The weekend

I'm not sure that I can maintain the prodigious output of this blog in my new state of underemployment. Certainly there are many things I must do which keep me rather busy, but they do not provide particularly interesting reading. I have spent a day and a half cleaning the kitchen thoroughly, with about the same amount to go, and there are no amusing stories to be told about that endeavour. I do get to listen to a whole lot of good stuff while I'm doing it, though - music, radio, podcasts and audio books.

I have managed to escape from the cleaning drudgery a few times. I walked across town on Saturday to feed chickens belonging to friends. Have I mentioned how much I love Leamington Spa? There is always something going on. This time, I encountered a whole lot of people in fancy dress with their homemade rafts, ready for a raft race down the river in aid of charity.

The five chickens live in their run in the back garden, and were surprisingly pleased to see me, although whether that was because they were expecting to be fed or because they had missed the human company I couldn't say, not being very familiar with the care of chickens. Their clucks are very pleasing to the ear, and I came away with three fresh eggs as well as a feeling of well-being.

I have also been up to Manchester for a 25th anniversary party of the badminton club where I used to play. I have been away for much longer than I spent playing there, but that club remains the best I have belonged to, both in terms of organisation, spirit and social arrangements. If I get a job up there, then Tuesday nights will belong to Nettles Badminton Club. I managed to squeeze in a couple of extra visits while I was there, to catch up with lovely northern family and friends, and I can thoroughly recommend the B & B establishment I stayed at.

A last word for Mr A, who has the first of two exams today with the second on Thursday. Like childbirth (so I understand), the pain of revision swiftly fades, so I can only remember that it is a horrible ordeal and Mr A has been doing little else for two weeks or more. Once the exams are over he continues to have a frighteningly dense schedule of assignment deadlines until the next two exams in October, after which he will be able to take a bit of a break. So I hope that he does as well as he hopes and deserves to.