Monthly Archives: July 2015

From student accommodation in Sheffield to unwelcome attention in the garden (Rousse)

I left the conference with a PhD student who was also heading north. She offered me a bed for the night in her student house in Sheffield, which I willingly accepted – and then instantly regretted as we walked through … Continue reading

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Aidan Turner signs autographs at the Edinburgh Fringe (Rousse)

Poldark star Aidan Turner was signing autographs in person at an Edinburgh Fringe venue. When I asked HH if she was certain that he was actually there she reminded me of her insider role as wardrobe mistress. The person that … Continue reading

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An insider’s view of the Edinburgh Fringe (Rousse)

It was Fringe time in Edinburgh but this year was different because I was now one of the organisers. (I actually resented the extra work as committee secretary, and resolved to resign as soon as I was promoted.) BR and … Continue reading

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Trapped in JK Rowling’s producer’s tent (Rousse)

JK Rowling’s TV producer Lisa let me sit in her tent. I was there so long that I got sewn up inside it.

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Poisonous crabs and unpierced ears in Australia (Rousse)

I took TPR’s Auntie Rita on a trip to Australia. On the first day we bought some provisions from a chemist and took them to the park where poisonous crabs ran through the grass. I met a lovely father of … Continue reading

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Academic highs and lows (Rousse)

There it was in print: my first co-authored paper with BC. Best of all, when BC read it out loud to me from the pages of the journal it was the sweetest bedtime story ever. Granted it was only a … Continue reading

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Sailing the Scottish coastline by log (Rousse)

ST and I planned to take the boat to Uig Community Centre. We wandered over to the pontoon where we also found JG, with TPR and JC, aboard his boat ‘Mary’. I remained in the queue for the community boat. … Continue reading

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A second PhD (Rousse)

They say that you should never go back, but I still took the job at Queen Margaret University – and embarked on study towards another PhD.

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From drinks in Ambridge with the Aldridges to an open air party on Princes Street (Rousse)

I met the illegitimate man of Thomastown at Brian and Jennifer Aldridge’s drinks party. He had thoughtfully brought with him a 3D paper model of Thomastown complete with an impressive representation of the Catholic church, and it didn’t take long … Continue reading

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Toronto school reunion disco (Rousse)

Toronto was not the obvious place for a school reunion, and the mix of people at the party was most peculiar. I saw JD, but where was JT, for example? And what were AB and HS doing there? NP was … Continue reading

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