- flylady - the only way that I keep the house even slightly under control. Even though the people who were meant to be cat-sitting for us last summer left half way through, saying that the house was 'too dirty and grimy' for them (oops). We think that Swedes may have a different level of tolerance than Brits, perhaps - it might be all that Ikea clean living. But I did spend the whole of the rest of the day I got back cleaning out the fireplace which I must admit I hadn't bothered with for several years.
- phinished -since I found it, I haven't been alone doing my PhD. Amazing.
- spotify and last.fm : ways to listen to non-stop Klezmer music (and whatever else you like I suppose! but I wouldn't know...)
- anything by David Mitchell (the author not the Peep Show guy, though I like Webb on that)...
- Leeds College of Art Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design BA course that Anna hopes to get on next year - what a FABULOUS course and wonderful presentation we went to - I've linked to the course gallery. Paul Sunter the course leader did a brilliant job in showing how you can market a course through the students' work rather than through the tutors' brilliance.
what else makes me happy? the lovely gym I've joined in Glasgow at Maryhill
my lovely friends (especially, just at the moment, the ones who have PhDs or are working towards them and know to leave me alone - thank you Dr Elham and Dr Simone in Lancaster, Dr Catherine and Dr Julie in Scotland, and to nearly-drs Pam and Candace and Nat and Anna T
and my lovely rotating dinner party friends Andy Cathy and Celia (and Kate who would be there if she wasn't in Geneva, and Jo who would be there if she wasn't in Geneva) - looking forward to rejoining you this week and properly from mid-April
and Tina from Uni
and Diana Diana Susan Christine and Caroline who I had my happiest years with in London when we were all 18 (and who all came to Anna's batmitzvah four years ago (along with Karen - my oldest friend from schooldays) and who recently all met up at the Tate even though we're all 56!)
and finally, I'm working through "The Big Book of Me" by Nina Grunfeld. Things I am holding out for:
completing my phd by the spring...
finding a home for the original Hannah Frank drawings which I have inherited, so that they can be on show permanently in Scotland (a very new ambition)
getting into regular exercise, possibly dance (returning to) as well as gym (newer) and the normal swim, run and cycle that I've done for years.
and setting up a consultancy in the spring when the phd is safely off and out there.
see the next entry for more on the consultancy....
