Scrapbook of some bits from 2019

Ruth’s birthday. We stayed at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, which was very nice except for the indifferent coffee offering at breakfast. Not actually sure why we were even having the hotel breakfast in a London hotel – my usual preference is to go out to a café – but Ruth was in a hurry to get home for work, so that may have been it. The previous evening, we’d been to see Circus 1903 at the Royal Festival Hall. The elephants in it – created by the War Horse puppeteers – were indeed fantastic, but much of the show was more child-oriented than we’d expected. We had a pre-theatre meal at Cucina on Belvedere Road.

Origami. After the workshop mentioned here, I had a go at home and made these cranes.

Expedit. After some nagging from Ruth, unconvincingly disguised as assuring me how lovely it would look in my flat, we dismantled my IKEA Expedit shelving unit (now a collector's item, obviously) and I transported it to MK. Amazingly, managed to assemble it myself, though was a bit worn out afterwards. It does indeed look very nice in its new position.

Smart new little sofa. I treated myself to a sofa from John Lewis’ G Plan Vintage range. The sofa is part of the Sixty Seven range. John Lewis say about it:

Inspired by the G Plan Vintage archive, the low slung appearance of The Sixty Seven is the perfect blend of past and present. Its contoured arms and turned wooden feet complement each other to make it as distinctive as it is comfortable.

It does indeed have darling little wooden feet.

My new sofa

 

Nia in ‘Seussical’. We went to see the lovely Nia’s CAST performance in ‘Seussical’, back in April, at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport. Children of a range of ages including teenagers – Nia looked to be one of the youngest children on the stage. She had a small (non-speaking, but credited in the programme) part towards the end, playing the Elephant Bird.

Here I am wearing the special excited face I wear before any form of musical theatre.

OU stuff. The OU's HR department has renamed itself 'People Services'. OK. Though it's a short step from that to being back at 'Personnel'. On a slightly different note, HR/People Services' A-Z on the intranet has some odd juxtapositions these days.

We were restructured and moved offices, from the Wilson to the Pentz buildings. I did take Matt's nun with me, though I've regretted adopting her given the attention she attracts.

Packing crate with nun

Judith’s leaving. My line manager from when I joined the OU in 2011 until April this year, Judith left the OU last July, after what was suspected to be around 30 years’ service (Judith was always close-lipped about her exact length of time in the OU’s employ). Although we had had our differences of opinion, her departure has left a significant hole, both for me personally and for the statutory returns function in general. This picture of me, Claire and Judith was taken in 2011, in what was then Claire’s and my office on the OU’s campus.

The Department for Work and Pensions. Ruth made me log in – first time ever I think – to check my state pension eligibility. Probably a good idea.

Robot deliveries. The ‘Starship’ delivery robots are still to be seen in Milton Keynes, at least in the southern part of the town near the OU. They are SO CUTE.

Windchimes. Managed to offload a set of windchimes that I bought at some expense some years ago before realizing that they were too large, and therefore loud, for any space I’m ever likely to live in. After two goes at advertising them on the OU Noticeboard, I sold them to a Lecturer in Criminology for a tenner. Hope she’s finding them relaxing after a day spent pondering the recesses of the criminal mind.

My ad appeared above someone apparently selling a kilo of raw organic coconut chips. That was an impulse bulk purchase then.

This product description on Amazon. Auto-translate? I have no memory now of what the product was.

Spam. I received a number of extremely unconvincing emails purporting to be from HMRC. Does anyone actually fall for this stuff?

Partings. I said adieu to my homemade wine bottle candle holders, but took a commemorative picture of them first.

Google Maps’ limitations. In a clearly under-occupied moment, I asked Google Maps for directions to the Marshall Islands. It didn’t manage it.

Bunnies. We still have both Harley and Catherine Howard, though H's health is declining as of late 2019. Here he is snuggled under CH.

GEM award. Pleased to close 2019 by being awarded a ‘Going the Extra Mile’ award, part of the portfolio of goodies that forms the OU’s Rewards Scheme. Chris, my line manager since last April, had nominated me, which was jolly good of him.