find this does help the focus at my desk.

Tomorrow is our Revalidation course in Edinburgh, a small but hopefully happy band of travellers coming together to think about taking the next step in their careers and CPD. Just read Margaret Watson’s excellent book on Portfolios, was inspired but a little awed by some of my colleagues’ case studies! (Ayub, I thought Fellowship was achievable by mere mortals but after reading your itemised submission list I’m beginning to doubt it!)

The so solid crew

Only a bijou blogette today – it’s Saturday after all, and I’m busy packing my bag to fly to Cardiff tomorrow for the CDG National Conference. Hand luggage only, so have to do a purge on my rucksack for dubious items. I once had a mini stapler confiscated at Belfast Airport. Harruummph. I loved that little widget. Pile all my liquids into a sandwich bag. Why are liquids so evil anyway? I look like a Boots employee and/or a hypochondriac when all the little lotions and potions are bundled up together. Taking a laptop from work – fretting about whether it will work or not on the day. Writing thankyou cards for speakers – a nice little job that gets me thinking about the programme, I think it’s a strong one and I know most of the speakers personally, which is nice. I’ve prepared my opening spiel, which is all about… yes you’ve guessed it… and it’s on in half an hour so I’d better exit the blogosphere tout de suite…

“It’s all kicking off!”

Arrived home this evening with a million and one things going round my head. Spent some of the day dealing with train and air travel, always guaranteed to bring out my sunny side. Why does stuff have to be so complicated? Why does it take so long to get everywhere? Why don’t teleports exist? Then again can you imagine a CDG TARDIS – I could arrive at any event in history or have to advise someone about an ancient qualification…

Go to meet with a member of academic staff, planning to update her on our external review of information literacy. We want to get more inclusion at strategic level. Discover the whole programme for two major subject areas is being completely rewritteen – this sounds like a golden opportunity except that we already have substantial IL involvement in these programmes and now we may have to fight our corner all over again. What looked like a quiet week is now full of meetings, which I am warned may involve arguments.

Go home, put the washing on, feed the kittycats and then eke out an hour’s effort for CDG. I’m trying to write papers for our National Council, particularly a tricky one on financial sustainability. Want to tell it like it is but be positive and affirming at the same time.

But now it’s time to leave work aside and listen to the rumbly in my tumbly…