Reverse Pomodoro

I am still down with this unfortunate flu but I have things to do. My cleaners are coming tomorrow which means tidying up today. I know what you are saying, "Don't bother" and I would agree but I am cheered up when they leave and the house is neat and clean. Besides, there isn't too much mess. There never is when it is one adult. I'm going to reverse the 25 to 5 ratio of the proper Pomodoro (see recent blog). In other words, I will work for five minutes and rest for 25. I may be at it still when they turn up tomorrow morning.

On the mend

Definitely better today. Of course Sod's law has decreed that it is raining after a week of beautiful weather. I'm planning on waving the clouds away and going for a short walk this afternoon. Then back to the Swedish recliner for more "Midsomer Murders" and junk food.

Poor Me

It has been five years since one of my serious viral setbacks. The last one happened five years ago when I was having a sabbatical here in Oxford. These viral attacks are always triggered by stress but they are unpredictable. I would have thought that I would have had a severe one after my divorce but not so. This is what made me think I had got on top of this particular negative form of stress management. I’m not nearly so ill this time. Obviously, since I’m sitting here at the computer moaning. I won’t catalogue my symptoms since they are boring. I know from previous experience that all I can do is lie low and hope I get over it sooner rather than later. I’m fortunate in having good friends and neighbours (and Rachel) who bring me juice and biscuits and drugs from the local pharmacy (you can get codeine OTC here and I have a monster headache a lot of the time). So, there we are and I have a lot to do in the next two weeks - Festival and Open Garden Day.

Harry pictures

Sian and Harry Scooting



Harry on the roundabout double decker bus



Story time with Chloe

Weekend with Harry

Alison had to be in Cambridge on Friday and Sian was having minor surgery so Harry came to Oxford. This was fantastic for me and I think he enjoyed it as well. Alison brought him here on Thursday but I had an evening meeting of the Headington Festival committee so Chloe came to babysit. She had to be at school in the morning so she spent the night. Harry sleeps in his travel cot and I shared his room with him. However, it is critical that he not be able to see me so I have a clever arrangement where I put a long bamboo pole from the top of the wardrobe to the window opposite. I sling a sheet over this which hides my bed and me.

We spent Friday morning at Cotswold Wild Life Park where his primary interest lay with the roundabout and the train. We took two train rides through the park and I tried in vain to interest him in rhinos, ostrich, zebra. All he wanted to do was to look at the wheels on the train engine. At first we thought it might be Thomas but then it turned out to be Percy. He didn't care as long as he could watch the ratchets going around. The roundabout was equally good because it had a double decker bus. He found his way to the top and enjoyed waving to everyone. The lady who was running it seemed to like him because she gave him an extra free ride. If he continues to be as cute and lovable as he is now, it will be hard to convince him that in this life, "there is no free ride!"

On Saturday morning we drove down to Brighton where his Mummies were waiting. When they got up on Saturday morning, they found the house too big and too empty. Harry and I solved that problem for them in about three minutes flat with our presence and our stuff. I came home this morning to my own quiet house.

Pomodoro

I have had to face the fact that I have fallen behind in just about everything but especially work on the Festival. So, this morning I started using the Pomodoro Technique (thanks Alison) to try to get on with things. For those of you who don't know, Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. That has nothing to do with the technique unless you buy their special timer. I have a perfectly good kitchen timer so I'm using my own. What you do is define a job; i.e. get all Festival info organized and listed. Then you set the timer for 25 minutes and start the job. When the timer goes off, you have a 5 minute break. Then start in again for another 25 minutes. You do this four times and then have a longer break. I have now finished my 4th pomodoro so I'm writing the blog and I will have lunch.

Garden pictures

Spring has sprung.

I should have pictures for this post and I will when I get dressed and go outside to admire and water my garden. My friend Judith has made it what it is and we are opening it on 13th of June for Headington Open Garden Day. As those of you who have been to my house know, getting to the back garden requires going through the house. Problem solved by Alison and Sean (and Harry) who are coming up for that weekend to be in the house while people come through to the garden. I'm not yet stressed and tense about getting the place in order because I am stressed and tense about the Festival which is only three weeks away. I'm looking forward to 7th of June when that event will be over.

Garden pictures to follow which actually means above because they will be posted after this blah blah blah. Get it?

Six Years

Just a morning quickie to pat myself on the back. I had my last cigarette six years ago today. I was staying in a hotel; in a nonsmoking room. Of course. I wasn't so gross that I would smoke in the room I was sleeping in. The plan was to go down to the bar last thing for a bevie and a gasp, only to discover that the bar was closed for refurbishment. I would have had to go outside to sit on the curb in New York city. I said to myself, "You don't need this cigarette", and I didn't and I didn't need any more after that. Yeah.

Pictures on the trampoline

Weekend in Brighton

I went down on Saturday morning to spend a day and a night with the girls and Harry. I had a wonderful time; an antidote to the gloom and depression I was feeling over Auschwitz. Harry is in fine form and he knows me now which is gratifying. I read him a Thomas the Tank Engine book on Saturday night and I must have done a good job because he greeted me next morning with book in hand. I had to promise to read it twice if he would let me get a cup of coffee to start with. Since that is pretty much a necessity, he didn't have a choice. After a nice lazy start to our Sunday, we all went to a farm which has an excellent children's play area and serves a good lunch. We grown ups? had lamb burgers. Very tasty but we all agreed that, given a choice, we prefer beef burgers. The chips were good but Harry ate most of mine. Funny how I didn't mind! We took pictures and here are some of them.

I am having a 'thing' about picture resolution and the blog so the pics on next blog.

Poland

We spent our last day in Poland at Auschwitz. It is a cliché to say that words can’t describe it, but it is true. So – bleak, shocking, harsh, forbidding, gloomy, depressing, sad, miserable, dismal, utterly overwhelmingly dreadful. The original Auschwitz is fairly small but large enough to have several square brick buildings of three stories, each crammed with three tier bunk beds. The bunks are about 2’ 6” wide and would be expected to hold two people. They would lie head to foot. Having been told this by the guide, one’s first thought is how would you ever sleep? Then it dawns on you that these people had been working outside in the snow and cold for at least 14 hours doing heavy labour and you respectfully register that, even to lie down would be a blessing. I’m sitting here now on my comfortable leather office chair, in front of my expensive Imac. I’m drinking coffee and feeling well rested after a good night’s sleep. In my normal circumstances, how easy it would be to think of something to fuss about or worry about or simply to indulge in a little discontent. I won’t be doing that today. The memories from Tuesday are too fresh. These atrocities occurred in a “civilized” country perpetrated by “civilized” people less than 70 years ago. We moved on from Auschwitz to Birkenau. This is the death camp where the Germans were able to gas and cremate hundreds of people a day; a very efficient operation and almost too much to take in. By the time we got there it was raining. We walked down the long road from the gate where the cattle car trains arrived with the condemned to the gas chambers and crematoria, protected by our umbrellas. We took a few pictures, listened to the guide and walked back again. We climbed into our minibus and drove to our comfortable hotels in Krackov for a nice nap followed by a delicious dinner. I’m not sorry I went but I am shattered by the experience. It is a place that you don’t get out of your head, and indeed, you shouldn’t. One of Jane’s friends had loaned her a book by Primo Levi, “Surviving in Auschwitz”. It is perfectly written; a brilliant book.

Stary Reynak and the goats

I'm having a marvellous time in Poland with Jane. This morning I went to the old market square with the impressive town hall. It was thronged with people and I think it must have been a special day because there were flag ceremonies and speeches but the best was the goats. Above the clock on the town hall are two doors which open at 12 noon each day and two goats come out (metal goats). They turn to face each other and then lean forward to but each other. They do this 12 times and it is brilliant. Then they go back inside to wait for tomorrow. When I arrived, I wasn't sure I was in the right place so I approached a man with a clipboard and asked him If he knew about the goats. He looked puzzled for a moment and then started to laugh. He pointed up to the clock so I knew I was on track. Then the festivities started and he went up to the microphone and gave a speech. I think he was the Lord Mayor or something. My motto is,"Go to the top if you want an answer". Jane took me to the official conference dinner tonight and I met a really nice Japanese man. He is going to visit me in August when he comes to England to some work. I also met a nice Polish couple in the museum today but I'll talk about that later. I also had the experience of ordering Chicken McNuggetts in Polish for lunch. It's all go.