A late breakfast (Rousse)

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Dreamaticus

A dozen pretty coloured bags filled to the brim with bedding plants lined the hall. “Great”, I thought, “He’s going to smarten up the garden”.

The kitchen table, however, was a more puzzling sight. What were all these mounds of sultanas and raisins?

While I pondered their purpose I left the fried eggs to burn the pan. Then the toast went up in flames, melting the pink plastic handle of the scissors that had fallen into one of the slots of the toaster. Breakfast would be a little later than usual this morning.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A rummage through an atheist’s wardrobe (Rousse)

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I’d had enough of this religious twaddle. “Listen”, I said “You may be American, but someone has to tell you all that (a) there is no God, and (b) we don’t go to heaven when we die”. As soon as I saw the sadness in their eyes, I immediately regretted my words. I needed to change the subject.

“Would anybody like to see my clothes collection?” I suggested, “It’s not that exciting, but you may be interested to see a range of garments from Phase Eight, Hobbs and Boden.”

A couple of women leapt out of their chairs and followed me to my wardrobe. My white silk Victorian nightie provided a perfect excuse to drop the contentious subject of religion.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News for the Broughton Spurtle (Rousse)

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Encouraged by the crowd gathered in the street below, a naked man leapt to his death from a top floor window in Melgund Terrace.

Later the same day I noticed that Crombies’ butcher’s shop was still open at 8pm at night.

Were these two incidents connected? What would the Broughton Spurtle have to say?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A job opportunity in Finland (Rousse)

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I travelled to Finland where I expected to take up EH’s old job. (This was a mistake. EH turns out to be a German academic based in Ireland.)

Because I was planning to leave the country, I also had to untangle myself from TPR. We walked the streets hand-in-hand considering which would be the least painful way to split up. I argued that perhaps we could make things easier for ourselves by embarking on a long-distance relationship. TPR was unconvinced.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Belle’s bad night’s sleep and Rousse’s dental surprise (Rousse)

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Dreamaticus

“How did you sleep?” I asked Belle. “Not well at all” she replied. Unfortunately for her she had bedded down after the party in the room next to the staircase that led to my sister S’s bedroom. S and her pals had stayed up all night making tea and toast, playing cards, and laughing loudly on the landing.

I had no time to chat, so made an apologetic grunt then set off out the door to a dental appointment, then back home to collect my overnight bag for a work trip to Paris.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the new dentist was none other than JH. All these years we’d thought that he’d earned his living as a planner.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parking in London (Rousse)

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Trying to park in London was hopeless. I aimed for Oxford Street, but found myself in Kensington. I eventually ended up in the countryside beneath an amazing waterfall.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rousse is looked after by Leandro

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Dreamaticus

The weather was terrible and I was miles away from home – but I was being looked after by a bearded Leandro who sang to me between kisses 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A time travel trip to the Isle of Lewis (Rousse)

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I travelled back in time to my favourite guest house on the Isle of Lewis where the computers looked at least a decade out of date, and what I knew as a toilet block was a tumbled down black house.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

E-mail upgrade disaster (Rousse)

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Dreamaticus

The university adopted new technology that displayed everyone’s e-mail on their office doors. While this meant that you could see your messages as soon as you arrived at work, it also gave anyone in the corridor the opportunity to read all your correspondence, including anything that was confidential.

I resolved to inform SC and BP of this terrible development.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wall planner woes (Rousse)

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I was in such a muddle over everyone’s annual leave requests that my only option was to buy a year planner for my office wall. This would do nothing for my popularity at work.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment