I found a solution to my office accommodation problem. If I “temporarily” moved downstairs to share with visiting Professor GW, when she returned to Finland I’d get the whole room all to myself, including the emerald green carpet and the huge antique mahogany wardrobes. Another bonus would be a position next door to BP. The single drawback was fewer reasons to run up and down the stairs between floors, so I would get less exercise than of late.

Next on the agenda were PhD supervisions. I rang my sister J on Holy Island for advice. She suggested that the students might take me a little more seriously if I dressed more professionally for work. Did I really expect to command their respect when sporting my purple fleece pyjamas?