It's late enough to go to bed, but for once I actually feel like writing something. Lately I've been pleased to discover that living in Sweden less terrifying or claustrophobic than I have always supposed. No great plans or projects as yet, but am giving life a chance to catch up with me a little. Hopefully. A good thing.

fighting loneliness

October

After a busy somewhat crazy summer packed with good things (a new friend, flowers for a wedding, my grandpa's 90th, Henry V tour and Georgia, and now Sweden again), I find myself on a sunny Saturday in my new room in Gothenburg wondering what's gonna happen next. Perhaps this is a time for all the bits of life that have been put on hold through the years to gradually catch up with me. That would be good. Tough too, probably.
I'd like to put up some pictures from the last few months. Unfortunately my uploading cord thing for the camera disappeared in the move from Oxford, which makes things rather more difficult!
Yesterday I met a bunch of people with their own quirky passions and interests, some of which overlap mine, and it reminded me how important it is not to just try to adjust myself to the present company (which is happens a lot...), but to follow what I find fascinating and enjoyable - there will be other like-minded people out there, and when I meet them I think there will be a sense of home-coming over it.

Warwick Castle

A bit of a magical day today - Warwick Castle trip with Year 7! After a bit of rain when we arrived it was a perfect summer day with all the pretty grassy slopes, gardens and trees glowing green in the sunshine. The kids were great, and I was surprised to find myself really enjoying it, after having prepared myself for the worst possible scenarios. A bit of sadness too, though, to be so near the goodbyes. But tired now. Bedtime.

And after June, July...

Absolutely perfect holiday weather - unfortunately coinciding with the last two weeks of school! I'm tired, which makes little things resemble rather big Failures. Most of the time work has gone quite well - at least it's felt good and I've enjoyed it - but the students are unsettled by the heat and all the end of term disruptions, and I'm a bit at a loss of what to do about it. Ride it out, I suppose. And for now, sleep.
The summer plans have suddenly taken an unexpected and exciting turn. I'm still going to Sweden in the beginning of August, but will come back soon after to prepare for a tour of Henry V!!! Make-up, a bit of costumes... It ends up in Georgia, which is completely uncharted territory in my head's geography department. Hopefully not for long:)

Hamlet puppets

Lots of little things I've been wanting to add here, and it just hasn't happened. Off to Germany tomorrow to visit Deborah (!!!!), so have been packing, watering the plants (with a bit of help from the rain:)) etc in my usual scatty fashion. Yesterday I cycled up to Blenheim as there was an art/design/food festival there this weekend. What a glorious day it was! Lots of sunshine and an immaculate sky. Happy people everywhere: families of all sizes and descriptions, elderly ladies and gentlemen, lovers and somewhere behind the hundreds of windows and pillars, a wedding party. Had to leave a little earlier than I would have liked to go to 'textiles for peace' at the community centre - felting this week! I've never tried it before, really good fun. Came away with sterile hands from all the soapy rubbing. Today a good friend had her first finals exam - odd how mine finished a year ago tomorrow. It feels both immediate and so remote, and I find myself both eager to move on and looking back nostalgically to the days of endless reading and essay writing with a sense that I never quite finished anything. Four essays perhaps, maybe five. The puppets are almost done. I think I'll miss them - will have to find a new project to keep my busy:)