Burns

Burns Night, and a casual invitation to Frank to pop over snowballed into me buying half a smoked haddock and reminding myself how to cook Cullen Skink while the wee pudding chieftains poached away in the oven. I used to do this one big, Burns Night. Scottish father, love of poetry and whisky. Recent years have pushed it off the list but this new drive to start entertaining people at home again – it is a good thing. Helps build friendships and communities.

Some friends shared some beautiful things. I felt lucky and happy. Also a bit of light in the darkness and as I said yesterday I’ve been finding it hard to remember that the last few days. Admin is always like cold water down my back. I have to find a way to frame it more positively for myself. It leads to good things, and the way I’m looking at my future I will need to start the old funding application train before long. If I freak out at something as simple as tax returns then I’m gonna need a workaround.

Meanwhile this evening a very small group of friends fought off the darkness with poems and songs and a moderate and restrained amount of whisky. Glad we were careful. It is helpful to know that we can be.

Now it is bedtime, ahead of early invigilating tomorrow. Back to the dayjob, and I need to get my payslips in for that as well. I’ll bring in my pad, and should the opportunity present itself in that concentrated room, I will make a list of all the admin things that are backed up so I can work through it by the end of the month.

Tonight though a happy warm sleep with friends either side, Tom and Brian once more, good hearts. For a night we fought the dark and won. And… February is coming.