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Friday 30 March 2012

We're looking after ourselves

Went on an 'every day first aid course' with the Red Cross. We learned how to deal with choking, bleeding, heart attack, stroke etc. It was really good and practical and we both feel more confident about what to do if we had an emergency at home. You can't be too careful at our age.

I'm struggling with finding the time to write the Grammar essay - what with first aid and computer support. TSH upgraded to Windows 7 and Chrome. He reinstalled all his software and then he lost the network etc etc. Not to mention Windows 7 Service Pack 1 won't install at all. Then I asked McAfee to change our licence so that all 3 machines are paid together to save money. So I had to uninstall and reinstall on all 3 of them, which took all afternoon. Today I'm making Simnel cake for Easter.

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Relief!!!!

I don't blog twice in a day. But I just got the assignment result. Its at the top end of 'good pass' - just a few marks short of a distinction. I am amazed, relieved and grateful.

Onto the grammar book comparison, I'm on a roll!!

Not the best weekend away

Travelled to London and went to British Museum to see much acclaimed Hajj exhibition but all tickets were sold out for period we were in London. What a disappointment - this was the major reason for the weekend away.

On Sunday morning, hotel had no hot water, so we had cold bath/shower. After major tantrum from me and cold determination from TSH, they agreed to give us complimentary dinner with wine, which turned out rather good. BUT during cold water period, TSH boiled kettle for shaving and poured boiling water on his arm. Our improvisation included cutting up a sock to make a sleeve to hold clean wet wipe in place to protect skin.

When getting out of taxi at Euston, I banged my head and then dropped my glasses and bent them.

Sunday at Kew Gardens was great, as ever.

I had a dream that my first MA assignment came back in  an envelope (its all on-line) but that the envelope, whilst containing lots of paper, did not include my actuial mark. Anxiety dream or what?

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Titanic haiku

This one is from the perspective of the iceberg - it was not intended as a joke, but once I had the last line in my head, it wouldn't go away.


Icy blue massive

Floating in deep grey water

Metal hull in face

Saturday 10 March 2012

Everyone will think I'm mad

They have published the assignment options for the English Grammar module. The one I really want to do is to compare and contrast two grammar text books. The more I think about it, the more exciting it seems. You see, there are lots of theories about grammar and how it works and none of them are comprehensive. So all the different text books emphasise different things, and sometimes leave out whole aspects, which do not quite fit in with their viewpoint. Many of the older ones don't even touch on the grammar of speech. But speech was here first, and written English is trying, with grammar, to convey all the the nuances of face-to-face language, with intonation and gestures. This blog is not written in Standard English, because it is informal and its digital. So its somewhere between spoken and written English, with grammar to match. (Note: I can write formal standard English when its appropriate)

One of the books I compare will be the standard course text book, which I already have a copy of. I haven't chosen the other one, but I have emailed a suggestion to the tutor for his approval. I am so looking forward to writing this one!!

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Tuesday again

And its Tai Chi. But just for an hour, thank goodness. The problem is that I have no Plan B for keeping fit(ish), so this is really important.

I have finished the podcast on the passive tense and sent in my exercises for comment by the tutor, so I'm ahead. Still waiting to see what the 5,000 word assignment will be. And waiting for the mark for the last one - I am really hoping, with no confidence, for a bare pass.

We've had a good few days. Fabulous night at the Opera - Norma (Bellini) sung brilliantly by Opera North. And a day out in Liverpool - bacon butties at Hard Days Night hotel and a few hours at the new Liverpool Museum. The waterfront looks really good now that the building is finished and they have opened up a lot of new vistas. I hope they get the new cruise terminal, which I think will be out of the way of the Liver Buildings.