Tag Archives: TPR

Rousse, a reptile and rubies

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Dreamaticus

My thought processes raced through four distinct stages: (1) Is that a snake curled around my ankle? (2) And that scrap of grey cloth, what’s that? (3) Ugh, dead mouse! (4) Yikes, the mouse is dead because it’s been attacked … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ammonite, bed and breakfast, car, dog, fossils, mouse, red brick, rubies, snake, tartan, taxi, TPR, warehouse, Worcester | Leave a comment

Rousse’s relationship entanglements

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Dreamaticus

Although I was yet to admit it, our marriage had long been dead. My husband, kind to the end, was simply waiting for me to form another relationship before raising the question of how we could untangle ourselves from almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged American, arithmetic, cupboard, flipchart, hopscotch, love, marriage, neighbours, noise, referencing, snow, TPR | Leave a comment

Disappointing Caribbean climate (Rousse)

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Dreamaticus

It looked like a last minute decision to take my heavy brown coat to Antigua was sensible. Our flight from Glasgow at 14:00 was delayed several hours, and the Caribbean weather forecast was for a fortnight of wind and rain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Antigua, bus station, coat, flying, rain, telex, TPR, watch, wind | Leave a comment

Rousse misses out on the miracle of childbirth

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Dreamaticus

Mother-of-four SY took charge of the six women seated in silence around the long wooden table. She instructed me to wash my hands and help when necessary. If I doubted SY’s qualifications in midwifery, my own experience of childbirth was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged babies, car, children, Chinese, cliff, death, Isle of Skye, kittens, mother, PhD, pregnant, puppies, thesis, TPR | Leave a comment

Rousse abandoned at breakfast, and a new business idea

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Dreamaticus

I’d never heard of “costering” until I lost TPR to a guest house owner on the Isle of Lewis. The islanders had adopted this process of shearing seed from long grass stalks as their favourite outdoor hobby. My husband was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged car park, charity, charity shops, Christmas, costering, crotchet, decoration, door, Facebook, fields, graduates, grass, housekeeper, Lewis, manhole cover, sequins, shopping, Stornoway, TPR, tunnel, witch's hat | Leave a comment

Rousse attacked by robot rag doll cleaner

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Dreamaticus

I pushed open the kitchen door and almost stepped directly onto two teenage girls. They were sitting on the floor next to the cooker, sorting through dusters and tea towels. “New cleaners” I surmised. My cheery “Hello!” met with no … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bread, cleaner, computer, cooker, curtains, dusters, foot, kitchen, rag doll, robot, shutters, sister, study, tea towels, teenagers, TPR, wardrobe | Leave a comment

Shall I stay or shall I go now? (Rousse)

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Dreamaticus

While TPR slept I slipped down to breakfast then paid the hotel bill. We’d been tempted to stay an extra night, largely because there was a strong possibility that RG would be arriving later in the day after a week’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bibliographic databases, CPD, dog, Edinburgh, grass, hill, hotel, Marco Giovino, microwave, Robert Plant, shooting, South Africa, tomatoes, TPR, training | Leave a comment

The return of Rousse’s red Peugeot 205

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Dreamaticus

There were so many questions: Why had my parents “rescued” my red Peugeot 205 (sold on in 2008) and booked it into repair at a garage (of which we knew nothing) at the other side of town? Did it really … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bristol, car, concert, deaf, ear drops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, mother, pharmacy, sisters, tablets, TPR | Leave a comment

A trandem, tourists and a traffic warden (Rousse)

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Dreamaticus

We were bound to be killed, all because JH refused to wear the high-visibility jacket that I was offering him. Even though KT and I could be seen in our yellow regalia, it was really important that JH be visible … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cinema, cycling, French, glasses, Harry Potter, high-visibility jacket, parking meter, Perth, TPR, traffic warden, usherette | 1 Comment

Rousse’s reunion

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Dreamaticus

It was July 2011. As was the case on the days of our 10th and 20th anniversary parties, the 1986 French graduates from the University of Birmingham were enjoying a reunion lunch in the blazing Brummie sunshine. This time we … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged babies, berries, bikini, brambles, Edinburgh, Griffin, ice-cream, John Lewis, Manor House, Nantes, picnic, pregnant, swimming, TPR, University of Birmingham | Leave a comment