From Blog to Book. JUSTTHOUGHTSNSTUFF

From Blog to Book.

JUSTTHOUGHTSNSTUFF.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK 2 Contents

1 2010 13 1.1 February ...... 13 intro (2010-02-20 23:39) ...... 13 saturday (2010-02-21 00:03) ...... 13 sunday night (2010-02-21 22:00) ...... 13 monday night (2010-02-22 21:49) ...... 14 tuesday (2010-02-23 22:31) ...... 14 twitter (2010-02-24 12:27) ...... 14 wednesday night (2010-02-24 22:52) ...... 14 bussing it (2010-02-25 17:59) ...... 15 metamorphosis (2010-02-26 08:56) ...... 15 1.2 March ...... 15 fragment (2010-03-02 08:23) ...... 15 tardis (2010-03-04 20:36) ...... 16 snort (2010-03-06 09:42) ...... 16 monday (2010-03-08 19:23) ...... 16 weekender (2010-03-12 19:33) ...... 17 heading for ox (2010-03-13 09:25) ...... 17 i remember, i remember (2010-03-16 23:35) ...... 17 snippets (2010-03-21 22:30) ...... 18 new bus ticket (2010-03-24 16:34) ...... 19 new bus ticket 2 (2010-03-24 18:19) ...... 19 blackwell’s, initiate and two former students (2010-03-24 19:31) ...... 19 nature notes (2010-03-26 18:12) ...... 20 post... (2010-03-31 08:54) ...... 20 1.3 April ...... 21 adlestrop, st nick’s and the fox (2010-04-03 16:44) ...... 21 youwriteon and happy easter holidays! (2010-04-04 15:48) ...... 22 binsey polar bears (2010-04-07 21:33) ...... 23 reedbed (2010-04-08 09:00) ...... 25 3 st barnabas, northern lights, etc (2010-04-09 09:01) ...... 25 tory girl? (2010-04-09 15:56) ...... 26 potato planting (2010-04-11 17:50) ...... 26 plantation road bus stop (2010-04-13 18:38) ...... 28 ramblings (2010-04-14 22:56) ...... 28 leaders, wildfell, editorium, english pen and lasa (2010-04-15 23:01) ...... 29 witney (2010-04-18 09:19) ...... 29 all quiet on the allotment (2010-04-19 08:46) ...... 30 autofiction (2010-04-20 08:04) ...... 30 trimdon labour club (2010-04-21 08:48) ...... 31 downton abbey (2010-04-22 20:42) ...... 31 bus, canal, film, dog and kite (2010-04-23 23:24) ...... 33 faces of the countryside (2010-04-25 16:00) ...... 36 oxford in springtime (2010-04-30 20:15) ...... 38 1.4 May ...... 39 rum dos (2010-05-04 23:17) ...... 39 what a gaggle (2010-05-08 20:51) ...... 41 lol (2010-05-09 20:20) ...... 42 ducklings (2010-05-11 23:20) ...... 43 sunday (2010-05-16 20:32) ...... 44 wio farewell (2010-05-21 20:32) ...... 45 ridging up (2010-05-23 20:14) ...... 46 updates (2010-05-28 17:42) ...... 47 shirt race (2010-05-29 20:52) ...... 48 1.5 June ...... 49 whitsun weekend bampton (2010-06-02 08:55) ...... 49 steamengine (2010-06-05 09:19) ...... 50 steamier still (2010-06-05 10:36) ...... 51 end of weekend (2010-06-06 22:54) ...... 51 syd, flag n things (2010-06-19 14:56) ...... 52 saturday (2010-06-26 19:40) ...... 53 1.6 July ...... 55 dame beryl bainbridge (2010-07-03 10:47) ...... 55 compasses, fonthill, beckford arms (2010-07-08 18:59) ...... 56 two walks to the trout (2010-07-13 17:54) ...... 58 gill & co (2010-07-28 08:39) ...... 59 1.7 August ...... 60 crack up (2010-08-02 07:45) ...... 60 4 reading nature (2010-08-03 08:41) ...... 60 invisible (2010-08-28 13:35) ...... 62 1.8 September ...... 63 somerset (2010-09-22 21:39) ...... 63 batcombe, veg, initiate, invisible, lasa (2010-09-25 21:02) ...... 64 holmes, boom, old man’s beard etc (2010-09-29 23:01) ...... 66 1.9 October ...... 67 toronto (2010-10-08 01:52) ...... 67 portrait room, humanities library, and gran baile? (2010-10-09 00:17) ...... 69 can’t believe, village idiot, kensington market (what a trooper) (2010-10-16 22:25) . . . . 70 last of the summer veg (2010-10-17 20:38) ...... 72 jo thoenes, kate saunders, oxford street, kc, stephen (2010-10-24 20:38) ...... 72 demo (2010-10-30 23:46) ...... 74 1.10 November ...... 75 lasa report, toronto memories, invisible weeks, initiate (2010-11-18 16:46) ...... 75 1.11 December ...... 77 snow, ice, things (2010-12-08 08:42) ...... 77 ice flowing, party season, nearly xmas (2010-12-17 08:35) ...... 79 views from the bus stop (2010-12-18 08:44) ...... 80 views from the bus (2010-12-18 14:08) ...... 82 snow walk (2010-12-19 23:07) ...... 83 holiday (2010-12-22 17:31) ...... 84 end of the cold war, humanism, friends, happy christmas (2010-12-24 22:12) ...... 86 shifford walk (2010-12-27 00:42) ...... 88 kelmscott (2010-12-28 19:03) ...... 89 bull (2010-12-28 21:14) ...... 91 happy new year! (2010-12-31 19:45) ...... 91

2 2011 93 2.1 January ...... 93 espresso, rain, end of first week (2011-01-07 09:08) ...... 93 first day of spring (2011-01-12 07:59) ...... 94 snowdog (2011-01-18 22:27) ...... 95 oxford times interview, our book reviews online, oxford writer (2011-01-28 08:58) . . . . 95 2.2 February ...... 97 bampton library read-in (2011-02-11 09:51) ...... 97 ora (2011-02-17 19:40) ...... 98 jtns a year on, spring walk (2011-02-25 09:09) ...... 98 5 early bike ride, bampton church (2011-02-27 09:34) ...... 99 2.3 March ...... 100 bloomin spring (2011-03-15 08:34) ...... 100 west hanney (2011-03-18 21:48) ...... 101 bampton moon (2011-03-18 22:36) ...... 103 kelmscott spring walk (2011-03-20 22:27) ...... 103 fog, thames and time off (2011-03-25 17:25) ...... 104 dawn chorus, barn owl, 192, kingcups (2011-03-27 10:47) ...... 105 2.4 April ...... 106 sunrise over bampton (2011-04-02 08:37) ...... 106 embers, flames, mist, osr and julie (2011-04-03 09:12) ...... 106 embers, flames, mist, osr, tadpoles and julie (2011-04-03 09:27) ...... 107 sedge (2011-04-06 08:52) ...... 108 dibber, spuds, eucalyptus and what the butler saw (2011-04-09 17:27) ...... 108 oxford lit fest, a book for all and none, sheep (2011-04-10 17:20) ...... 109 st frideswide’s square (2011-04-12 20:17) ...... 111 sunrise, keble, downton (2011-04-13 20:20) ...... 111 yellow, green, blue (2011-04-15 07:48) ...... 113 cowslips (2011-04-17 13:40) ...... 114 woodstock, blenheim rules, shifford insect lodge (2011-04-20 00:32) ...... 114 downton abbey, the wall, mr whicher (2011-04-20 16:13) ...... 116 happy easter, downton, kelmscott picnic, invisible (2011-04-24 11:39) ...... 117 bluebells, wild chervil and may, benjamin and iris, beryl and georgie (2011-04-30 13:19) 118 2.5 May ...... 120 honeysuckle, ed sheeran, candidate23, tracy chapman (2011-05-01 22:26) ...... 120 rain, barley, allotment, carbon (2011-05-08 17:23) ...... 120 parched (2011-05-15 19:57) ...... 121 brewery gate, st thomas’ (2011-05-20 22:31) ...... 122 strong winds, lime tree (2011-05-22 15:01) ...... 123 rose fall, morris, folk and woodstock (2011-05-25 22:35) ...... 123 shirt race, not, courgettes and cucumbers, peonies and the garden (2011-05-29 21:22) . . 124 2.6 June ...... 125 folk, morris, fertility cake (2011-06-01 23:08) ...... 125 whitsun bank holiday morris dancing, bampton (2011-06-04 09:42) ...... 126 a book for all and none (2011-06-08 21:19) ...... 126 hogweed and hemlock? (2011-06-11 10:26) ...... 127 oxford canal bridge, nag’s head, yaffling (2011-06-14 19:24) ...... 128 6 wet morning in bampton, dmug, swindon viewpoint, john grierson, aclaiir (2011-06-18 10:05) ...... 128 bl, aclaiir, jack c, spitfire, sausage & mash (2011-06-20 23:25) ...... 129 rickety press, jericho (2011-06-22 19:31) ...... 131 radcliffe infirmary (2011-06-24 18:04) ...... 131 cara spuds and mange tout peas (2011-06-26 21:57) ...... 132 2.7 July ...... 133 meadowsweet, willowherb, snail, partidge (2011-07-02 09:32) ...... 133 a week of sadness (2011-07-09 18:49) ...... 134 wild flowers (2011-07-10 11:09) ...... 135 weeding, minsters, golden courgette (2011-07-10 21:43) ...... 136 wiltshire (2011-07-15 13:32) ...... 138 wiltshire contd (2011-07-15 21:22) ...... 139 soaked, bye bye wiltshire, work (2011-07-16 10:44) ...... 140 richard webster (2011-07-23 21:00) ...... 142 autumn comes early? lords and ladies et al, the future, ambit (2011-07-30 10:51) . . . . . 143 2.8 August ...... 144 oxford, northmoor sheep, sunday (2011-08-06 18:37) ...... 144 time, ripening, mushroom risotto (2011-08-13 09:59) ...... 145 waterman’s arms, osney, now the punter (2011-08-14 15:43) ...... 146 bindweed, lewis, keith douglas (2011-08-21 16:18) ...... 147 change, time off, kite, witney etc (2011-08-27 18:38) ...... 148 chimney, shifford, duxford, tenfoot bridge (2011-08-30 21:05) ...... 149 2.9 September ...... 151 himalayan balsam (2011-09-02 10:26) ...... 151 bell, oaks, alvescot, black bourton church, doll (2011-09-03 13:32) ...... 152 kennington literary festival (2011-09-03 23:15) ...... 153 furniture, the past, forgiveness, new start (2011-09-06 19:27) ...... 153 swindon viewpoint (2011-09-06 20:19) ...... 155 the lock on kindle (2011-09-14 19:04) ...... 156 bleak, toadflax, wales, yorkshire, stories (2011-09-17 10:31) ...... 157 spuds, snow patrol, kasabian (2011-09-18 21:53) ...... 158 crystal lemon, three horseshoes, batcombe, wildcru (2011-09-25 12:32) ...... 159 2.10 October ...... 161 harvest festival, that paris year (2011-10-01 10:20) ...... 161 building, kennington literary festival (2011-10-09 10:45) ...... 163 furniture, clowns, kennington, invisible, pinter, poem (2011-10-14 19:07) ...... 164 sunrise, mostly books, grubbing, patching and scarifying (2011-10-16 16:12) ...... 165 7 digging, luxury uptake, football, che guevara, apex (2011-10-22 12:04) ...... 166 following keble, lucy’s dragon, lock, treasures, biztro (2011-10-29 14:28) ...... 168 2.11 November ...... 170 cycling, oak, family rumbles, sparklers, mad dog (2011-11-05 10:10) ...... 170 sun, lichen, hogweed?, new role (2011-11-13 13:09) ...... 171 embers, infinitas gracias, music to go, lie-in (2011-11-19 09:56) ...... 172 autumn colour, work, msts, kate b, siamese dream (2011-11-26 09:20) ...... 174 2.12 December ...... 176 wispy bits of mist, americano to go, xmas lights, mad dash (2011-12-02 18:25) ...... 176 dawn tree, busy, busy, end of term (2011-12-03 09:06) ...... 177 kilverts, llanthony, scary guy, man in the high castle, in proportion (2011-12-10 19:32) . . 177 hay, llanthony, black mountains, freddie (2011-12-11 20:32) ...... 178 bampton square, moon x 2, ice, speedway (2011-12-17 11:05) ...... 181 wood, twinges, xmas shopping (2011-12-22 12:58) ...... 182 willow leaves, cold, chimney meadows, duxford, pints, downton (2011-12-27 23:32) . . 183 sunny, better, badbury, great barn, plough, downton, shilton (2011-12-28 20:30) . . . . . 186 new year, new year’s eve, thanks (2011-12-31 15:29) ...... 188

3 2012 189 3.1 January ...... 189 cycling, ailments, flea, 2012 (2012-01-01 17:54) ...... 189 shredding (2012-01-08 21:42) ...... 190 hedging (2012-01-08 22:11) ...... 191 frost, moonlight, oclw, energy, new term (2012-01-14 12:20) ...... 192 dad (2012-01-20 23:05) ...... 194 hedging, part two (2012-01-22 22:28) ...... 195 thursday the twenty-sixth of january, little ouseburn (2012-01-29 22:19) ...... 196 3.2 February ...... 197 another week, ice (2012-02-04 09:04) ...... 197 snow, saunter, wander, walk, catching up (2012-02-05 22:16) ...... 198 snowy start in bampton (2012-02-10 08:11) ...... 200 bill heine, goridebus, papers, andrew, nelle davy, raúl, benedict, david (2012-02-12 22:07) 201 warming, ice breaker, winter trap (2012-02-13 19:33) ...... 203 the difference a day makes (2012-02-19 21:52) ...... 203 aclaiir, paddington (2012-02-22 21:48) ...... 205 spring!, long winter, ageing, john nash, tyres-some (2012-02-26 11:20) ...... 206 3.3 March ...... 207 mist, st a’s, bampton, oxford canal (2012-03-02 19:06) ...... 207 8 that downton abbey time of year again (2012-03-03 13:44) ...... 208 life writing, party, vodka, cadiz constitution, calcroft lane home movie, helen r (2012-03-10 14:38) ...... 210 calcroft lane ii (2012-03-11 13:55) ...... 211 cranes, mist, filmscript, john frankenheimer (2012-03-12 22:40) ...... 212 mist again (2012-03-15 08:58) ...... 212 rain, flowers, frogs, achy shoulders, filmscript, hollybush (2012-03-17 17:54) ...... 214 hockney, ebury wine bar, mercedes taxi (2012-03-18 23:07) ...... 216 frost, sunny morning, piers, drought and all (2012-03-19 22:05) ...... 217 spring flowers, filmscript, mst cw, podcast (2012-03-26 08:30) ...... 218 oxford canal, clematis, maggie the cat (2012-03-29 13:18) ...... 220 3.4 April ...... 220 party, assignments, clanfield tavern, brunch, patio, drought (2012-04-01 16:13) ...... 220 holiday, oilseed rape, drought, kelmscott, willow bark (2012-04-06 19:40) ...... 222 allotment, easter, blackthorn; and then something really unexpected happens (2012-04-08 23:39) ...... 223 duxford, violets, shifford lock, tadpole bridge, perspective(?) (2012-04-09 23:28) . . . . . 225 sticky clay, sort out, flowering hedge, sunset boulevard (2012-04-10 20:01) ...... 227 gee’s, standlake lakes, woodpecker, kingfisher, weather! (2012-04-11 20:54) ...... 228 walk, drought, hollow tree, end of the holiday, writing (2012-04-15 21:56) ...... 229 aldermaston, stories, lustre, nano-tech, quince (2012-04-23 08:52) ...... 232 bridges, graffiti, port meadow, puny, tarkovsky (2012-04-24 22:53) ...... 233 mud, holiday payback, oclw, sf, st (2012-04-28 11:26) ...... 235 fb friend, wind and rain, cherry blossom, magnolia, weather (2012-04-29 21:56) . . . . . 237 3.5 May ...... 237 swan at radcot, cold ipa, spice, narrowboat, morris, red house (2012-05-01 22:52) . . . . 237 frozen, signs of spring, clematis, green alcanet etc, family biz!? (2012-05-06 00:24) . . . . 238 kind weather, spuds, edzell blues, highland burgundy reds, dibber, shallots and onions (2012-05-06 17:00) ...... 239 bank holiday walk, new bridge, thunder, downpours, hophead, suits, back to work (2012-05-07 20:15) ...... 241 moaty thing, awash, lasa, swan at radcot, robert gibbings (2012-05-12 23:58) ...... 241 wolvercote green, wio, reviewing the past, john wain, waterman’s arms (2012-05-17 20:41) 243 freezing may, bluebells, sf, flying crows, golden gate, wierd (2012-05-20 20:29) ...... 244 san francisco (2012-05-22 18:40) ...... 245 golden gate, alcatraz, sea lions, pacific breeze (2012-05-23 00:11) ...... 246 two interiors, stanford, lasa launch (2012-05-24 05:44) ...... 247 sutter, marti, lineamientos, time passing, sf city hall (2012-05-26 06:53) ...... 249 sfmoma, photography in mexico, romance, iguanas, che, saying goodbye, nostalgia (2012-05-26 23:13) ...... 250 9 show dogs, leaving sf, ace film (2012-05-27 18:32) ...... 251 (2012-05-28 23:12) ...... 253 sea lions vid, back home, english pen’s: big writing for a small world (2012-05-28 23:35) 253 3.6 June ...... 253 pruning, biking, lag, festivities, tons (2012-06-02 10:51) ...... 253 rain, bunting, walking, morris dancing (2012-06-03 23:01) ...... 255 kellogg: dialogue between rose solari and frank (of 2001) (2012-06-07 23:17) ...... 256 (2012-06-10 22:08) ...... 258 oaks, oxfordshire cotswolds?, up and down dale, third novel (2012-06-10 22:44) . . . . . 259 rose solari’s a secret woman, chris andrews, warm friendship (2012-06-14 21:20) . . . . . 260 oxford canal, oclw, dr nicoletta demetriou, lawrence durrell, bitter lemons (2012-06-15 14:46) ...... 261 north york moors, kirby, burlington, pope, melbourne, nunnington, hound trail (2012-06-17 06:46) ...... 263 decent bike ride, waterlogged allotment, cotton thistles, hedge and ditch, bunting, two great evenings (2012-06-23 15:47) ...... 264 s1, al-andalus, aclaiir agm, seacourt tower, roots building, stowe, 18, filmscript (2012-06-28 21:51) ...... 267 runners, wigwams, rain, cycling, aclaiir, lie-in (2012-06-30 10:41) ...... 268 3.7 July ...... 269 lie in, brandy bottle lilies, weeding, bell (2012-07-01 14:42) ...... 269 saturated, bistro, essay, shock, swan (2012-07-06 17:45) ...... 270 common aeshna, walking, reflecting (2012-07-09 19:21) ...... 271 wilts, rest, howard’s house, beckford arms, phoenix, poppies (2012-07-10 23:26) . . . . . 271 compasses lower chicksgrove, perspective, streetbooks (2012-07-11 17:41) ...... 273 drenched, autumnal, corsewall point, omg, newton faulkner, comments (2012-07-14 09:35) 274 fresher air, sun!, black bourton green, more comments (2012-07-15 09:22) ...... 276 heron, lock, signs of the times (2012-07-16 21:01) ...... 276 sandwiches in the parks (2012-07-19 17:43) ...... 278 summer...?, cricket at worcester, yaffling, dinner at exeter, developing as a creative writer, new journey (2012-07-21 14:18) ...... 280 borders, granddad, keble gaudy, 99 runs in 30 overs to beat... (2012-07-21 18:31) . . . . . 281 exeter, weeds, three courgettes, al fresco late breakfast, s1 (2012-07-22 21:56) ...... 282 walk, binsey, taylor, hollybush (2012-07-28 16:09) ...... 283 3.8 August ...... 285 meadowsweet, burnt, exeter summer school, new novel, italian courgettes, argh!, olympic opening ceremony, frank (2012-08-04 08:56) ...... 285 rain, calcroft lane, jessica ennis, tears, narrative, economic gloom, john cantlie (2012-08-05 10:44) ...... 287 sushi, university parks, robin (2012-08-07 21:16) ...... 288 10 summer school, oers, allotment disaster, readings, firework display (2012-08-11 14:11) . 289 telegraph blog, trains, nell (2012-08-16 22:54) ...... 290 bark (birch?), parks, cycling, oppressive, oers (2012-08-18 10:21) ...... 291 hot, cherwell, ash, biztro (2012-08-19 12:43) ...... 292 autumnal, min-till, mad, furniture saga, jtns pics on google+, new lights (2012-08-25 10:11) 293 3.9 September ...... 295 holiday, france, châlons (2012-09-03 00:17) ...... 295 end of holiday, horseshoes, bell at langford, châlons, tournon, seguin, jaboulet (2012-09-05 22:29) ...... 296 energised, cousins from australia, churches, collobrières, sweet chestnuts, huge, huge thanks (2012-09-09 10:54) ...... 301 hooky, plough, oers, keble gaudy, lost, spray, spuds (2012-09-15 19:12) ...... 306 misty, refreshing, days off, cherwell boathouse, oers live, first fire of autumn? (2012-09-22 18:41) ...... 307 batcombe, sweet tooth, september sun, rain, reckless, assessor (2012-09-26 16:24) . . . . 309 michaelmas, anticipation, things to be done, a conscious englishman, a pint or two (2012-09-29 09:30) ...... 311 3.10 October ...... 312 oth week, downpours, mist, ace, streetbooks.co.uk, mellow, soft (2012-10-06 11:32) . . . 312 flooding, great brook, wet feet, wet fields (2012-10-07 21:42) ...... 313 oxford canal, a40, coal barges, snaky heron, rain (2012-10-11 22:53) ...... 314 frost, gang warfare, typesetting, editing, landscapes (2012-10-14 11:02) ...... 316 oxford canal, streetbooks lock, bampton post office raid, log fire, cathy x (2012-10-20 22:59) 318 lie-in, webs, oed word of the day, hotchi-witchi (2012-10-21 10:17) ...... 319 marking finished, lie-in, warmer, blue trailer, mst blog, edward thomas’ oxford, wio 20th (2012-10-28 15:17) ...... 320 3.11 November ...... 322 greylags, signet, running to catch up, family (1 unkown before now), hunger (2012-11-03 09:40) ...... 322 rain, waterlogged fields, first log delivery, brazil, in trouble again (2012-11-04 21:55) . . 324 autumn leaves, aa gill, edward thomas, a conscious englishman by margaret keeping, streetbooks (2012-11-11 17:07) ...... 325 trailer, autumn days, wio 20th, fox, snowdrops, tunes (2012-11-18 22:39) ...... 326 flooding, tredegar, edward thomas, insecurities, visconti, clair, such a strange experience (2012-11-25 15:41) ...... 329 3.12 December ...... 331 assignments, frosty bampton, a conscious englishman, life-writing lunch, lincoln college, letters, end of term (2012-12-03 10:21) ...... 331 rare walk (sad), turkey n all, ace, east oxford art & book fair (2012-12-08 14:13) ...... 334 frozen oxford canal, east oxford art & book fair, brian levison, yehuda amichai, fox at great barrington, sir bradley (2012-12-16 23:21) ...... 336 11 soaked, flooding, logs, near-boiling, holiday, still work to do, moan, moan, moan (2012-12-22 12:16) ...... 339 first walk together in ages, bampton-downton, profumo, log and twig deer (2012-12-23 23:18) ...... 340 flooded farmland and allotments, morris and talbot, midnight mass, humanist, happy christmas!!!! (2012-12-25 00:26) ...... 342 happy xmas!!; wreath, walks, pints, pheasants & rioja; more bampton-downton (2012-12-25 14:48) ...... 344 goodnight, john mcgahern, moving forward?, contemplating the past, saying what you mean, happy days! :-) (2012-12-25 23:49) ...... 345 rain is the new snow, happy swans! (2012-12-27 21:02) ...... 346 blenheim, henbane, woodman, frosty bells, downton, reflection, tim parks, ebooks, reading (2012-12-28 23:23) ...... 347 biking, water still, friends round for drinks, t growing up...a bit (2012-12-30 17:44) . . . 349 luminous moss on a cotswold wall, the ups and downs of 2012, looking forward to 2013, happy new year!!!! (2012-12-31 22:05) ...... 350

4 2013 353 4.1 January ...... 353 sunlight and blue sky, 2013 (2013-01-01 18:17) ...... 353 holiday, promise of spring, hedging (2013-01-04 20:52) ...... 355 back to work, forecast of snow, coal ﬁre, oxford 0th week, fresh eyes (2013-01-12 22:19) . 356 snow, change opportunity and uncertainty, ebooks v ’real’ books, oxford english, a conscious englishman, margaret keeping, linda newbery (2013-01-20 22:48) . . . . 357 thaw, a conscious englishman on sale, look inside, burns night, cairn o’mohr spring oak leaf wine (2013-01-26 12:09) ...... 360 mud, hardy celandines, streetbooks on linkedin (2013-01-27 09:55) ...... 361 4.2 February ...... 362 moon, crows and snowdrops, ribs, a conscious englishman, edward thomas, publishing my edward thomas (2013-02-03 15:15) ...... 362 a conscious englishman by margaret keeping published today (2013-02-07 13:03) . . . . 364 margaret keeping on the bill heine show, radio oxford; excellent reader reviews of a conscious englishman on amazon (2013-02-10 15:33) ...... 365 cycling, misty morning, catching up, moss, nests, ace reviewed, weekend (2013-02-16 11:29) ...... 366 twickenham, old boys match, freezing, snowdrops, hedging (2013-02-24 15:36) . . . . . 367 4.3 March ...... 369 waterways, craft, grebes, the lock, picnics (2013-03-03 15:47) ...... 369 brrr!, almond blossom, king cups, guardian books blog, disputed land by tim pears, the next day (2013-03-10 15:32) ...... 372

12 Chapter 1

2010

1.1 February intro (2010-02-20 23:39)

Mosaic.

saturday (2010-02-21 00:03)

At noon across the street from our study-bedroom There was the gentle but full sunlight and the daffodil stalks, six inches tall, ringing the plane trees. Earlier, when the sun had barely risen, I found brittle ice on the pond and the frogs frisky beneath. 5 am starts this weekend, lots of assignments to mark. Now it is night and I’m in front of a log ﬁre, wood quick to burn since the ash was scooped out. On the Chatsworth table, great aunt’s legacy, lies John Cowper Powys’ Maiden Castle, Macdonald edition, 1966, typewritten review copy slip included; I noticed this evening how the pages’ print is slightly blurred; Still, a precious book, its ﬁrst line sunrise.

sunday night (2010-02-21 22:00)

Getting up at 5 this morning was better than expected. Felt clear-headed, surprisingly, and excited to be up. The radio progs were new–a bit religiousy but some weren’t. Fascinating bio of George Papandreou which included his brother’s vivid memories of day soldiers stormed the family home when they were boys. Said to be traumatic–it would be. That sun rose well before 7 made all the difference to my mood during the rest of the day. Having said that, lighter mornings all this week should have cheered me up but didn’t. Am aware that I’ve been moody... Disappointed that Neil Spencer’s horoscopes for this week haven’t appeared on Guardian website all day. We can’t all be clairvoyant! Where does the time go, though? Looking forward to Nora’s leaving do at Carluccio’s tomorrow night. (Why does Window’s spellchecker always query ’website’!–you invented the ﬂamin’ things...Practically :–))

13 monday night (2010-02-22 21:49)

On S1 to Witney, where I’ll get a cab home–no direct Bampton buses after 6 pm. Travel home is one of the trickier aspects of living in west Ox when you’ve stayed in Oxford for the evening. Falling asleep on the bus, sailing through Witney and ending up in Carterton is another. Typing might just keep me awake. Nora’s farewell party at Carluccio’s was fun. Had a couple of things off the set menu including what looked like a really simple salad. It was DElicious! That lettuce and tomato could taste that good. Also always love the Peroni’s you can’t get anywhere else–Red tonight. Was tempted by the ’vintage’, or whatever it’s called, but then remembered it’s stonkingly strong and I have minutes to ﬁnish at work tomorrow morning... Had really interesting chats with Argentinean and Polish colleagues, neither of whom I knew well before. It was a really lovely evening and Nora seems amazingly happy about her job. Witney approaching... Time for a zzz...

tuesday (2010-02-23 22:31)

Bedroom is like an ice-cave–without the pretty walls. Well, they are pretty but they don’t look like the walls of an ice-cave. That’s where the analogy breaks down. This time last week we had family to stay and ended up sleeping in front of the ﬁre. Hadn’t been looking forward to this but when it came to it, I really enjoyed myself. Tempted to throw another few logs on and crash there now. Heartened to see that Oxfordshire county libraries have just ordered 3 copies of Invisible. Yay!

twitter (2010-02-24 12:27)

Having quick coffee in Taylor staff room and posting update on twitter ([1]http://www.twitter.com/frankegerton): Gotta ditch some commitments, free up some time for my own work. Love twitter but when it’s the closest you get to writing the next novel... Outside, sun’s out–yeeeha!

1. http://www.twitter.com/frankegerton

wednesday night (2010-02-24 22:52)

Sausages are delicious, especially when the gravy’s lamb-shank (though the Heinz ketchup made them– sssh, don’t tell Jess). Watched the last few moments of Vanity Fair on DVD earlier–great until you viewed the bonus material and saw what the ending might have been. Cinema one was fun and upbeat but alternative was moving and profound. Ah well, Reese Witherspoon was brill in both. Maybe it was the ﬁlm that made me think of the big break up in my own family–some thirteen years ago now. Looking back, the events that caused the breach were so sad and pointless and, as I’ve written elsewhere, wholly avoidable. I am still astonished in particular at the absence of love then. I wonder what those involved thought they were doing? Though I suppose nothing human beings do should surprise anybody! Night.

14 bussing it (2010-02-25 17:59)

This morning I had to drop off a Puerto Rican cookery book at the Central Library and I was boiling in my heavy overcoat when I got back to the Taylor. Things were looking up! Now on 18 crawling along Woodstock Road (in between sudden leaps forward), damp, cold and shoe- horned into my seat. Am I downhearted? Am I? Am I! Sort of. At least I can sit half-across my seat and its twin–it would truly be hell if I had to sit facing forward, knees against my nostrils. Plus, the bus is now racing along A40 (which seems miraculously clear–don’t speak too soon!) and the heating feels hotter. So, after I finish tapping this out, I’ll plug in the earphones, select a fav track and listen to whatever Win- dows Media chooses to shuffle my way–as I drift to sleep, dreaming of this afternoon’s Oracle financials training...... I think I fancy Up the Junction by Squeeze. I remember buying it as a purple 45 when it came out: twice (first one warped when left on Fiesta parcel shelf in the sun then the other got kidnapped because I was playing it so much and driving everyone at Bledisloe Lodge up the wall–never to be seen again). Happy mems.

Peter Groves (2010-02-27 09:34:41) I wish I knew where my copy of Up The Junction had got to ... but I do still have a pink, 12 inch, Cool for Cats.

frank (2010-03-02 22:28:17) Cool for Cats–I remember falling for a girl called Jane to that. Collector’s item.

metamorphosis (2010-02-26 08:56)

The other morning, while scrolling through twitter, I came across a post from my friend Caroline, who runs rentokil.com. She was saying to this woman that yes, she did agree that Rentokil would have had an adverse effect on Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis... What! ...One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections. After a while he noticed that there was a small red dish in the corner of the room containing what looked like breadcrumbs. Yum, he thought. Slowly, and with the greatest difficulty, he wrestled with the bedclothes, legs flailing until plop, he dropped to the floor. Undeterred, he scuttled to the little dish and gobbled up its contents. Suddenly he felt queasy... THE END With apologies to Franz K, David Wyllie (translator) & [1]Project Gutenberg.

1. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5200/5200-h/5200-h.htm

1.2 March fragment (2010-03-02 08:23)

...it’s a gleaming, sugared-grass morning but its chill is gentle and when I went to the pond its surface was just a soft skim of ice 15 and the eastern sky was blue foil at half six, if not before, whereas only a week ago, it seems like, it was still dark at seven...

tardis (2010-03-04 20:36)

He looks through the window at the passing country, at the hill in the distance where they last met, its trees like lichen, purple and orange and emerald. A screech owl flaps mechanically in the valley, stops short and swoops. He thinks of another time, the first time, at her flat, wishing he could rewrite it like a scene in one of his stories, and that narrative could carry him to this parallel place: She does not drink their bottle of wine the night before... He brings food... He does not doubt her, nor has reason to... She doesn’t doubt him... He types into his phone and when he stops the road ahead is a tunnel through the night. In front of the hill a screech owl flaps mechanically, stops short and swoops.

snort (2010-03-06 09:42)

Over breakfast, I read a disturbing Times [1]article about the jailing of a Porsche-addicted cocaine- dealing gangster and Britain’s burgeoning love affair with the drug. From what the journalist says, you might be forgiven for thinking that people are so busy snorting coke they don’t have time for anything else. (Maybe that’s true, maybe ﬁnancial meltdown was caused by everyone borrowing cash to fuel their habit. Not to mention paying for the nose refurbs.) I have to admit I’ve only ever come across someone snorting coke once, and that was at a party over twenty-ﬁve years ago. Which probably makes me sound like the judge who asked who the Beatles were. But I wonder if anyone else has similar inexperience. What I am addicted to, come to think of it, are articles about drug addicts, drug barons and the effects of drugs. Can’t get enough of those. On a happier note, there’s also a great-sounding [2]article on why owning a dog is good for you. As the coke dealer starts his eight year sentence, bet he wishes he’d just gone out and bought a pooch.

1. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7052036.ece 2. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article7045752.ece

monday (2010-03-08 19:23)

It was great to get away to Shropshire at the weekend, even if it was only for a few hours. As we drove out of Oxfordshire into Gloucestershire, I suddenly realised I hadn’t left the county for yonks. The only drives I’ve done since Xmas have been back and forths to Oxford. Is it the getting away or the driving that’s important? Life’s ’never’ either or, so it’s got to be both. I suppose the point I’m making is that you shouldn’t undervalue the effects of the drive. There’s a particular quality to the thoughts that empty themselves out as you bat along, leaving somewhere, heading for somewhere else. They’re thoughts that have been waiting, that couldn’t form before then. Laying- to-rest thoughts. 16 The hills round Oswestry were beautiful in the sunlight and there were loads of snowdrops out in the gardens. The ﬁelds were quite yellowy-looking, though, because, it turned out, they’ve been under snow for weeks–it’s only just thawed. Shropshire Alps, must’ve seemed. Busy at Taylor, everyone keeping going till end of 8th week. After which comes? A whole lot of 9th week... But it is an important psychological barrier. Library guides working party lasted 2 1/2 hours and ushered in yet another new digital era.

weekender (2010-03-12 19:33)

Weekend. What weekend? Off to Taylor tomorrow for most of the day, then going through an extended essay on Sunday. Well, a good weekend, actually. True, I can’t wait till next week and a short break but I love working at the Taylor, in the main reading room at the enquiry desk, and working on essays and stories is like breathing, really. I wonder what the light will be like in the Taylor tomorrow. Those huge windows are amazing–views of Oxford and big skies, moods passing across the library, spilling, bursting, ﬁltering. I’ll go on a longish walk before I set off. It’s been fun exploring the countryside around the village again, since the bike broke down irretrievably. Particularly in the twilight at 6, 6.30 am (though now astonishingly it’ll almost be light): the shapes of hedgerows, ﬂooded hollows, the far escarpment, inquisitive deer peering, screech owls soaring–all emerging, muted, calm. Next week, next week–I shall, with luck, buy a new bike, and be back cycling. It’ll be fun exploring my favourite routes and seeing how things have changed over the last month. Off to the Horse Shoe later for a pint or two of Peroni. FAB.

heading for ox (2010-03-13 09:25)

On my way to Oxford. Just watched Squeeze Cool for Cats video on youtube mobile. Vid seems familiar, although I can’t be sure. Must’ve seen it at the time, even if I can’t remember the pink vinyl 12" that Peter mentioned in his comment (see below). The amazing thing about the vid is that it comes at the start of a Kenny Everett show, which kicks off with the Thames TV logo then bounces into sequences of cartoons (so psychedelic) and wacky KE appearances as he introduces the prog. Great. (I’ll post [1]link to this later). Now listening to Sometimes it Snows in April by Prince. Had to switch off youtube because high-speed mob internet cuts out round Wytham Hill. As I was writing above, Prince faded out and Marianne Faithful got going with As Tears Go By. Can’t remember that one when it came out. First heard it when holed up in a farm cottage near Chichester in the early 80s at New Year. As soon as I got home I went to a record shop and scoured the catalogues. You could still order a 45 in those days. Lovely walk this morning. But no pools–the fresh wind has licked them all dry. Now in Ox, accompanied by Peter Gabriel and Games without Frontiers. (There’s a lot of new stuff on this machine, honest. Shufﬂe’s just in yesteryear mode...) OMG it’s Whiter Shade of Pale. Freaky. 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsC0T0pKwfw

i remember, i remember (2010-03-16 23:35)

This afternoon at the LAC library I felt as if I was beginning to achieve something–for the first time since I started my new job, back in September. 17 It was the simplest thing that made me feel that way. I was just taking batches of weeded books off the shelf and marking their flyleaves in pencil so that I knew where each was destined. That this part of the weeding project had been completed seemed like a small triumph. Then I thought about my first library, which I set up many years ago. As a boy I was a compulsive–and, I have to admit, pretentious–reader. (Balzac’s Black Sheep at ten... Did I understand it? Only a little, I suppose...) By the time I was in the 5th form at prep school I had about fifty books and I added them to the small collection that was kept in our classroom and was known as the Upper School Library. I got a notebook from the stationery cupboard so I could keep track of who the books were lent to. A lovely profession, librarianship, I have to say. I’m glad I ended up going into it. Thinking about my little library reminded me of my friends at Heatherdown, including Andrew. He was not my best friend but we got on well and he was in any case hard to ignore. Did he use my library? Maybe, but I can’t remember him doing so at all. (Andrew and I vied for 11th and 12th place all through our school careers and it must have seemed so odd to the masters, thinking about it, that I loved books so much). We started at the school on the same day, mum and dad and all the other parents lining up in James Ed- wards’ curiously sterile white drawing-room to meet Andrew’s mum. My dad looking like a schoolboy– just like all the other dads, whether banker or Marquis. Rupert my cousin was there–his mum, Aunt Meg, had been, or still was, a lady-in-waiting. Such a strange place, looking back, my prep school. I remember Andrew, James S and me hanging from the hot pipes in the drying room like baby orangutans. We were trying to square our story, having been reported to the headmaster. The energy we put into that; the scenarios we created... Not that we’d done anything serious. What we’d done was so innocent. Today, parents would laugh if they were told. Mosaic.

snippets (2010-03-21 22:30)

It was great being out on the new bike–rain or shine. I loved seeing the countryside again and felt so much healthier. Realised how important cycling is to my ﬁtness. Walking just ain’t the same. Today’s cycle was the best in terms of weather and landscape–warm (car said 12° later), beautiful spring light, the grass greening up in the water meadows near the Thames. I did the route that takes you along the Great Brook to Aston and then to Mount Owen via Lew lane (from the top of Mount M you can see as far as Didcot power station and the Ridgeway). The Mojave went pretty well, although 5th gear on the big cog jumps occasionally. A pain because it’s a useful gear when you need to catch your breath. Physically, I felt ok most of the time, even on the long haul back from Oxford. The worst day was yesterday when the sides of my knees ached for a bit after the ﬁrst mile. Raising the height of the saddle helped. Loved listening to Frank CB on Desert Island Discs. He’s such generous-hearted man. It was because he liked my Oxbridge close reading paper that I got in–so I was told. When I met him years later he said he could still remember that exam paper. I will always be grateful to him for the kind things he said about Invisible and for allowing me to quote him on the cover. I know how much of his valuable time he gave up to read it. If I can track him down at the Oxford Literary Festival, I’ll give him a copy. I’ll be reading from Invisible at Blackwell’s on Wednesday sometime between 1 and 2 pm. It’ll be just a short reading–3-4 pages with maybe the tardis poem thrown in at the end (see below). It’ll be fun to read again. I’m concerned about YouWriteOn’s distribution to bookshops–the Anchor Book Club have been having problems getting their 12 copies. This shouldn’t happen and I’ve emailed Ed at YWO about it. An incentive to get StreetBooks edition out. Very proud to be chair of WiO when I prepared the Oxford Literary Festival and Oxfringe 2010 pages for the society’s website (see [1]http://www.writersinoxford.org). Looking forward to Initiate preview at festival on Thursday 6 pm. 18 1. http://www.writersinoxford.org/

new bus ticket (2010-03-24 16:34)

New bus ticket, new start...

new bus ticket 2 (2010-03-24 18:19)

Yes, of course it was a monthly ticket. I wouldn’t get so excited about a single, would I? That really would stupid.

blackwell’s, initiate and two former students (2010-03-24 19:31)

Enjoyed reading at World Writers at Blackwell’s. It’s a fun, good-natured event that gives unpublished writers the chance to read their work alongside published ones, including the writers in residence–this year, [1]Roma Tearne and my colleague on the Oxford MSt course, [2]Jane Draycott. (Roma will also be taking up a week’s [3]residency at Blackwell’s from 26th April-1st May.) This year the Blackwell’s audience was particularly giving, I thought, and the overall effect of the event was of successive voices–each so different, each so thought-provoking. The World Writers at Blackwell’s festival series will continue at the Marquee Christ Church tomorrow, Thursday 25th March, 7.15 pm-7.45 pm, and at Blackwell’s, 50 Broad Street, 1 pm-2 pm, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th March. Admission is free. These events are the result of the unﬂagging determination of Rita Ricketts, the Blackwell’s organiser. Rita and Jane are also colleagues on the editorial panel of the new creative writing anthology, Initiate, that will be launching at the Sunday Times [4]Oxford Literary Festival tomorrow, Thursday 25th March, 6 pm. The event is billed as follows and it’s a privilege to be involved:

A special preview of exciting new voices from Oxford’s MSt in Creative Writing, alongside established names such as Tim Pears, David Constantine, Grevel Lindop, Fred D’Aguiar and Christina Koning, all appearing in the ﬁrst Blackwell/Kellogg College Centre for Creative Writing annual anthology, INI- TIATE (published in autumn 2010). The readings (including by the winner of the A M Heath Prize for Fiction) will be introduced by Jon Stallworthy, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Oxford, and Dr Clare Morgan, Director of the MSt and co-editor of the anthology with Rita Ricketts, Blackwell’s historian. Meanwhile, today brought news of two former students. One, Liz Gifford, will be reading at Oxfringe’s [5]China Evening on 31st March at the Malmaison Hotel , 7.15 pm. Liz will be reading from her book Into the River. I also heard from Norma Sit, who sent me a link to a fascinating TV chat show [6]interview she did on channelnewsasia. Today was great.

1. http://romatearne.com/ 2. http://www.janedraycott.org.uk/ 3. http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/editorial/browse/Fiction/Articles/roma_tearne.jsp 4. http://www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com/ 5. http://oxfringe.com/programme/details/?show=86 6. http://video2.channelnewsasia.com/cnavideos/multiplevideos_no_watermark.asp?skin=player1. 19 swf&bgskin=playerbackground.swf&filename=100324_ptm_normasit.flv&adfilebefore=cna%20video2. flv&adfileafter=&playmode=S

nature notes (2010-03-26 18:12)

[1] Early start this morning, so I could drive into Oxford for my 8 am MSt tute at Rewley with time to spare for a double espresso at Green’s cafe. It was amazingly light when I was eating breakfast. Loved sitting in the kitchen looking out into the garden while munching toast and marmalade, no need of electric light, the door open. April showers are here before the event, it seems. The air is warm and they will soon get the spring ﬂowers moving. The daffs that ring the plane trees in Broad Street are ﬁnally out now and when I was walking back to the park-and-ride this afternoon it looked like the buds on the horse chestnuts in front of St Frideswide’s church, Osney were about to burst open. Those trees are always well before most others–although I’m sad to say I think it is because they are stressed. Awful to imagine them being permanently under pressure for at least the last twenty-three years–I think it’s some sort of strange fungus that they’ve got. At the risk of sounding like a sadist, they do look great in the spring and early summer. It’s when they get black and gummy later on that they’re sad. A weekend of marking online assignments beckons. Right now, though, my printer has just entered ’power saver mode’ and I think I’ll do the same. (Meanwhile, photoed these larch roses in the Parks, Oxford yesterday. Jess and I used to go and look at the roses on this tree when I was at Keble.)

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S6z5HU1HdLI/AAAAAAAAABo/l_PdY88FHA8/s1600/larch_ roses-765607.jpg

post... (2010-03-31 08:54)

On a bus tootling through west Oxfordshire, Kings of Leon rocking through phones. Flatlands, Thames Valley lands glimpsed over high hedges, sheep nibbling roots scattered round their troughs, twenty-to- thirty swans devastating a patch of spring corn. A landscape that has been familiar in its Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire manifestations for thirty years. Unusually, I don’t have my nose buried in a short story that I’m marking, nor in some other work-related document. Yes, the assignments were returned last night and I am, at last, in post-teaching mode for a 20 few weeks, after which... And coming up is Easter, which I can’t wait for. Post-festival too, although Oxfringe 2010 still has a long way to run (see [1]http://writersinoxford.org for WiO involvement). Loved the tiny bit of the festival and fringe that I was involved in–the Blackwell’s reading, the Initiate launch (a terrific event) and doing the WiO festival’n’fringe website pages. A huge thank you to Jane Bingham for organising the WiO introducers this year. Uh-oh Use Somebody’s just kicked off–not surprised it won that big US best humdinger of the year award. Of course, I’d have liked to see more at the festival but work got in the way. Next year. Would have especially liked to see Philip Pullman, who was everywhere, but had to content myself with an excellent profile of him on Radio 4 last Sunday morning at 5.45 am and Bryan Appleyard’s interesting article in the Sunday Times. I meet Philip every so often at WiO and Oxford-related events but can’t say I know him. He always knows he knows me but doesn’t know where from. We meet, he asks me whether, say, I am reading at this year’s festival too (he always over-promotes me), I explain that I’m editing the WiO newsletter or chairing the society but next time it’s just the same. My happiest memory of him is of a hazy evening whisky tasting at his house that was led by the late drinks writer Michael Jackson. I love the way Philip has kept up his involvement with WiO after his big (big? humongous!) break. On the R4 profile it was said that he is a loyal person, which he is. Nearly at Oxford. Looking forward to working on StreetBooks this afternoon and the coming weeks ([2]http://www.streetbooks.co.uk). Not to mention the new novel.

1. http://writersinoxford.org/ 2. http://www.streetbooks.co.uk/

1.3 April adlestrop, st nick’s and the fox (2010-04-03 16:44)

[1] Thanks again to Helen Peacocke for her book Paws Under the Table, 40 dog-friendly walks from Oxford to the Cotswolds (Wychwood Press, ISBN 978 1 902279 35 0). This time we drove to Lower Oddington, just west of Stow-on-the-Wold and did an hour-and-a-half walk via Adlestrop and Daylesford before downing a pint of Hooky at the Fox, a ﬂagstoned, beamed and inglenooked foodie pub. And, yes, I took a photocopy of the Edward Thomas’ poem Adlestrop with me and read it aloud to Jess 21 and Tufty near the disused station. (Copied from my prized Faber Collected Poems, 1945.) We also visited St Nicholas’ church, Lower Oddington and saw the medieval doom painting that was restored early last century (photo above). Here is Aldlestrop: Yes. I remember Adlestrop— The name, because one afternoon Of heat the express-train drew up there Unwontedly. It was late June. The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat. No one left and no one came On the bare platform. What I saw Was Adlestrop—only the name And willows, willow-herb, and grass, And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry, No whit less still and lonely fair Than the high cloudlets in the sky. And for that minute a blackbird sang Close by, and round him, mistier, Farther and father, all the birds Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S7dio4amxgI/AAAAAAAAABw/zFzD9UsK608/s1600/St_ Nicholas_Lwr_Oddington-738579.jpg

youwriteon and happy easter holidays! (2010-04-04 15:48)

I mentioned on 21st March that I was concerned about the distribution of Invisible by YouWriteOn, the Arts Council-backed publisher of the bridge edition of the novel. I’m pleased to say that the distribution problem has been sorted out and I wish to thank Ed of YouWriteOn for resolving the matter so quickly and generously. I was also interested to hear about the new plans for the company’s publishing programme that will be implemented in two to three months time, as the result of increased Arts Council funding. Enhancements to the programme will include:

• Sales of YouWriteOn titles direct from its website [1]http://www.youwriteon.com

• Opportunities for those whose books sell well to cross the bridge to mainstream publishing

• Better communication between the company and its authors

I remain enthusiastic about YouWriteOn’s bridge publishing concept and wish the company every success. Happy Easter Holidays!

1. http://www.youwriteon.com/

Janine (2010-04-08 09:46:08) Hi Frank Is was interested in your endorsement of YouWriteOn. Do you think I should approach them with my Ring of Roses, if an agent is not forthcoming? Janine

22 frank (2010-04-08 16:52:20) Hi Janine, Good to hear from you. I think the decision to approach YouWriteOn should be taken carefully, after examining how the company’s revised scheme is intended to work. It’s important to consider whether the YouWriteOn approach is right for you and whether you believe you can make it work for you. YouWriteOn only arranges the printing and distribution of the book and while there may be some publicity resulting from the inclusion of titles on the company’s website, all publicity and marketing is really up to you. (This state of affairs btw is actually not that different from no-frills imprints being rolled out by big publishers.) An excellent initial source of marketing advice is the Society of Authors’ Guide to Marketing Your Book (free to members, £2 to non-members, http://www.societyofauthors.org/guides-and-articles). The printing and distribution model YouWriteOn uses–the Lightning Source one–is very good and the pricing of the books is extremely competitive for print on demand. The royalty deal is also reasonable, I would have said. In future, though, it looks like there is going to be some sort of public ranking of YouWriteOn authors on the company’s website and this won’t suit everyone. (A lucky few, however, will win mainstream publishing contracts as a result.) Having said all the above, I would have thought YouWriteOn should only be considered if you have a specific purpose in choosing the bridge publishing option or if a book fails to interest an agent or publisher. I chose YouWriteOn because I wanted to make Invisible available in a bridge edition until I had time to launch the StreetBooks one. YouWriteOn was attractive because under the company’s contract the author retains the rights to the book and the contract can be terminated with one month’s notice. But if you don’t have a specific purpose in wanting to publish your book in a bridge edition, or if a novel fails to interest an agent or publisher, why is it worth making it available through a company like YouWriteOn? Mainstream publishing is in a state of flux because of technological innovations such as pod, ebooks and the web, so firms are finding it difficult to spot which fiction titles are going to sell. It is likely, therefore, that some authors are going to find audiences through alternative publishing models. On the other hand, an author only has a chance of doing this if the book is well written, the writer really believes in it, and the writer is prepared to put a lot of time, effort and creativity into marketing it. Hope this helps. Frank

binsey polar bears (2010-04-07 21:33)

[1] 23 [2]

This morning I walked to Binsey church (see photo, above, and [3]http://www.achurchnearyou.com/binsey-st-margaret), where we were married back in the nineties.

It was one of the rare mornings nowadays when I have the time to do an Oxford walk like that, heading from Summertown to the canal, across Port Meadow to the Perch and Binsey village. To get to the church you follow a lane–along which I and my best man and ushers walked from the pub that far off day. It’s a magic part of Oxford that feels quite out in the country, even though the ring road is half a mile away and the city an equal distance. As I walked through the village–a hamlet really–a woman was sitting on her doorstep smoking a cigarette, the tiny front garden either side of her already alive with colour. The church is medieval and has no tower, only a low, narrow arch above the nave from which hang two bells. The building is on the site where the patron saint of the city, Frideswide, founded her nunnery and beside it is her sacred well (see photo). Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon are said to have visited in the hope that the water would help them conceive. This well was also made famous by Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland where it is described as a ’treacle well’. In one of the legends of St Frideswide she escapes the attentions of an unwelcome suitor, who she has blinded (quite a woman, Frideswide), by sailing off up the Thames to Bampton, which was then a wilderness. Prophetic–the flight to Bampton–I like to think. There is also a story about her seeing masses of magpies in a field near Osney and deciding on the strength of this to found an abbey (or some such). Well, I once saw some sixty magpies in a field near Binsey... And no, I wasn’t on my way back from the Perch. And no, I didn’t decide to found an abbey (or some such). Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to hearing the Front Row piece on Mark Haddon’s play Polar Bears, which is on at the Donmar Warehouse until the end of May (which we taped–while we escaped to the Bell at Langford). See [4]http://www.donmarwarehouse.com.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S7zsIzvVl-I/AAAAAAAAAB4/0mhvqKCmAn8/s1600/Binsey+ Church-719282.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S7zsJWc4WLI/AAAAAAAAACA/BqB_25W7J9M/s1600/Treacle+ Well-721076.jpg 3. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/binsey-st-margaret 4. http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/

24 reedbed (2010-04-08 09:00)

[1] Amazing walk along Oxford canal this morning. Air fresh, bright spring sunlight, ducks frisky. Took this pic near Aristotle Lane–reedbed in between Victorian terraces and new housing development by railwayline. Even ﬁfteen years ago there used to be a mile or so of these bits of marsh and copse but most of them have now been built over. When you walked from Osney Island to Jericho, say, for a pint at the Harcourt Arms (one of the few city centre pubs with real ﬁres) it was like being in the countryside.

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st barnabas, northern lights, etc (2010-04-09 09:01)

[1] It’s been great having time to walk in the mornings this week and not having to work on the bus and in cafes as well as at work. I love Oxford for its hidden places and for all its history and literary associations. The above pic shows the Oxford canal running through Jericho, which has plenty of literary associations. At the far end on the left bank of the canal is the start of the boatyard that Philip Pullman has been ﬁght- ing to save from development (don’t know whether the campaigners have won or lost, though–anybody know?). Both Northern Lights and Lyra’s Oxford feature Jericho. The church tower is that of St Barnabas near to which lived Jude and his family in Hardy’s Jude the Obscure. Oh, and towards the end of my novel The Lock, Gerald walks along this stretch of towpath to the grebe pool on Port Meadow after he has learnt a lesson or two when visiting his daughter Alison on her barge. Btw The Lock will be reissued next year by StreetBooks. Meanwhile, there’s a copy on Amazon UK 25 going for £95. Fair play to the seller but the price does seem excessive. My wife said they’d probably got the decimal point wrong (hope she meant £9.50, not .95p). RIP Malcolm McLaren–or should that be something like CBS (come back shouting).

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S77fLDFYUvI/AAAAAAAAACQ/EpunRsJa9Lc/s1600/St_B_n_ boatyard-772317.jpg

tory girl? (2010-04-09 15:56)

[1] Not, I take it, ofﬁcial Tory propaganda? (Seen opposite St Edward’s School, Summertown, Oxford earlier. I was on the way from dentist to bus. Thought maybe I was still coming round from an anaesthetic I hadn’t realised I’d had...)

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S79BN8-DptI/AAAAAAAAACY/itDnh_Y55Y0/s1600/Tory_ poster_Summertown-770656.jpg

potato planting (2010-04-11 17:50)

[1] 26 [2]

[3] Spent some very happy hours on the allotment this weekend–the ﬁrst time I’ve been able to get up there this year. I’d hoped to start preparing the ground last weekend but it was still too wet. The soil’s Oxford clay, which takes a long time to dry out–and to warm up. Mostly the ground was pretty easy to fork through, having been dug over last autumn. The severe winter really broke down the clods. For years we’ve been cleaning what was a very overgrown plot and this weekend I felt that all that hard work was paying off–not much couch or bindweed about, save for near the paths. The bindweed will come up from deep down, of course, but the topsoil if free of it. People who’ve had plots for years say we’ll never eradicate it. This afternoon I planted our ﬁrst rows of spuds, using an amazingly useful potato dibber that was given to us by our friend Carol. It belonged to her father and I’ve never come across another one (see pics above). Planted Estima and Kestrel. Will plant Cara and Charlotte next weekend, weather permitting.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S8H-fZymZ5I/AAAAAAAAACg/JTpiWIF60KY/s1600/Potato_ ground-797062.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S8H-f0dzkHI/AAAAAAAAACo/6QmNbA15J5I/s1600/Potato_ dibber-798487.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S8H-gNyY-4I/AAAAAAAAACw/CRVtgAno840/s1600/Potato_ planting-799834.jpg

27 plantation road bus stop (2010-04-13 18:38)

[1] Photo taken as I waited for bus nearly opposite Latin American Centre. A view I’ve pondered since 2007. When I started at LAC, I’d not long been made redundant at the Oxford Union, where I was cataloguer for several years. I’d been very fortunate in having found a temporary two month post at the Geography Library before being taken on to run the centre’s library as maternity leave cover. LAC is a very friendly warm place and I was immediately made to feel welcome. The atmosphere is more like a family home than an academic institution and was such a contrast to the formal Union. I’d been happy at the Union but it is a strange, unreal sort of place, where people play up to a particularly competitive and abrasive Oxford role. Being at LAC restored my humanity, I felt at the time–I could sense myself coming back to life. I was really pleased to be able to return there as site librarian and subject consultant last September. It’s a surprisingly busy place, though, and one always runs out of time. This afternoon was no exception. The church in the picture, St Philip and St James, is now the Centre for Mission Studies. The building LAC occupies was the original vicarage. Tony Benn proposed to his future wife while sitting on a bench beneath the spire. He subsequently bought the bench for his garden.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S8SsfK7T8yI/AAAAAAAAAC4/Lfm0JsuNx34/s1600/ plantation+road+bus+stop-711669.jpg

ramblings (2010-04-14 22:56)

Been watching Tenant of Wildfell Hall on DVD in front of a suitably crackling log fire, hound at my feet– well, small fluffy dog at my feet anyway. Don’t know the book but am now so gripped by TV version I just wish I had time to read it. Love the decaying house on the moor Tara Fitzgerald rents. David Cameron posters were being nailed to stakes as bus came into Aston this evening. The self-styled arrogant bastard in hoodie and ripped jeans who was sitting next to me gave a snort–though not one filled with the full-throttle derision I expected. I didn’t snort but did feel... No, the point is I didn’t feel. Hardly a thing. The poster could have been promoting anyone and I’d have had the same numb reaction. I suppose I’m just determined to ignore all the hype and vote for the candidate I was going to support anyway. Not that I’m particularly inspired by that person. I’m certainly not going to listen to the three-way debate tomorrow. I’ve never experienced election-apathy before. Will I be voting for Dave? That would be telling. Meanwhile, I can’t believe the online course will be staring next Monday. The relative calm of the vacation has been fantastic. Nice pint of Hooky at Bell at Langford this evening. Have also been learning new type-setting tricks, which my friend Richard alerted me to. Night. 28 leaders, wildfell, editorium, english pen and lasa (2010-04-15 23:01)

[1] As I just mentioned on Twitter, I weakened and listened to a bit of the leaders’ debate (see [2]http://www.twitter.com/frankegerton). Before that we watched some more Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which was pretty harrowing. Really well done but Huntingdon’s alcoholism, mood swings and abuse of Helen were so disturbing. I’ve also been mulling over the results of my recent typesetting experiments for the StreetBooks edition of Invisible. The one I’m most excited about is that shown above–very clear, pleasing text, I feel. Tomorrow afternoon I’m going to spend some time exploring the Editorium website and its resources for Word typesetters. A real enthusiast’s site ([3]http://www.editorium.com). This morning the postman delivered a big letter from English PEN, which contained the excellent little publication The Light of the Lights, an anthology of work produced during creative writing and reading workshops at the Migrants Resource Centre, London. Very nicely produced and inspiring. The thinking behind the book is perhaps best summed up in a piece by Daljit Nagra: ’As someone from a minority community, I felt it even more urgent to speak about myself coming from a distinct, little known community that resides in some pocket of England. I hope other new writers will consider their work as news or a despatch from a particular world.’ ISBN 978-0-9564806-0-6. See also [4]http://www.englishpen.org. Finally, I learnt this afternoon that I shall be going to the LASA International Congress in Toronto later this year. Yey!

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S8eNNGBynXI/AAAAAAAAADA/EHzBIirp-gg/s1600/Invisible_ p1_StreetBooks_proof-711701.jpg 2. http://www.twitter.com/frankegerton 3. http://www.editorium.com/ 4. http://www.englishpen.org/

witney (2010-04-18 09:19)

David Cameron was apparently out and about in Witney today and when we were on the bus coming up the High Street the boys at the back, who had been talking about ’shagging’, suddenly called out, 29 ’There’s Dave,’ but whether they meant a friend or Dave himself, I don’t know because the bus had suddenly lurched forward. The boys seemed quite excited, so perhaps it was him. If so, he would have been in the same place as Count Tolstoy was when canvassing for UKIP yesterday–outside Waterstone’s. People looked quite bemused when the elegant count accosted them. He was wearing what looked like an incredibly expensive tweed overcoat and was beaming rather too much for comfort. Today we were off to the Hollybush to meet our friends Jonathan and Anne for lunch. They had got the S1 from Oxford. They were bringing birthday and Christmas presents from last year, which was lovely. We decided to switch from our favourite table indoors to one outside because it was so sunny. The pub’s yard is overlooked by the old stone buildings of the Wychwood brewery. We all knew Chris Moss who founded the brewery. He lived on Osney a few doors down from us and was the most wonderful man. Sadly he died of cancer in 2001, a few weeks after we moved to Bampton. I remember walking along the footpath from Mill Green to Weald and hearing the carillon and thinking, ’Chris is dead’. I felt tears in my eyes and this awful sense of loss as if a huge amount of energy had suddenly been drained from the world. I have never before felt anything like that. The next morning Jonathan phoned to say that Chris had died at that time. I mention Chris in the acknowledgements at the back of Invisible because the Tom character is partly inspired by his brewing stories. Now about to eat a shrimp chow mein from Mark’s Kitchen, accompanied by Brown Bros Tarrango.

all quiet on the allotment (2010-04-19 08:46)

Spent several happy and productive hours on the allotment over the weekend. Dug the rest of the potato area on Saturday then planted Cara and Charlotte (salad variety) yesterday. The potato dibber has now been put away for another year. Also planted shallots and onions (Yellow Moon and Sturon, respectively)–the patch of ground I prepared for these was amazingly easy to work and couch-free. The hard winter was a good friend when it broke down the clods. Apart from the occasional roar of a power-cultivator and a rotavator all was blissfully quiet. Brize Norton has been brought to a standstill by the effects of the Icelandic volcano. For a few idyllic days living in the village really does feel as peaceful as it should do, given how tucked away it is. Trinity Term online creative writing course launches later today. In theory this should be less affected by cancelled ﬂights than face-to-face courses, although if people are stranded abroad they might not have full access to computers.

autoﬁction (2010-04-20 08:04)

It is a singular period. The time when he can climb the Bourbon Tower’s spiral staircase and step across the top of the brick wall as if there are still floorboards. Oblivious to the drop, save for the times an image from a film flashes into his head. For a moment he is in Kidnapped, the actor playing the character, camera mounted above, the well of the tower even deeper than this one, rocks falling as he treads. It wasn’t always like this, even though from the moment he realised that boys could climb out onto the tower’s roof, he was fascinated, head spinning with an excitement that could never match the truth. For months, maybe even a year, the feeling and its imagery existed like ideals–magical perfected expectations. Before he found the courage to cross, he trod the steps up to the wall several times, more than once going part-way down again before returning, willing himself to try. He took a step, then another, then was paralysed, cold, sweating, legs trembling, his mind filled with his own stupidity, his pointlessness, the certainty that he both didn’t want to die and wanted to reach the other side. Just a year after leaving Stowe he returned to the tower and crossed again for the last time. It was a cold day but sunny. The tower seemed smaller, his feet bigger. Stepping across took more courage than expected but was no big deal. Falling, for that goal, didn’t seem worth it. He never crossed again. 30 trimdon labour club (2010-04-21 08:48)

There was a report from the Trimdon Labour Club on Radio 4 this morning, a place that was described as the epicentre of New Labour. The piece brought memories of the excitement of the 1997 election. Everything really did seem new and hopeful then. I don’t think, though, that I had much clue about what New Labour was, or would become. For me, the ’New’ bit just meant something like ’a fresh start’. I had memories of flawed but inspiring idealists like Tony Benn and Michael Foot, and of decent pragmatists like Dennis Healey and Jim Callaghan. I had the ideologies of Victorian socialist pioneers, like Marx and William Morris. Not that I am remotely a Marxist but I do feel that his and Morris’ writings are society’s conscience. I had my membership of the party too and the words on the back of the membership card that read like they might mean things that Morris, et al, might approve of. I had no idea that the ’New’ in New Labour would mean a party that was largely unrecognisable to anyone who remembered ’old’ Labour when it was in power. Not that the last 13 years have been bad for us personally. We have spent that time first coming to terms with my family’s particular tragedy, then recovering from it, and house price inflation and low interest rates have helped us. But hasn’t middle-class prosperity, welcome though it is, been bought at a high price? The gap between averagely well-off and disadvantaged has burst open under New Labour (and it is this gap, more than the astonishing headline-grabbing one between super rich and super poor, that is really significant, I suspect). ’Stability’, not least the illusion of relative stability that has been created during this slump, has been propped up by a dishonest and irresponsible national borrowing policy. The empty tackiness of Brit Art and the terminal scuzziness of the expenses scandal are, it seems, just the surface cracks in a building that is built on the shoddiest foundations.

downton abbey (2010-04-22 20:42)

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[4]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [5]www.frankegerton.com Returned to Bampton this afternoon because I don’t start working with Stanford students until next Thursday. Beautiful day to be at home. Before tackling library and Writers in Oxford things (the latter being the forthcoming joint WiO and Oxford branch of the Society of Authors party), I nipped round to the church square to check out the filming that I’d been alerted to by someone on the bus. ITV are making part of a new Julian Fellowes series called Downton Abbey, which is set in Edwardian England and stars Dame Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville. The press release reads, ’The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear, that it seems as if the way of life it represents will last for another thousand years. It won’t.’ Well, be that as it may, I didn’t actually get to see Dame Maggie or the estimable Hugh but was intrigued by the extra pubs and shops that had been created out of homes that used to be–well, pubs and shops, as it happens. There were also numerous horse-drawn vehicles and ancient cars and lorries parked up. It was a kid’s dream. Then there were the extras and masses of people, some in fluorescent coats, wielding mobiles or walkie- talkies. Nothing seemed very urgent, though, and it made me realise just how much standing about there is on a film set. This evening, after I’d spent a couple of hours contributing to the online course, we drove over to Kelm- scott for a pint at the Plough, which opened last autumn after having been closed for two years. It was badly affected by the disastrous floods of summer 2007 (200 homes in Bampton flooded). I have to say, the pub is fantastic (see below)–even better than it was before. A nice drop of Brakspear’s too. A fine place, in the light of yesterday’s post, to contemplate the legacy of the great William Morris whose manor is a few hundred yards up the road.

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1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9Cf4bigR6I/AAAAAAAAADI/RAcdhYTxZeo/s1600/Downton_ Abbey1.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9CgFnfHlEI/AAAAAAAAADQ/qEzhohYCdBI/s1600/Downton_ Abbey2.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9CgPln1zrI/AAAAAAAAADY/cmtlIieSpQc/s1600/Downton_ Abbey3.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 5. http://www.frankegerton.com/ 6. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9ClfVZbJUI/AAAAAAAAADg/RHMNUPvcKbc/s1600/Plough_ Kelmscott.jpg

bus, canal, ﬁlm, dog and kite (2010-04-23 23:24)

[1] [2]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [3]www.frankegerton.com Today was the last time I’ll be coming into Oxford on the bus without work to do, for quite a while. It was the most beautiful day on which to be just carried along. My gaze was fixed on the spring countryside as we tootled through the lanes to Standlake and Northmoor and Bablock Hythe. The blackthorn was out in the hedges and in the gardens there were all different kinds of cherry blossom and brightly coloured flowers. At one point we went past a pheasant pecking at the drilled corn–his plumage was so painted and he really stood out against the red-grey earth. At St Edwards school I got off and headed for the canal, which, as shown above, is now greening up, so that the houses disappear and you almost can’t believe you’re in the town. At one o’clock, I got a return bus, ate a Sainsbury’s sandwich (BLT), drank a bottle of San Pellegrino water and dozed, despite the mid-day gorgeousness outside. I quite liked opening my eyes every now 33 and again and catching drowsy sight of sheep and lambs, a deer by a wood, a moated manor... Later, during a break from the online course, I went round to the square to catch up on the Downton Abbey filming.

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[6] This time I actually saw some of the filming, which was great–just a snippet of a scene but somehow pretty mesmeric as everyone went quiet and the actors wandered towards the church, speaking their, to us, inaudible lines. Then one of them turned back and walked off in her elegant Edwardian tweed suit looking mightily miffed until the director called cut. A dramatic moment, I daresay, in the finished movie. Unfortunately, though, I couldn’t get a shot of this scene, even though I’d deliberately turned the sound off on the camera. But I’d taken Tufty with me and just as the guy in the yellow jacket was telling everyone to be quiet Tufty started whining. Quick as a flash, the guy in the yellow jacket produced a bag 34 of dog biscuits, which he proceeded to give to Tufty, making a big show of lifting his arm away and grimacing as Tufty grabbed them from him. ’Slowly,’ the guy whispered as Tufty wolfed another one down and sat up straight expecting yet another. Still, the biscuits–all 10 of them–kept him quiet. On our way back, near the Manor, we saw a red kite soaring above the new cemetery. Kites started appearing around here about a year ago and have become regular visitors ever since. They don’t seem as threatening and as solitary as buzzards. I once saw one happily sharing some carrion with a pair of crows, which I doubt a buzzard would do. The photo I took turned out like a spot-the-kite game (below), so I blew up the bit with the bird in, which isn’t much better. For a great kite site, visit [7]http://www.redkites.co.uk.

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1. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IVvyhLVSI/AAAAAAAAADo/_44NMShHunU/s1600/Oxford_canal.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 3. http://www.frankegerton.com/ 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IYW29XDdI/AAAAAAAAADw/lTHdXNuSsQc/s1600/Downton_ Abbey4.jpg 5. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IYiJxgeqI/AAAAAAAAAD4/_3ROwVVHYcg/s1600/Downton_ Abbey5.jpg 35 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IYsj4lEaI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Afuc8Ls78Ag/s1600/Downton_ Abbey6.jpg 7. http://www.redkites.co.uk/ 8. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IbrE0BUuI/AAAAAAAAAEI/AjH9AGkXzQg/s1600/Red_kite1. jpg 9. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9IbzVmEhuI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/P-XBqRp-RUk/s1600/Red_kite. jpg

faces of the countryside (2010-04-25 16:00)

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[3] 36 I cycled this morning for the ﬁrst time in a fortnight because I’ve been digging the allotment the last couple of weekends.

The countryside was looking really fresh after the rain last night, which was apparently heavy for about half an hour, although I slept through it.

The oilseed rape is coming into ﬂower between the Great Brook and Aston, the neighbouring village. It’s an odd but quite startling and dramatic sight. The oily, itchy pollen hasn’t begun to ﬁll the air yet.

Another thing that’s got going in a big way since I was last out on the bike is ﬂy-tipping. There were lorry tyres in the Great Brook and the pile of rubble and rubbish above in a gateway between Aston and Yelford. Whenever money is tight ﬂy-tipping increases.

Between Yelford and Lew I came across several clumps of cowslips and one of cowslips and bluebells (above).

It’s really nice to see cowslips, although I’m not sure whether these ones are wild or sown. The daffodils further along the lane were deﬁnitely garden ones. I remember when I was a child lying down in the watermeadow at Tynings Farm*, our off-lying holding, which was a sea of cowslips. In the years that followed cowslips and other wild ﬂowers disappeared as spraying crops became widespread.

When I got home and had breakfast there was a disturbing article in the Sunday Times about a new book called Silent Summer, which is named after Rachel Carson’s seminal work on the effects of agricultural sprays that came out in 1962. The new book has a foreword by Sir David Attenborough and contribu- tions from 40 British ecologists. The Sunday Times sums up Silent Summer’s message as follows: ’The book describes the decline of 75 % of butterﬂy species, the near disappearance of many moths and similar reverses for bees, ﬂies and snails. ’Attenborough warns that such organisms make up the foundations of Britain’s ecosystems. "We tend to focus on the bigger animals and ignore the smaller ones–but small creatures like these are the basis of our entire ecosystems and they are disappearing faster than ever. That loss is transforming our wildlife and countryside," he said.’ The causes of the decline of these creatures include pesticides, population growth and intensive agriculture. A chilling article. For more info about the book, see [4]http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780 521519663. My father eventually sold Tynings Farm to the property developer Gerald Ronson. It became his family home for a time.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9RY9_aMhYI/AAAAAAAAAEY/UaTm7-w72WU/s1600/Oil_seed_ rape-706845.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9RY-VM49FI/AAAAAAAAAEg/VDuxvsNaxLE/s1600/Fly_ tipping-709114.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9RY_H3XtOI/AAAAAAAAAEo/5kVYeXwmi5s/s1600/Cowslips_ %26_bluebells-711910.jpg 4. http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521519663

37 oxford in springtime (2010-04-30 20:15)

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[3] It’s been a mad week, with term taking off like a rocket. All the planning of tutorials, introductory meetings, supervision schedules and, at the libraries, readers ﬂooding in through the doors as soon as they are opened.

The Easter vac suddenly seems eons away, though I am aware that it refreshed me more than I knew. On Monday, at lunchtime, I bought a sandwich in the Covered Market and headed for Christ Church Meadow, only to be stopped by a guy in a yellow fluorescent jacket. Yep, more filming. This time Any Human Heart, which novelist William Boyd has adapted for TV himself, and is just one of the dramas commissioned by Channel 4 as part of a new £20 million initiative. The story spans the twentieth century, 38 as seen through the eyes of its protagonist, Logan Mounstuart (played by Jim Broadbent, Matthew Macfadyen and Sam Claflin). The four-part story also stars Gillian Anderson and Sex and the City’s Kim Cattrall.

The shot I saw being filmed involved an actor pedalling along Merton Street on an ancient bike with a camera mounted by the front wheel pointing towards him. He laboriously headed to Oriel Square then back again. For the return journey onlookers were instructed to crouch down. As with Downton Abbey one of the intriguing things about watching filming is seeing how niftily the illusion of a particular period is created in an otherwise very twenty-first century setting. The scene will look to the camera as if it’s the 1920s but an inch to the right is a brand new Chrysler.

Yesterday, I walked along Queen’s Lane in the pouring rain to Stanford, Oxford. Beside New College I saw the beautiful display of lilacs and cherries above. Robin Lane Fox’s planting, perhaps.

Today, I was very shocked to learn that my cousin Mark Egerton died ﬁve years ago. I couldn’t believe it. No one else that I’m in contact with seems to have known. He had very much gone his own way and his death only came to light in a proof of the Sutherland entry in the forthcoming Debrett’s.

I hadn’t seen Mark since 1974 but we were at prep school together and although he was a wild boy he was very kind to me. As I don’t have brothers or sisters I felt special to be Egerton Minor to his Egerton Major.

I have thought of Mark quite a lot recently–my age, I suppose–and it seems so appallingly strange to have been imagining him living in Spain when all the time he was dead.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9sscPkKxEI/AAAAAAAAAEw/dD-jmljxFAg/s1600/Any_Human_ Heart1-760364.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9ssco_Xw4I/AAAAAAAAAE4/sYlQIDYdOZk/s1600/Any_Human_ Heart2-761757.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S9ssc3HlirI/AAAAAAAAAFA/-eE8PMbzS7A/s1600/Lilac_ cherry_New_Col-763000.jpg

1.4 May rum dos (2010-05-04 23:17)

[1] 39 [2]

[3] Spent a really enjoyable evening at Oriel College over the weekend, dining at high table at a black tie do. Amazing menu, sumptuously cooked. Loved in particular the puddings’ dining-room at the other end of a side quad from the main hall, all astonishingly weighty silver, crystal chandeliers, cheese, fruit, claret and port. Apparently an austerity menu following government cuts. Wonder what the old menu was like?

Cycled quite a lot over the weekend because it was too wet to garden. On Sunday I did a circuit that included the old gated road west of Clanfield, now minus its gates and called Calcroft Lane. The steep hedges shown above will be laden with blackberries come the autumn. The disused railway line (middle photo) was closed in the 60s as a result of the Beeching cuts, although there is a rumour that if Brize Norton airfield had shut down a few years back (in the end it was decided that Lyneham would close and Brize would stay open), Sir Richard Branson had designs on the site for an international airport, linked to Oxford by a revamped branch line. Would have been very handy for us. Talking of Sir Richard B, there was a nasty story about his, and my, old school, Stowe, at the weekend. Something to do with a knife fight. What really caught my attention, though, in the Sunday Times piece about it was a reference to a Facebook page called, Just because I went to Stowe doesn’t mean I’m stupid... The name picks up on the fact that a lot of Stoics are supposed to be Eton and Harrow rejects. Many pupils probably do end up at Stowe because they fail common entrance to somewhere else, although Stowe was my first choice. I quite like the humour behind the Facebook site and am not surprised that it has over four hundred fans. Even so, I’m glad I went to Stowe. For me the school’s heroes are creative people like the poet and glass engraver Laurence Whistler and the potter Alan Caiger- Smith. (LW also wrote a poignant memoir about his marriage to the Jill Furse called The Initials in the Heart.) Another social networking site that’s been in the news is the whirlwind success story [4]http://www.thefitfinder.co.uk, which enables students at various universities, including Oxford, to 40 post Twitter-style declarations of lust for someone they’ve seen in the library or quad.

Tomorrow evening I’m off to my last Writers in Oxford committee meeting before I hand over to the next chair at the AGM later in the month. I’ll be sad to go but work pressures are too great to be able to chair anymore. Two very fun, happy and rewarding years.

Last of all, congratulations to my friend José Angel Rodriguez, whose book about the history of rum, Al Son del Ron, is being published in Venezuela later this week. Oh, and the third pic above? Kingcups in a ditch along the gated road. Another favourite childhood plant.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-CdC7L9D0I/AAAAAAAAAFI/71Ax8lDhj30/s1600/Calcroft_ Lane-766865.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-CdDcXvZlI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/eNWWul8efQY/s1600/Old_ railway-768750.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-CdD__2F7I/AAAAAAAAAFY/3vF3fQ6ToVc/s1600/ Kingcups-771191.jpg 4. http://www.thefitfinder.co.uk/

what a gaggle (2010-05-08 20:51)

Was just checking Facebook on my phone, Thursday morning, scrolling down, when I saw, ’We are off to Oxfordshire for Saturday night. Anyone fancy a drink in the Morris Clown at about 6 pm?’ So off we went this evening to meet our friends Mark and Emily, who we haven’t seen for too long. It was wonderful to spend an hour chatting. They used to be our near neighbours but moved to Dorset to run a pub called the European. Subsequently they bought the Gaggle of Geese at Buckland Newton–a Hardyesque name if ever there was one ([1]http://www.thegaggle.co.uk). It’s the ﬁrst time they’ve been away for three years and it was a shock to realise that so much time has passed since we last saw them. It was also fun to be in the Clown–for various reasons we haven’t been there for a while. Nice pint of Brakspear’s. It’s been so cold in Bampton today. And wet. I got up at ﬁve, hoping the weather people had got it wrong and I’d be able to fork through more ground on the allotment but no, it was raining... Had a brilliant but chilly cycle ride instead. Countryside lush now, what with all the rain... I was quite pleased with progress on the allotment a fortnight ago and thought that even if I missed a couple of weekends through bad weather all would be ok. Now I’m a tad worried. Come on sun, where are you? Trying to push the election result from my mind. Hate all the uncertainty. Needless to say the willowy UKIP-representing Count Tolstoy and the druidical Wessex Regionalist candidate failed to unseat David Cameron in west Oxfordshire!

1. http://www.thegaggle.co.uk/

Niels (2010-05-08 21:44:20) I saw somewhere [‘Have I Got News For You’?] that Tolstoy’s UKIP leaﬂet had the following printed on it with regard to immigration policy: "No-one admitted to UK unless unless they ﬂuent in English"

41 lol (2010-05-09 20:20)

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[2] Cycled gated road this morning because I didn’t think allotment would be dry enough to fork through. In the end, when I went up there in the afternoon, it was fine–if anything nearly too dry. Weird. Things have really started to get going on the allotment over the last few days. Spuds are motoring and onions and shallots are poking through. Still, it’s a lot slower up there, what with the Oxford clay and it being pretty exposed, compared to the garden, where the light soil is much more sheltered. The garden veg is well ahead. Came across loads of Jack-by-the-hedge along the gated road (see above pic, where it’s growing alongside wild clary, I think–always get a bit muddled by those low blue-flowered plants). Jack-by-the-hedge looks so bright this time of the year. Apparently you can use it in salads. See [3]http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/wild-food-useful-plants/ jack-by-the-hedge-alliaria- petiolata.htm, which says: LEAVES – the leaves make ideal sandwich fillers, and if the leaves are finely chopped and mixed with a little olive oil, they make a refreshing and delicate salad dressing. FLOWERS – the flower have a punchy flavour and can also be added to salads. SEED PODS – for me the seed pods are best eaten as a wayside snack, and although have the same flavour as the rest of the plant, they won’t make your breath smell as it would if you had eaten a clove of true garlic! Not tried using J-b-t-h in salads myself, although on a related theme, Jess intends to make nettle soup this week... Also saw a beautiful clump of white bells in amongst some nettles along the gated road–see other pic above. Opened a bottle of Côtes-du-Roussillon last weekend and finished it off today. A Sainsbury’s M Chapoutier 2007. It was as good as I remember C-d-R to be, only better. So packed with berry flavours, full (but not too so) and round. You used to find C-d-R everywhere at one time but it was a casualty of 42 the waning French wine industry in the noughties. During the nineties it became our Sunday wine (just the ordinary Sainsbury’s version). It was a real treat. Those Sundays—the Classic Serial, Sunday dinner and C-d-R–were oases of happiness during those years of misery and sadness for my family. Listened to the Classic Serial today–Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie. I met LL once, though I didn’t believe it. It was during my first year at Cirencester and one Saturday I got in the car and drove through the lanes beyond Sapperton towards Stroud. I didn’t know where I was going but I ended up in a pretty Cotswold village on the edge of a valley. I entered the pub, which was dark inside and flagged floored. When I asked for my pint one of the old men asked me if I’d heard of Laurie Lee. I said yes, because we’d studied Cider with Rosie at school. The man then pointed to another old chap sitting on a stool in the shadows and said, Well, this is Laurie Lee. I thought he was having me on–people you studied at school were long dead. We chatted for a minute of two before I went outside and drank my pint and smoked a couple of cigarettes and smiled to myself at the joke. Lol.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-cK_h6F3mI/AAAAAAAAAFg/gLhELi67IVw/s1600/Jack_by_ the_hedge-729933.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-cLAJMCoHI/AAAAAAAAAFo/C88O7g_qNTg/s1600/White_ bells-732326.jpg 3. http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/wild-food-useful-plants/ jack-by-the-hedge-alliaria-petiolata.htm

cindy (2010-05-09 22:01:51) I met Laurie Lee too, Frank. In fact I went to see him when I lived in Cirencester, and he invited me in and gave me a mug of tea. I now live at the Stroud end of the Slad valley, and the Slad brook runs past the door. I often look up the valley when I’m working, and think of him. I’d just ﬁnished my A levels when we met and was telling him of my ambition to write when he gave me a very old fashioned look and said "You don’t need exams to be a writer." He was of course absolutely right. Cindy

frank (2010-05-09 22:10:22) After I’d ﬁnished studying (sorry, reading) English at Keble, I went to my cousin’s wedding, where I met the incoming Warden of the college. He asked me what I was doing and I said trying to write ﬁction. Whereupon he told me that I’d have to forget everything I’d learnt at Keble. Again, this was sound advice, although it was some time before I realised its wisdom. It took me a while to let my characters speak as if they hadn’t studied English at Keble for a start.

ducklings (2010-05-11 23:20)

[1] 43 When I was walking along the Oxford canal this morning, I came across this little family–there is a fourth duckling but he shot ahead. Ducklings are such wilful little things, determinedly getting on with their lives. Meanwhile, I’m glad the government is sorted (if that’s not too strong a word for what’s happened). It’s been a surprisingly unsettling period. I thought Gordon Brown’s speech outside Number Ten was moving, not least because Sarah Brown was standing beside him–she seems very digniﬁed and loving. Then when they and their boys set off down the street GB seemed approachable in ways that he’s not seemed for a long time. In fact his speech was gentle–and, dare I say it, humble. No, actually to call it humble is to devalue it. When he spoke, he seemed warm and human. He came across as charismatic, I would have said. A momentous day. And in many other ways, enjoyable–a delicious, convivial lunch in Jericho. Thanks Malcolm. Also got the ﬂights, accommodation and congress registration sorted out for October, when I’ll be Toronto bound. A privilege to be going.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S-nX4Yb5ZTI/AAAAAAAAAFw/2C96OZYuxY4/s1600/Ducks_on_ Oxford_canal.jpg

frances farrer (2010-05-29 07:02:32) Ducklings are completely cheering, please take some more pix before they grown up! Gordon Brown: agree with all you said except about the word humble, which I think is a compliment. What about the govt now? Still feeling optimistic?

frank (2010-05-29 13:34:15) Thanks, Frances. Well, in so far as the coalition is stable and might last rather than lead to a swift second election, I am optimistic. I also feel that the Lib Dems do have a chance of curbing Tory excesses. I think the two parties should be given a chance. Which, of course, they won’t be–on day two, someone on the Today programme said something like, ’The ﬁrst cracks are beginning to appear in the coalition...’ As far as policies are concerned, I feel that the abolition of HIPs is a good thing (nice idea but difﬁcult to implement). Although I found one of those single-sentence news items that iPM does rather sad in this context. From memory, it was, ’Feeling sorry for my daughter, who invested £10,000 in training as a HIPs inspector.’

sunday (2010-05-16 20:32)

Had huge lie-in this morning. Was exhausted after yesterday’s teaching and general admin, which started at 7 am and went on to 4 pm. Mowed lawn then headed for allotment, once I surfaced. Spuds are showing on allotment, although some had been touched by the frost. They’ll come back. Shallots and onion sets are slow. Always the way. One forgets how much later the ground up there is compared to the garden at the house. Latter is free draining light soil over gravel, former is dear old Oxford clay. I went to a talk given by the local historian once, a fellow at Queen’s college, where the free draining village soil was explained. Bampton’s church is a Minster, which means that it was a monastery church (during the Anglo-Saxon period). The historian showed us a geological map of the area with the numerous A-S monasteries marked on it–they, and their settlements, were all built on little outcrops of gravel amongst the Oxford clay. The founders of those villages obviously knew what they were about. Next week, weather permitting, I’ll do a bit more forking through then get the rest of the seeds planted. Have now dug in the winter roots but came back with a big bag of spinach for Sunday lunch. Although next week is supposed to be hot, it’s still been chilly today, so we had a log ﬁre. Comforting–as was the hock of ham and parsley sauce. Tomorrow morning I’ll be writing my speech for the Writers in Oxford AGM on Wednesday. My farewell event. I’m quite relieved to be standing down even though I’ve loved the last two years as chair. My 44 working life has got so busy over the past year, though, that I had to give something up to make room for home life and my writing. Starting a new novel. Yey! Hate to ﬁnish on a sad note, but when I walked along the Oxford canal on Friday morning there were three ducklings left... Nature’s cruel.

wio farewell (2010-05-21 20:32)

On Wednesday, I stood down as chair of Writers in Oxford after two years. I was sad to do this but my life has changed so much over the last couple of years that I can no longer devote enough time to the society. I wish my successor, Peter Groves, who I have worked with on the committee, every success. Here is an edited version of my farewell speech. ’As you will know by now, I am standing down as chair of the society at this meeting. While I would have liked to continue for another year my professional life has changed significantly during 2009/10, leaving increasingly small amounts of time for other things. I hope that the last year has built on the hard work of the committee during my first year as chair and on the work of my predecessor, Julie Summers. The committee has continued to organise a full calendar of events that centre around the most popular of them all, Drinks and Digressions. Thanks to all members who have hosted parties at their homes and put so much effort into creating memorable evenings. WiO visits to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, the History of Science Museum and the recently- reopened Ashmolean Museum have also proved highly popular. There have been some terrific Topical Suppers led by WiO members, most recently Maggie Black and Renee Hirschon. The committee is aware that some members feel that we should invite more visiting speakers to lead Topical Suppers and this issue will be discussed, along with other events suggestions, towards the end of this meeting. I would say, however, that during the economic uncertainties of the past 18 months, it has seemed sensible to keep money in reserve. Now, though, may well be the time to loosen the purse strings. At last year’s AGM I mentioned that we hoped to organise WiO readings at Borders, an initiative that grew out of Cherry Mosteshar’s book fairs. I was delighted when Jane Robinson, Julie Summers and Nikki van der Gaag took part in what was intended to be the first WiO evening of many. Sadly, this was not to be because Borders went into administration–a terrible loss to us and to the city. I would like to extend thanks to Victor Glynn of Borders for his help with running the first event and other WiO-related events and readings over the past couple of years. I hope very much that he and the other members of staff who lost their jobs have found new positions. I would like to thank Joy Hendry and Denise Cullington for their hard work in putting together the programmes of events over the last year. As in previous years WiO members were very much in evidence at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival and Oxfringe 2010, both as speakers and as writer-minders. This year the writer-minder scheme was run by Jane Bingham who put in a fantastic amount of effort–for which many, many thanks… …During the latter part of 2009 WiO launched a new website, which was constructed by Andrew Chap- man. Members have been extremely complimentary about the new site and its features. Many thanks to Andrew for this and for maintaining the site. The society also has a Twitter page, which is a useful way of getting updates about forthcoming events. If you are on Twitter, do check out this page and become a follower. I would like to thank Dennis Hamley for the three entertaining and thought-provoking issues of the newsletter which he has edited over the last year. 45 This year has seen two members retire from the committee, Andrew Chapman…and Rita Carter, who has made an outstanding all-round contribution to the society. Her latest contribution being a terrific article for the current newsletter. Rita was on the committee the last time I sat on the committee several years ago. Thank you so much Rita for all you have done for WiO. At the last AGM, I mentioned that I hoped to introduce a microfiction page on the new website and find ways of involving WiO with the MSt in Creative Writing course on which I teach. Sadly, time prevented me from achieving these goals but I hope they will be ideas that the committee will consider in future. In a few minutes, the committee will stand for re-election and I would personally like to nominate Peter Groves as the committee’s new chair. Peter was a member of the society at the very beginning and has been a consistent and very energetic contributor to its continued development and success… …So, my time as chair is almost over. I have loved chairing the society. It is the most fantastic group to be involved with. Thanks for all the fun over the last couple of years. And especial thanks to the members of the committee for all their support and hard work. It has been a privilege to work with you–members of the committee past and present. Thank you.’

ridging up (2010-05-23 20:14)

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[2] It’s been a week, shall we say. Some good things, such as the amazing Holguin gift to the Bodleian Latin American Centre Library, and the Writers in Oxford AGM. The latter was a positive, constructive event and I was thrilled to receive six bottles of wine as a leaving present. Thanks to the committee for these and for the good wishes. Thanks also to members who have 46 emailed, tweeted and facebooked lovely messages. Today I went up the allotment and ridged up our spuds (see above), put up the wigwams for the runners and raked the ground that I’d cleaned. After a late breakfast I went back and planted beans, chard, pumpkins, carrots, New Zealand spinach, beetroots and parsnips. Feels good to have got this done. Working there was respite from the sad events of this week. I wish Mum a speedy recovery and hope we can sort out everything else quickly and peacefully. I am grateful to my family, colleagues, students and above all Jess for their support at this difﬁcult time.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S_l_FkYbsrI/AAAAAAAAAF4/PjEbcSZhuwE/s1600/Ridging_ up_b-798346.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S_l_GXXU2pI/AAAAAAAAAGA/EVz3izuZv8Y/s1600/Ridging_ up_a-700561.jpg

updates (2010-05-28 17:42)

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[2] [3]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [4]www.frankegerton.com The Downton Abbey film crew returned this week, setting up a mini funfair in the square below the church. I assumed they would be filming during the day but just after I’d got off the bus back from work yesterday, I bumped into my friend John. And he said they were doing night filming. So off I went at ten-thirty or so to watch a few scenes. Couldn’t get too close and didn’t spot anyone famous, but the set was great. The helter-skelter is apparently an authentic early twentieth century one–the last of its kind (but maybe that’s a village myth). Then there was this extraordinary inflatable glowing sausage roll jigging about in the sky just to the right of the church’s east window. A prop? No, 47 some sort of helium filled lighting rig–intended to suggest moonlight? Anyway the crew seemed to be having to reshoot a few scenes and the buzz was that they might be back tonight. Yesterday was supposed to be their last day in Bampton. How appropriate to have a funfair in the little square. Not that people probably think of it as a square because it’s so tiny. And yet it is certainly four-sided and was, according to the prof from Queen’s Col- lege, who knows about village history, the original market square in the days when the church served an Anglo-Saxon monastery. (You can still see some of the higgledy-piggledy Anglos-Saxon masonry inside the twelfth century tower.) Meanwhile on the banks of the Oxford canal the duck family is growing up–and snoozing. Hard work, growing.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S__1946-U-I/AAAAAAAAAGI/Rpb8KNAN7rA/s1600/duck_ family-746844.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/S__1-iCRh1I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/R4YUA_aBDtY/s1600/fairgound_ attraction-750443.jpg 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 4. http://www.frankegerton.com/

shirt race (2010-05-29 20:52)

[1] Whitsun weekend is special in Bampton. Morris dancers, folk singers and musicians come to the village from Friday onwards for the Morris festival on the bank holiday. Bampton has an unbroken tradition of Morris dancing going back to the seventeenth century–or even earlier. The pubs stay open late and I love listening to the singers and musicians who start up when the mood takes them and often sound like they have just stepped out of a Thomas Hardy novel. One of my favourite memories is of listening to a folk oboist in the Elephant and Castle with James and Nathalie. Sadly the Elephant closed some years ago, although the last landlords Pat and George are up this weekend from the Forest of Dean where they now live. This evening was the Shirt Race, which has been held annually since the 1940s. There’s a children’s and an adult version. The competitors push or drag their pram or ﬂoat from refreshment table to refreshment table round the village, grabbing a glass from each as they pass. Beer for the adults. We went down to see the start by the Morris Clown. The picture shows the tail enders–at the beginning, that is. When they got back to the pub they looked remarkably relaxed.

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48 1.5 June whitsun weekend bampton (2010-06-02 08:55)

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[2]

[3] Had a great time at the Whitsun celebrations in Bampton. True, there was some travelling to be done, family to see–which turned out to be an enriching and poignant experience–but there was still plenty of time left over to enjoy the festivities. Loved best of all going to the Morris Clown late on Sunday night and watching the musicians and singers. As usual the way it all worked was someone would play a note then talk the others through the tune (often a nod and a word was enough) before a few of got going on it. It might be just a couple of people who decided to play or nearly the whole group, at others it was just someone singing unaccom- panied. 49 What I found amazing, though, was how the drinkers kept drinking and chatting, as if the music were in the background. Well, it was but it was so much more than that. Here was this extraordinary event taking place in a pub on a Whit Sunday, with talented singers playing fascinating instruments or singing narrative songs with their beautiful voices. This was unaccountably special. Thanks to Jamie Long ([4]http://www.myspace.com/jamielongmusic) and the others for a brilliant evening. Thanks too to the Morris men and to friends C and S and E and A for the barbies.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAYPFjS35aI/AAAAAAAAAGg/E6bie8GQg08/s1600/Morris_ dancers_b-794354.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAYPGJBf2eI/AAAAAAAAAGo/IiV8e6puu0o/s1600/Morris_ musicians-796089.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAYPGvvyZkI/AAAAAAAAAGw/5Xy9aBO2_yA/s1600/Morris_ dancers_a-797858.jpg 4. http://www.myspace.com/jamielongmusic

steamengine (2010-06-05 09:19)

[1] I was at my desk, where I’ll be spending most of this weekend, when there was a toot-toot from the road. I just managed to switch on the camera and catch this magniﬁcent contraption as it trundled past.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAoJAr6rK0I/AAAAAAAAAG4/PRtJslnLS_E/s1600/ steamengine_a-782048.jpg

50 steamier still (2010-06-05 10:36)

[1] Got a bit of a rally going on here. Room ﬁlled with smell of engine’s coal. Different from house coal–quite dry and nutty.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAoaimoWmBI/AAAAAAAAAHA/MYUtWQvr-D4/s1600/ steamengine_2b-769605.jpg

end of weekend (2010-06-06 22:54)

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[2] Well, I saw the steam engines going to wherever and I saw them head home. It’s been a long working weekend and next week’s going to be as busy as this one. No respite until 51 Oxford’s Trinity term ends in a fortnight’s time. Having said that, the Oxford term is always an exhila- rating collective endeavour, which I wouldn’t have any other way. And it wasn’t all work. Managed a trip to Shilton for a pint at the estimable Rose and Crown. Btw duck family had grown even more last Friday.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAwZurGMVMI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/lugLR8VUbjw/s1600/duck_ family_early_june10-734078.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TAwZvBSB6BI/AAAAAAAAAHY/RQFogvdT4Po/s1600/ steamengine_going_home_a-736166.jpg

syd, ﬂag n things (2010-06-19 14:56)

[1] 18th June Every so often–once a year, say–I have this urge to listen to Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn. This morning was one of those times. Outside the bus windows the morning was bright enough to make you feel light and the west Oxford- shire countryside was on the cusp of wild beauty and rampant out of control wilderness. The HTC was set to shuffle and I hit Astronomy, which was fine–good guitar vibes–as was the next. But then Syd Barrett’s Matilda Mother kicked off and, yikes, the weirdness started. There’s a moment in Invisible when Sarah says something like she feels that someone’s scratching their fingernails across her mind. Well, Syd’s lyrics and the throbbing headache music felt like that. I remember seeing a photo of Syd taken just before he died. A mild-looking late middle-aged man on a bicycle. The bike had a wicker basket, if memory serves. He had a woolly scarf and gloves. Long gone were the brainstorms and acid-induced ideas. But their legacy sure lives on. Why do I return to those tracks? Well, sometimes–every three years, perhaps–you can find yourself in a relaxed-enough oh-that’s-just-Syd-being-Syd mood to really enjoy a run of them. That’s the craic. That’s the high the mind craves (Steady!). As screwed a yearning as Syd’s for the stuff that blighted his life. But safer, thankfully. Continued, 19th June Phew! Oxford term’s almost over and it’s left me drained but reasonably content. The reasonably refers to my self-doubts and wish that I could’ve done better. The students I’ve worked with have been great, putting in admirable amounts of effort. Not that summer is going to be a breeze but I’m hoping to have a bit more time to tackle the weeds on the allotment, plant some cucumber seedlings and so on. If I can remember where the allotment is. I’ve also got to do some more work on the StreetBooks edition of Invisible, which is due out on Thurs- day 2nd September. Btw the Anchor Book Club discussion of Invisible has been rearranged, by mutual consent, for Monday 13th September. Meanwhile, on a Latin American theme, I was really pleased that the editor of Outline, the Bodleian newsletter, decided to publish both my pieces–one on the visit to the Bod of Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City (front page), the other about the donation of 19th century Colombian newspapers to the 52 Bodleian by Dr Alvaro Holguin, grandson of President Carlos Holguin (the papers formed part of his private collection). Btw went to the Latin American Centre summer party last night. Fantastic live music from the students! Thanks to Elvira and David for organising the evening! Which is about it for the mo. Apart from saying that I took the pic of the yellow flag yesterday opposite where Lucy’s iron foundry used to be in Jericho.

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saturday (2010-06-26 19:40)

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[2] 53 [3]

[4] On allotment early this morning, cleaning ground for courgettes and late sowings of carrots, turnips and swede. THE best time to be out and about today. A cool breeze to begin with that had dropped by 8 am when I headed back. Worked this morning and early afternoon before driving to Plough at Kelmscott. Love that pub and village–an exquisite middle-of-nowhere Thames valley place (with Wm Morris, Burden, Rossetti associations–wild). Then home for late lunch in garden. (Pics above may not have displayed in order–the perils of posting from phone.) Coolest place here is the shed. Amongst other things, the potato store. This year we’ve had home-grown spuds for 365 days. I collected the last of the 2009 harvest this morning from their hessian sack and tomorrow we’ll lift the ﬁrst of the 2010. Steak supper later. Will maybe listen to Florence + the Machine after. Facebook friend posted about seeing F + t M and Stranglers at Glastonbury today. Envy!

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PG (2010-06-27 16:00:56) Lovely garden Frank! Last time we were out at Kelmscott the Plough was still being renovated, but I’m very tempted to go back after reading your recommendation. 54 1.6 July

dame beryl bainbridge (2010-07-03 10:47)

Very sad to hear of the death of Dame Beryl Bainbridge. Here is a review I wrote of her hugely enjoyable and admirable novel Master Georgie. It was originally published in the Evening Standard on Monday 27 April 1998. Beryl pulls off the perfect Crimea Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge (Duckworth, £14.99) Is Beryl Bainbridge incapable of disappointing her readers? With this historical novel, she has pulled off a scintillating hat trick. Its predecessors, The Birthday Boys and the Whitbread winner Every Man for Himself, focused on two defining moments in 1912–painful blows to post-Victorian self-esteem: Captain Scott’s tragic expedition and the sinking of the Titanic. These are not naturally cheerful subjects. Nor, on the face of it, is the Crimean War against which this novel is set. More than ever, Bainbridge embroils herself in historic failure and the stench of death. The plot should be dismal. It concerns George Hardy, a Liverpool surgeon, and several members of his household who make an ill-fated humanitarian journey to Sebastopol. Yet this is far from a morbid book. On the contrary, the tone is irrepressibly vivacious. Bainbridge embellishes her themes like a virtuoso. George, it turns out, is also an amateur photographer and the plot is structured around this art-form and how it can be used to distort the truth. At the very least, as one of the narrators observes: "It appears to hold reality hostage, and yet fails to snap thoughts in the head." Added to which, George and other characters are incapable of taking a picture without tweaking the image (plus ça change). This discrepancy between appearance and reality extends, with great wit and playfulness, to questions of who exactly each person is and what they are up to. And the characters themselves are splendid creations, especially those who take turns to narrate the different sections, or photogenic "Plates" as they’re called. First, there is Myrtle, a spirited foundling, who has been brought up by the Hardys and who, somehow without devaluing herself, is utterly devoted to George–cruelly unaware though he is; next, the true object of his affections, Pompey Jones, a sort of amalgam of the Artful Dodger and an Angry Young Man–assistant to a Roger Fenton-like war photographer; finally, the vain failed academic, Dr Potter, endearing when you least expect it, and married to lustful Beatrice, George’s sister. The first two Plates, set in Liverpool, show the Hardys to be one of those beguiling but rather gothic, almost proto-Addams Family households found elsewhere in Bainbridge’s work. George’s over- possessive mother goes in for china-throwing; the housekeeper likes beating children. Once they are on their travels, the full complexity of each character emerges subtly through their re- sponses to the new locations and by the changes in narrative viewpoint. By almost subliminal suggestion, the reader ends up with a fascinating 3-D view of the private arrangements these people negotiate around surrogate motherhood and bisexuality. The book’s approach to history is captivating, particularly when considered alongside the two earlier novels. In all of them there is a vividly realised sense of an era coming to an end. What Bainbridge seems to be implying is not only that the Victorian Age took a long time to die but that change is always a much slower process than we tend to imagine. This is a wonderful book: it delights in history and in the eternal vanities, foibles and eccentricities of human nature. The ironic surface of its language is as teasingly ambiguous as shot silk. It is one of the most enjoyable novels I have read in a long while.

55 compasses, fonthill, beckford arms (2010-07-08 18:59)

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[5] Staying at the Compasses Inn, Lower Chicks- grove (http://www.thecompassesinn.com), a favourite pub in beautiful south Wiltshire, approached by single-track roads and blissfully quiet. It’s billed as a ’14th century thatched freehouse’. It’s also the Good Pub Guide Wiltshire Dining Pub of the Year for the second time since 2008. Had a great walk round Fonthill park this morning before lunch at the refurbished Beckford Arms (http://www.beckfordarms.com). Excellent 6d Original and ham, duck egg and hand-cut chips. Deep green space. (Links probably won’t be live when posted from phone...)

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TDYS081zfOI/AAAAAAAAAII/l97UFvJfSAU/s1600/tufty+ near+fonthill-778663.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TDYS1c-BWHI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/sr-41-amIO4/s1600/valley+ near+fonthill-780550.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TDYS1pmnqhI/AAAAAAAAAIY/s7B3k6ohL8c/s1600/above+ fonthill-782068.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TDYS2Esvr2I/AAAAAAAAAIg/Kb5PiNQ_jYU/s1600/fonthill+ lake-783779.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TDYS2ZqK6PI/AAAAAAAAAIo/_CJHbBeoER8/s1600/compasses, +lower+chicksgrove-785622.jpg

57 two walks to the trout (2010-07-13 17:54)

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[3] Last Friday we did the walk from Lower Chicks- grove to Chilmark, via Fovant. It was along the track from Fovant that I took the photo above. I love looking down the valley when you reach the trees. I love the contrasts–the light and shade, the cool after the hot. Though cool was relative that day. On Sunday we headed for the Trout at Tadpole Bridge for lunch. It was just after Christmas when I last did this walk and the snow was thick on the ground. It was a bright sunny day then too and at times I was almost blinded by the glare. The snow was dry–more Alpine than Oxfordshire–and when you kicked the surface you sent powder skimmering. This time the land was parched, the corn nearly ripe. As you approach the Trout I always think of the illustrator, author and publisher Robert Gibbings. In his books Sweet Thames Run Softly and Till I End My Song he writes about visiting it in the forties and includes a woodcut of the frontage. The land is ﬂat and echoey between Rushy Lock and Tadpole, with 58 big skies that can look brooding to melancholy much of the year. The latter seems particularly so when you hear the cry of curlew from the meadows. RG ran the Golden Cockerel Press and is an inspiration to all aspiring publishers. Today it has rained and the garden and allotment must be feeling altogether more cheerful. The garden- ers certainly are because they don’t have to water and can go to the pub instead. There is talk of potato blight on the allotment, though, which is worrying.

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gill & co (2010-07-28 08:39)

[1] I was really sad to read about the closure of Gill’s the Oxford ironmonger (founded 1530!), which is due to happen next month. In fact, I wondered if the paper had made a mistake. Sure enough, though, the ’to let’ sign is up outside the shop. I ﬁrst went to Gill’s in the summer of 1985. I was business managing a couple of theatre productions for Oxford Drama Programmes (which was to become the Oxford School of Drama). One of them involved the audience being bussed around Oxfordshire while watching the performance. The bus stopped occasionally and various events occurred. One such event was an actor hurtling across Shotover hill on a Honda trike. A Honda dealer lent us the machine and I tracked down a convenient shed behind a hedge where it could be stored. I needed a padlock–a big padlock–and was told to go to Gill’s, which had everything. I’ve been a regular there ever since, even after moving to Bampton. True, the premises became a touch less old-fashioned a few years ago when it was refurbished but it remained special. Darting down the ancient wind off the High Street to get to it has always had an element of time travel about it. To a time that was less pre-packed and standardised than the present one.

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PG (2010-07-28 08:52:22) Almost unbelievable. I too have art student memories of visiting Gills, and little old men who knew exactly what size of nail you wanted just by description. It is completely shameful that it’s just being allowed to close like this, I seem to remember it is Oxford’s oldest shop?

59 Mark McArthur-Christie (2010-07-28 08:55:52) Ah - I shall miss Gill’s too. I managed to padlock my motorcycle helmet and kit in my panniers when I was playing tennis at Merton last summer. Where on earth does one ﬁnd bolt-croppers in Oxford on a Saturday? At Gill’s of course, along with replacement padlocks and a bit of gentle ribbing for being so stupid.

1.7 August crack up (2010-08-02 07:45)

[1] The roads in west Oxfordshire are bad but this is ridiculous. Seen yesterday near Aston when cycling. I wonder what happened. Meanwhile, dark clouds teased us yesterday from time to time but apart from a few spots, no rain.

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reading nature (2010-08-03 08:41)

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[3] I’m due at the Oxford creative writing summer school later this morning. I’ll be reading from both The Lock and Invisible and choosing the extracts has been fun. Meanwhile, I’m hoping the Oxford bus will be on time so I can get off at Summertown and walk along the canal into Jericho. The wild plants along the water’s edge are a mad tangle of leaf and stem and tendrils of elegantly ensnaring bindweed. It is a moment of insane overreaching before inevitable collapse. It is also a strangely beautiful time of profuse weirdly-shaped fruits and ﬂowers.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TFfJJsDM44I/AAAAAAAAAJY/e31-PXrdgXE/s1600/orange_ balsom2-742243.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TFfJKP965qI/AAAAAAAAAJg/cuPlY0E4ySU/s1600/hemp_ agrimony-743945.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TFfJKaj_FWI/AAAAAAAAAJo/WLkR2GAlMXU/s1600/reed_ mace-745227.jpg

61 invisible (2010-08-28 13:35)

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The last few weeks have been hectic–not just because I’ve been putting the ﬁnishing touches to the StreetBooks paperback and Kindle editions of Invisible and coping with the family’s ups and downs but also because I’ve been doing various library tasks in advance so that I can take a short holiday.

Btw the StreetBooks cover design for Invisible is the work of fellow member of Writers in Oxford and designer Andrew Chapman ([2][email protected]). Thanks so much for that, Andrew. It’s terriﬁc.

You can ﬁnd out more about both editions at [3]http://www.frankegerton.com/talksand/- publishing.html.

Two interesting articles about the effect of digital books, one from Boyd Tonkin in the Independent and the other from Ursula Mackenzie, chair of the Trade Publishers Council, The Publishers Association, writing in the Guardian.

[4]http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/feature s/boyd-tonkin-the-man-who- starved-literature-2063024.html [5]http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/27/digital- e ra-publishers-not-defunct

I liked BT’s suggestion that universities should be planning joint degrees–landscape gardening and literary ﬁction, for example–to prepare writers for the need to develop a portfolio of parallel careers in the new post-Kindle world. Having said that, I think many writers (the majority, perhaps) have been doing this for years anyway.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/THkCgThs8qI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Aqf0j1QklbM/s1600/Invisible_ cover-713577.jpg 2. mailto:[email protected] 3. http://www.frankegerton.com/talksand/publishing.html 4. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/ boyd-tonkin-the-man-who-starved-literature-2063024.html 5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/27/digital-era-publishers-not-defunct

62 1.8 September somerset (2010-09-22 21:39)

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[3] Had a lovely three nights away at The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset ([4]http://www.thethreehorseshoesinn.co.uk). A great, friendly pub (with terrific beer, cider and food) in a beautiful setting, with amazing walks–lots of old cart tracks and green lanes. More photos to follow but for now some pics of wild flowers, including montbretia (orange flower), which I can’t remember having seen anywhere else–though I’m told I once saw it in Scotland. I hope to post more regularly again now. The last few months have seen the preparations for the Street- Books edition of Invisible–but also some very shocking family problems which have brought back some 63 dreadful memories that I thought were long gone. It brought back many of the feelings that I referred to on the Scrapbook page of my website last year and which I thought I’d got over. How wrong one can be.

I think, though, that, with J’s help–and with that of her family–I’ve managed to get things into some sort of perspective now. At the very least I realise that I can’t change certain members of my family, nor their perennially bizarre and hurtful behaviour.

Nicer to think of wild ﬂowers instead.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TJppoucqZ3I/AAAAAAAAAKA/3xZrckWgRU8/s1600/Meadow+ cranesbill-700971.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TJpppMwOUUI/AAAAAAAAAKI/13Ub5MoFmVE/s1600/Robin%27s+ pincushion-703510.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TJpppdtNFQI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/jyxk0MX4_no/s1600/ Montbretia-705148.jpg 4. http://www.thethreehorseshoesinn.co.uk/

batcombe, veg, initiate, invisible, lasa (2010-09-25 21:02)

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[2] 64 [3] Happy memories of Batcombe (see pics) and some rather lovely weather today. Went to the Plough at Kelmscott this afternoon. A week ago we’d be sitting in the garden but this time we were inside, as close to the wood burner as we could get. Good pint of Anniversary from the Lechlade brewery (which has now established a second micro at the Radnor Arms, Coleshill).

Went to the allotment at ﬁrst light to harvest–ﬁrst opportunity to get up there since the mini-break. The courgettes have slowed but I was really surprised by how many runner beans and cucumbers there were. If the weather holds I’ll be lifting the spuds tomorrow morning. Rent day Monday evening.

The online course is well under way now and the MSt residence has started–tutes on Monday and Tuesday and the ofﬁcial launch of the academic year on Tuesday evening at Kellogg. Meanwhile, the proofs of the MSt anthology, Initiate, have arrived. I’m really pleased that sabon was chosen as the main font. The book will be published in early November. It’s exciting to see how the decisions we made about the order of the pieces back in the spring look on the page.

The StreetBooks edition of Invisible is now available as a Kindle ebook and the Search Inside function is already available on Amazon for the paperback. Blackwell’s will be selling advance copies from next week and I’m due to be interviewed on BBC Oxford’s Jo in the Afternoon programme on Thursday 21st October. I’m to discuss the book and StreetBooks and something of my journey through life (currently thinking about what to include on the advance info sheet the producer has requested).

Can’t quite believe I’m off to Toronto in just over a week’s time. The Latin American Studies Association programme looks amazing.

Wondering if the Horse Shoe will be screening Downton Abbey, episode one tomorrow night. Hope so as we don’t have a telly.

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65 holmes, boom, old man’s beard etc (2010-09-29 23:01)

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[3] Watching Sherlock Holmes–Robert Downey Jr is God. Meanwhile, on a serious note, I was sad to read of the death of Holly Eley in the Times yesterday. About ten years ago when I’d lost confidence in my abilities as a critic, she sent me a series of about seven or eight seemingly random non-fiction books to review for the TLS, which by their very difference from the fiction I’d been writing about for years quite refreshed me. The last was the estimable She Moves Through the Boom, about what seemed then to be the Irish economic miracle. How this reviewing came about was itself quite random. I phoned the TLS and got Holly. I explained that I wanted to speak to Lindsay Duguid about reviewing fiction. Holly talked to me about my work and when I asked her when Lindsay would be back, she said something like, ’I think I’d like you to write 66 for me.’ Two days later a parcel of four books arrived. We never met but I have always been grateful to her.

Went to the readings at the end of the ﬁrst MSt residence of the 2010/11 year last night. Really enjoyed the students’ work and that of the guest author, Tim Pears.

Funnily enough we’d been talking about In the Place of the Fallen Leaves when we were staying in Somerset. We’d been wondering about cider-heads and what it was about the drink that caused all the trouble. It was nice to see Tim again and he settled the point.

I thought the pieces he read from his new novel were very interesting. I know his early work, having reviewed both In a Land of Plenty and A Revolution of the Sun but this was different from those. There was a measured simplicity to his prose last night, which one suspects only comes with time.

Talking of Somerset, the above pics are the last of the holiday ones I’ll post.

As far as Invisible is concerned, I’m really pleased that Blackwell is now stocking it.

Last weekend btw was partly spent working on an unusual Latin American subject request that involved researching the Mayan prophesy about cataclysmic events on 21st December 2012 and the problem of correlating the Mayan and Gregorian calendars. I had to research the subject and produce a short essay. I love my job!

Ho-hum, I can’t work out whether SW is winding me up for some strange reason. Time will tell, I suppose. Which is where I shall end.

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1.9 October toronto (2010-10-08 01:52)

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Arrived in Toronto the day before yesterday for the Latin American Studies Association congress, which is being held at the Sheraton and Hilton. Was really exciting to see the first signs of Canada–lots of tiny islands–just north of Goose Bay. Staying at the Holiday Inn on Bloor myself, which is in the heart of the University quarter. Very buzzy and full of life, this area of town. Good pubs, cafes and restaurants, plus a mass of museums and theatres, it seems like. I’ve settled on Overeasy for breakfast and Hemingway’s for dinner–latter washed down with a pint or two of Tankhouse, a dark red hoppy bitter. The half-hour walk to the congress takes me through Queen’s Park with it’s amazing squirrels–most of which have glossy black coats (some even have white paint stripes down their tails). What an amazing sight they are. I had no idea there were such squirrels. Downtown Toronto is pretty impressive, especially at night. The towerblocks are like light sculptures. A couple of coincidences. On the flight out I was sitting next to an Irish guy who now lives in Canada. It turned out that his brother is best mates with the guy who owns Hamilton’s bar in Leenane–a favourite pub. It was good to chat about Galway and about Canada. Then, yesterday, as I was setting off for the conference, I caught sight of someone heading into a shop out of the corner of my eye. There was something about her. ’It can’t be,’ I thought. But it was–a friend from Osney days, over here to talk at another conference. She’s staying at the same hotel and goes back on the same flight. Weirdly wonderful. As well as attending the conference, I’m teaching online and marking. It’s good to have a lot to do, to be honest. No matter how exciting a new city is, there are always gaps that ordinarily you struggle to fill.

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portrait room, humanities library, and gran baile? (2010-10-09 00:17)

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[3] Getting up early to go to the 7 am Gale presentation in the portrait room of the Law Library of Upper Canada was a bit of a shock to the system (not to mention the brain), although the walk downtown in 69 the dark was magical, especially going through Queen’s Park (all squirrels sound asleep, the sensible things). The Law Library is a magniﬁcent Georgian-style building opposite the Sheraton–all oak pan- elling, chandeliers and, well, portraits. Thanks to Gale-Cengage Learning for the breakfast and coffee. I really like the juxtaposition of old buildings and new in Toronto, especially in the university quarter, which I was shown round yesterday by my former colleague Miguel, a very experienced Hispanic subject specialist based at the humanities library. (He had faith in my abilities when he was in Oxford, for which I am eternally grateful.) The library itself has all the features that British libraries are only now beginning to aspire to–the banks of computers for readers, the provision of both informal and formal study space, cafes that help to make libraries not just places where you read but popular social venues, and 24/7 opening. Some great events at the Congress earlier–including a moving documentary about the migration of Cuban farmers to the cities. It was clear how much the farmers loved the land and way of life and how let down they felt by centralised agricultural marketing schemes. Tonight there is the Gran Baile at the Sheraton from 10.30 until the small hours. I’d like to go but am not sure I’ll still be awake then. We’ll see. If I do go, my route will take me past the Royal Ontario Museum, above, which somehow looks even more of a disaster-zone than it must do usually, what with the building works and bollards on the opposite side of the street.

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can’t believe, village idiot, kensington market (what a trooper) (2010-10-16 22:25)

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[3] Toronto seems like a dream. I can’t believe I was really there. Maybe if I’d had a day or two’s rest after returning, the experience would seem less unreal but as it was I had just four hours sleep after getting home before the alarm went and a busy week started. More marking, First Week of Oxford’s full term and lots of extras, including more Initiate editing (which is, though, looking very good–launches on Thursday 18th November at Blackwell, Broad Street). This time last Saturday, I was eating my last Toronto supper in the Duke of York pub, after attending the ﬁnal day at LASA and spending a couple of hours exploring something of the city. I’d been told I should visit Kensington market because I would love the atmosphere. On my way I stopped off at the Village Idiot pub (or L’idiot du village), which is opposite the Art Gallery of Toronto, at the start of a fascinating oldy-worldy quarter that includes China Town. Amongst the newish buildings are a lot of Victorian-looking terraces. Nearly all the buildings, old and new, are pretty battered. Wherever you see shops selling Artist’s Material you know you’re onto a winner. It was good to have a pint of London Pride at the Idiot (served better than in some UK pubs), although I did resist the triple-distilled Belgian Delirium Tremens (8.5 %). Bar staff wore T-shirts with the slogan, ’A good pub couldn’t function without an idiot!’ Kensington market was like I imagine the King’s Road to have been in the 60s. The tatty Isuzu Trooper cruising past, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds blaring out, said it all. Happy memories! 1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TLoZ6CdKYPI/AAAAAAAAALg/frzXWLi5wTc/s1600/ Kensington+market,+Toronto+a-743720.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TLoZ6xVo67I/AAAAAAAAALo/fMkX_fcwhjM/s1600/ Kensington+market,+Toronto+b-746063.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TLoZ7ZDI_PI/AAAAAAAAALw/zsJYSRejJZU/s1600/village+ idiot+pub,+toronto-748927.jpg 71 last of the summer veg (2010-10-17 20:38)

[1] A surprisingly sharp frost this morning.

When I went to the allotment to pull up the bean, courgette and cucumber plants I wasn’t expecting to harvest any summer veg. And yet, as the picture above shows, there were some runners and cues left.

That was a lovely surprise.

Carrots looking good although those are pretty much the THREE turnips! Not a good year for turnips, beetroots or swedes (despite lots of watering)–though the parsnips look OK.

Every year’s a challenge...

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jo thoenes, kate saunders, oxford street, kc, stephen (2010-10-24 20:38)

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[3] On Thursday I appeared on BBC Oxford’s Jo in the Afternoon programme, talking about Invisible and the big chunk of my life that I’ve lived in Oxford and Oxfordshire. I was a bit nervous before I entered the studio but was immediately put at my ease by Jo Thoenes. It was fascinating seeing how she produced the programme as it went along while developing the interview and making me feel very much at home. One of the things we talked about both before and during the interview was an incident years ago when I met the descendant of one of the characters in DH Lawrence’s The White Peacock. My girlfriend at that time was studying English at Nottingham University and I used to visit her a lot when I was studying agriculture at Cirencester. We used to go and explore the places DH Lawrence used in his novels, as described in a lovely little book called The Country of My Heart. One afternoon we went to a churchyard beside a huge mansion which featured in his first novel. It was really exciting to see things like the flight of steps from church to terrace that were so vivid in the novel (glimpsed by moonlight in the book, if I remember rightly). Anyway by then the house was a football academy and you couldn’t visit, only look at it from the churchyard. When we were there we became aware of a man standing nearby. We got talking to him and he told us that his family used to own the big house. He looked as though he’d fallen on hard times because his clothes were frayed, although he was wearing gold cufflinks with his family crest on them. He invited us back to his ’new’ house for tea. Well, the new house was pretty big too and there were Stubbs paintings on the walls and beautiful furniture. We talked to him and his wife for an hour of so. It turned out that his grandfather had been the squire in The White Peacock. This character had been criticised by Lawrence and his descendant was keen to set the record straight, revealing lots of stories about ’nasty’ Mr Lawrence in the process. Lawrence, incidentally, had particularly objected to the fact that the squire had fenced off the rabbit warrens on the estate and stopped the miners from snaring a free meal. 73 From what I remember, the rabbits were killed by the gamekeeper and sent by train to London for their meat and fur. I think Lawrence thought this mean-spirited. The squire, like his real-life counterpart, was, of course, the mine-owner.

If you’d like to listen to the interview, it’s available on the iPlayer till Wednesday and my piece starts 19 min, 10 sec into the programme: [4]http://bbc.in/9A2nlZ.

I was thrilled that Invisible got a favourable review in the Times yesterday from Kate Saunders. The web version is behind the News International paywall: [5]http://bit.ly/aTBvVt. But the best bit is: "This is Posy Simmonds territory; we’re among fretful middle-class types who take themselves very seriously and make an enormous meal of every bit of slap-and-tickle. That these people are bearable company is entirely down to the author’s lively wit and acute understanding of the emotional landscape."

Canada seems long ago now, although I have such happy memories of Toronto–including my last supper there at the Duke of York and of Oxford Street (which looked as if it were in... Oxford).

Yesterday, I went to Stephen Wall’s memorial service at Keble college chapel. Stephen was the man who interviewed me when I was applying to the college to read English and was my tutor when I was an undergraduate there. I owe him so much. He gave me an opportunity that transformed my life.

The service was secular, as Stephen must have wanted. Family and colleagues talked about their memories of him and read from his fiction and his criticism. I had not realised that one of those who spoke, Val Cunningham, had been one of his first Keble students. Neither did I realise that the brilliant critic Ian Hamilton had also been taught by Stephen. What an influential man Stephen was.

It is appropriate, perhaps, that Posy Simmonds is mentioned in the Times review of Invisble. It was Stephen who introduced me to her work. I remember vividly him telling me about Tesoddit and chuck- ling.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TMSMWTXmivI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ihia76hA9Mo/s1600/oxford+ street,+toronto-799355.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TMSMXAZHV0I/AAAAAAAAAMI/enDiA0Bvri0/s1600/Duke+of+ York,+Toronto-702669.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TMSMX6IwHCI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/qaKAc8oMhiY/s1600/Keble+ College+chapel-705689.jpg 4. http://bbc.in/9A2nlZ 5. http://bit.ly/aTBvVt

demo (2010-10-30 23:46)

[1] 74 [2] As I came out of the Stanford Centre, opposite Magdalen, last week, a stream of good-natured protesters ambled past. They had ﬂuorescent home- made placards with felt tip anti-government and save the arts slogans on them.

I’d not been aware of any protests before apart from the anti-vivisection ones on Parks Road.

Stupid not to think there wouldn’t be protests really.

It still surprised me, though, and taking these two photos reminded me of demos years ago, when Mrs T came to power–and before. I remember taking photos of people on Solidarity gatherings in Nottingham city centre when I had aspirations to be a smudger.

There is a feeling of disquiet, which is both unsettling and energising.

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1.10 November

lasa report, toronto memories, invisible weeks, initiate (2010-11-18 16:46)

[1] 75 [2]

[3] Last weekend I wrote the report on my trip to Canada that is a requirement of the funding. Writing this brought back happy memories of the conference and the city. I’m now posting what are my very last pictures! I was bowled over by the size of everything in Toronto, whether it was a ’street’ like Spadina or my hotel room which was as large as the ground floor of our house. I loved the weird thing in Toronto airport that involved jets of water powering plastic cubes round a glass tank. But my favourite memory of my last hours in Canada was a fleeting one and there was no time for pictures. I was on the bus from Bloore to Pearson, which was crammed full with people heading for work–at five-thirty on Sunday morning. I dozed for a while and when I woke up we were stopped at some traffic lights and there it was. A sign: Resurrection Road. I wanted to live on a street called that! Number 3, obviously. Frank Egerton, 3 Resurrection Road... One final memory, though, was waiting for the bus outside the Holiday Inn. This taxi passed then circled back then round again and drew up. The driver asked me if I wanted him to take me to the airport. I asked how much. $60. I said no, he offered $50 then asked me if I knew what the bus fair was. I didn’t so he came down to $40. I was tempted but still said no. He drove off. Well, when the bus came the fare was $3.50. Over the last few weeks I’ve been doing a lot of teaching and one or two Invisible promotional things. Most fun of all was my talk to Writers in Oxford about digital publishing at the Victoria Arms, Marston. The event was really lovely. It was great to see old friends and the pub has a terrific atmosphere, not to mention excellent beer and food. I did a talk, PowerPoint presentation and reading from Invisible. To start with, though, it looked like the PowerPoint wasn’t going to happen. There was a fancy laptop projector but no screen... Fortunately the pub came to the rescue with a tablecloth. Tonight I’m off to Blackwell’s for the launch of Initiate, the anthology of work by last year’s MSt grad- uates and professional writers associated with the course. I’ve been on the editorial panel that’s been working on the project for just under a year. I can’t wait to see the finished book! 76 1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TOVZaapp4pI/AAAAAAAAAMo/1E7Bq47unK0/s1600/ spadina-748270.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TOVZbI88eYI/AAAAAAAAAMw/jZRy9gyKmX0/s1600/My%2Broom% 252C%2BHoliday%2BInn-751188.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TOVZbcFnpbI/AAAAAAAAAM4/eKc9M-wUq_g/s1600/ Thing-Toronto%2Bairport-752915.jpg

1.11 December

snow, ice, things (2010-12-08 08:42)

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[2] 77 [3] The last ten days of freezing conditions have been such a shock. Somehow you don’t expect weather like this until after Christmas. The day the big freeze started, I was all set to spend Friday afternoon digging the allotment. I couldn’t believe it when I got off the bus back from Oxford and found the ground in Bampton was frozen solid.

One very sad thing has been losing several frogs. We’ve been melting holes in the ice with a coffee maker before it gets light to let in air and then keeping these ice-free throughout the day. All seemed well till the incredibly severe frost on Thursday night. On Friday morning two frogs were dead and more have died since. I don’t understand why. Is it the cold or is it some illness brought on by the cold? Melting holes in the ice like this has worked in past years. You might lose one or two frogs but never this many.

Meanwhile, on a selﬁsh note, I’m hoping that there will be a thaw round Christmas time so we can lift the carrots, swede and parsnips.

Teaching is winding up now and I’m looking forward to a nice break before the mad fortnight of launching the online courses and marking diploma assignments from 10th January...2011. Can’t believe it’s nearly 2011. For some reason 2011 seems so much further into the ’new’ century than 2010.

I was interviewed by the Oxford Times about Invisible and StreetBooks the other day. I don’t know whether I said anything interesting–or embarrassing. I just remember feeling numb with cold. Not sure when the piece is coming out.

This morning on the radio there was the usual ’on this day’ feature at 5.40 and one of the events was the shooting of John Lennon. I remember driving to Chestall to see Belinda and Radio 1 being wall-to-wall John Lennon songs. It was very cold that year too. It doesn’t seem long ago at all. Yikes!

This morning they played this clip from his last interview in which he said how safe he felt walking the New York streets. Maybe they play this clip every year but I don’t remember hearing it before.

On Monday it was the Latin American Centre Christmas party. It was great to get together with everyone. Lovely atmosphere, as always. Quite a few parties coming up, which I’m really looking forward to.

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78 ice ﬂowing, party season, nearly xmas (2010-12-17 08:35)

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[3] Spent the weekend in Hay on Wye. It was good to get away for a few days–during term it’s Oxford, Oxford. Great city but it’s nice to rediscover favourite not-Oxford places. Saw swans grazing a field of roots on the first day’s walking. It was strange how some suddenly started striding into flight and then another group. The line creaked round in a broad circle before a few curved back to the field, landing in almost the same place they’d started from. The others headed off along the river then banked inland, white kites running against the slate sky. Also saw a broad ribbon of ice flowing down the Wye off the Warren. The slabs were tight-packed up to the weir then a loose and orderly file, save for when one or two got snagged on branches or an islet. In the middle of them one time was a football, looking out of place but cheerful somehow. 79 The Sunday was beautiful sunshine and clear reviving air.

In Oxford it’s party time this week. It’s great to catch up with old friends and spend time with colleagues. Wednesday night was the Taylor dinner at the University Club–a warm, lovely evening. Today it’s the St Antony’s drinks and lunch, followed by the librarian in charge’s party at the Taylor. Then... Well then I’m at work tomorrow... Will have to pace myself.

This morning the Nokia shufﬂe has turned up rather more Star Sailor than is comfortable. I remember one moody winter lying in front of the ﬁre nights and near-drowning in Star Sailor’s complimenting melancholy. Well, that was then. Now the music’s a bit of pain to be quite honest. And mannered–once you can see how music’s done; when it’s all just sound and form and no emotion, it’s had it. Ah, what’s this, Distant Dreamer? Phew!

So, nearly Xmas. So looking forward to the break!

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Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2010-12-17 10:14:43) Have a good Christmas and thank you for keeping this expat aware of England’s charm!

frank (2010-12-18 09:29:09) Thanks, Rupert. Today’s snowy charms would be many were it not for travelling! Biggest fear is being marooned in Oxford... You too have a good Christmas!

views from the bus stop (2010-12-18 08:44)

[1] 80 [2]

[3] Two great parties yesterday.

Now on the bus to Witney which is tootling through some distinctly snowy–getting snowier–west Ox- fordshire countryside. I’ll change at Witney for Oxford. With luck I’ll get there in time for a quick coffee at Green’s before opening up the Taylor for 10.

Took these pics while waiting at the bus stop at the top of our road in Bampton.

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81 views from the bus (2010-12-18 14:08)

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[3] Well, my morning at the library was pretty short. When the snow grew really heavy, I was allowed to go home because I had furthest to go–thanks a million guys. At the bus queue all the talk was of the service being suspended but then an S1 loomed into the top of George Street and a back seat on the top deck is where I’ve been for the last two-and-a-half hours. Nice atmosphere on the bus, though. Everyone patient, friendly. That slightly nervous sense of AN adventure too. The crawl to Botley was SO slow, then we were ﬂying (everything’s relative) on the back road to Eyn- sham (where these pics were taken). Now stuck on A40... Still, a midwinter chance to chat on Facebook–haven’t done that for years, feels like. 82 Yikes! The snow here is DEEP!

Writing to the accompaniment of Thom Yorke’s Harrowdown Hill btw.

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snow walk (2010-12-19 23:07)

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[2] 83 [3] Lovely walk in the snow earlier.

The sun broke through and for a time you could feel its warmth.

Now it’s night and even though the log ﬁre is as hot as it gets there is still a chill in the room.

The cold makes me feel really sleepy!

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holiday (2010-12-22 17:31)

[1] 84 [2]

[3] Yesterday I ﬁnished pretty much all the work I had to do before the Christmas and New Year holiday. It took less time than I expected and it was great to start the break early.

This morning I had a lie-in till 6.30 before walking round the village once it got light (see pics above). It was so strange not having to think about work. Also, I haven’t done the walk I did for so long–maybe a year? Awesome.

One of the things I want to do this holiday is read–read for fun. A book I picked out was The White Peacock by DH Lawrence, which I read in about 1980, then sometime in the 90s. It feels about the right time to look at it again. It was really strange but I did notice a lot of new bits when I tried the ﬁrst chapter. It was as if I’d never read it before in my life. Uh-oh. Ageing process not going quite according to plan...

Meanwhile, headed for Oxford earlier to do Christmas shopping. Roads so much better. Oxford relatively quiet, I would say.

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85 end of the cold war, humanism, friends, happy christmas (2010-12-24 22:12)

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[3] We went on a lovely walk this afternoon in the snow. There are a lot of green lanes near the village and it’s easy to imagine you’re catching glimpses of how the landscape looked in previous centuries. There is also what remains of RAF Bampton Castle–shown in two of the above pics. Now the buildings have been turned into business units and only a couple of the installation’s steel towers are left. But when we moved here ten years ago, the place was still a cold war listening station. There were armed sentries, giant pylons and porcupine ﬁelds bristling with rows of little masts. Then it was de- commissioned, over night it seemed like, and diggers worked late into the evening, eerily clandestine, dismantling everything. 86 On the way home this afternoon, we called in at the Morris Clown and saw friends, which was lovely. Excellent Christmas Bonus on handpump too.

At home, listening to the radio, I heard a news item about the Pope’s broadcast on the Today programme earlier, which I missed. David Starkey was on talking about the Rationalist Association.

I have to say that I have a lot of time for the RA and its magazine The New Humanist. I ﬁrst came across it–and its fellow Humanist publication, The Freethinker–amongst the piles of magazines in the graduate common room at the Bodleian in the early nineties. Someone, I don’t know who, used to put them out for people. Reading them was a life-changing event. Magazines that contained articles written from a point of view that I’d felt but not been able to express myself.

At the same time as I discovered these mags, my parents moved to a cottage not far away from my old junior school in Gloucestershire. I walked sometimes beyond the Roman Camp to the church above the school. Years before I’d played Joseph in the nativity play to Sally M’s Mary. Sally’s dad was Egyptian and she was dark and very pretty. She was kind too and I was in love with her, of course. I remember the evening light in the church one time in the nineties and how magical it seemed. It put me in touch with the poetry of religion and how I’d felt about it as a child.

For a time, in the nineties, there was a Humanist programme at Westminster College, Oxford, and I considered applying to do a masters in the subject. I explained that I saw myself as a Christian Humanist and the people running the programme seemed to be interested in what I wanted to research.

Despite thinking of myself as a Humanist, the Christian part mentioned above remains important to me, because, I suppose that was the tradition I was brought up with. During the difﬁcult family times during the nineteen-nineties I prayed. And recently, when old sadnesses have resurfaced, I sometimes stop at St Barnabas on my walk into work and pray–often using a Catholic prayer book, which I bought years ago at Worth Abbey when I was visiting a friend who was part of the lay community.

Are, I wonder, my religious-humanist views confused, post-modern, dilettante or just muddled-normal?

Well, tonight, rather than midnight mass, it’s off to the Horse Shoe for the bawdy christo-pagan mummers play. The Bampton mummers have been performing the same play–with topical additions–since the mid-nineteenth century. It’s great!

Later, by the ﬁre at home, I’ll think of friends and wish them a very happy Christmas.

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87 shifford walk (2010-12-27 00:42)

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[3] Surprisingly chipper today after long, long Christmas day. Went to Morris Clown at lunchtime yesterday, which was, as usual, great. Today, the temperature didn’t get above freezing, although we had a wonderful walk from Tadpole Bridge to the weir to the south of Shifford Lock. Just after the bridge (above), half-way along, we met a friend and watched a barn owl working Chimney Meadows nature reserve. A feature of the nature reserve–and other stretches of the Thames hereabouts (frozen over in parts, incidentally)–are the World War II pillboxes. These seem so out of place now–brutal concrete polygons with mean gun-slits–but there must have been a strategic reason for them years ago. 88 After the walk we had a pint at the Trout at Tadpole, a pub which was immortalised by the brilliant travel writer and illustrator, Robert Gibbings. I think he would still recognise the place, though some walls have been knocked out and the intimacy he describes has gone.

Later, at home, we watched more of Downton Abbey–so gripping! It’s amazing but my blog got masses of hits during the broadcast of the series, because of one or two of my photos, but I’ve not seen the programme because we don’t have a TV. Terriﬁc to catch up. The village streets seem really spacious–no cars parked in them.

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kelmscott (2010-12-28 19:03)

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[2] 89 [3] An enjoyable late walk to the west of Kelmscott– starting and ending at the Plough; passing the manor; turning onto the Thames path; heading to Eaton weir (no sign of the old flash weir that used to be there up to the 1930s, nor of the inn that was destroyed by fire–’in tragic circumstances’ according to the National Trail Guide–just some rather picturesque moorings and a warehouse); then to Buscot lock; up to the Lechlade road and back to Kelmscott for a pint of Marston spiced ale. The light was fading, even at 3 pm, and there was a mist from the melting snow–this was yesterday. The snow, though, was still very much there, in contrast to today, when, in Bampton at least, all but the deeper traces have gone. The roads to Kelmscott hadn’t been salted and were treacherous despite winter tyres. These tyres are especially good when it’s icy but the slush seems to clog them and they slip a bit. There was one abandoned car with its bonnet smashed in and at the pub people talked about other accidents over Christmas. William Morris’ manor was all shut up. I tried to take a photo over the wall but all I got were shrubs with one or two glimpses of the building behind. In the paddock before you got to the manor there was giant bull–red Devon, perhaps. It seemed placid enough. It was when the Downton Abbey filming started that I last posted a photo of the Plough. That was over six months ago and it was spring. In a way it seems a lifetime away because it was then that I was phoned about family problems that I’d no inkling of before then. Over the summer and into autumn the news got worse and worse–unbelievably so. There was a flare-up over Christmas, as is always said to be the way at this time of year. Some people are their own worst enemies–and I suppose one will never change them, no matter how much one hopes they might change. So sad to think of someone so wilfully isolated and destructive. Now off to drinks at a house we’ve always wanted to see inside. How nosy!

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Anita (2010-12-31 20:13:03) I would love to see Kelmscott, but I believe it’s not easy to do that!

frank (2010-12-31 20:29:02) Well, it’s open on just one or two days a week during the summer. You can ﬁnd out about it on the Society of Antiquaries website (I think). Well worth a visit.

90 bull (2010-12-28 21:14)

[1] Our new friends’ house was darker than expected and there was no sound of guests enjoying themselves. But then the door was thick. We rang the bell, which mercifully didn’t work. A tiptoe round the side and a peep in the kitchen conﬁrmed that no party was being held tonight. Back home, after wandering through the village all dressed up, we looked at the invitation. Yep, tomorrow night. I blame all these bank holidays. No idea what day of the week it is. Meanwhile, in response to a request, here is the bull. Hoping for my ﬁrst bike ride in ages tomorrow.

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happy new year! (2010-12-31 19:45)

[1] Well, according to our local MP, David Cameron, the road ahead is a tad uncertain. At least the bike’s ready, even if I’m not! Happy New Year!!!

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91 Anita (2010-12-31 20:10:40) Happy New Year, and happy Writing, Frank!

92 Chapter 2

2011

2.1 January

espresso, rain, end of ﬁrst week (2011-01-07 09:08)

[1] Nearly the end of the ﬁrst week back at work. Great to see everybody and talk about the holidays.

But what a morning! The heaviest rain I’ve seen for ages with these huge puddles along the kerbs, which buses and drivers just thump through. When I walked along St Giles’ just now this black Golf screamed down the side lane and soaked three people. Don’t get me started.

Meanwhile, in Greens now, sipping a single espresso (the doubles start when the year gets really hectic– next week probably). Jazz-funk in the background, warm atmosphere...

Yeah, this week’s been OK.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TSbY00wMMCI/AAAAAAAAAQs/h69lNjPHdyw/s1600/ greens-jan-rain-706944.jpg

93 ﬁrst day of spring (2011-01-12 07:59)

[1]

[2]

[3] First day of spring might be a bit of an exaggera- tion but last Sunday was the first time I’d felt that spring was in the air since the new year began with the Winter Solstice. (No, I’m not a Pagan but taking the solstice as the end of the old year and beginning of the new does seem good sense. Perhaps I am a Pagan.) The sunlight on Sunday was just that bit richer than it has been and when you were out of the wind there was real warmth in the sun. Even when you were in the wind there was something not so defeating about the cold. I went for a long cycle ride down towards the Thames, along the Great Brook (into which all the streams in the valley flow before it reaches the Thames at Shifford Lock) and round to Mount Owen (road, telegraph poles and valley, above). 94 The photo of the trees and water shows an unusual feature that always looks as if it’s the remains of an old moat, although there is nothing to suggest it is on the OS map. I did read, though, in the Victoria County History that the Romans settled close to the Thames and not where the present village stands. Somehow moat and Roman settlements got all mixed together in my imagination and were then stirred into the little story about the Leper’s Tower towards the end of Invisible. (The leper bit, incidentally came from a tale about Roche Rock in Cornwall, told to me by a family friend when I was a boy.) The other photo shows a reed bed that the local thatcher grows. Nowadays relatively few houses in Bampton are thatched but many more used to be in previous centuries. Our little terrace replaced a row of thatched tenements, with earth floors and deep roofs that came down to a low stone wall. The rebuilding took place in the 1880s–late compared to many parts of the country. But then Bampton time does seem different to time in the rest of the world.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TS1luef6xII/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Vpd6mIMpFIs/s1600/ moat-perhaps-near%2Btadpole%2Bbridge-792250.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TS1lu5grxwI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/qYK9l72zdUY/s1600/reed% 2Bbed%2Bnear%2Btadpole%2Bbridge-794633.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TS1lvK0QUQI/AAAAAAAAARE/Yih1QbiIAUI/s1600/mount% 2Bowen%2Broad%2Bjan%2B11-796287.jpg

snowdog (2011-01-18 22:27)

[EMBED] Bright and beautiful day. Colder too, although it’s now hard to remember what it was like when it snowed before Christmas. As a reminder, here’s the dog.

oxford times interview, our book reviews online, oxford writer (2011-01-28 08:58)

[1] One or two new pieces have been published about Invisible and StreetBooks over the last fortnight. 95 Yesterday, the interview I did with Gill Oliver of the Oxford Times came out ([2]http://bit.ly/eSC4ZP) and earlier in the week an interesting review of Invisible appeared on the Our Book Reviews Online website ([3]http://bit.ly/dKrXkc). The piece was entitled Dark Romance, which I liked.

There were also three articles in the January issue of the Oxford Writer (newsletter of Writers in Oxford: [4]http://www.writersinoxford.org) that mentioned Invisible and StreetBooks.

The ﬁrst, in the Book News and Reviews section, drew attention to the ’beautiful cover’ (above), which was designed by my friend Andrew Chapman (also a member of WiO). The piece concluded: ’A story of love, the forging and loosening of relationships and a strong sense of place pervade Invisible and its inner nature has been beautifully caught in Andrew’s cover.’

The other two articles–a report on my talk to WiO, Bespoke Publishing, the Way Forward?, and the front page story, Making Our Own Luck–were linked.

In the former, Dennis Hamley wrote:

’Frank looked back eight years, when he was planning his second novel Invisible, and an encounter with an established novelist who told him, "You are a writer. Publishers are publishers."

’Frank strongly disagreed, realising that he wanted to be a writer-publisher, and started the long process of setting up his own small press. So began a long apprenticeship in learning new technology, through visits to the London Book Fair, The Bookseller and papers on the Web...

’Retrenchment by the big publishers has long passed a reasonable level and the number of new ways to ﬁnd publication, helped by the new technology, has burgeoned.’

As a novelist and a tutor of creative writing I am fascinated by the opportunities that new technologies, such as e-books and print on demand, offer writers.

The lead article in the Oxford Writer drew on my talk and those by other members, including Andrew Chapman and Mary Cavanagh, to start a debate among the membership on the possibility of collective publishing–for both new work and back-list titles.

This debate is timely and one that I shall watch with great interest.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GplcXcfHRW8/TUKFvjs88oI/AAAAAAAAARM/qTBQUcQjWe8/s1600/ invisible-cover-746208.jpg 2. http://bit.ly/eSC4ZP 3. http://bit.ly/dKrXkc 4. http://www.writersinoxford.org/

96 2.2 February

bampton library read-in (2011-02-11 09:51)

[1]

I was honoured to be asked to take part in the read-in last Saturday at Bampton library, one of 20 that Oxfordshire County Council wants to close. Supporters gathered in the Market Square before walking along Rosemary Lane to the seventeenth- century building that houses the library and meeting room. The building, along with the neighbouring houses and cottages, featured in the recent TV series Downton Abbey. Kirsty Young started the event off by expressing wholehearted support for the read-in and saying how much libraries had meant to her when she was a child. The read-in took place in the library meeting room and people dropped by throughout the morning to listen to the invited authors or to read a favourite poem or a passage from a cherished book. Meanwhile the library itself was open for business. Many books were borrowed and new members signed up. Kirsty Young began the readings with a children’s story and was great with the kids. The guest writers included local authors Mary Hoffman (a veteran supporter of save-library campaigns), Linda Newbery, Candida Lycett Green, David Wiseman and Spooks writer Richard McBrian. It was lovely to see Candida Lycett Green. In 2002 I reviewed her wonderful book Over the Hills and Far Away for the TLS. The book combines a celebration of the English countryside with memories of her father and mother, Sir John and Lady Betjeman. Candida wrote the book after making a journey through parts of England on horseback to raise money for a cancer charity–she had not long before been treated for breast cancer. My readings were a short extract from Invisible about the rural landscape around Bampton and a poem by the Cuban writer and journalist Yndamiro Restano called Prison. Restano was imprisoned in the early 1990s for what he had written. The poem was taken from the anthology Another Sky, which is published in association with English PEN ([2]http://www.englishpen.org), the organisation that campaigns for writers of conscience who are imprisoned or censored around the world. I wanted to make the point that freedom of speech and an appreciation of how vital books are to our wellbeing, our education and to our culture are supposed to be prized in this country and how incom- prehensible it is that libraries are being targeted for closure.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfuTUeXt-V8/TVUHOoUsARI/AAAAAAAAARY/cmUQ597KrMA/s1600/bampton% 2Blibrary%2Bread-in-741364.jpg 2. http://www.englishpen.org/

97 ora (2011-02-17 19:40)

[1]

A copy of the uncut and unedited version of Invisible is now part of the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA). If you want to view the file, follow the QR code above on your mobile phone or head for [2]http://tinyurl.com/6ffu598. The text in the archive is the self-same that I completed on the 24th April 2006. As I wrote the first draft during the preceding years, I edited what I had written each day when I got back home from working as a cataloguer at the Oxford Union Library. The original material would be typed into a Sharp organiser (most of the first draft) or an HTC Vario (the last couple of chapters) while I travelled on the 18 Bampton to Oxford bus. During 2006/07 I rewrote the whole first draft and eventually decided to cut about 10,000 words–after having discussed the typescript with Keiren Phelan of Arts Council South East and Frank Cottrell Boyce. Although I think cutting was the right choice, it’s nice to have the chance to make the uncut version available.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_cbsLhyc0Yk/TV12tmCCRNI/AAAAAAAAARg/019eoGCoX9w/s1600/Invisible_ ORA.png 2. http://tinyurl.com/6ffu598

jtns a year on, spring walk (2011-02-25 09:09)

[1] 98 [2] Enjoyed strolling along the Oxford canal just now. There was a warm south-west breeze and as I walked it was as if I slipped spring over my head like a sweater and wore it for a while. justthoughtsnstuff.com is btw a year old now. Thanks for following! Don’t approve of picking snowdrops but liked the arrangement.

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early bike ride, bampton church (2011-02-27 09:34)

[1] Went cycling at 6 this morning–needed to be out early because I’ve lots of work to do today. Up to 4 pm anyway, when I can relax. Surprisingly sharp air frost, although it thawed quickly and there was no ice on the frog pond. There are several frogs in the pond btw, which is nice to see after many animals died during the bitter snows over Christmas. Some of the frogs survived in the pond, others are newcomers–frogs are on the move in the gardens at the back of our terrace. Above is a picture of Bampton’s 12th century church, which has been re-roofed over the last two years. The pitches above the choir (nearest end) were still being done when Downton Abbey was filmed and there was a very un-Edwardian-looking plastic canopy over them–see [2]pic from last spring. I can’t remember what the film makers did about blocking the canopy out in the film–maybe they slotted in a digital image of that half of the church. I’ll have to check our DVD. 99 Now, at 9 am, it is surprisingly sunny and springlike outside. The weather forecasters seem to have got their predictions wrong.

Over breakfast I read Peter Kemp’s review of Justin Cartwright’s new novel [3]Other People’s Money in the Sunday Times. The novel charts the desperate struggles of crooked ﬁnanciers and politicians to cover up a failing investment bank. Sounds a great read.

1. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zN1uzL3zjiQ/TWoWIoKWEEI/AAAAAAAAAR4/6T5JbFEQ5H0/s1600/ bampton+church+feb+11.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2010/04/returned-to-bampton-this-afternoon.html 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Peoples-Money-Justin-Cartwright/dp/1408803887/ref=sr_1_5?ie= UTF8&qid=1298798767&sr=8-5

2.3 March

bloomin spring (2011-03-15 08:34)

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[2] 100 [3] It’s a change not to be reading students’ work on the bus to Oxford. I have time to look at the spring landscape. At Standlake, the meadows by the river Windrush have a ﬁne mist over them, which makes the grass seem even more green than in the sun. Beyond Northmoor, looking towards the Thames, the mist has turned to fog and the escarpment below Appleton is hidden. Although much of this year has been dry and not too cold the memory of the snows round Christmas lasts and it seems a relief to feel the days getting warmer. It feels like it’s been a long winter. Not one that has left me feeling depleted, as some do, but as if I have been in a state of walking hibernation. Yesterday lunchtime, I had to drop a letter off at Stanford and went via Queen’s Lane. As I rounded one of the sharp bends I suddenly realised that the air above me was alive with buzzing. Masses of tiny bees hovered round the buds of one of the New College trees. Returning along the High Street, I was excited to see the cherry outside St Mary’s, the University Church in ﬂower. I missed it last year. This time it seems earlier than usual. Meanwhile, in Bampton the daffs that ring the bases of the line of limes in our street are out. 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXKcHMT-Lc0/TX8kolJ9RYI/AAAAAAAAAR8/JkSxaVo0AEQ/s1600/cherry% 252C%2Bst%2Bmary%2527s%2Bb-780799.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQJyBDqs7Ww/TX8kpEoDzgI/AAAAAAAAASE/mFw-yr7g4Sc/s1600/bampton% 2Bdaffs-783761.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yAz5PX3c4Rw/TX8kpu4ZHRI/AAAAAAAAASM/UXzAwSLLgIM/s1600/cherry% 252C%2Bst%2Bmary%2527s%2Ba-785884.jpg

west hanney (2011-03-18 21:48)

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Long lie-in. Such a treat on a Friday. Had a Times Eat Out for £5 lunch at the Plough, West Hanney–a great little pub in a beautiful village. Now in Oxfordshire but before the boundary changes in the 1970s in West Berkshire. Definitely has a West Berks feel–red brick, thatch, dark beamed bar. Delicious lightly malty Vale Brewery Best on handpump. Lovely walk after lunch, which we first did in late summer last year. Much more stark this time, walking south of the village: a deep field of spring corn, a brake of skeletal trees and the Ridgeway beyond. The return journey is by a green lane, fallen burdock along its route, fresh grass growing up, a clump of wild-ish daffodils.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZS0SOnG_SU/TYPUNSCFUbI/AAAAAAAAASU/EE5vIs5tRnA/s1600/west% 2Bhanney%2Bchurch-773080.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m34VDyeZCNU/TYPUNyBjGbI/AAAAAAAAASc/YrY8eFG4wrw/s1600/west% 2Bhanney%2Bos%2Bmap-775058.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HTTnWRlvang/TYPUOTM_-aI/AAAAAAAAASk/K9ah1Irm_E0/s1600/lane%252C% 2Bwest%2B%2Bhanney-776637.jpg

102 bampton moon (2011-03-18 22:36)

[1] By-the-by a beautiful nearly full moon this evening.

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kelmscott spring walk (2011-03-20 22:27)

[1] Did the Kelmscott circular walk this afternoon– the one that takes you by the Thames to Buscot Lock and back along the Lechlade road. The last time we did it was during the snows in between Christmas and New Year (see post, Tuesday 28th December 2010).

This time, the sun was shining and the land was fresh and new. The banks of the Thames between to boatyard, above, and the lock are lined with reeds.

Sat out in the garden at the Plough. Good pint of Lechlade Thames Tickler.

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103 fog, thames and time off (2011-03-25 17:25)

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[2]

[3] Love this weather. Such a surprise. Had to be in Oxford for 8 am MSt meeting this morning, so drove rather than bussed it. Stopped to take a couple of pics from Tadpole Bridge looking east along the Thames into the fog and sun. By the time I crossed the Thames again–on foot over Osney Bridge–the fog had lifted and the city was hotting up. Great to have afternoon off yesterday and today. I say ’off’ but there have been masses of catch-up things to do. Fun, though. Off to dig on allotment shortly.

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dawn chorus, barn owl, 192, kingcups (2011-03-27 10:47)

[1]

[2] Up early this morning because there were assignments to go through. Went out onto the lawn with a cup of tea to enjoy the twilight. Only to be deafened by the dawn chorus. Retreated to tranquillity of kitchen. But not before being stunned into complete immobility by the sight of a barn owl perched on our neighbour’s fence. Then a particularly loud-voiced sparrow struck up and the owl morphed into a ﬂuffy body and a very feline proﬁle with pointy ears scowling to the left. Can’t win em all. Talking of double-takes, I was surprised to see in one entry on 192.com that the people who sold us the house ten years ago are still here, living with us. I wonder where they are. After the owl-cat incident I cycled for an hour, coming back along the gated road, where these two pics were taken. I was especially excited to see the kingcups, which cheered an otherwise fetid-looking ditch, whose surface was stirred by disturbing bubbly burps as I approached.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3QPZYqqiQmY/TY8DWSk2sOI/AAAAAAAAATU/vKUl0hFgg_4/s1600/oak+n+ daffs%252C+calcroft+lane.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3QHtu4C5uvc/TY8DqPY2uPI/AAAAAAAAATY/OdgJvIUQvjo/s1600/kingcups% 252C+calcroft+lane.jpg 105 2.4 April sunrise over bampton (2011-04-02 08:37)

[1] Up early. Still surprised by how dark it is when I set off cycling at 6 since the clocks went forward. Extra evening light is great, though. Was returning to Bampton just as the sun rose behind the church–its spire a tiny needle in the pic above. More assignments to go through today. Earlier in the week I went to the leaving do for my boss at the Taylor. Sad she’s leaving–I owe her a lot– but what a terriﬁc party! So nice to catch up with old friends and drink wine in beautiful neo-classical surroundings.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B20NgEZFvnY/TZbQJfa9PgI/AAAAAAAAATc/WTjfFuj1gKI/s1600/sunrise+ behind+bampton+church.jpg

embers, ﬂames, mist, osr and julie (2011-04-03 09:12)

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106 embers, ﬂames, mist, osr, tadpoles and julie (2011-04-03 09:27)

[1]

[2]

I love it when you come downstairs on some mornings and the logs in the fireplace look dead but when you start sweeping the grate you realise there are still embers and once you’ve pushed the logs together you soon have a fire that takes the chill off the room. Not that it felt particularly chilly in the house or garden this morning. It was only when I was cycling away from the village that it was cold. Out in the lanes it was near freezing and the air nipped at my thumbs. There was a mist too hovering above the fields, including the one above. Oilseed rape just coming into flower. Tadpoles in our pond btw. Meanwhile over breakfast I read a lovely review of [3]When the Children Came Home in the Sunday Times, the new oral history book by my friend and predecessor as chair of Writers in Oxford, Julie Summers.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-37yYTBM8qDw/TZgs563X4iI/AAAAAAAAATk/EImAkUnzGAI/s1600/early+ morning+fire.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyrAo8e6uKc/TZgtIHQKDLI/AAAAAAAAATo/AHaOulIT_JQ/s1600/sun%252C+ mist+and+oilseed.jpg 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Children-Came-Home-Evacuees/dp/1847377254/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1301819052&sr=8-1

107 sedge (2011-04-06 08:52)

[1] Hottest day of the year coming up–so they say. Lovely walk along the Oxford canal this morning, certainly. Can’t help thinking sedge is a much neglected plant. Meanwhile sipping espresso (single) before work at the Woodstock Road Deli. Delicious. 1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0HfJdF_9z8/TZwcYrPtt0I/AAAAAAAAATs/gJfRniEU0C4/s1600/sedge% 2Bby%2Boxford%2Bcanal-713553.jpg

dibber, spuds, eucalyptus and what the butler saw (2011-04-09 17:27)

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[2] It’s that time of year again. 108 Went up to allotment early, dug the last bit of spud ground and planted eleven rows.

Cara, Charlotte, Estima and Kestrel.

The sunny weather has been a gift as far as preparing the soil has been concerned. Plus not having to concentrate on Writers in Oxford literary festival things has meant I can get on with digging in late March/early April for the ﬁrst time in, what, seven years?

Funnily enough we met up with our friends Carol and Steve last night–it was Carol who gave us the brilliant potato dibber in the photos. It belonged to her dad.

We shared a table with them at a rehearsed reading of Joe Orton’s play What the Butler Saw at the village hall. Such a wacky play. And very nicely done–produced by neighbour Trevor Milne-Day.

Was intrigued by how strongly the shadow of the eucalyptus came out in the more general photo.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kK-NiKHKlHI/TaCKIUxD62I/AAAAAAAAAT0/so70UZN74VE/s1600/allotment% 252C%2Bspring%2B11-752759.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vFbhT-Ud2o/TaCKI7QuUKI/AAAAAAAAAT8/woX_1QtedRw/s1600/dibber% 2Band%2Bkestrel-754494.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-04-09 18:40:56) Plot to the left looks as if true enthusiasts have been at work! Never try to keep up with allotment neighbours. ;-(

frank (2011-04-09 20:44:21) Yes, absolutely. That’s Matthew’s plot, who is very much the ’Father’ of the allotments and who has helped out with the loan of a rotavator when time ran out in the past. He is also a wonderful Morris musician and historian!

oxford lit fest, a book for all and none, sheep (2011-04-10 17:20)

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Went to the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival yesterday to hear my MSt in Creative Writing boss, Clare Morgan, talk about her forthcoming novel, [4]A Book for All and None (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 978-0-297-86373-1). She was appearing with Catherine Hall and Simon Lelic and the event was chaired by Rachel Hore. An enjoyable hour of readings and discussions about writing, editing, writing about historical figures and the importance of a sense of place in fiction. Getting to the event meant a lot of running in sweltering heat. The Park & Ride bus dropped me in a completely different place to where I’d been expecting, with only minutes to go before the event started. When did they change the route! Bought a copy of Clare’s book, which has its official launch in June. First lie-in for a few weeks this morning. Cycle before late breakfast. Liked bucolic scene by moat- looking thing down by Tadpole Bridge, which I photographed last on what felt like the first day of spring at the start of the year.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lWeYASXKm3k/TaHZ2dpsJLI/AAAAAAAAAUE/WEg5H-mUfBY/s1600/ox%2Blit% 2Bfest%2Bb-796549.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc1vYD7agxs/TaHZ2i-ggiI/AAAAAAAAAUM/lvF3OQQvMOc/s1600/sheep% 2Bnear%2Btadpole%2Bbridge-797940.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3ns4jy06aI/TaHZ2-fCddI/AAAAAAAAAUU/ncc38g11nOE/s1600/ox%2Blit% 2Bfest%2Ba-799220.jpg 4. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-All-None-Clare-Morgan/dp/0297863738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie= UTF8&qid=1302721522&sr=1-1

110 st frideswide’s square (2011-04-12 20:17)

[1]

On the bus on the way home. Went to colleague’s leaving do at the Divinity School, which was fun. Good luck, Jayne! Lovely to see, amongst other old friends, Helen, who used to work at the Bod and who we knew when we lived on Osney. Also went to a former diploma student’s book launch in north Oxford. Look out for [2]The Partridge and the Pelican by Rachel Crowther, Hookline Books, ISBN 9780956517791. Hoped to hear Rachel read but had to leave before she had time to do so–too busy signing books. Can’t be bad! Beautiful sunset over St Frideswide’s Square and the Said Business School when I started typing. Slightly melancholy in a chilly-tingly sort of way, it has to be said. Now going through Eynsham listening to Zane Lowe’s album of the week from Fleet Foxes. Gorgeous music.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqQIYaxcPdM/TaSmIRW5l4I/AAAAAAAAAUc/Hg3kZnl6Q8U/s1600/said% 2Bbusiness%2Bschool-763769.jpg 2. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Partridge-Pelican-Rachel-Crowther/dp/095651779X/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1302721420&sr=8-1

sunrise, keble, downton (2011-04-13 20:20)

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[4]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [5]www.frankegerton.com Brilliant sky over the end of the garden this morning as I was sipping my tea. Not long to go now before I get some days off–yippee. Feeling like I need a break. Had a lovely lunch at Keble during which I talked newsletters, which was fascinating. Loved being in the fellows dining-room for, I think, the first time since the finalists’ supper back in ’88. Strange things have been happening south of the church in Bampton today. A postbox has replaced the dog-poo bin by the library. This can only mean one thing: filming of Downton Abbey Series Two is about to kick off.

1. http: //1.bp.blogspot.com/-qDGt21dEvpc/TaX1DU9z4tI/AAAAAAAAAUk/E-2JCIKHvzw/s1600/garden+dawn.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PTiO_ti5hN0/TaX1LzQEb9I/AAAAAAAAAUo/Cd5emZKpuwM/s1600/keble+in+ april+b.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N_QUz2AkUQE/TaX1kNF9akI/AAAAAAAAAUs/xKphD5a8HVc/s1600/downton+ post+box.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 5. http://www.frankegerton.com/

Anonymous (2011-04-14 22:06:38) Where do the comments go? Best Lola.

112 yellow, green, blue (2011-04-15 07:48)

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Not into work till 10.30 this morning, so went cycling. Took these pics along Calcroft Lane, aka the gated road (only the gates fell to bits ages ago). The Thames ﬂoodplain is so wide round Bampton. Reminds me of the landscapes in those Hungarian ﬁlms with unpronouncable names I used to watch at the NFT back in the late 70s.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YTkMrvXzQs/TafoXFChRAI/AAAAAAAAAU0/kr0lAOJV5jA/s1600/osr%252C+ gated+road.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h8Km4K9BIz0/TafoPLbJ0GI/AAAAAAAAAUw/lHHYqyYV6Rw/s1600/osr+and+ kingcups.jpg

113 cowslips (2011-04-17 13:40)

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I mentioned in a [2]post last year that I have a memory of lying in a watermeadow on Tynings Farm when I was a boy and staring into the cowslips that grew so thickly across the whole field. (I also remember watching people skating on the same field after the floods froze over one winter.) You so rarely see wild cowslips in any great number nowadays but today when I was cycling I came across a broad verge with a fair number of them growing on it. Lovely to see!

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FubnsVlnn_k/TareBlXr89I/AAAAAAAAAU4/61Kd6O9wX3c/s1600/cowslips. jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2010/04/faces-of-countryside.html

woodstock, blenheim rules, shifford insect lodge (2011-04-20 00:32)

[1] 114 [2]

[3]

Stayed in Woodstock last night. Had supper at a pub that was an intriguing mix of traditional English and downtown midwest USA. Tried to get into Blenheim grounds this morning to do walk we did years ago. But when Jess showed her RHS card she was told that ’Blenheim rules’ mean that only the RHS member can enter the grounds for free. The second person has to pay over £11. Decided to return to Bampton and have a drink in the garden at the Trout at Tadpole, then walk to Shifford lock. Not before, though, calling in at the Woodstock Bookshop ([4]http://www.woodstockbookshop.co.uk) to ask if they would be interested in stocking Invisible. Rachel Phipps said yes, which is great! On the way to the bookshop we passed Brotherton’s, where I used to work as barman back in the 80s. Along the Thames path to Shifford, we saw a swallow, some reed buntings and a cormorant, and heard some reed warblers. Loved the bulrushes above and the fascinating insect lodge at Shifford lock. Extraordinarily hot today–certainly didn’t feel like April. A terriﬁc day–though spoilt at various times by the never-ending family problems. Some behind-the-scenes photos of Downton Abbey ﬁlming tomorrow.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ak7SELkt5tc/Ta4bnHDVJQI/AAAAAAAAAVM/uziHJbKLCrA/s1600/woodstock% 2Bdiner-763069.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4gtmdKApG4o/Ta4blBqcVEI/AAAAAAAAAU8/yekQzFKBdaA/s1600/late% 2Bbulrushes-754962.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fsgOAVE_ntQ/Ta4blltmpnI/AAAAAAAAAVE/WgTkR7DDgwo/s1600/shifford% 2Binsect%2Blodge-757680.jpg 4. http://www.woodstockbookshop.co.uk/

115 downton abbey, the wall, mr whicher (2011-04-20 16:13)

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[3] [4]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [5]www.frankegerton.com Well, the Downton Abbey filming is over for the time being. This time a beautiful red charabanc was unloaded from the back of an artic–the series being fascinating not just for its stars and plot but for its vehicles and set decoration. One major event that got people in Bampton wondering recently was the collapse of a substantial section of stone wall. Sadly it fell on top of our friends’ car and caused a lot of damage but I have to confess that my next thought after being concerned for our friends was what were the film-makers going to do now. What the film-makers did appears in one the photos above, though one wouldn’t have known there had been any problems once the prop was put up. Amazing to see streets clear of cars, which are usually bumper-to-bumper. 116 An old man told me once how he could remember when the first car started being parked in our street and how it had been the only one for several years. Meanwhile, another film shot partly in Bampton, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, goes out on ITV at 9 pm, Easter Monday.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C4__35Rq9ig/Ta7x37C5ipI/AAAAAAAAAVU/ikhiuEVASdM/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pW5TFtqA5os/Ta7yLD67pdI/AAAAAAAAAVY/79At78CN9Ng/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+b.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1O0l6BqaK7Q/Ta7yaAqIOeI/AAAAAAAAAVc/1WWMjXhkClE/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+c.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 5. http://www.frankegerton.com/

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-04-21 06:59:39) The electric tricycle ﬁts in very well! ;-)

happy easter, downton, kelmscott picnic, invisible (2011-04-24 11:39)

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[2] 117 [3] [4]justthoughtsnstuff.com is the blog of novelist Frank Egerton. [5]www.frankegerton.com Happy Easter! Bampton continues to enjoy amazingly sunny weather. The last couple of nights, after midnight, I’ve sat out on our tiny patio and read in the light from the kitchen window, every now and then sipping wine or gazing at the stars. I can’t ever remember an April like this. We had a great picnic on the banks of the Thames just below William Morris’ manor at Kelmscott on Good Friday. Not far, in fact, from where the two main characters in Invisible picnic and argue. Fortu- nately, life didn’t imitate ﬁction. Meanwhile, the Downton Abbey sets have been packed up for a bit and the wonderful red charabanc– seen from the churchyard above–has been loaded onto its artic and driven home. Enjoy today–and the bank holiday, if you’re in the UK! 1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uQz2JX_cGQQ/TbP5_5AurLI/AAAAAAAAAVg/t2Fak6ys4EU/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+d.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxJUAXXNmno/TbP6JH94_MI/AAAAAAAAAVk/BUA6I0RO75g/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+e.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJ9RYyHVhSs/TbP6VQeALMI/AAAAAAAAAVo/LX66QYL6djI/s1600/downton+ abbey+11+f.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/ 5. http://www.frankegerton.com/

bluebells, wild chervil and may, benjamin and iris, beryl and georgie (2011-04-30 13:19)

[1] Only a short working week but I felt I really needed to get out on the bike this morning. Saw this lovely patch of bluebells on the verge towards Black Bourton–framed by wild chervil (Cow 118 Parsley) and may blossom. Is it my imagination or are the verges round Bampton richer in wild flowers than they used to be? I remember going to an Arvon writers retreat in deepest Devon at Totleigh Barton not long after we’d moved to Bampton. The Devon verges were stuffed with wild flowers and I thought, Why aren’t ours like that? There’s a theory that long-dormant wild flower seeds will come back once the council and the farmers stop spraying insecticides and herbicides so much. Maybe it’s true. Read an interesting article in the Times today about depression by the psychotherapist Benjamin Fry. When he himself suffered depression after a financial crisis, Fry found that not only his own expertise but that of fellow professionals was of no help. I was struck by these lines, ’I tried another expensive psychiatrist, a leader in his field. He thought that I woke up early because in the Stone Age my weakness would have required me to get up before other predators to find easy kills.I began to realise that no one knew anything, yet everyone had an opinion.’ [My italics.] That sentence in italics reminded me of the conclusion one reaches at the end of Iris Murdoch’s A Fairly Honourable Defeat. When somebody we know goes through a crisis, so many of us–me included–have an opinion but often don’t really work hard enough at thinking about what is really appropriate for the person. For Fry, real help was found at the Mellody House clinic in Arizona. Was pleased that Master Georgie won the [2]Best of Beryl Booker. Voted for this title myself. Not just because some of my words used to appear on the back cover (maybe still do) but because it is such a fine novel. (I posted my [3]Evening Standard review of the book to justthoughtsnstuff.com last year, when Dame Beryl Bainbridge died.) I had to go to work yesterday, so missed the wedding. Did check out the balcony scene later online, though (the best bit?). I was surprised by how little interest there seemed to be in celebrating in Oxford, Witney and Bampton.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-II1_FBVFrnk/Tbv3SGXY6MI/AAAAAAAAAVs/jCcgpaCjJ2g/s1600/bluebells% 252C+wild+chervil%252C+may.jpg 2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/19/beryl-bainbridge-best-of-beryl-booker 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2010/07/dame-beryl-bainbridge.html

Anita Mathias (2011-05-10 09:35:10) Cow Parsley? I have been calling it Queen Anne’s Lace. Is it the same thing, or have I been mis-identifying it.

frank (2011-05-10 22:52:10) A lot of people call it Queen Anne’s Lace, although I think that QAL used to refer to wild carrot rather than wild chervil–the former having a denser ﬂower head with a tiny magenta spot in the middle. Having said that, meanings change and as so many people call wild chervil QAL, perhaps that is what it is now!

119 2.5 May honeysuckle, ed sheeran, candidate23, tracy chapman (2011-05-01 22:26)

[1] Wild honeysuckle out along Calcroft Lane (the gated road). This is too early! You’d expect to see it in June or July, surely. Still, it is very beautiful. Made our way to the Victoria at Eastleach Turville in deepest south Cotswolds earlier–excellent Arkell’s Royal Wedding. A couple of music recommendations: [2]Ed Sheeran–album coming out in September–and the young band [3]Candidate23. Also, phenomenal that Tracy Chapman’s in the charts again.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhZzQWP6_UY/Tb3OMTX24TI/AAAAAAAAAVw/qHq7WSEqto0/s1600/wild+ honeysuckle.jpg 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/zanelowe/2011/04/hottest_record_-_ed_sheeran_-.html 3. http://www.candidate23.com/

rain, barley, allotment, carbon (2011-05-08 17:23)

[1] I didn’t think the scud on Friday night that forced us into the Horse Shoe from the beer garden would come to anything. It seemed to have passed by the time the pint of IPA had been drunk and we were on our way home. It was a pleasant surprise to be woken by a downpour in the middle of the night that continued off and on well into Saturday. More rain last night too. 120 I can’t remember when it last rained. Tufty certainly seemed bemused by it. He’d forgotten how much he enjoys splashing about in it and hid in the bedroom when Jess wanted to take him for a walk. Rain is great for the garden and really helped the spuds grow beyond the vicious frost mid-week that burnt their leaves. Beautiful cloudy skies, although the rain and the high winds that accompanied it have taken much of the blossom from the trees and the countryside is suddenly early-June green. Loved the barley, trees and big sky in the pic above, when I was cycling along the gated road this morning. Had a good hour or so on the allotment after a late breakfast. Another hour and the ground will all have been prepared. The rain has cheered up not just spuds but last year’s chard and this year’s shallots and onions. Hopefully the seeds I planted ten days ago will be through soon too. Downloaded what Nokia described as a recommended software upgrade yesterday. As promised new phone features duly appeared. What disappeared though was the pre-loaded carbon black background I like. Had to go to the Ovi store and pay £3 to get it back. Nice work Nokia.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X0dwtKPp4gU/TcbD02IsloI/AAAAAAAAAV0/3YwA25wWPAw/s1600/barley% 252C%2Bnr%2Bbroadwell-790450.jpg

parched (2011-05-15 19:57)

[1] Ridged up spuds on allotment yesterday and put up runner bean wigwams today. No sign of seeds I sowed three weeks ago coming through. Ground warm but as dry anything. Still, tilled earth looks nice–apart from bindweed, which I pulled this afternoon. Fistfuls. Enjoyed cycling this morning. The meadows along the Great Brook from the Isle of Wight bridge, though, are parched now. The water level in the Great Brook is low, as it is in the strange semi-circular ’moat’ at the far end of the ﬁrst ﬁeld up from the bridge. Compare this view with that of a [2]few weeks ago and at the [3]start of the year.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LbBuKpz_IHY/TdAfQoIcNnI/AAAAAAAAAV8/zqeikGYYuGE/s1600/low+water+ level.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/oxford-lit-fest-book-for-all-and-none.html 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-day-of-spring.html

Kathryn (2011-05-16 15:20:47) It’s not just me facing a bean famine then? One out of 12 popped his head up, got eaten by a snail, and the rest haven’t bothered. I’ve got tomatoes, two cayenne peppers, one round courgette and a cobnut squash. ’Tis looking a bit bare.

121 brewery gate, st thomas’ (2011-05-20 22:31)

[1]

I was sad to see the old Brewery Gate pub boarded up when walking through St Thomas’ in Oxford earlier in the week. From the for sale sign it looks as if it is being sold for development–residential, most likely. The sale marks the end of the Morrell’s Brewery story for me. When I first moved to Osney Island, a little further to the west of St Thomas’, the brewery was still working and the smell of the malt wafting across Park End and Hythe Bridge Streets was always a delight when heading into town to the libraries on brewing days. The Brewery Gate was, as its name suggests, by the Morrell’s gate, with its elaborate iron arch, and was the brewery pub. For a time in the nineties we used to walk over there on Saturday nights for a pint or two quite often and it was always a place we visited every now and then during all the fourteen years we lived on the Island. I can remember one afternoon years ago when I’d submitted a review for a paper and I went to the Gate for a drink to celebrate. I sat in a corner, enjoyed the bitter and read a few Llewellyn Powys stories from a first edition I’d bought. The last time I visited was to attend a meeting about the Oxford fringe festival. The pub was different from what I remembered–dark and crowded with people speaking over a wining mike and stand-up going on in a corner. Fun, though. It’s strange to think that for much of the time we were on Osney, St Thomas’ had virtually no residential property and yet the pub still seemed to do a good trade. Now all the old offices and businesses–even the brewery itself–have been redeveloped as flats. The area is teaming with people, yet the pub shuts down. I remember doing some research into the plans for redeveloping St Thomas’ at the county library yonks ago. Places like Fisher Row had been condemned and the families moved out to estates on the edge of town during the mid-1950s but then the scheme had ground to a halt for almost fifty years while the council, I suppose, resolved various issues. I’m not sure what the sticking point was but what surprised me was that the council drew up the original plans for condemning the houses and redeveloping the area during the Second World War. So odd to think of all those urban renewal debates and all that town planning going on while the bombs fell on less fortunate cities. I remember talking to my friend Bill who used to deliver the papers on Osney about what it was like growing up on Fisher Row during the forties and fifties. He told me about how he and the other children had eagerly awaited the baker putting out the big jam tins after he’d filled cakes and doughnuts. The baker would always leave some jam for the kids as a treat. Bill loved it there, I think.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H7_gHHRJIBo/Tdbdx1KMFiI/AAAAAAAAAWA/F0V5--x6AIw/s1600/brewery% 2Bgate-711073.jpg

122 Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-05-21 06:52:14) Egerton, With such a display of nostalgia, the proverbial "cusp" is behind you! ;-(

frank (2011-05-21 08:38:29) I hope not!!

strong winds, lime tree (2011-05-22 15:01)

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It was hard work cycling this morning. Strongest winds for a few years. I got blown back, though, which was nice. Record time between Clanﬁeld and Bampton, pedalling furiously in 21st gear. Scary at times. I’ve been watching the lime at the end of our garden as it gets blown about. Rather beautiful. Video shows it in some middlingly strong gusts.

rose fall, morris, folk and woodstock (2011-05-25 22:35)

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The winds have died down but not before a rose and catoneaster half-collapsed at the far end of the garden. Fighting your way under the rose when trying to get to the shed is entertaining–and painful if you misjudge things. The coming weekend sees the annual Morris dancing and folk music festival in Bampton. As always I’m looking forward to hearing the musicians in the pubs on Saturday and Sunday nights. Oh, and there’ll be the Great Original Shirt Race on Saturday evening. Took the above photo in Woodstock yesterday.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LHwJhWOljL8/Td1sQNlimNI/AAAAAAAAAWI/sLVuF4Q5PC0/s1600/lane%252C+ woodstock%252C+oxfordshire.jpg

123 shirt race, not, courgettes and cucumbers, peonies and the garden (2011-05-29 21:22)

[1]

[2]

[3] The Bampton Morris dancing and folk weekend is in full swing. Sadly, though, I fell asleep and missed the Shirt Race, so no pics of the Downton Abbey rig that Keith on the allotments told me about. Ah well. Hoping to stay awake for a bit of folk music down the pubs this evening. Meanwhile, planted out cucumber and courgette seedlings on the allotment this afternoon. I forked through the places where I was going to plant them to a fork’s depth and made dishes in the soil so the seedlings were below the surface and protected from the wind. The wind is relentless and has sucked nearly all the moisture out of the ground since the rains on Thursday. I’m sad to say that usually I struggle to cultivate the plot because my times up there are limited to when I have gaps in my work schedule and usually when I’m free it’s raining. As a result I’m usually still battling away by now. This year, getting up on the allotment has been no problem, what with all the dry 124 weather. So, usually, it’s chaos but productive chaos. This year it’s a well-tended desert. Here are some pics of Jess’ garden instead.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JfUgmegU9Qw/TeKl_cka7FI/AAAAAAAAAWM/hyGEO4Ox77A/s1600/peonies. jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DCva4QPPAIs/TeKmOho0G5I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/THLfOG0beas/s1600/path+and+ veg.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0faNqbJ_SME/TeKmatpd-dI/AAAAAAAAAWU/vW_SUbXNjNo/s1600/silver.jpg

2.6 June folk, morris, fertility cake (2011-06-01 23:08)

[1]

[2] Didn’t go out on Saturday for the late sessions–too tired. Made it to see some music on Sunday night, though, and enjoyed the Morris dancing on Monday Bank Holiday. Loved the way the Morris dancers kept going despite the rain, while spectators huddled under umbrel- las and nibbled barbecue food. (And downed the odd glass, I dare say.) It was great to catch up with old friends and have a couple of days off in the village. Nibbled some crumbs of fertility cake at one gathering. The elderly baker of this cake suggested it was land that would beneﬁt from the eating, not the eater of the cake. So, the allotment will be springing to life. 125 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G3FlPwZRo4Y/Tea2Chl84LI/AAAAAAAAAWo/FNxeVMoh_M0/s1600/diddly+dee. jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BMflihXb5SI/Tea2HpuqRGI/AAAAAAAAAWs/qzt39JPoqRk/s1600/morris+ dancing+11.jpg

whitsun bank holiday morris dancing, bampton (2011-06-04 09:42)

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Here’s a short video of some Morris dancing in Bampton square last Monday. It was edited in-camera (or should that be, in-phone) and the sound’s a bit jumpy. Still, it gives you a glimpse of the day’s festivities. The heavy rain had stopped at this point–about 5.30 in the afternoon.

a book for all and none (2011-06-08 21:19)

[1] Finished my online teaching in the Upper Read- ing Room of the Bodleian at 6.30 and headed for a pint at the Turf. Pub packed with joyous ﬁnalists.

Then on to Blackwell and the launch of my colleague (that should read boss) Clare Morgan’s ﬁrst novel, A Book for All and None.

I’ve not seen that many people at Blackwell for a launch for a long while. A great evening catching up with old friends and meeting new people, and listening to Clare’s reading. That included that very long sentence that nevertheless hangs together and makes perfect sense. Nicely read.

A why-didn’t-I-think-of-that book, I have to say.

Now on the bus home. Bright, frosty-looking sky to the west. Frost in mid-June? That’s what they say, come Friday morning.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C5wVWBy7wM4/Te_ZVsU2WeI/AAAAAAAAAW0/NusR_n60ElY/s1600/a%2Bbook% 2Bfor%2Ball%2Band%2Bnone-773187.jpg

126 hogweed and hemlock? (2011-06-11 10:26)

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[2]

[3] Went cycling early because I’ve got a fair amount of work to get through today–until 4 pm, that is, when we’ll head down the pub. Where else? We’ve had some rain over the last couple of days, which is helping the garden and the allotment to pick up. I dare say the field crops will benefit, although I suspect they need far more rain than we are likely to get, if the yields are to be any good. Many of the hedgerow plants have gone over and the countryside looks a uniform unhealthy-seeming green, increasingly pocked with burnt up patches. Only a few poppies add colour. Apart that is from hogweed and other members of the carrot family. These are doing quite well, as ever. I love the pinky- tinged top to some of the hogweed umbels and the way these flower heads unpack themselves–first two pics above. I think the photos really do show hogweed, although it is so difficult to tell with this family 127 of plants. If someone knows better, let me know. And is the last pic hemlock? I thought so. Whatever the plant is, though, it’s excelled itself. Nine foot tall, on a patch of waste ground just below Cowleaze Corner as you head towards the village from Clanfield.

1. http: //4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJTXOG2DOxk/TfMvdiHh0cI/AAAAAAAAAW4/bNKvB5MFZmk/s1600/cow+parsley+1.jpg 2. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-tCpisAVqX5w/TfMvpSPVxSI/AAAAAAAAAW8/_cjTt4310lc/s1600/cow+parsley+2.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36mvNgfqTbw/TfMvzbD64_I/AAAAAAAAAXA/2kJGEUyrNCU/s1600/hemlock. jpg

oxford canal bridge, nag’s head, yafﬂing (2011-06-14 19:24)

[1] Walked along the Oxford canal this morning from North Oxford (the excellently named [2]Elizabeth Jennings Way) to the very end, opposite the pub that I always think of as the Nag’s Head. A favourite pub when I first moved out of Keble to the flat on Osney Island. The bridge in the photo is the last before the final arm of the canal. It curves over the narrow lock that leads into the system of Thames streams that flow on past Fisher Row, the old brewery and the castle, before rejoining the river. The bridge featured in my first novel The Lock and is also opposite Worcester College cricket ground–the only one in Oxford inside a college boundary. Happy memories of playing in Simon Hiscock’s team; of hearing a woodpecker yaffling in the late afternoon; of drinking beer into the evening on the pavilion verandah. (I have to say that I was more there for the yaffling and beer rather than being an asset to the team.)

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-84gW40iQQWc/TfehUeGsYwI/AAAAAAAAAXE/wW3En09eaHs/s1600/oxford+ canal+bridge.jpg 2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/oct/31/guardianobituaries.books

wet morning in bampton, dmug, swindon viewpoint, john grierson, aclaiir (2011-06-18 10:05)

[EMBED] Enjoyed cycling this morning, despite it being grey after overnight rain. It’s been a long week, what with one thing and another. The rain started in west Oxfordshire on Thursday and has kept going off and on ever since. Right on cue for the ripening barley. It said on Radio 4’s Farming Today this morning that we might see the worst 128 harvest for thirty years after the drought and now the untimely downpours. I have to say the crops do look sick, even when they’re turning and should be at their best. Had the bright idea of filming as I cycled back through the village–blame it on the Digital Media Users Group meeting I attended yesterday. This was the second meeting and both it and the first were excellent. The group is a low-key but really inspiring initiative. One of yesterday’s speakers was a colleague who produced the terrific website for the Bodleian Libraries’ [1]Shelley’s Ghost exhibition. Years ago I did a Super 8 course at Swindon college of further education and some camera work for Swindon Viewpoint community TV, and I still love the idea of playing around with film. I wrote a script for Swindon Viewpoint based at four locations: the church in Cirencester, the market in the main street, the Crown pub and the bingo hall. It was about commerce and booze and how the church remained serene but empty. It was supposed to be a homage to the documentary film maker [2]John Grierson, whose work I’d got into at a retrospective at the Nation Film Theatre. Sadly–or perhaps fortunately, for the channel’s subscribers–the film was never made. When I turned up to discuss the shooting schedule, the guys were packing up. The channel had fallen victim to Mrs T’s cuts. Axed overnight. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to attending my first [3]ACLAIIR AGM next week at the BL (Advisory Council on Latin American and Iberian Information Resources). Early start, though. Help. I was feeling refreshed and reasonably fit when I got home after cycling–until I listened to the sound- track on the video. Talk about last gasp ;-)

1. http://shelleysghost.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ 2. http://www.griersontrust.org/john-grierson.html 3. http://aclaiir.wordpress.com/

Anonymous (2011-09-05 22:44:23) Hi Frank, Great story! There are lots of things that did get made and plenty that probably shouldn’t have over at www.swindonviewpoint.com.

bl, aclaiir, jack c, spitﬁre, sausage & mash (2011-06-20 23:25)

[1] 129 [2]

[3] London is wet and on the X90 it’s sweltering.

Had a great day at the ACLAIIR AGM at the British Library, though. Everyone was so welcoming and the talks were really interesting. The only disappointment was getting to the BL after the library tour had started. Just how early do you have to get up to make King’s Cross by 9:30 am? Earlier than 4.30, obviously.

Realised, as the coach reached the city, that I haven’t been to London for a fair few years. Although it’s not been quite as long a gap as Jack on the Island meant when he told me in the late 90s that he’d not been to London for a ’year or two, boy’. Turned out his last visit was in 1945 when he was demobbed.

Had a pint of Spitﬁre and a plate of sausage and mash for supper.

Now, a snooze.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5p6FUD7IN8U/Tf_I72JqMVI/AAAAAAAAAXM/UwB88kLtVQc/s1600/bl% 2Broofscape-750582.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KFb_kRSJ5IA/Tf_I8ez9MRI/AAAAAAAAAXU/cSR6cQqQstc/s1600/man% 2Bwith%2Bcompasses%2Bbl-752778.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owcglNhXYVg/Tf_I850JOkI/AAAAAAAAAXc/7Yc57Cdp21g/s1600/st% 2Bpancras-754230.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-06-21 06:58:51) After much puzzlement, wondering what games device the X90 is, like Jack I have been away too long, an inter-village charabanc!

130 rickety press, jericho (2011-06-22 19:31)

[1] This morning, I was pleased to see that what used to be the Radcliffe Arms in Jericho is reopening as an Arkells’ pub called the Rickety Press (where did that name come from!). The Radcliffe closed some time ago and I feared the premises would end up residential. Not that I’d been in the Radcliffe for a while–the Harcourt Arms a couple of hundred yards away had become our Jericho pub–but I have happy memories of going there in the 80s, when working on the Moving Mystery Theatre project for Oxford Drama Programmes. In fact most of my salary for that project (which I business managed) got spent in the Radcliffe (on food as well!). I also remember a really warm chat in the front bar with Jackie C the morning after Rob Russell’s stag night.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gfIntaJ_jo8/TgI2JTW99TI/AAAAAAAAAXk/DV4IHoKSTVQ/s1600/rickety% 2Bpress%252C%2Bjericho-780523.jpg

radcliffe inﬁrmary (2011-06-24 18:04)

[1] This morning, as I walked from the Latin American Centre towards St Giles, it looked as if someone had done a Christo on the Radcliffe Infirmary–Christo himself, perhaps? Prosaically, it seems the wrapping is merely the latest phase of Oxford University’s project to restore the 1770 building before it becomes home to the Humanities Divisional Office, two Bodleian Libraries’ collections and a Faculty in 2012 (see the project [2]website and live [3]webcam). It will be interesting to see the building when the wrapping is taken off. By the time I moved to Oxford the Infirmary had ceased to be the city’s main hospital–the new [4]JR 131 having opened in 1979–though I do remember being brought to the Infirmary from Stowe after breaking my arm during a judo competition. For some reason I’d decided not to wait for the minibus to take me back to the school after the competition, having retired early, and walked the two or three miles home. The arm didn’t hurt that much until the evening. I didn’t sleep a wink in the sick-room that night.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVciK-OOtAo/TgS-ULzQXOI/AAAAAAAAAXo/fJGbaVDJQTM/s1600/radcliffe+ infirmary.jpg 2. http://www.ox.ac.uk/roq/radcliffe_infirmary.html 3. http://m.ox.ac.uk/webcams/roq-construction/ 4. http://www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk/aboutus/history/jr%20history.aspx

cara spuds and mange tout peas (2011-06-26 21:57)

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[2] Into Oxford early for MSt tutes. Very rewarding. Then back home to do some gardening. I had a coffee at Caffe Nero before the tutes–all my usual coffee places being shut at around 8 am on a Sunday. And very nice CN was too. Delicious coffee and a great ambience. Oxford was so quiet at that time. It was also quite cool. I was not prepared for the wall of heat that hit me when I left Rewley House after my second tute. Back home, I mowed the lawn then watered the allotment, before lifting our ﬁrst potatoes. Two roots of Cara. Smallish spuds but a better size, and more numerous, than I was expecting. Jess harvested her ﬁrst mange touts in the garden at the cottage too. 132 1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1qMQ6yDZTs/TgedzCyiEPI/AAAAAAAAAXw/UuZsHwCsfM0/s1600/cara% 2Bspuds-795992.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeliaYkaAos/TgedzWBpNWI/AAAAAAAAAX4/I3B5sLepHAU/s1600/mangetout% 2Bpeas-797266.jpg

2.7 July meadowsweet, willowherb, snail, partidge (2011-07-02 09:32)

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[3] 133 First cycle for a couple of weeks. Missed out last weekend because I was working at the Taylor on Saturday and teaching on Sunday. Calcroft Lane, aka the gated road, is alive with wild flowers again. Just after where the gates used to be, I came across frothy meadowsweet, water mint and almost-in-flower hemp agrimony, amongst other plants, growing in a shallow stream. A few minutes later, a stand of rosebay willowherb. I wasn’t alone this morning on the bike. The snail is quite well-travelled now. Before seeing all the plants, a partridge flew up from the verge. I was so excited. In Oxford we never saw partridges and only came across them when we were away walking. I love the delicate flight and this morning noticed how vibrant the orange markings on the bird’s fanned tail were. Then I realised that what I was really thinking about, and could actually taste, was roast partridge. At the Trout at Tadpole, say, by the log-burner, accompanied by a glass of their delicious Fleurie. I was appalled by my carnivorous nature. When do they start shooting partridge?

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-icZE0zGHVeY/Tg7TwRZQqGI/AAAAAAAAAX8/qtgYFxHNLXM/s1600/ meadowsweet+etc.jpg 2. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-HQvAtIPlVSo/Tg7T-m-Aw0I/AAAAAAAAAYA/K0bF7EI0C5g/s1600/willowherb.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eyCeBsAgjlM/Tg7UGpgQ6dI/AAAAAAAAAYE/xwQhVxPC3qU/s1600/ well-travelled+snail.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-07-02 15:46:55) You are now distributed through G+. Surprisingly no "smutty schoolboy" remarks made on the name!

a week of sadness (2011-07-09 18:49)

[1] It has been a week of sadness. Three friends died this week. The catastrophic events that have overtaken my family during the last year came to a head this week. Although I have great sympathy for those who are in trouble, I have had serious concerns about what they were doing for many years. I once wrote an essay explaining what I thought was going wrong and how it might be put right. I have described that essay as an act of love. The essay was largely ignored. As I said to somebody recently, the way that essay was received made me feel like the boy in the story of the emperor’s new clothes. [23.01.12 and 03.02.12: In the light of recent sad events I have decided to rewrite parts of the above post. I have kept a copy of the original post.]

134 1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-uq1SvPoB0/Thinj3-iFGI/AAAAAAAAAYI/kaeMGehUn2M/s1600/ripe+corn+ %2526+meadow+cranesbill.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-07-10 07:29:36) What an absolute stinker of a week, hopefully Sunday will see productivity at allotment. frank (2011-07-10 08:33:44) Indeed, a bike ride through beautiful west Oxfordshire, followed by time spent weeding the allotment and digging a root or two of spuds will be therapeutic.

wild ﬂowers (2011-07-10 11:09)

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[2] 135 [3] I enjoyed cycling this morning.

The rain is holding off, so I should get some weeding done on the allotment.

The wild ﬂowers, above, were beautiful to see and therapeutic.

Not 100 % sure what the yellow ﬂowers are. Lady’s bedstraw?

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VSJR5lek6Cc/Thl7pYN955I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/Gkye-SNKubA/s1600/ meadowsweet%2Band%2Bpurple%2Bvetch-700999.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaYDFN8-UHk/Thl7p_1ARRI/AAAAAAAAAYY/udfELGA2qRA/s1600/lady% 2527s%2Bbedstraw-702577.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFsc260bUts/Thl7qK7fNdI/AAAAAAAAAYg/LnA49poBsbE/s1600/ teasels-703746.jpg

Anonymous (2012-09-23 03:23:07) Incredible! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors! My web page: [1]smo services

1. http://www.semazing.ch/

weeding, minsters, golden courgette (2011-07-10 21:43)

[1] 136 [2]

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I had an enjoyable couple of hours weeding on the allotment. Focused on the runner beans, which I’d let get horriﬁcally overgrown due to pressures of work keeping me away from the plot. It’s amazing how late the runners are–as indeed are all the veg on the allotment. Compared to Jess’ crops in the garden at the cottage, they look so behind. The plot is all Oxford clay, whereas the garden is over gravel and is much, much earlier ground. It was interesting to see a geological map at a meeting in the village hall a few years ago, that showed where the monasteries in this part of the Thames Valley had been founded during the late Anglo-Saxon period. Bampton church is one of the remaining minster churches. You can still see the Anglo-Saxon stonework in the base of the tower above the crossing. The geological map showed that the monasteries and their settlements were built on small free-draining gravel outcrops in the midst of the Oxford clay. Harvested ﬁrst round golden courgette.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zdj2GohZlwQ/ThoL-gkAyrI/AAAAAAAAAYk/lqVxSmlYULI/s1600/runner+ beans+and+chard.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YOLxIVUVMEI/ThoMJSqykQI/AAAAAAAAAYo/YVfx7AsDWjc/s1600/round+ yellow+courgette.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ObzklsS_0bI/ThoMYMsjzcI/AAAAAAAAAYs/xGm1JfTF-2M/s1600/peas+and+ cornflowers.jpg

137 wiltshire (2011-07-15 13:32)

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[3] Great to be staying at the Compasses, Lower Chicksgrove, Wiltshire (just north of the River Nadder, above). It’s only a short trip away from Oxfordshire but Wilts is such a different county–different stone, different landscape. Woke this morning at 5 as usual but fell into a deep sleep sometime around 6.30. So nice to catch up on sleep and to get the last few months in some kind of perspective. Delicious white Côtes du Roussillon with lunch–have only had red before. (Also above, Teffont Evias–church and manor.) [Posting these from Oxfordshire–internet connection in Lower Chicksgrove couldn’t handle pics.] 1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5xbtINfrzKs/TiA0job3PJI/AAAAAAAAAY0/xwCC37Kn2E4/s1600/teffont% 2Bevias-751649.jpg 138 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p9x3wpYwhXg/TiA0kj_PnQI/AAAAAAAAAY8/5w3WunjnPnM/s1600/wilts% 2Bgreen%2Blane%2Bc-755572.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UE02zk7Jmyc/TiA0lvZKjII/AAAAAAAAAZE/F-vFTDEUEi8/s1600/river% 2Bnadder-760195.jpg

wiltshire contd (2011-07-15 21:22)

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[3] Loved our walks through the green lanes, along the chalk tracks and through the beautiful villages near Lower Chicksgrove. 139 Yesterday we had lunch at Howard’s House, a very charmingly discrete hotel in Teffont Evias. Discrete because although there is a sign for it on the street this almsot looks as if it belonged to a place that has long-since closed down before becoming a private house. And it feels exactly as if you have the run of someone’s private house. An understatedly grand private house, with a beautiful terrace set around a pond–just the place for two ramblers in wellies plus lively ﬂuffy dog. At the Compasses, one of the times I like best is wandering up the hill to the ﬁelds beyond the village after supper. Yesterday this was made special by the full moon. The walk helped me forget the sadness of last week for a time.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uw4v_WDIs7g/TiCiEcLlqII/AAAAAAAAAZc/9V-UgFxoazU/s1600/tufty% 2Bin%2Bwilts-788639.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49aiVsMjzt0/TiCiDhZ46dI/AAAAAAAAAZM/xtQwubSVi1c/s1600/from% 2Bthe%2Bterrace%252C%2Bhoward%2527s%2Bhouse%2Bhotel-785551.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3QreDYX3Ic/TiCiD8-8FGI/AAAAAAAAAZU/k2SLOLMUPxQ/s1600/moon% 2Bsouth%2Bof%2Blower%2Bchicksgrove-787168.jpg

soaked, bye bye wiltshire, work (2011-07-16 10:44)

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[3] 140 [4]

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[6] Got soaked cycling this morning. Heaviest rain I can remember for a long while. We were lucky to get all that sunshine in Wiltshire. A weekend of work ahead. Meanwhile, here are the last of the Wiltshire photos. The two church exteriors are [7]St Margaret of Antioch, Chilmark (top) and [8]St Edward, King of the West Saxons, Teffont Magna. The latter is a lovely little church. It has fragments of a Saxon cross set into the south wall and it is believed that there has been a place of worship in the village since Saxon times. The present building dates from the 13th century and consists of an all-in-one nave and chancel. The interior is distinguished by Victorian box pews, which according to the guidebook indicate that the church ’could be very cold and the sermons long’. The church’s name sounds ancient but interestingly dates back to only 1965. Before that the church had no dedication. Now, to work. 1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2iuUzB1ObxE/TiFWXcwUyWI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/6ksoEjiVb40/s1600/st+ margaret%2527s%252C+chilmark.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Nf_VM1NZBw/TiFWiZf6kUI/AAAAAAAAAaU/mUP14ah6w6s/s1600/wilts+ green+lane+b.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hxGdGmMsBGo/TiFW2OPLWFI/AAAAAAAAAac/Po20Q6HBXDo/s1600/st+edward% 2527s%252C+teffont+magna.jpg 4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPhXk0Ct02k/TiFXAJdlroI/AAAAAAAAAag/hScMbtHMkqY/s1600/wilts+ green+lane+a.jpg 5. http: //4.bp.blogspot.com/-v4ZoLcYMRH4/TiFWrbNpzgI/AAAAAAAAAaY/JMkpqsF0y20/s1600/church+window.jpg 6. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-O-yTeQd1A4s/TiFXJjcrZuI/AAAAAAAAAak/wG3Qm8IttBg/s1600/organ+pipes.jpg 7. 141 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-320298-church-of-st-margaret-of-antioch-chilmar 8. http://www.teffont.com/index.php/our-churches/teffont-magna-church

richard webster (2011-07-23 21:00)

[1] I went to a memorial service for my friend Richard Webster this afternoon at St Barnabas church in the Jericho quarter of Oxford (above). I will always be indebted to Richard for his advice about typesetting and publishing when I set up Street- Books last year. Richard was a long-standing member of Writers in Oxford (WiO) and my memory of how he welcomed me when I first joined some ten years ago seems similar to those of colleagues. He was such a staunch believer in the society and was fascinated by people, giving them so much of his time. In his professional life as a writer he was also a champion of a number of people who were either falsely accused of crimes or imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. A man at his memorial said that he had told Richard that he valued going to prison because if he had not done so he would never have met a man like him. I’ve tried to paraphrase what the man said and perhaps in doing so I have made it trite. If so, I can only apologise. What he said was profoundly moving. Among others who spoke were a recently retired MP who had chaired a parliamentary committee to which Richard had given decisive evidence and a QC who had successfully defended Richard over a New Statesman article he had written. One of the remarkable things about the memorial was how little of what Richard did many members of WiO knew. He was a wonderfully warm friend and colleague but not one to boast by any means. As a former chair of WiO, I have to confess that I was aware of Richard’s directness. His passionate belief in the society meant that he could on occasion ask difficult and penetrating questions. Yet he was never a person to put you down. He wanted to raise issues, yes, but was never happier than when you made your point back. What he wanted was honest, robust debate. People said today that he never made you feel diminished by his incisive comments. Rather you were left with the feeling of being enriched by the discussion he provoked. That was certainly my experience. For the last couple of years, as readers of this blog will know, I’ve been getting off the 18 bus at St Ed- ward’s School, if I’m in good time on my way to work, and cutting down to the canal before walking to Jericho and on into town. At the back of Hayfield Road I have on occasion come across Richard standing at the end of his garden on the opposite bank or having breakfast and he has smiled his unforgettable smile–so surprised to see me there, the first time this happened–and we have chatted for a while. Every time I walk this way, even in winter, I have wondered whether he will be there. Whenever he has been it has been such fun to see him. Now I know he will never be there again. Finally, I remember Richard quoting at a WiO committee meeting (as was fitting for the author of an excellent book on Freud): ’Sometimes a cigar is only a cigar.’ Richard Mortimer Webster, [2]http://richardwebster.net. 142 1. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-hmgnan54t2w/TislV06oD3I/AAAAAAAAAao/1q9i0iSK75k/s1600/st+barnabas.jpg 2. http://richardwebster.net/

autumn comes early? lords and ladies et al, the future, ambit (2011-07-30 10:51)

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[3] The talk in the garden at the Horse Shoe last night was the early arrival of autumn. This week, the quality of sunlight changed. The strength is still there but the light is a mellower egg-yolk yellow. The days are noticeably shorter too. At 5 am on Friday the view of the garden from the kitchen was that of night-time. 143 Autumn reds are appearing–poppies, harvested with the corn, are giving way to lords and ladies and apples that people swear are weeks early. The first blackberries are ripe and intensely sharp. Sometimes this week, the sky has been lead-lidded and the muffled world has been comforting. Whether dour or autumn-sunny, it has been a good week for healing. For catching one’s breath, contemplating the past and then looking to the future. Meanwhile, I was excited to learn that a former student, Paul Sweeten, has a short story entitled Prodigy in the latest issue of [4]Ambit magazine (on sale, first floor, Blackwell, if you’re in Oxford). A morning of marking and final summer school preparations ahead.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTMAa3bMxfk/TjPL0OwETSI/AAAAAAAAAas/N14KmrxySJk/s1600/lords+and+ ladies%252C+black+bourton.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sp7AYKDXM9Y/TjPMDDlJ-WI/AAAAAAAAAaw/shOmSTCZZGM/s1600/july+ apples%252C+bampton.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uwt8W1kI-Kk/TjPMMu4roRI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ktLTBVXh3ac/s1600/wheat% 252C+near+kencot.jpg 4. http://www.ambitmagazine.co.uk/

2.8 August

oxford, northmoor sheep, sunday (2011-08-06 18:37)

[1] Working in Oxford today.

Earlier in the week, the bus pulled up in the middle of Northmoor as a ﬂock of sheep were driven through the village. No contest.

Meanwhile, now sipping wine and contemplating a free Sunday. No, I can’t believe that either.

Have a good weekend.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3hYWl8zzhrg/Tj18I6YlPPI/AAAAAAAAAa8/27paGWVb1IQ/s1600/northmoor% 2Bsheep-721434.jpg

144 time, ripening, mushroom risotto (2011-08-13 09:59)

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The creative writing [3]summer school seminar series I’m teaching at Exeter College, Oxford is about to enter its third and final week. Colleagues said the time would pass quickly and it has. It’s whizzed by. Not least because the group is a great one to work with. Talking of time passing fast, we’re off to a 60th birthday party this weekend. Was it ten years ago that our friend was fifty? I suppose it must be. Help! The weather was wet and overcast this morning when I went cycling, adding to the landscape’s already autumnal look. Most fields are now cut and many have been cultivated. The hawthorn berries are full and the crab apple trees laden with fruit. Another year is ripening. Meanwhile, had lunch with two colleagues yesterday at [4]Branca in Walton Street, Oxford. By chance we all wanted the mushroom risotto, which was simple and delicious. We also had great fun chatting.

1. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZJEYnv4y68/TkYwFxZsK4I/AAAAAAAAAbE/_oEZtc6QM2g/s1600/crab+apples.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VPHDpN-xxW8/TkYv8vJlqCI/AAAAAAAAAbA/_m8dLZYaRps/s1600/hawthorn+ berries.jpg 3. http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=W800-36 4. http://www.branca-restaurants.com/

145 waterman’s arms, osney, now the punter (2011-08-14 15:43)

[1] Had great fun at our friend’s 60th birthday party last night. It was held at [2]The Punter on Osney Island. When we lived on the Island this Thames-side pub was called The Waterman’s Arms, which had been its name for over a hundred years. I still can’t get used to the new name. Where are the punts? I did see someone attempting to punt on this stretch years ago but the water is too deep. I’d not been into the pub since it was taken over. I have to say that the name apart the pub is excellent. The interior is upmarket now but the changes have been sympathetically done, so that you still get a sense of the rooms as they once were. The food was delicious. A fictional incarnation of the pub featured in John Wain’s wonderful [3]Where the Rivers Meet trilogy which follows the fortunes of the landlord’s two sons before the Second World War. One son gets a job at the newly-opened Cowley car factory and the other wins a place to study at the University before becoming a don. The pub also appeared in my first novel The Lock, which rather amazingly ended up being published by John Wain’s son Will. In this scene, two Oxford dons, Gerald and Jonathan meet at the Narrow Boat, as the pub is called in the book. Jonathan soon reveals that he saw Gerald at the pub on an earlier occasion with Alex, with whom he is having an affair. Half an hour later Jonathan and Gerald were sitting out in the yard at the back of the pub. When Gerald had found Jonathan, who had been sitting up at the bar chatting to the landlord, they had gone through the brief ritual of offering to buy the first round. On this occasion the ritual was briefer than usual, with Gerald capitulating rapidly, which surprised Jonathan, and then proclaiming that he would go outside into the yard and sort out a table. Jonathan found him sitting at the table nearest the street by the low wall that gave onto the Thames. When he arrived Gerald was sitting with his legs either side of the bench staring at the river and the islet in front of the house on the opposite bank, a fact which, under the circumstances made Jonathan feel irrationally guilty...... Gerald inclined his head slightly. The expression he adopted was, perhaps, that of someone who is thinking, though his stare seemed curiously placid, even vacant. ‘Would you like to go for a walk?’ Jonathan asked. He gave a snort of surprise and furrowed his brow. ‘No.’ ‘It’s probably nothing, but some friends of mine have recently bought the house over the river there.’ ‘So?’ ‘I’ve been helping them out with their garden.’ Gerald smiled. ‘Sounds very unlikely.’ ‘About a month ago I was there and I happened to look across at the pub.’ Gerald bent his head forward, took hold of the rim of his glass between his thumb and forefinger and gave it a little twist, twice. Then he tossed his head back and stared at Jonathan as if he was standing above him looking down. 146 Jonathan noticed how the skin over the purple smudge below his right eye had begun to pulse, though whether this was from a vein or from a nervous tick, he could not tell. ‘And you saw me here,’ said Gerald. His head came forward again a fraction. ‘Yes.’ ‘And I was with Alexandra Thorpe.’ ‘Yes. As I said it’s probably nothing.’ ‘What did you have in mind?’ ‘There are other things as well that made me think there might be something in it.’ He sensed that Gerald was trying to get out of something and this made him, suddenly, angry.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jJa2P9yqsKQ/TkfSga9C4wI/AAAAAAAAAbI/ZSP4i9fLbzM/s1600/waterman% 2527s+arms%252C+osney+island.jpg 2. http://www.thepunteroxford.co.uk/ 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Rivers-Meet-Coronet-Books/dp/0340506083/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1313332435&sr=8-1

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-08-14 16:57:24) Back to the allotment please ;-) Just looked through your tweet-line, the "four fork" saga has started well......

bindweed, lewis, keith douglas (2011-08-21 16:18)

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[2] Bindweed flowers always seem to me to be really pretty. It’s a shame that the plant is so pernicious and impossible to eradicate. It thrives on our allotment and tries to twine its way round every plant. 147 No matter how much I pull it up or dig it out, it’s always back with a vengeance within a week or two. Digging it out is, of course, a joke–its roots go down for miles. I saw these flowers along the gated road when cycling this morning. At least they are several miles from the allotment. Enjoyed the end of Summer School dinner in Exeter College hall on Friday night. Great food and company. When I got to Exeter an episode of Lewis was being filmed in the quad. Judging from the number of forensics people whatever happened inside staircase four looked grim. A surreal moment occurred as the Summer School tutors and students headed to the fellows’ garden for the reception. We had to make our way through a whole load of actors pretending to be tutors and students. Who was who? During the speeches Professor Jon Stallworthy read a wonderful poem entitled Oxford by [3]Keith Dou- glas. I’d never heard it before but will certainly be seeking it out.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zEkbqdwwPvU/TlEdfXY-fwI/AAAAAAAAAbM/0gY3NSLTfiE/s1600/bindweed+a. jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sSsKOBiVexo/TlEdnOEb24I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/O5Z61nLP1uw/s1600/bindweed+b. jpg 3. http://www.poemhunter.com/keith-douglas/

change, time off, kite, witney etc (2011-08-27 18:38)

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[2] Two photos of scenes that first appeared in this blog earlier in the year. The top photo shows a recently cultivated field–the picture of the [3]ripening corn that stood here was posted just a few weeks ago. The [4]oak in the lower picture was originally photographed back in March–its bare branches looking like a representation of a brain against the white sky. 148 The oak stands about two-thirds the way along the gated road towards Broadwell. Oaks are said to indicate good soils. They are noticeably absent from Bampton and the surrounding countryside–only one or two in Hayway Lane about half a mile from Rushey Lock. The photos above show the changing landscape. Up to now, this summer, I’ve felt somewhat bewildered by the rate at which things have been changing. I’ve been so busy with the libraries and teaching that I’ve lost touch with the allotment and garden, beyond picking veg and mowing the lawn. I’ve not walked my favourite walks for months. Cycling has kept me sane. Now, though, I’m taking almost a fortnight off. It’s great to stop for a bit. Particularly at this time of year–a time when the countryside seems to slow for a while and take stock. But perhaps I’m projecting the rhythm of my life onto the year! Be that as it may, it’s great to be on holiday. Today when cycling, a red kite flew across the road near Kencot, just after I’d taken the photo above. It was pursued by a crow and was so close it was amazing to be able to see all its plumage and how big a bird it is–its body, as well as its wingspan. The kites that were released in the Chilterns many years ago only appeared as far west as here the year before last but have become an increasingly common sight. Jess’ mum came to stay on Thursday. Visit to [5]Witney Museum yesterday afternoon–a great social history museum–then a late lunch at the [6]Hollybush (excellent that you can eat there all day), and a delicious supper at the [7]Bell at Langford (thanks Jess’ mum).

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khJUk7SXbfs/Tljlbhq2YMI/AAAAAAAAAbU/Da0749ScLns/s1600/autumn+ view%252C+kencot.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pa2uF1v-jWw/TljlnNjSxqI/AAAAAAAAAbY/CRwYbZeShbU/s1600/oak+and+ sun.jpg 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/07/autumn-comes-early-lords-and-ladies-et.html 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/03/dawn-chorus-barn-owl-192-kingcups.html 5. http://www.witney.net/witney-and-district-museum.htm 6. http://www.hollybushwitney.co.uk/ 7. http://bellatlangford.co.uk/

chimney, shifford, duxford, tenfoot bridge (2011-08-30 21:05)

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Had a lovely walk today along the Thames from Tadpole Bridge, via Chimney Meadows, to Shifford Lock. The ﬁrst part was familiar but instead of turning back at the lock we crossed the river and continued on and round to the beautiful hamlet of Duxford and back along the other bank to Tenfoot Bridge (above) and the last mile or so of the usual walk. Duxford was a surprise–an idyllic Berkshire stone farmhouse with red brick surrounds to the windows (the hamlet would have been in Berkshire before the boundary changes in the 1970s) and a handful of cottages, three of them the tall narrow Thames Valley thatched kind that are similar to those that appear in a junk-shop watercolour we have of cottages in North Hinksey by J Allen Shuffrey. (Shuffrey was part of a Witney blanket-making family named in one of the Witney Museum exhibits we saw last week. He specialised in Oxfordshire landscapes and architectural paintings.) The walk was an antidote to the impending visit to claim my one or two childhood pieces from the mass of furniture that has to be sold. More on this, I dare say, over the coming week or so.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eV6wCLU6lc8/Tl08J1peUvI/AAAAAAAAAbc/Bj8z8DbWWeg/s1600/dead+tree+ by+thames.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rUOG22-nPuI/Tl08RzWaK_I/AAAAAAAAAbg/4guep9zxn6Y/s1600/tenfoot+ bridge.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-08-31 07:28:27) A good segue into Autumn. https://plus.google.com/100146646232137568790/posts/NSRuMhi9swT

150 2.9 September himalayan balsam (2011-09-02 10:26)

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[3] I was amazed by how much [4]Himalayan Balsam there was along the banks of the Thames between Tadpole Bridge and Shifford Lock earlier in the week. Some stands were over six foot tall and in places the plants were several yards deep. On the plus side, the flowers are beautiful and bees love them. At this time of year the air is filled with the plant’s heavy scent–dry and herby–and occasionally you can hear the click-click of the seed pods firing across the bank and river. But what used grow here? I can’t help think these aggressive plants are drowning out older species. 151 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XROUAYlfiGM/TmCeEps_tFI/AAAAAAAAAbk/QE4WF620HC4/s1600/himalayan+ balsam+a.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLLTHT1a9MU/TmCeQhajxvI/AAAAAAAAAbo/QnKFRUtDdxk/s1600/himalayan+ balsam+b.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHwSsSQnHiY/TmCegwbRjzI/AAAAAAAAAbs/pVwJwVHBG4k/s1600/himalayan+ balsam+c.jpg 4. http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=480

bell, oaks, alvescot, black bourton church, doll (2011-09-03 13:32)

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[3] 152 We walked from Bampton to Langford yesterday for a delicious lunch at the [4]Bell. Amazing weather and scenery. A lot of oaks to the east of Broadwell, though some seemed to be dead or dying. Signs of [5]acute oak decline disease or some other problem? I’d never realised how beautiful the lower part of Alvescot village was–it’s almost like a separate Cotswold hamlet. Also visited [6]Black Bourton church for the ﬁrst time. Charming medieval building with great thirteenth century wall paintings, described in the guidebook as visual aids to the Bible stories, which I rather liked. Saw the slightly disturbing clown doll by the old mill steam below the church.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OfmSmnTqMXo/TmIPZXYaubI/AAAAAAAAAbw/3H7qX2a6a6k/s1600/oak+near+ broadwell.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U2VIAtxCsn4/TmIPikZfxjI/AAAAAAAAAb0/d_S9Da-JkX8/s1600/black+ bourton+church.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ApdmxpxauW0/TmIPv5NnGjI/AAAAAAAAAb4/oP1i09LOT2c/s1600/doll%252C+ black+bourton.jpg 4. http://bellatlangford.co.uk/ 5. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/AllByUNID/54C6BFC2DDC5BEFF80257727003981E6 6. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/black-bourton-church

kennington literary festival (2011-09-03 23:15)

Kennington Literary Festival [1]programme just out. I’ll be reading from Invisible on Saturday 15th October, 1.40 pm.

1. http://frankegerton.com/images/KenningtonLiteraryFestivalProgramme_2011.pdf

furniture, the past, forgiveness, new start (2011-09-06 19:27)

[1] 153 [2] Later this month I shall travel to a warehouse in which the furniture and personal possessions I grew up with are stored. I was away in Shropshire when these things were put there. I was working on a farm, doing my year’s practical before agricultural college. I have not seen the furniture and possessions since I left for Shropshire. That was nearly thirty-four years ago. At the warehouse I will identify the few items that were in my childhood bedroom. These will be saved, the rest will be sold. During my recent holiday I have thought about the past and about what the trip to the warehouse will be like. I cannot imagine what it will be like. A family’s whole culture obliterated–by what? By a strange way of thinking that robbed time of its meaning and caused incredible mental distress. What happened went against, it seems to me, all the usual norms of good sense, humanity and compassion. I have thought of the essay I wrote for my cousin in 1998, in which I tried to outline my concerns about what was happening and what it had been like to live with the pain for so many years. The essay resulted from insights I gained into what was happening after I wrote a simple letter to a lawyer on another subject. The past suddenly started to fall into place. As I said to someone recently, I felt like a cult member emerging from years of isolation. I saw the past very differently. The essay was therapy, a cry for help and, it has to be stressed, an act of love. As I have said during talks about the origins of my second novel, which is partly about writing therapy, you do not spend so much time trying to get at the truth of a situation if you do not care about the people involved. I still love the people at the centre of this tragedy. They should have been protected against themselves. I have thought over the past weeks of those who were there to protect my interests–amiable but hapless men, who I am sure never meant things to turn out this way. I have thought about forgiveness. I approach this from the standpoint of a religious humanist, not as I was once, a Christian. Forgiveness is, I believe, something that will come with the passing of the seasons, as death is followed by rebirth, the cycle that deﬁnes the world in which we live. Forgiveness is not something that can be forced. I am aware that there are others, like me, who have decided not to make a claim in respect of what has happened, even though they have suffered ﬁnancial loss and unhappiness. I also know that others who have claimed have suffered a great deal–materially and emotionally. I sympathise with both groups of people. I have to say I do not understand how a bank (HSBC) could allow a debt to escalate so much that it destroyed their client–destroyed not just them but, as I have said, a whole family culture–as well as damaging many others. (Not good for the bank’s shareholders either.) I suppose things in the banking world have changed in the last couple of years. I hope very much that is the case and that other families will be spared this kind of distress in future. I think of my great-grandfathers who I never met but who entrusted so much to future generations. I am pleased that I managed to save a small part of their legacies and, I hope, do some good with it. I am grateful for the support I have received over this last year from members of my family, from Jess’ family and from colleagues at the University. Above all I am grateful for Jess’ love and support. Later this month I shall travel to a warehouse in which the furniture and personal possessions I grew 154 up with are stored. After that I shall start the rest of my life. [23.01.12 and 03.02.12: In the light of recent sad events I have decided to rewrite parts of the above post. I have kept a copy of the original post.]

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfW4d_uiMvw/TmZjtQ6mJ4I/AAAAAAAAAb8/-Y8EWbXNuLI/s1600/sloes.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BhQwsnFpsMQ/TmZj6f1uBeI/AAAAAAAAAcA/lE3Km6geWdA/s1600/bullace. jpg

Sophie (2011-09-06 20:25:27) Very moving to read Frank, thinking of you and hoping it all goes ok. Sophie x

frank (2011-09-06 21:14:37) Thanks very much, Sophie. That’s much appreciated. x

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-09-13 06:25:44) Family, always a difﬁcult subject, with each member creating their own translation of the transition of time. Obviously you have moved on and now for the future chapters in your life.

frank (2011-09-13 22:27:11) Thanks, Rupert. As you say, I have moved on and am looking to the future!

swindon viewpoint (2011-09-06 20:19)

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On a lighter note, I was excited to read a comment made recently on my [2]post mention- ing Swindon Viewpoint community TV. It turns out that there is a Swindon Viewpoint website, [3]www.swindonviewpoint.com. I was fascinated by the project’s long [4]history and was really pleased to learn that the project continued after the cable TV funding ran out in 1980. Terriﬁc!

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvRLhXmzu94/TmZwMnONhII/AAAAAAAAAcE/FXHwYo8czx4/s1600/swindon+ viewpoint.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/06/wet-morning-in-bampton-dmug-swindon.html 3. http://www.swindonviewpoint.com/ 4. http://www.swindonviewpoint.com/history

155 the lock on kindle (2011-09-14 19:04)

[1] Today sees the republication of my ﬁrst novel The Lock as a Kindle ebook from [2]StreetBooks. The ebook is available from [3]amazon.co.uk, [4]amazon.com and [5]amazon.de. That the novel should come out on Kindle seems appropriate given that it ﬁrst appeared as an ebook back in 2001, two years before it was published in paperback. It went on to be shortlisted for the Inde- pendent e-Book Awards in Santa Barbara in 2002. Regular readers of this blog might recognise the [6]photo on which the Kindle cover is based, which appeared here in June. The cover shows the last lock on the Oxford Canal before it comes to an abrupt halt at the city centre. The lock and bridge appear in the closing chapters of the novel when Gerald, an unfaithful Oxford don, is on his way to try and make things up with his younger daughter Alison, who lives on a narrowboat called Civil Liberty. ’He marched up, round, over and down the S of the beautiful wrought-iron bridge crossing the last lock. From the top he could see the green roof and purple side of Civil Liberty. As before there was a column of smoke rising from its stack. The smoke went straight up then spread out horizontally as if it had reached an invisible ceiling. ’The mist was clearer around the canal – just a low bed of it above the channel – but the landscape, the glimpses of dead water, the frosted grass, the bare trees, looked bleaker and colder than by the grebe pool. But Gerald could feel nothing of the cold anymore.’ To the left of the bridge on the cover, you can see the last section of the canal which follows the western boundary of Worcester College. It was on this part of the canal that a friend called Lizzie used to moor her barge and it was she who told me all about what it was like to live on a narrowboat when I was researching the novel.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BnH5VD7bBzY/TnDrea-6TrI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/AidJiLqwokY/s1600/Untitled. jpg 2. http://www.streetbooks.co.uk/ 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lock-ebook/dp/B005MU9URC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1316020869&sr= 8-8 4. http://www.amazon.com/The-Lock-ebook/dp/B005MU9URC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1316020891&sr= 8-5 5. http://www.amazon.de/The-Lock-ebook/dp/B005MU9URC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1316021396&sr=8-4 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/06/oxford-canal-bridge-nags-head-yaffling.html

156 bleak, toadﬂax, wales, yorkshire, stories (2011-09-17 10:31)

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The landscape looked harsh and bleak when I set off cycling this morning, especially to the east, thick cloud dulling the rising sun. A few miles in, though, the light picked up and I saw a patch of toadflax by Kencot. Toadflax has been plentiful this year. Cheerful flowers. I’d intended to lift spuds on the allotment this morning but the potato sacks aren’t dry yet after I washed them on Thursday. Not that I’ll need that many sacks. I dug some Cara last weekend and while the potatoes themselves were great–firm textured and delicious–the yield was poor. The dry start to the summer didn’t help. Still, the spuds should be OK in the ground for a couple weeks before the keel slugs start munching them. When I got home from cycling I was sad to read about the deaths of the four miners in south Wales. It’s a hundred years since my ancestors left Tredegar in the Rhonda for a new life but my mum passed down the old stories about my grandfather when he was a boy and what it was like in the mining villages when she visited Great-Granny Thomas during the thirties. Those stories are part of me somehow, just like the ones my dad told me about growing up in Yorkshire. I’m grateful for those stories. They are a part of the family culture that withstands life’s upsets. A part of me will always be Welsh, will always be Yorkshire, however imaginary that might seem.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNPvgH2PHKQ/TnRgAn2bieI/AAAAAAAAAcU/F29SqfV8etw/s1600/stark+ september+bampton.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cz9puQjunt4/TnRgF74YiaI/AAAAAAAAAcY/Gqktx2ge62I/s1600/toadflax. jpg

157 spuds, snow patrol, kasabian (2011-09-18 21:53)

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[4] Lifted spuds this morning (planted [5]9th April). Weather was better than forecast and sacks were dry, although the moment I’d dug the last root there was a light shower that soon turned heavy and was quickly followed by another and another. Still, this afternoon the wind had dried the spuds and I was able to bag them up. A better yield than expected. The four varieties should keep us going until the late spring–as long as the mice don’t get them. Potatoes are quite cheap and there isn’t much of a saving in growing one’s own, if any, but the pleasure of heading to the garden shed in the depths of winter and bringing back stored spuds is great. The four varieties–shown above–are Charlotte, Cara, Kestrel and Estima. Meanwhile, didn’t really go for One Direction but loved Snow Patrol’s Called Out in the Dark and Kasabian’s Days Are Forgotten.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SH1Cz13Z6_A/TnZMwHeNNQI/AAAAAAAAAcc/baosWZ3kJf8/s1600/charlotte. jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uFMmNCu2LKA/TnZM7upo7fI/AAAAAAAAAcg/uNWA4L86PO0/s1600/cara.jpg 158 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QpFP2pZlEXw/TnZNHBWV4xI/AAAAAAAAAck/4yjtmlTUkZU/s1600/kestrel. jpg 4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FvQWSaaS5WQ/TnZNVNlANaI/AAAAAAAAAco/NthtVwHog6M/s1600/estima.jpg 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/dibber-spuds-eucalyptus-and-what-butler.html

crystal lemon, three horseshoes, batcombe, wildcru (2011-09-25 12:32)

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Instead of cycling this morning, I went up to the allotment to do some digging and tidying. Taking advantage of the dry weather. Came back with lots of spinach, much of it self-set, some courgettes, a patty-pan squash, a round yellow cucumber (Crystal Lemon), some runner beans and carrots. Well, that should probably read ’the’ carrot. Not a good year for carrots on our allotment... Got back yesterday from a short break in Somerset. We stayed at the [7]Three Horseshoes in Batcombe, just south-west of Frome. A very relaxing place to be, with good food, four delicious farm ciders and beautiful surrounding countryside to walk in (photos above). Meanwhile, I was sad to read in the Times about a report from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conserva- tion Research Unit (WildCru), which suggests that red squirrels could be extinct within twenty years and that hedgehog and Scottish wildcat populations are falling rapidly (only 400 wildcats are left and hedgehog numbers have fallen from 30m plus in the 1950s to ’well under 1m now’). The decline of the hedgehogs is blamed on ’pesticides and the destruction of the hedgerows and rough land on which they depend. Dormice and harvest mice have also been hit.’ The Times also reports that the ’destruction of habitat is affecting not just animals but the rural economy too, because it creates a monotonous countryside devoid of wildlife that discourages the walkers, bird- watchers and other recreational users whose spending is key to rural prosperity.’ To underline the importance of recreational users to the rural economy, the Times article points to the proﬁts from farming amounting to £4.4 billion, whereas rural tourism ’generates sums estimated at between £70 billion and £80 billion a year across Britain.’ The [8]report should be available on WildCru’s website but when I tried to access it the link was broken.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yFdpP-UkLnM/Tn8IFUQRNHI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/XyJ-sR3OLzM/s1600/oak%252C+ green%2527s+combe%252C+somerset+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NrB7PqjhucY/Tn8HjArsotI/AAAAAAAAAdE/DvD_1uMzfLo/s1600/oak%252C+ green%2527s+combe%252C+somerset+b.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cABvr6chnRA/Tn8H862OGlI/AAAAAAAAAdM/wCMwpWNBBJc/s1600/cattle% 252C+green%2527s+combe%252C+somerset.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aXgJdAL-9fc/Tn8Hw-NiZgI/AAAAAAAAAdI/zP1XqsLONuo/s1600/old+man% 2527s+beard+%2526+honeysuckle+berries.jpg 5. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eH2EJmRv4Kk/Tn8INfhm2xI/AAAAAAAAAdU/aJ_8267jUcA/s1600/organ+ pipes+and+mirror%252C+somerset.jpg 6. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SyRpuLYrEYo/Tn8IWjUITtI/AAAAAAAAAdY/Fgau1eUM6Q4/s1600/stained+ glass%252C+somerset+%25281%2529.jpg 7. http://www.thethreehorseshoesinn.co.uk/ 8. http://www.wildcru.org/publications/research-detail/?theme=&project_id=835

160 2.10 October

harvest festival, that paris year (2011-10-01 10:20)

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[10] Busy at the library, what with the start of the Oxford term coming up–0th Week from Sunday. Thank goodness for those days away in Somerset. Headed for the allotment at 7.30 am before the temperature rose–and this is the first day of October! Did an hour’s digging and some picking. Everything is slowing now, despite the weather. I’ll probably take down the runner bean wigwams tomorrow (you can just glimpse their tops in the second-from- bottom photo and the base of one is shown in the photo above that–some lush self-set Swiss chard is growing amongst the runners). Then, next week, I’ll grub up the courgette and squash plants before digging the area over, and that will be more or less that for the winter, apart from the occasional harvest of the few remaining crops–chard, carrots and beetroot. Though in store are potatoes, onions and shallots. 162 It’s been difficult to find enough time to do the allotment justice but great fun when I have got up there. Meanwhile, a publisher friend in the States has a new Kindle ebook out: That Paris Year by Joanna Biggar: [11]UK, [12]US, [13]DE.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wj9LKuKrMWk/TobTvXo57cI/AAAAAAAAAdc/hwfdaWIi2Zs/s1600/sunrise+ over+allotments.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7iKdj2ixMjI/TobT8S3Yg3I/AAAAAAAAAdg/fKARM9NLuEE/s1600/last+year% 2527s+carrots.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3G2chyTfuRc/TobUIbBDuDI/AAAAAAAAAdk/nQV9b28LNPg/s1600/chard.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgSCAayb7Fo/TobUVMvFdPI/AAAAAAAAAdo/MGAcNn7PQE0/s1600/carrots% 252C+autumn+king.jpg 5. http: //1.bp.blogspot.com/-8FZbGYybNPo/TobUfUasuVI/AAAAAAAAAds/5LvvkgY7Hkg/s1600/winter+squash.jpg 6. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-qeCaEN6RhF4/TobUpk45pKI/AAAAAAAAAdw/en_QvhaKdWo/s1600/onion+squash.jpg 7. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrh0dtCYO7c/TobU0RHva5I/AAAAAAAAAd0/MNW-PIibtqg/s1600/round+ golden+courgette.jpg 8. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38W4QgrSNnQ/TobVAwiI-_I/AAAAAAAAAd4/cAYhudWkeQQ/s1600/swiss+ chard+and+runner+beans.jpg 9. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DevR6gR4p8c/TobVNr7UvzI/AAAAAAAAAd8/vtHbHGJC9T8/s1600/rubbish+ heap+and+wigwams.jpg 10. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nJWLHBxVUaM/TobVYt4Sm8I/AAAAAAAAAeA/syZTqD4IYpU/s1600/ allotment+shed.jpg 11. http://www.amazon.co.uk/That-Paris-Year-ebook/dp/B004BSGFHE/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie= UTF8&qid=1317460395&sr=1-2 12. http://www.amazon.com/That-Paris-Year-ebook/dp/B004BSGFHE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid= 1317460586&sr=8-2 13. http://www.amazon.de/That-Paris-Year-ebook/dp/B004BSGFHE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid= 1317460633&sr=8-2

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-10-01 14:48:41) https://plus.google.com/100146646232137568790/posts/dJSAcQtAjxF

frank (2011-10-01 14:51:56) Many thanks!

building, kennington literary festival (2011-10-09 10:45)

[1] 163 As I walk between the Bodleian Latin American Centre Library and the Taylor Institution Library, I pass three University building sites–St Antony’s, St Anne’s and the one glimpsed in the photo (where the old Radcliffe Infirmary is being redeveloped–see post of [2]24th June–and work on the so-called Radcliffe Observatory Quarter is beginning–observatory is on the right). The city-centre end of the Woodstock Road is alive with lorries coming and going, cranes and piling rigs, not to mention mud and dust. Alarm went off early this morning as there is a mountain of marking to do. Cycling woke me up, although the morning is distinctly grey. Warm, though. A surprise after yesterday, when we had our first log fire since, I think, May. Looking forward to reading from Invisible at the [3]Kennington Literary Festival next Saturday, which is previewed in this week’s [4]Oxford Times.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTJsy2yJZkg/TpFXGDfob-I/AAAAAAAAAf0/tV15pld9y-Y/s1600/radcliffe+ observatory+and+cranes.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/06/radcliffe-infirmary.html 3. http://frankegerton.com/images/KenningtonLiteraryFestivalProgramme_2011.pdf 4. http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/leisure/9286665.Kennington_Literary_Festival/

furniture, clowns, kennington, invisible, pinter, poem (2011-10-14 19:07)

[1] Well, today was the day we visited the warehouse where the family furniture was stored (see [2]post of 6th September 2011). This was the strangest of days because I had not seen these things since January 1978. Another life away. I have to say that the experience was made bearable because of the kindness of the three people who were there to help. I cannot describe what it was like to see all those things–in containers stretching as far as the eye could see, almost–that I grew up with and that I had been told were in store for just six months. However, as I wrote a month or so ago, I am now starting the rest of my life. In the short term, I am looking forward to the [3]Kennington Literary Festival tomorrow and reading from [4]Invisible. I would now like to add a poem. This week, when I was thinking about what was going to happen today, I thought back to what I was doing around the time that the furniture went into storage in 1978. I remembered a poem I’d written in my last year at Stowe that got published in the school magazine. I tried ﬁnding the poem in the online database of the school magazine but the site was down for mainte- nance. Oddly, though, a copy of the magazine with the poem in was on the top of a teachest when we were looking through the containers today. It was only thing I was allowed to take away today and I’ve scanned it for this post. I remember, in 1977, being chuffed, not because of the poem itself, but because it was the ﬁrst time that the word ’shit’ had been published in the school magazine. The word appeared in a quote from Harold Pinter’s diaries–how could the school authorities refuse? (Kids, eh?) I should also say the poem was a love poem. (I didn’t get the girl.) 164 Here’s the poem. (The photo above btw was taken on my bike ride this morning.) Le Monde et La Fille Undulating waves of emerald green Flow beneath me, Tiber bound. From an amber dolphin fountain-made Glistening pearls ascend the purple sky. As dusk envelopes beauty A crouching temple I approach. Up wide mosaic steps I glide Through oak portals to the heart. Central stands an incense pyre Whose every golden tongue is echoed By shadows dancing on white marble. From the labours of Hercules Sculpted parapet on high My eye descends a rainbow of design. In a corner a heap of books, Knowledge and experience: "Expende Hannibalem: quot libras in duce summo invenies?" Dear Diary: in the city, Filth and degeneration, Grey paper-strewn streets, Dried-up fountains of concrete "rubbish shit scratch dung poison". Le monde, Le monde, My paragon unchanged by time Je t’aime beaucoup. Carpe diem. [23.01.12 and 03.02.12: In the light of recent sad events I have decided to rewrite parts of the above post. I have kept a copy of the original.]

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r9x98GMKOFo/Tph0IolSLJI/AAAAAAAAAf4/bpDGxFF8D6g/s1600/sunrise+ over+bampton+october+2011.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/09/furniture-past-forgiveness-new-start.html 3. http://frankegerton.com/images/KenningtonLiteraryFestivalProgramme_2011.pdf 4. http://www.frankegerton.com/invisible.html

sunrise, mostly books, grubbing, patching and scarifying (2011-10-16 16:12)

[1] 165 Good cycle early yesterday morning. Another dramatic sunrise. Loved reading at the Kennington Literary Festival in the afternoon. Thanks to Sylvia Vetta for inviting me. Good to meet Mark Thornton from [2]Mostly Books, Abingdon at long last, who was running the festival bookshop. Today was a gardening day–taking advantage of the extraordinary hot weather. Burning the big heap of couch and other weeds on the allotment, then taking down the runner bean wigwams and grubbing up the courgette plants, before digging over half that side of the plot. Patching the felt roof of the shed this afternoon. Back at the house it was mowing the lawn then scarifying and spiking it. Great fun. Now for a pint.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ph2o8QeCzbE/Tprx0bcp9SI/AAAAAAAAAgA/9859K74kRFk/s1600/sunrise+ over+clanfield+road.jpg 2. http://mostly-books.co.uk/

digging, luxury uptake, football, che guevara, apex (2011-10-22 12:04)

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[6] Up to the allotment early. Dug over the last bit–although there are a few yards in front of the compost bins that I turned in September, which could do with going over again because the hot weather has made the couch sprout. I’ll see. It wouldn’t be a disaster if I couldn’t dig this corner again before the inevitable November rains (the allotment, being on Oxford clay, holds water and some parts, including the area with the couch, soon become quicksand). I say ’the inevitable November rains’ but what happened to the inevitable October ones? I also spread some of the ash from the rubbish heap fire over the ground I was digging. That part had some ash on it a couple of years ago. Hope I’m not overdoing things. I have a dim memory of Mr Wiseman, our plant husbandry lecturer at Cirencester, talking about ’luxury uptake of potash’. Not sure if this was good or bad and how it came about. Fingers crossed. The area to the right of the ash heap, by the way, is left as couch nowadays because the eucalyptus that overshadows it (the tree’s on our neighbour’s plot) has rendered it pretty much useless for growing anything else. I think the trees leach goodness out or maybe change the pH of the soil. Anyway, they’re quite selfish, eucalyptuses–though I do like the tree being there. The only tree on the whole allotment site. Sometimes in late spring or summer, when you’ve been working hard, it’s nice to step under the tree’s shade and cool down. The first shed picture shows the patched roof pitch–it’ll do, I reckon–whereas the second one shows the felt I put on the other pitch last autumn. Earlier in the week, I went for a walk in the University Parks in Oxford after my lunchtime sandwich. Some students were playing football and as I passed, the ball came bouncing towards me. I tried to ignore it but none of the players were chasing after it. Clearly they were hoping that I might kick it back. I felt the coercion of their gazes and decided that I couldn’t just walk on. But then memories of school football started filling my brain and I could hear the sickening thud of a mis-kick, and see the ball either leaping into the air and thudding to a standstill a yard away, or else bananaing into an impenetrable clump of bushes. What was I doing even trying this? And when I kicked this ball I was actually looking at the impenetrable clump of bushes off to the side in full anticipation of disaster. Doc Marten connected with plastic. The ball curved gracefully up and flew towards the students. Amazing! Cries of thanks followed and someone punched the air with what looked like a Che Guevara salute. I wondered what they thought. Some middle aged office worker in his blue overcoat reliving the glitter- ing football career of his boyhood? No, they’d seen the apex of my footballing career!

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fh1oPWUiFUc/TqKVvybZ6XI/AAAAAAAAAgY/HXT7Tjqy1hM/s1600/dug+ ground+oct+11.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jr-c84Mb26w/TqKV93nGKJI/AAAAAAAAAgg/h1nJE1mzHSs/s1600/spade+and+ shed+oct+11.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YooOe4UscKs/TqKWNTZnqEI/AAAAAAAAAgo/VhgDAkGgLag/s1600/ash+oct+11. 167 jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iv_Hu_7-H3Q/TqKWbNcngnI/AAAAAAAAAgw/P6eNnwgdCe0/s1600/allotment+ eucalyptus.jpg 5. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oGnmrmMIPsU/TqKWkg8kTNI/AAAAAAAAAg4/BYYZVpqEoVk/s1600/patched+ felt+oct+11.jpg 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rYCq7-9eEL0/TqKWtCAZviI/AAAAAAAAAhA/HDijAIo-qbg/s1600/new+felt+ oct+11.jpg

following keble, lucy’s dragon, lock, treasures, biztro (2011-10-29 14:28)

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[3] 168 When I walked down the Oxford canal yesterday morning, I followed a [4]College Cruisers narrowboat named Keble–strangely comforting and appropriate on a somewhat bleak misty day, I thought, given that I was an undergraduate at Keble. The things that keep me amused! Following a narrowboat, you realise at what a gentle pace these boats travel. I’d catch up with Keble then stop to take a picture. The boat would glide off round the next bend but when I started walking, I’d soon catch it up again. Hopefully, the three photos above give a sense of the urban canalside environment in Oxford. Some stretches are rural enough for you to imagine you’re in the countryside, especially in summer when the foliage is thick, while others are more like Docklands in London. The big–and to my mind rather successful–development shown in the bottom pic stands on the site of the old [5]Lucy’s iron works, which I remember from not that long ago (honest). When we lived in Oxford I used to walk the opposite bank in summer and every once in a while the kilns would be lit, glowing in the twilight, fans roaring like dragons and heat belching across the water. It was a dramatic sight that felt like it belonged in another age. On the College Cruisers’ [6]website by the way, Keble is described as, ’Our most compact boat. Cosy, comfortable and a must if you are looking for a few days away with the one you love!’ Which sounds great, I have to say. Ironic, though, that the boat is the smallest, given the vastness of the college it’s named after. I have to admit that although I set scenes in [7]The Lock on a narrowboat and have had supper with friends on their barge, I’ve never travelled on one. Perhaps a short break on Keble will be a good way to start. Serendipity. Meanwhile, today I had to make an unexpected trip into Oxford to give a tour of the Bodleian to the Brazilian Minster of Justice and his party. It was a pleasure not just to talk about the library but to have the chance of spending time in the Divinity School, Convocation and Duke Humfrey’s with the autumn sunlight streaming through the traceried windows. After the tour we visited the fabulous [8]Bodleian Treasures exhibition. A must see. Great website too! Meanwhile a new brasserie opens up in Bampton today called [9]Biztro. There’s an open/taster day there this afternoon and evening. Will check it out later.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igTTuoqdaEQ/Tqvzm9hrw-I/AAAAAAAAAiI/2ZdL2JXzM9M/s1600/oxford+ canal%252C+keble+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gaCq6WnmxqE/Tqvzv-VfWFI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/VdxeXtvWXR4/s1600/oxford+ canal%252C+keble+b.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m6fHwwYfAPg/Tqvz3Uipt0I/AAAAAAAAAiY/RidAErEimp4/s1600/oxford+ canal%252C+keble+c.jpg 4. http://www.collegecruisers.com/ 5. http://pstalker.com/echo/sk_lucys.html 6. http://www.collegecruisers.com/narrowboat_hire.html 7. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lock-ebook/dp/B005MU9URC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319893693&sr= 8-2 8. http://treasures.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ 9. http://biztro.co.uk/

169 2.11 November cycling, oak, family rumbles, sparklers, mad dog (2011-11-05 10:10)

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[3] Cycled earlier this morning. First time for a couple of weeks due to marking, the Brazilian visit last weekend and one or two other commitments. The countryside had changed–and it was also considerably darker than before. After the false autumns of the late summer, autumn really does seem to be here, although the hot weather fools you into thinking that we can’t possibly be into November yet. Good autumn colour this morning, once the sun rose. Including the leaning oak off Calcroft Lane that I photographed earlier in the year ([4]27th August and [5]27th March). Working today till 3 pm but after that I’ll be able to relax. I’m taking on some interesting new library 170 duties in December and am due to meet the people I’ll be working with next week, so want to be fresh for that. Meanwhile the family stuff rumbles on–mercifully in the background now. What an utter waste of time that is–and has been for the last thirty-plus years. Enough of that. Just checked the sparkler supply–plenty there for some fun. They were talking on the radio this morning about dogs cowering under the furniture on Bonfire Night. Our dog tries to jump up and grab fizzing sparklers out of your hand and has to be restrained. As you light the garden fireworks and leg it back to the house, he’s straining at the lead to tear off and pounce. Mad boy. Church btw is the one at neighbouring village of Broadwell.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PRXVEZzQfQ/TrT7CpXj3aI/AAAAAAAAAkM/aPGVe29fkxU/s1600/broadwell+ church+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g77gxnKiu_o/TrT7LYlPH-I/AAAAAAAAAkU/u0WCl4Wop1M/s1600/autumn+oak. jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ep0n_vQkZCQ/TrT7U04-cZI/AAAAAAAAAkc/l5GTH5XdywY/s1600/calcroft+ lane.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/08/change-time-off-kite-witney-etc.html 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/03/dawn-chorus-barn-owl-192-kingcups.html

Kathryn (2011-11-05 10:49:33) Our dog goes out and barks at the ﬁreworks till he’s bored; don’t think he’s actually frightened. Everyone has something like that in their family, people disagreeing over things they can barely remember. Really not a lot you can do if someone’s determined to be right at all costs.

frank (2011-11-05 11:34:58) Thanks, Kathryn. Families, eh! Hope you’re having a good weekend.

sun, lichen, hogweed?, new role (2011-11-13 13:09)

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[4] Awoke to amazing sunny autumn day. Such a welcome day after this week’s run of miserable gloom, during which the night hardly seemed to lift. Loved the way the lichens on the willows along the Great Brook were lit up on the bare branches. Still some flowers out, though, like the hogweed above on which bees and flies gathered. (If indeed it is a hogweed.) Tiring but fulfilling week–so much going on in all the different areas of my working life. Started new library role too, which was really exciting. Today, however, is a day of fun and rest. Which is great!

1. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-m8J5EUJYO9s/Tr_B9cI4RpI/AAAAAAAAAko/P-r8h2kCx3k/s1600/willow+nov+11.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lb-InpNCSRw/Tr_CNc_wZ2I/AAAAAAAAAkw/FWq8j579CDw/s1600/willow+ %2526+lichen+a.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwUSLlCHSks/Tr_CdqgT58I/AAAAAAAAAk4/-EHKbwbkcJs/s1600/willow+ %2526+lichen+b.jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uQ7i752RugA/Tr_CqcYmJlI/AAAAAAAAAlA/8Aj5M5AWYyY/s1600/hogweed_ maybe.jpg

embers, inﬁnitas gracias, music to go, lie-in (2011-11-19 09:56)

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[4] Before I went cycling, I swept the grate, as I always do early in the morning, and the remnants of log glowed orange and red, and smouldered, and gave off heat that warmed my fingers in the now cold room. As I put my cycling jacket on, an owl hooted outside in the garden. In the countryside there was a light mist and in the sky a slice of moon. Soon the sun rose and on the way back, along Calcroft Lane, there were lots of creamy flowers still out, most sheltering in the ditch by the road. Dandelion, those hogweedy things I mentioned last time, yarrow and meadowsweet are the ones shown above. Although it felt considerably cooler it was still warm–about six or seven degrees C. Strange year. In the garden a late Mexican canna lily has just gone over and the frogs are hopping about in the flower beds. It’s been a busy week. A highlight was a trip to the British Library for a meeting and a visit afterwards to a wonderful exhibition at the Wellcome Collection called Infinitas Gracias: Mexican Miracle Paintings. (I love by the way the Wellcome Collection’s subtitle: "A free destination of the incurably curious".) As the exhibition’s [5]website says, 173 "Mexican votives are small paintings, usually executed on tin roof tiles or small plaques, depicting the moment of personal humility when an individual asks a saint for help and is delivered from disaster and sometimes death. ’Infinitas Gracias’ will feature over 100 votive paintings drawn from five collections held by museums in and around Mexico City and two sanctuaries located in mining communities in the Bajío region to the north: the city of Guanajuato and the distant mountain town of Real de Catorce. To- gether with images, news reports, photographs, devotional artefacts, film and interviews, the exhibition will illustrate the depth of the votive tradition in Mexico."

The paintings ranged in sophistication from professional to childlike representations of people and live- stock but all told little stories about the individuals, families and ways of life. It was also fascinating to see how things changed over the two hundred years covered by the exhibits–horses and carriages giving way to cars and buses and so on. There was also an extraordinary wall of modern ad hoc votives done on photocopying machines or scribbled on polystyrene plates, carrying on the tradition in new, incredibly personal and moving ways.

Meanwhile, I’ve decided to delete most of the music from my phone–after backing it up, of course. I’ve been assembling this collection for over ﬁve years and now I want a change. I’ll keep the most recent stuff and one or two old favourites and start again. Good feeling.

Looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hOrA9MreFqY/Tsd8QdnLMKI/AAAAAAAAAlY/0N_0xa5x0Tw/s1600/dandylion. jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_0WepnQs2jM/Tsd8bRKDBLI/AAAAAAAAAlg/3PZDnWbl3Xs/s1600/another+ hogweed%252C+maybe.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--eJsNjBEUdk/Tsd8mlx0ALI/AAAAAAAAAlo/msbgUetKZgE/s1600/november+ yarrow.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgXxaene-A/Tsd8xYGgjbI/AAAAAAAAAlw/0gzBF3qVaHA/s1600/ meadowsweet+in+ditch.jpg 5. http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/infinitas-gracias.aspx

autumn colour, work, msts, kate b, siamese dream (2011-11-26 09:20)

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[4] Into Oxford early this morning. Saturday duty–crops up every so often. Drawn to the colours of grafﬁti in the now quite bare and bleak autumn cityscape. Curious, the effect of the plants growing over it and the leaves framing the top one. It must be a pain to clean off, though, and I would hate it if someone spray-painted my house or a beloved building. Nearly the end of the Oxford term and as usual it is going to the wire. So much to do. Mostly satisfying work, however. Was really nice to get lovely emails from the two people I supervised on the MSt last year. Hope we’ll hear more of them in the future. Great Kate Bush [5]interview on Radio 4’s Front Row during the week. Made me guilty that I exited her songs from my phone last Sunday... Also loved Zane Lowe’s Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream ’Masterpiece’ [6]feature. OK, a Green’s regular Americano downed, and I’m off to work. (Looking forward to late lunch at 175 [7]Hollybush, Witney.)

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FtCyxh02CTw/TtCtlXtaOkI/AAAAAAAAAqw/gseW8WaCNSw/s1600/graffiti+a. JPG 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aGb_97z711A/TtCuQR-NXKI/AAAAAAAAAq4/fxGyNMpvSBg/s1600/graffiti+b. JPG 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k0BmqVk9iPk/TtCux8pmyCI/AAAAAAAAArA/SsSm-QLa4IQ/s1600/graffiti+c. JPG 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vxkIm6uLbqk/TtCvSeMALcI/AAAAAAAAArI/lxlUD3UJkMs/s1600/graffiti+d. JPG 5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b010vxyv/Front_Row_Kate_Bush_in_a_rare_interview_and_ John_Cleese_reviewed/ 6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/zanelowe/masterpieces/2011/thesmashingpumpkins_siamesedream/ 7. http://www.hollybushwitney.co.uk/

2.12 December wispy bits of mist, americano to go, xmas lights, mad dash (2011-12-02 18:25)

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Frosty start to the day. Seasonal. With atmospheric wispy bits of mist above the canal. Not as visible in the photo as they seemed to be in real life, sadly. Meanwhile, St Giles’ was blocked off by the time I was heading to collect my regular Americano to go from Green’s. Preparations were underway for an Xmas fair coinciding with turning on the lights. Throughout the day the sound system got tested–lots of mufﬂed noises of the ’one-two, one-two’ kind reached my ofﬁce, interspersed with sudden irruptions of music that shattered the peace before stopping dead. It was only when I was saying to a colleague at 5 pm that I had to catch my bus that it occurred to me that my bus was not going to be travelling through St Giles’. A speedwalk up Woodstock Road left me collapsing but at least I’m now on my bus.

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176 dawn tree, busy, busy, end of term (2011-12-03 09:06)

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Photographed this scene back in late [2]July, when the tree was surrounded by ripening corn. Took another pic a [3]month later after the field had been harvested and cultivated. Today it looked stark against the breaking dawn. This is actually a relatively high point in our flat landscape and the land in the background falls and you can see all the way to the escarpment beyond the Thames Valley. Enjoyed cycling this morning–much warmer today and it was good to exercise the busy week out of my head...In preparation for a busy weekend continuing to mark assignments. On Thursday, I did both my last tutorial of the term and the final seminar in my undergraduate diploma long fiction series. Loved doing these–I was working with great people–but I’m still pleased to be heading towards next Thursday, when I can take things a bit easier. Everyone at the University seems to have working harder than ever this autumn.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SSB1BcJUT_M/Ttsu57G5SwI/AAAAAAAAArw/bNl82ag-r94/s1600/dawn+tree% 252C+kencot+b.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/07/autumn-comes-early-lords-and-ladies-et.html 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/08/change-time-off-kite-witney-etc.html

kilverts, llanthony, scary guy, man in the high castle, in proportion (2011-12-10 19:32)

[1] 177 [2] Staying at [3]Kilverts in Hay-on-Wye. Great to get away for a few days. Amazing walk above Llanthony Priory earlier–I’ll post some pics over the next day or two. Met the [4]Scary Guy in the bar last night, Interesting conversation. Love the new Hay Xmas decs and the fairy-land look they give the old buildings. Restrained book buying–just one, apart from presents: A Berkley Medallion edition of The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick (1974). The term was SO busy and this is the first time I’ve had to catch up with myself for ages. Work over the last few months has taken my mind off the family business but this did start entering my head when we first arrived here. I’m pleased that I’ve managed to keep it all in proportion. I guess that although the last year or so has been horrific, it wasn’t that unexpected and I got over the worst experiences about fifteen years ago. I’m OK.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9l-RgkiaE8w/TuOzCRxMC2I/AAAAAAAAAr8/94dIwl8echw/s1600/decs%252C+ hay-on-wye.JPG 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JPh2wDiGeQ/TuOzkPb86cI/AAAAAAAAAsE/y8G-l31nOYY/s1600/ fruiterers%252C+hay-on-wye.JPG 3. http://www.kilverts.co.uk/ 4. http://www.thescaryguy.com/

hay, llanthony, black mountains, freddie (2011-12-11 20:32)

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Well, as I said we had a great time walking near Hay-on-Wye. A good place to forget the sadder bits of the year and think of the future. Generally the weather was terriﬁc, especially yesterday when we headed for Llanthony and the walking we used to enjoy when we stayed at the [10]Priory years ago. The pub is built into these fantastic ruins in the bottom of this valley in the middle of the Black Mountains. The only surprise was when we went to the pub for a half of cider after our walk–only to to discover that dogs were banned. Meanwhile, some lovely times spent in Hay at [11]Kilvert’s, where Freddie and Tufty got on very well. Feel really relaxed after the break.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mz_BFEuLHl8/TuUTv3I_cJI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/YzUP2NoNoSo/s1600/near+hay. jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDkJ0uj_5KI/TuUT3bpSjzI/AAAAAAAAAsY/pycOMnzJQo8/s1600/hill+near+ hay.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n3LDFGpfHNo/TuUT_O_bXXI/AAAAAAAAAsg/lusmomA912Q/s1600/rainbow% 252C+hay.jpg 4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TVwj-6UJAMo/TuUUKzUSdkI/AAAAAAAAAso/tgQjXqqQB00/s1600/stream% 252C+hay-on-wye.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5cRe6byMxTY/TuUUUjo85SI/AAAAAAAAAsw/tpSeguuVty0/s1600/dead+ trees%252C+llanthony.jpg 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CQwVNx1VXgY/TuUUaYzPp9I/AAAAAAAAAs4/Oh7BuVioTuw/s1600/tufty+ above+llanthony.jpg 7. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjjILoyoPQ/TuUUiIr7A5I/AAAAAAAAAtA/xXdLv9-K5ag/s1600/hill+ above+llanthony.jpg 8. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4HIzR1IHtk/TuUUqjLUnTI/AAAAAAAAAtI/Wti7o5joyO0/s1600/ chequerboard+fields+near+longtown.jpg 9. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uO2bbXp9Gzo/TuUU0LEJsDI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/TUukl2f_i_A/s1600/llanthony+ priory+and+valley.jpg 10. http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/regional-inventory-pubguide.asp?County=&PubID=9036 11. http://www.kilverts.co.uk/

180 bampton square, moon x 2, ice, speedway (2011-12-17 11:05)

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[2] Cold start this morning. The ﬁrst time the frog pond has frozen over this year, I think. Stopped by the village square, just after setting off on my bike ride, to take pictures of the Xmas tree. As I was doing so, the bus I usually catch during the week arrived. I was pleased not to be heading to Oxford today. (You might notice the two moons in the photo of the bus–I’ve always said Bampton was special. Actually, I don’t think either of them is the moon–don’t know what they are. Spooky.) Cycling was OK on the main roads but I have to confess to taking a tumble at the junction of the Broad- well to Langford road and Calcroft lane (aka the gated road). The bike skittered on down the carriage- way like machines do in speedway crashes, with me following behind. Amazingly, I was lucky and fell pretty well. There wasn’t much damage, apart from a bit of bruising, the chain slipping off the bike and the headlamp not working (though this came back to life when I got home). I was surprised the headlamp survived because it exploded into two halves, the bulb unit and the batteries. I was fortunate that I was about half-way round the ride when the accident happened, so was able to regain my conﬁdence. I started down the gated road very cautiously but it wasn’t as bad as I expected and once it began to rain the ice melted. Funnily enough it was the pavements in the village that stayed icy–nearly came a cropper when I parked up the bike and headed to the newsagent. It’s been a hectic week at work on occasions and I’m looking forward to time off at Xmas and the New Year.

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181 Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2011-12-17 14:34:35) Merry Christmas to you and your family Frank. https://plus.google.com/u/0/100146646232137568790/posts/9PYZVp8Yent

frank (2011-12-17 14:41:22) Thanks! And a Very Happy Xmas and a Great New Year to you!

wood, twinges, xmas shopping (2011-12-22 12:58)

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[3] I thought the 21st December was the shortest day but according to Radio 4 it’s the 22nd this time (I 182 hadn’t realised the date changed from year to year). Yesterday certainly felt like it was the shortest– dark, murky, cold and miserable. It was nice to be home (now on holiday), although catching up on my ﬁnal work-related chores was draining. I wanted to get them done but also just wanted to stop. The last straw was my tax return and the mad scrabbling for receipts and payslips this entails. By the end of the day I was sickening for a cold, felt exhausted and was suffering aches, pains and twinges from the bike accident at the weekend. But today is a different story–the sun’s out, spring is in the air (with a bit of imagination) and I’m about to go Christmas shopping. Cold hasn’t come to much either. One nice thing yesterday was the Christmas log delivery. I love trundling the barrows of logs up the path and building the stack in the woodshed (an old privy). Meanwhile the leaﬂessness of the garden throws emphasis onto the textures of brick and timber and rusted metal. Photos taken today, of course– the camera wouldn’t have worked yesterday it was so dark.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N9bv6oEuDtw/UTyjo5_OIDI/AAAAAAAACls/Xga7KtTgOJM/s1600/woodshed+a. jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C1XSwjKTyA0/UTyjw5qu3CI/AAAAAAAACl8/9hu2KKUUOi4/s1600/woodshed+b. jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--25Pdmp1d7A/UTyjvqSBerI/AAAAAAAACl0/ygUciYY72Ag/s1600/woodshed+c. jpg

willow leaves, cold, chimney meadows, duxford, pints, downton (2011-12-27 23:32)

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[8] Well, Christmas has come and gone–the day, that is. Fortunately the holiday continues and will do till next Monday. Back to work on the Tuesday but I’m not thinking about that. Did the walk we last did in [9]August today–Tadpole Bridge, Chimney Meadows, Shifford Lock, Dux- ford and Buckland Marsh. We also did the first half of this walk [10]last year when the land was covered with snow. Such a contrast this winter–twelve degrees centigrade, a willow in leaf (second photo from top) and another in bud (third from top). I had the proverbial ’stinking cold’ and the walk was intended to help get the heart and lungs going in order to get rid of it. Not sure if it’s worked but hopefully tomorrow the full effects will be felt. Chimney Meadows are a rare group of ancient grassland fields which escaped modern agricultural 184 methods and have a long and fascinating history–see both the [11]BBOWT and [12]Natural England websites (the Chimney Meadows–A Historical Perspective [13]PDF on the former is especially fascinating). There are also a number of WWII pillboxes on the wetter parts of the meadows, which are more like marsh than grassland. A couple of stoutly built wooden bridges lead off the meadows over the Thames– the lower one for pedestrians, the upper one for farm vehicles (shown above). Duxford is mostly made up of a handful of tall thatched-roofed cottages. Thatch used to be much more used round here than it is now. Our row of late-Victorian terraces replaced old tenements that had low walls (to about five feet) steep thatched roofs and earth floors. Coming back through Buckland Marsh, we followed one of the deep ditches that used to be the chief means of draining the land in the Bampton area for farming during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A visitor during the latter century described the area as the Bampton [14]polderlands. Most of the ditches have been filled in now, although some, together with a few of the sluice gates that controlled the flow of water, still remain. After the walk we headed for a local pub, where we drank Bath cider (Jess) and Dartmoor ale (me) and opened the last of our Xmas cards. Returned home for a late lunch and another instalment of Downton Abbey Series Two, which was partly filmed here in the spring ([15]13th, [16]20th and [17]24th April).

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sWc5OR-yFOI/UTyiROaAXmI/AAAAAAAACks/SGDsP9Dbd2c/s1600/thames, +near+tadpole+bridge.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcV7IDMXp8M/UTyiboRbt_I/AAAAAAAACk0/FVzc8mALSX0/s1600/willow+in+ leaf,+27+december+2011.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i_b6y8qhiYE/UTyikOJsK6I/AAAAAAAAClE/V4HSOXIa54k/s1600/willow+ buds,+27+december+2011.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fcXqqNWn-fM/UTyieZfuhUI/AAAAAAAACk8/Wc62alUgqMk/s1600/chimney+ meadows.jpg 5. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ext4PiyC1c/UTyioO_sTVI/AAAAAAAAClM/Df1gTPVE1ZA/s1600/pillbox+ on+chimney+meadows.jpg 6. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MzfN0DqN0-g/UTyioQrvqdI/AAAAAAAAClQ/_KHT7zkTjJk/s1600/bridge+ near+shifford+lock.jpg 7. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pmueElPtiQk/UTyivHfLj_I/AAAAAAAAClg/7_pQe7b0lTc/s1600/deep+ ditch+buckland+marsh.jpg 8. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pSaLH6HTwCA/UTyiuxjH-GI/AAAAAAAAClc/ACnYHR2WQJo/s1600/pints+and+ fire.jpg 9. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/08/chimney-shifford-duxford-tenfoot-bridge.html 10. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/shifford-walk.html 11. http://www.bbowt.org.uk/content.asp?did=23539 12. http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designatedareas/nnr/1006035.aspx 13. http://www.bbowt.org.uk/do_download.asp?did=26350 14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polder 15. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/sunrise-keble-downton.html 16. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/downton-abbey-wall-mr-whicher.html 17. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-easter-downton-kelmscott-picnic.html

185 sunny, better, badbury, great barn, plough, downton, shilton (2011-12-28 20:30)

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Unexpectedly sunny day. Cold much better. After a late breakfast, we headed to Iron Age [5]Badbury Hill beyond Faringdon, from where we walked to [6]Coleshill (church shown above) and then to Great Coxwell, with its amazing old [7]barn. (The Bad- bury Hill in my photo, by the way, doesn’t look half as dramatic as it is in reality.) The only new thing on the horizon was the wind farm below Coleshill–I’d glimpsed this from the road before now but not seen it clearly (it’s way bigger than it looks in the pic). On our way home we stopped off at the Plough at Kelmscott. More Downton Abbey Series Two during lunch–hadn’t realised that some ﬁlming had also been done at Shilton, a favourite nearby village (the [8]charabanc drives through the ford, ostensibly at Kirkbymoor- side, and stops by the pub where Mr Bates is working).

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-db9Kxw_1RGk/UTyhjEWRCAI/AAAAAAAACkM/eFPN4kbXlt4/s1600/badbury+ hill.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ie6I6t-EDMI/UTyhqc62O9I/AAAAAAAACkU/eppCeiAPbsg/s1600/coleshill+ church.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfHCBmrfmso/UTyhqvfCZ1I/AAAAAAAACkc/9MllqqvWw-o/s1600/wind+farm+ near+coleshill.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLpJ9SNr7m8/UTyhsyifn8I/AAAAAAAACkk/XX1BJmA-Ax8/s1600/great+ coxwell+barn.jpg 5. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-buscot_coleshill/ w-buscot-wildlife/w-buscot-woods/w-buscot-woods-badbury.htm 6. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-buscot_coleshill 7. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-greatcoxwellbarn 8. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-easter-downton-kelmscott-picnic.html

187 new year, new year’s eve, thanks (2011-12-31 15:29)

[1] Happy New Year!!! readers, friends and family who’ve already started 2012!!! Enjoy tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, everyone else!!! Thanks for reading jtns in 2011!!!

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188 Chapter 3

2012

3.1 January

cycling, ailments, ﬂea, 2012 (2012-01-01 17:54)

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[2] 189 [3] Good to cycle this morning–very refreshing. Feeling much better now–my cold has pretty well gone and problems with my left foot that flared up, painfully, the day after our Badbury walk, have almost subsided. (Incidentally, it was during the first morning on which my cold was noticeably better that the foot trouble started–I couldn’t believe it. Minor ailments have just about spanned the whole holiday but come Tuesday, I shall be as fit as a flea...in time to go back to work.) Meanwhile I was looking at my New Year [4]post for last year, which was rather gloomy-looking and downbeat about the future. Listening to the news on the radio today, the outlook for 2012 is much worse, but speaking personally I can’t imagine that this year will surpass 2011 in terms of family unhappiness and shock. I certainly hope not. Having said that, 2011 was also marked by love and friendship that more than counteracted the sadness, which I am very grateful for. I’m looking to the future now. Have a great 2012! (Pics taken in Jess’ garden 1st January 2012–from top: cavolo nero, hebe, winter salads.)

1. http: //4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AwjWk-YocI/UN4J_Sg7zgI/AAAAAAAACOw/4VYUJ4o6dnQ/s1600/cavolo+nero.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XWvPN7e6frc/UN4KNuXoqMI/AAAAAAAACO4/l948_oYN-6A/s1600/hebe.jpg 3. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-xytONhOgTY4/UN4KW1T_HaI/AAAAAAAACP0/vT2Q6pH7QJY/s1600/winter+salad.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-new-year.html

shredding (2012-01-08 21:42)

[EMBED] When our dog was a puppy, Jess used to give him cardboard boxes to play with, which he tore to pieces. He’d not attacked a box for years before last Monday, when we were opening our last presents, but within a few minutes the sitting room ﬂoor was covered in debris. What had been in the box? A paper shredder.

Anonymous (2012-08-16 12:13:05) Our dog did the same with the post and newpapers we would come back to a front door of [1]shredded paper all over the place.

1. http://theshreddingalliance.co.uk/advantages/ 190 hedging (2012-01-08 22:11)

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[3] Loved seeing some traditional hedging this morning when I went cycling. There are a few people in the village who keep the art alive even though most farmers use ﬂail trimmers that might do the job quick but which over a number of years create gappy boundaries full of cramped out and diseased trees. The hedge above will be stock-proof and the plants will be reinvigorated by the pleaching and laying. I remember Percy Curtis hedgelaying on the farm when I was boy. I remember the smell of the ﬁres he lit to burn the thinnings he’d taken out. He worked steadily all day, dressed in a suit, waistcoat and collarless shirt. Another world. It was another world for those times too really. On my desk I have a small white penknife with two narrow blades that Percy used when rabitting. I’ve opened letters and sharpened pencils with it for nearly forty years now. A treasured possession. 191 1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHF7jOyEQig/TwoOPNCVtgI/AAAAAAAAAxA/BQs8pvvYPTY/s1600/hedging+a. jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnT1NpwPxh0/TwoOaDR3LDI/AAAAAAAAAxI/jT_SDBamq6E/s1600/hedging+b. jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COc_QlSGK6s/TwoOk0JCFFI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/fYtCeYF83n4/s1600/hedging+c. jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-01-09 06:11:39) https://plus.google.com/u/0/100146646232137568790/posts/frnT6jev4UU Yes Frank I know, responding soon :-(

frost, moonlight, oclw, energy, new term (2012-01-14 12:20)

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Quite a surprise to look out of the bedroom window and see the garden white with frost in the moonlight early this morning. A shock too as soon as I stepped outside to make holes in the ice on the frog pond. I’d forgotten how you have to tap extra reserves of energy when it’s cold. Cycling was beautiful but hard going to begin with. (I delayed setting off until the sun was well up in order to try and avoid further accidents.) It’s been a better week as far as getting back to work is concerned. I feel I’ve done some productive things. Mid-week, a friend emailed some information about lectures organised by the [7]Oxford Centre for Life- Writing (OCLW), based at Wolfson College. She expected that I knew about the lectures already but sent the details just in case. I didn’t know there was an OCLW, let alone that there were lectures. The series and the centre look fascinating–not least because I have become increasingly interested in life-writing since doing this blog (which I think of as a kind of real-time life-writing). Meanwhile, the online creative writing course I teach has started and assignments from students on another course have arrived for marking. Walking along Broad Street in Oxford yesterday afternoon, I could feel the excitement and energy generated by the return of the students and the start of the new term.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-noCXBGngk8A/TxFlGo1sJFI/AAAAAAAAAxc/ZvUymxmKQVY/s1600/frosty+ cavolo+nero.jpg 2. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-CbCNpRn0ik4/TxFlVxXnidI/AAAAAAAAAxk/OH2bXQucxaY/s1600/frosty+hebe.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b5zEzPozO5s/TxFlfBzaSGI/AAAAAAAAAxs/Wul56XF7JIw/s1600/frosty+ honeysuckle.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o37s4YRlcdc/TxFlpaq3XGI/AAAAAAAAAx0/M3JsLQs4o8M/s1600/frosty+ivy. jpg 5. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JvnkiI1K0hY/TxFl07uHwPI/AAAAAAAAAx8/gxAqyQnDL9U/s1600/frosty+ rabbits%2527+ears.jpg 6. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vo-B2SAhwlM/TxFmDHEpisI/AAAAAAAAAyE/oC8CJGrcowY/s1600/frosty+shrub.jpg 7. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-01-15 18:04:01) https://plus.google.com/u/0/100146646232137568790/posts/i5hqyxUpGA4

193 dad (2012-01-20 23:05)

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It has been a very sad week. My dad died on Tuesday. I saw him a few days before. We were all there as a family once again and for me I found that love had hollowed out a space in which to breath and when it was pulled free it filled our world. On the morning after he died, I saw that the fire we lit when we got back from the hospital was still glowing and I put a log on the embers and kept the fire going throughout the day. I remember how we all loved sitting by the fire when I was boy. When my dad judged I was old enough we went to the farmyard and he showed me how to split wood.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwb9Q_hlUkg/TxnyFUjBhzI/AAAAAAAAAyU/Qp2pG-X_ceA/s1600/log+fire% 252C+18.01.12.jpg

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-01-21 05:19:38) Keep the memories alive.

frank (2012-01-21 07:03:00) Thanks, Rupert. Much appreciated.

Hannah T (2012-01-21 09:00:27) All my love Frank. My great grandma died this week too and it does make you realise who and what are important in your life. Am sending a huge hug. x

frank (2012-01-21 09:20:01) Thanks very much for sending love, Hannah, and for the huge hug. So sorry to hear about your great grandma. I’m sending a huge hug to you too. You’re right about realising what’s important. I see too little of friends, for a start. It would be good to meet up. x

Niels (2012-01-29 22:33:31) Frank, I am sorry to read this. If you ever feel like a get-together/chat after work, just let me know! Best thoughts, Niels

frank (2012-01-30 07:48:22) Thanks very much, Niels. That’s kind and is much appreciated. Yes, it would be good to meet up.

194 hedging, part two (2012-01-22 22:28)

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Very strong winds today. Made cycling tough–although I was pleased to have gone out there when I got back. The light was beautiful. Really springlike. Took these pics earlier in the week when I came across some more hedging–near Broadwell. The scene at the top–laid hedge, cuttings drawn into a pile and burnt–could have come straight from my childhood. Lovely to see hedges being laid in the traditional way in many different places round here. The bottom photo is of an overgrown hedge near the one that has been laid. The pic shows what happens when a hedge is allowed to go wild. You end up with a lot of spindly poles and bushy thorns that eventually crowd each other out and lead to the death of the hedge. For a time this might be good for insects but in the end you’ll get wind-throw–the poles being blown into the ﬁeld or road–and the death of the hedge. The hedge will no longer be stock proof and in all probability will end up being grubbed up. I think my dad would have loved seeing lots of hedges being laid in the traditional way.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-awz8qA2bweQ/TxyKsw5rsvI/AAAAAAAAAyg/vN8mv5QFg48/s1600/laid+ hedge+near+broadwell.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VlyGmY2BroY/TxyK2pYgQXI/AAAAAAAAAyo/lgZSyllRsKg/s1600/overgrown+ hedge+near+broadwell.jpg

195 thursday the twenty-sixth of january, little ouseburn (2012-01-29 22:19)

[1] Dad’s funeral took place on Thursday. He wanted to be buried in the Meysey-Thompson plot behind the [2]Thompson Mausoleum in Little Ouseburn, Yorkshire–near Harrogate. Dad’s mum’s family had lived at Kirby Hall, Little Ouseburn, until 1919 and the mausoleum had been where members of the family had been buried up until 1910. I’m not quite sure why burials in the mausoleum stopped but from the First World War onwards the family members were buried in the plot. The earliest graves in the plot are those of Dad’s grandfather, Lord Knaresborough, his wife and their son, Claude. Claude was killed in the First World War and as a result his father decided to sell the hall and estate. All rather Downton Abbey. The hall was subsequently demolished. Only the entrance gates, the stable block and two lodges remain. Dad provided information about the family’s history when money was being raised to restore the mausoleum. Dad loved genealogy. At the service, the reading I chose and read was taken from the Song of Solomon, chapter two verses eight to thirteen. The vicar asked me why I chose this reading. I have to confess that I started out trying to find a reading by googling funeral texts. It was when I saw the first lines of this reading that I remembered it from studying English at Keble. From what I remember the text had been referred to by a writer in the medieval or Renaissance period that I had been studying. The words seemed wholly appropriate to a gentle, loving man who adored the countryside. The service, led by Father Parkin, was a lovely warm, enriching one. I was grateful to Father Parkin for reading the tribute to Dad that I had written–I could not have read this myself–and was very moved by the reminiscences of Dad’s army friend Jo. In the graveyard, the spring sun shone. Here is the text from the Song of Solomon. 8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. 10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; 13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk6rg-oQFtA/TyXCcfgUlEI/AAAAAAAAAy4/7XwqOTrl1cc/s1600/thompson+ mausoleum,+little+ouseburn.jpg 2. http://www.yorkconservationtrust.org/littleouseburn-mausoleum.html

196 Anne Mcdonnell (2012-01-30 18:09:16) My heart goes out to you Frank. I feel for you enormously at this time.... loosing a parent is full of such deep emotional turmoil...... Your fathers resting place appears to be rather beautiful, a place for you to return for contemplation in years to come. Sending huge love from a very old friend. Anne xx frank (2012-01-30 19:25:58) Thanks, Anne. It’s lovely to hear from you, even though the circumstances are sad. Yes, a difﬁcult time emotionally. But, as you say, the place where Dad is buried is beautiful-a good place to return to and I’m pleased he is where he wanted to be. Lots of love to all of you, Frank x And thanks so much for your friendship, Anne. It does go back a long time, doesn’t it.

3.2 February another week, ice (2012-02-04 09:04)

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[2] Another week. Actually, it has been a better one than the last two. How it could fail to be? Work has helped–the tasks and routines–although thoughts and feelings have caught up with me, often when least expected. The support of family, friends and colleagues has been amazing. 197 Meanwhile, the frog pond froze over at the beginning of the week and the ice has been getting thicker each day. This morning was SO cold! Lots of trips to the top of the garden with the Zanzibar six-cup coffee maker to melt holes in the ice to help the frogs get some air. They seem pretty torpid but appear to be doing well. The outlook is rising temperatures–though with these will come the snow... Saw the ducks, above, on the frozen-over Oxford canal on Thursday when walking to work. The other pic shows ice on the inside of our bedroom window. (The bedroom isn’t heated in the belief that this is healthy. Not sure that’s quite true just at the mo.)

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YUUE2mijIGI/TyzyHzvQwSI/AAAAAAAAAzE/4wtLL1E8vhU/s1600/ducks+on+ ice,+oxford.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OxxWHfE73bo/TyzyPZepfOI/AAAAAAAAAzM/f1pfRWZn8CM/s1600/icy+ window+pane,+bampton.jpg

snow, saunter, wander, walk, catching up (2012-02-05 22:16)

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[9] The snow came as forecast yesterday afternoon. Today it looked pretty before near enough melting away by evening. The sky was overcast and the landscape seemed smoky for most of the day. The sun burst through brieﬂy at about three. Tufty loved the snow, including a saunter along the freshly whitened pavements to the Horse Shoe last night and a wander round the village at about midnight. We all had a great walk this morning. The hazel catkins in the Millennium Wood, shown above, emerged during the warm spell in mid Jan- uary. Some appear to have been burnt by the cold but most look alright. Meanwhile the recent frosts have helped to break down the ground on the allotment. Only some chard and beetroot remain to be harvested–though the spuds, onions and challottes in store are holding up. 199 Felt exhausted yesterday afternoon and at times today. I think the reality of the last couple of weeks is catching up with me.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a19Vskyl-Ys/Ty74q6rkD5I/AAAAAAAAAzY/yYQLtay74rw/s1600/hayway+ lane,+snow+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4qY6WJULEFE/Ty741EJ__6I/AAAAAAAAAzg/uKCTD5Myvcs/s1600/tufty, +snow+2102.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JEeRcyiRddQ/Ty75ClxKhVI/AAAAAAAAAzo/lKCmH0XkwaY/s1600/hedge+and+ oak,+snow+2012.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C25Qyt5eWOs/Ty75M8sKxRI/AAAAAAAAAzw/90E--LzAg-g/s1600/oak,+snow+ 2012.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbkjHgU_Nn8/Ty75YRC5u9I/AAAAAAAAAz4/ZKtRoJudNHQ/s1600/hedge, +snow+2012.jpg 6. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RDFvrjwluC4/Ty75ljY2t3I/AAAAAAAAA0A/sLzexCCpoO0/s1600/ millennium+wood,+snow+2012.jpg 7. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oo06P7kfpz0/Ty75xVAX3zI/AAAAAAAAA0I/N79duhpZXeo/s1600/catkins, +snow+2012.jpg 8. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8sbUtnDmQiw/Ty75762khJI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/IHzrwCNNomc/s1600/allotment, +snow+2012.jpg 9. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ccLyulWTuiY/Ty76EvYzZaI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/PeyA3LZTC8k/s1600/chard, +snow+2012.jpg

snowy start in bampton (2012-02-10 08:11)

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[2] 200 [3] Overnight snow doesn’t seem to have been too heavy. Temperature has risen too–though it is set to plummet again tonight. RH Buses posted a message on their website at midnight saying their services would run–though delays were possible–and sure enough the 18 to Oxford turned up, only ﬁfteen minutes late. The main roads are clear but some snow remains on the lanes. It’s been a busy, tiring week but the snow is pretty and cheering. Looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qx-7NpAYtro/TzTRO2dHtWI/AAAAAAAAA0o/JTaTfwWyiYo/s1600/ snowbampton%2B12b-798395.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jMVrCok078I/TzTRPcIiirI/AAAAAAAAA00/EmWGhV6yTmM/s1600/ snowbampton%2B12%2Bc-700706.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AOoq6DaCdPQ/TzTRPxU9MkI/AAAAAAAAA1A/nnB_v0o9ANk/s1600/ snowbampton%2B12a-702662.jpg

bill heine, goridebus, papers, andrew, nelle davy, raúl, benedict, david (2012-02-12 22:07)

[1] An interesting and enjoyable start to the day, appearing on the Bill Heine programme on BBC Oxford. I and another guest Danny Douglas were on during the first hour of the show, discussing news stories we picked out in the Sunday papers. I’d not met Bill before, although I’ve come across him from time to time during my years in Oxford. He’s the guy with the [2]shark embedded in the roof of his terraced house in Headington. I first saw Bill when I was queuing to see Duncan Campbell’s banned [3]Zircon spy satellite film at the Not the Moulin Rouge cinema, which Bill owned. I’d cycled up Headington Hill from Keble on a cold night in 1987, eager to see what all the fuss was about and to be part of the controversy. Before we were let in, Bill sauntered up and posed for the cameras. 201 More recently I saw Bill at the Kennington Literary Festival last October, where he was reading from his book, [4]Hunting the Shark. I was at the event reading from [5]Invisible–though not in the main hall, where Bill was. The other guest on today’s programme, Danny, has a community transport company called Go Ride, which is running a new evening and Sunday bus service between Watlington and Oxford and is applying for Big Society funding (see [6]www.goridebus.co.uk). During the programme we talked about a number of issues, including:

• The tragic death of Whitney Houston

• The state of publishing in the era of the e-book

• Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s plan to coax brewers into lowering the strength of beers in an attempt to reduce binge drinking–part of the government’s sensible drinking campaign

• The rise of internet dating, which now accounts for one-in-ﬁve UK relationships (as the Sunday Times piece put it: "Once derided as the resort of the romantically inept, online dating has lost its stigma..."

• Nelle Davy’s debut novel, [7]The Legacy of Eden, written while working as a PA at literary agent PFD, which is set on a farm in Iowa and is a reimagining of Robert Graves’ I Claudius

• Raúl Castro’s reforms in Cuba, including oil exploration, mass tourism, private enterprise and organised religion (Pope Benedict XVI visits the island next month)

• David Miliband’s six-point plan to reduce the number of long-term unemployed young people.

If you’d like to listen to the programme, it’s on the [8]iPlayer till next Sunday.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VaMBb2nITLQ/TzfaYiqvo9I/AAAAAAAAA1M/LpQnhqRQmGI/s1600/bill+ heine%252C+bbc+oxford.jpg 2. http://www.headington.org.uk/shark/ 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon_affair 4. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunting-Shark-Behind-Unsuspecting-Suburban/dp/0956740529/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329082370&sr=8-1 5. http://www.frankegerton.com/invisible.html 6. http://www.goridebus.co.uk/ 7. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legacy-Eden-Nelle-Davy/dp/1848450931/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid= 1329083918&sr=8-1 8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7tf/episodes/player

202 warming, ice breaker, winter trap (2012-02-13 19:33)

[1] It looks like the cold spell is over, though it is taking a while for the ice to melt. It was breaking up on the Oxford Canal ealier, at least.

Some mornings last week, the house stayed cold, even though the central heating had been on for hours. Saturday morning was bad, despite the sun.

I think I got fed up with the cold because the days are lengthening now and I felt the year should be opening up. Instead the cold just made me feel trapped by winter.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgEbJeugumQ/TzlmeXkdWaI/AAAAAAAAA1k/VgQsCnFK3f0/s1600/ice% 2Bbreaks%2Bup%252C%2Boxford%2Bcanal%252C%2Bfeb%2B2012-747850.jpg

the difference a day makes (2012-02-19 21:52)

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Readers of this blog will have seen this tree [3]before in various guises. These two photos were taken just over a day apart. The upper one yesterday, when the morning was bleak and cold and grey, the other this morning, when the sun was shining and it was a beautiful spring day. I like this view even though the photos I take don’t really do it justice. You can just make out the escarpment on the other side of the Thames Valley in the top picture. The tree stands at a relatively high point for this part of Oxfordshire and you can see how the land falls away into the valley itself about a mile beyond the tree before rising again another mile further on. The view here has a depth to it and a sense of geographical relief that is rare round Bampton. Went to the [4]Rose and Crown, North Parade, Oxford yesterday and then to the [5]Cherwell Boathouse restaurant, where we had a delicious meal, saw a kingﬁsher zipping from perch to perch and reminisced about the times when we’d eaten at the restaurant before over the last twenty-six years. About the punting trips to the Victoria Arms and about our wedding breakfast after the service at Binsey. It was a long and busy week last week. I think I’ve just about managed to catch up on some rest before the next one starts. It’s strange how thoughts of the past have been barging into my mind, though. How the family got into the mess it got in recently and of better times when Dad was in his prime.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1dbzLGz9W9M/T0Fhkd51TcI/AAAAAAAAA1w/GaM72a_f9X8/s1600/ tree-bleak+spring+day+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e3EW7APdi20/T0FhsrlwgAI/AAAAAAAAA14/dAbx6hpyG9Q/s1600/ tree-sunny+spring+day+2012.jpg 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2011/12/dawn-tree-busy-busy-end-of-term.html 4. http://www.rose-n-crown.com/ 5. http://www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk/

204 aclaiir, paddington (2012-02-22 21:48)

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Enjoyed attending the committee meeting of ACLAIIR (Advisory Council on Latin American and Iberian Information Resources) at the BL (British Library) today. Oh, you didn’t realise that librari- ans liked acronyms. A lovely journey up and a great meeting. Looking forward to the AGM in Oxford in the summer. I liked catching trains to and from Paddington, which has been my London station all my life. I remember Dad and I on my ﬁrst train journey when I must have been about 8 or 9, not long after the Badminton branch line had been axed, so we had to travel from Kemble station. The trip to Hamleys and seeing all the conjuring tricks they sold was amazing. I was a little thrown by the fact that Swindon appeared on the list of stations on the train I was sitting on this evening but realised my mistake. The train would have got me home at one time in my life but not today.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhG9M49SVZI/T0VYtHafx4I/AAAAAAAAA2I/2aJNNmXMoXQ/s1600/ paddington,+feb+2012+a.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pz9DHKJ3ZM8/T0VY40cidLI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/6S_snTHseAM/s1600/ paddington,+feb+2012+b.jpg

205 spring!, long winter, ageing, john nash, tyres-some (2012-02-26 11:20)

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[3] Amazing morning! Had breakfast with the door to the garden open, after a lovely cycle ride through west Oxfordshire. Got up early because I have a lot of work to do, writing up comments on assignments. Loved seeing how soon the daylight came–well before seven. And the evenings are light at six still. This last winter shouldn’t have seemed so long (the 2010/11 one was way harsher) but it did to me. I think I aged several years. But on a day like today, all is forgotten. Photographed the patch of snowdrops in Black Bourton, the neighbouring village, and took the picture of the new ditch along the newly-laid hedge off Calcroft Lane (aka the Gated Road–the one without the gates) on my way home. The latter view made me think of [4]John Nash’s work. I spent many, many 206 hours staring at the illustrations in [5]John Nash: ’The delighted eye’ by Allen Freer during the mid-to-late nineties and the early two-thousands. He is one of my favourite artists, if not my favourite. His views of often out-of-the-way corners of countryside, almost overlooked places, are magical and timeless. Then there were the tyres along Calcroft Lane. Sad.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gen0CQLvlUg/T0oA9N7pkZI/AAAAAAAAA2c/sfDB_FAYaXw/s1600/snowdrops, +black+bourton+2012.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kzzmn-eQZHc/T0oBHd6xxBI/AAAAAAAAA2k/x1-MwAf1wxk/s1600/spring+ ditch,+calcroft+lane+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_pP2O07dl6k/T0oBZK8c5vI/AAAAAAAAA2s/EMuaZt-R6uM/s1600/tyres, +calcroft+lane+2012.jpg 4. http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=john+nash+artist&hl=en&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source= univ&sa=X&ei=Lw9KT5rSDOrb0QWC2-SMDg&sqi=2&ved=0CGIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=713 5. http://www.pallantbookshop.com/books/details/john_nash_the_delighted_eye

3.3 March

mist, st a’s, bampton, oxford canal (2012-03-02 19:06)

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Misty start yesterday and today. Only yesterday, the sun had burnt the mist off by twelve and what followed was a gorgeous spring afternoon. Had a delicious lunch with colleagues at St Antony’s, the sun streaming into the hall. Discovered over coffee that the mansion that became the hall of residence I lived in for a year when I was at Cirencester had not only once been owned by relatives of one of the colleagues but had been built from stone salvaged after another of her family’s houses was demolished south of Birmingham. I remember sharing what must have been one of the mansion’s grand front bedrooms with two fellow students, Richard and Adrian. The high-ceilinged room was very cold in winter and once I came back from lectures to find that Richard had torn away the hardboard that covered the big fireplace and was lolling in front of a blazing log fire. Sadly, the mist today hasn’t lifted. The scenses above–taken in Bampton and along the Oxford canal– were atmospheric, certainly, but also capped the day. A cap that fitted the day and the day wore it. Until now, oddly, when all of a sudden the sun is lighting up the stone on the other side of St Giles’, as I take my break... Maybe the bus journey home will be beautiful.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hzkr2Yz9RL8/T1EY2U7bkxI/AAAAAAAAA24/Xebbe28HvMY/s1600/bampton, +mist+mar+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHXMz3sdwvU/T1EZEWt4nrI/AAAAAAAAA3A/wKslDAgDZmk/s1600/misty+ copse,+oxford+canal+mar+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TGZlZqv9fno/T1EZNBkX7XI/AAAAAAAAA3I/cr_hREMc4UU/s1600/oxford+ canal,+jericho,+mist+mar+2012.jpg

that downton abbey time of year again (2012-03-03 13:44)

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[5] If I’m not mistaken the Downton Abbey filmcrew have arrived in Bampton early this year. This could be to shoot scenes against more wintry-looking backgrounds before returning in the spring proper. (Was it just me who thought that Downton and its environs looked remarkably early-summerish throughout the last series, no matter what time of year the script said it was?) The back streets of Bampton (those mean back streets) are today decked out with bunting, though filming is taking place well out of range of cameraphones in the churchyard and church itself. (You can just catch sight of some becassocked actors by the church in the fourth photo down.) There is a wedding, apparently, though whose it could be escapes me. Long lenses were out in force. Meanwhile, what started as a very wintry morning when I went cycling has turned out to be rather fine. I have to say I’m a little tired after a couple of busy weeks and weekends. Just an hour or so more of work to do then I can relax (and head off for pint). Log delivery–the last of the season, I suspect–tomorrow. 1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eikVGE8YWN4/T1IcPhS5FGI/AAAAAAAAA3U/_y4cFVd32UY/s1600/downton+ abbey+12+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJqTFz3gZRo/T1IcdWFbM_I/AAAAAAAAA3c/EMFEFGLDiDI/s1600/downton+ abbey+12+b.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w9uxp8XKb0M/T1Icn91pH3I/AAAAAAAAA3k/MIIjAJEo1Uk/s1600/downton+ abbey+12+c.jpg 209 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7uTM_6TscA0/T1Icz2jTEdI/AAAAAAAAA3s/opmy2Qb70Zg/s1600/downton+ abbey+12+d.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M7iVhwfkEbo/T1Ic9Nb-mCI/AAAAAAAAA30/FTiiCFlarQ4/s1600/downton+ abbey+12+e.jpg

life writing, party, vodka, cadiz constitution, calcroft lane home movie, helen r (2012-03-10 14:38)

[1] [EMBED] It’s been a busy week with lots happening at work. Though there have also been, I’m pleased to say, cultural and social things. On Tuesday, I went to an inspiring talk at Wolfson College that rounded off the [2]Oxford Centre for Life Writing’s Hilary series of [3]events. Dr Olivia Smith from St John’s spoke about John Locke in an informal dining-room setting, the spring sunlight streaming in, as we ate our sandwich-and-fruit lunch and listened. (At one point, I was distracted by a long-tailed tit that repeatedly flew at one of the panels in the vast concrete-mullioned window and pecked, apparently in disbelief, at the glass. Mercifully, the flights were carefully judged and gentle and the bird didn’t seem to harm itself.) The talk touched on areas of life writing that seemed to have a direct bearing on the novel I’m working on at present. I was particularly interested in what was termed ’aggregation versus disaggregation’. Here are the relevant notes: ’Tendency to split different parts of a life up in modern biographies...Whereas perhaps in earlier times things were more mixed up. More like the diary approach–Bridget Jones talking about booze and fags one minute, more serious things the next. More realistic perhaps? (Post modern, maybe?) Shandyan. A wish to not tie things up too tightly...Compartmentalism–and people not letting you into vulnerable areas of their life. Coping with life today leads to more fragmentation and compartmentalisation...Do novels often seek to rationalise or unify people’s lives? A simplification? A tidying up?’ Compartmentalisation, fragmentation and the way people modify their behaviour in different areas of their increasingly complex lives are all themes that I’m exploring in the novel. I was glad to be able to attend the lunch and talk, having missed all the evening lectures in the series, despite promising myself I would attend every one of them at the start of the year. I shall have to do better in Trinity. On Thursday I had another delicious and convivial lunch at St Antony’s and in the evening went to a staff party that was hosted by a colleague in her lovely house in Temple Cowley. Everyone was very relaxed and the atmosphere was great. My colleague is Russian and produced some vodka at one point which she was keen everyone should down in one. A bracing experience–that made me realise it must be twenty years since I last drank vodka. Yesterday, I attended the [4]Colloquium on the Cadiz Constitution of 1812, which was held at the Taylor 210 Institution and was part-organised by a colleague. The event was sponsored by the [5]Instituto Cer- vantes and there should be a film of some of it on the institute’s [6]TV channel pages shortly. What struck me most about the event was the clarity and vividness of the speakers’ talks. That given by Sir John Elliott was of particular interest to me because he discussed the roles played by Spaniards from Latin America during the promulgation of the constitution and how the freedoms the constitution at- tempted to enshrine were the same ones that were rapidly leading to the disintegration of the Spanish Empire. After the talks we all went through to a terrific exhibition, organised by my colleague, of books associated with the constitution held in Oxford libraries, including [7]José Maria Blanco White’s personal copy of the constitution’s text. The exhibition was formally opened by the Spanish Ambassador, Carles Casajuana, before things were rounded off with a wine reception. Meanwhile, the day was warming up when I went cycling earlier and now there is bright sun. The daffodils planted round the trees is Bamton and neighbouring villages are coming into flower. Those in the photo are at Black Bourton. I also took the little video of part of Calcroft Lane during the cycle ride. It shows–in rather home-movie style–such things as the heavy farm machinery that gets put in front of gateways to prevent fly-tipping, the bridge over the old Oxford branchline, the [8]hedging I’ve been talking about recently and the way that the landscape opens out, as you near Clanfield, onto Thames Valley, which is especially wide round here–stretching for one-to-two miles. Is Calcroft Lane good telly? Probably not but it keeps me amused. Good to hear my friend Helen Rappaport on [9]Radio 4 this morning, discussing Victoria and Albert.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQDCp5F4nVQ/T1ssYd5Uv6I/AAAAAAAAA4U/myZLzrrzHEw/s1600/daffodils, +black+bourton+mar+2012+a3.jpg 2. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing 3. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing/events 4. http://londres.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha80382_22_2.htm 5. http://londres.cervantes.es/en/default.shtm 6. http://cervantestv.es/ 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Blanco_White 8. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.com/2012/01/hedging-part-two.html 9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017gn37

calcroft lane ii (2012-03-11 13:55)

[EMBED]

Today the sun is shining–the hottest day of the year, it feels like–and Calcroft Lane is a very different place.

211 cranes, mist, ﬁlmscript, john frankenheimer (2012-03-12 22:40)

[1] Misty start to the day–and if the journey home from Witney is anything to go by, it’ll be another misty night. Loved the way the cranes on the Radcliffe Inﬁrmary Quarter site almost disappeared in the mist. Starting work on a short ﬁlmscript today. Fascinating project. Meanwhile, watching The Manchurian Candidate [2]remake on DVD. Strong performances from Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber and John Voight but still a pale shadow of the John Franken- heimer [3]original. There’s a great YouTube [4]interview with JF btw.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jhkefqn9sbY/T15uVqSMy2I/AAAAAAAAA4g/HqBSIq5fbpI/s1600/cranes, +oxford+mar+2012+c.jpg 2. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368008/ 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manchurian_Candidate_(1962_film) 4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnEXeBBJ8vI

mist again (2012-03-15 08:58)

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Day off today–from Oxford-based work, at least. Had intended to cycle but the fog was so thick that I decided to go for a walk instead. This was the first time I’d walked the fields surrounding the village on a weekday morning for ages. Just how long it’s been was brought home to me by the fact that I didn’t recognise any of the dog walkers (the mist wasn’t THAT thick). So far, the day’s pace has been lovely. I’ll be working on the filmscript later, though.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jo-FrlER1Ug/T2GnUtC3sDI/AAAAAAAAA4s/cms4b1Na3RU/s1600/bampton+ church,+mist+mar+2012+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3z1dkht9_oo/T2GneIcmsRI/AAAAAAAAA40/OyIAHQ8FRbQ/s1600/gate+near+ bampton,+mist+mar+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zgxWqM49dO8/T2GnlFSJDmI/AAAAAAAAA48/QfL_SF5Ea9I/s1600/bampton+ church,+mist+mar+2012+b.jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D6aQBzzuezw/T2GnvBaS4SI/AAAAAAAAA5E/jefnYpwviyo/s1600/bridge+ near+bampton,+mist+mar+2102.jpg 5. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkbanE2xgyA/T2Gn2fQQRPI/AAAAAAAAA5M/6D0i3cdCJxQ/s1600/bampton+ church,+mist+mar+2012+c.jpg

213 rain, ﬂowers, frogs, achy shoulders, ﬁlmscript, hollybush (2012-03-17 17:54)

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[10] When I got up it was raining, though later the sun came through. Took these photos in the garden at about 7.15 am. If you click on the pond (puddle) one you should be able to make out some of the masses of frogs that live there. Amorous times there just at the minute. Loved getting out on the bike after what was a busy week. Lots of typing, what with one thing and another, to the point of making my shoulders ache. So, what do I do to relax–I type a blog. Meanwhile the online course comes to an end this weekend, which is sad because it’s been great fun working with the students. I’m also starting on the next stage of the short ﬁlmscript. Took a break by heading off to Witney on the 19 bus for lunch at the Hollybush. Signs in the pub suggest it’s pushing its [11]Twitter account. 215 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2N1Y0D6MYog/T2RVR5dAzRI/AAAAAAAAA5c/JmF-yA1XdA0/s1600/primroses, +bampton+mar+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dMQrbL1JXek/T2RVb3NJXUI/AAAAAAAAA5k/B2LJYUZZT9E/s1600/violets, +bampton+mar+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U8sUKg3qzko/T2RVl2lFD1I/AAAAAAAAA5s/iBcgvKOJ_eU/s1600/hyacinth. jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-idKsMYVUHu8/T2RVwvxiSJI/AAAAAAAAA50/cnmIH6bbJRg/s1600/cavolo+ nero,+bampton+mar+2012.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1oICPizYuHo/T2RV7OTotMI/AAAAAAAAA58/i6E-9C0gYAY/s1600/narcissi, +bampton+mar+2012.jpg 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P55FUZmfh7A/T2RWCJBpLeI/AAAAAAAAA6E/MuMltcXnQSI/s1600/frog+ puddle,+bampton+2012.jpg 7. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAf4CxxFpso/T2RWMcDCsjI/AAAAAAAAA6M/NDvCtE5VIqs/s1600/hellebore, +bampton+mar+2012.jpg 8. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jMe43vpWRlg/T2RWhX-ThjI/AAAAAAAAA6c/V_i_CP4P480/s1600/ivy, +bampton+mar+2012.jpg 9. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JfQLfOjj7Q/T2RWXG-Wk9I/AAAAAAAAA6U/z8j3aQ3B63E/s1600/ pulmonaria,+bampton+mar+2012.jpg 10. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cEk1lwVZbnQ/T2RWsBlL5wI/AAAAAAAAA6k/bOVEqUET5bc/s1600/ wheelbarrow,+bampton+mar+2012.jpg 11. https://twitter.com/#!/TheHollybush1

hockney, ebury wine bar, mercedes taxi (2012-03-18 23:07)

[1] Went to the [2]David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy earlier. Huge and overwhelming but well worth the visit. Particularly liked the fourth gallery which contains Yorkshire landscapes ’painted directly from observation’ in 2004-2005. Several of these reminded me of John Nash’s work (see my ’spring!, long winter, ageing, john nash, tyres-some’ [3]post of 26th February). My favourite image, though, was in the next gallery, Tunnels, and was entitled [4]Winter Tunnel with Snow (it was also reminiscent of Nash). The painting evoked scenes I’ve seen over the years in other contexts (see this [5]post, for example) and was remarkably vivid both close up and from a distance. In fact you noticed different things depending on the distance–the shadows on the snow were especially striking from the other side of the gallery. Also loved the videos that Hockney made (using a curious rig of nine HD cameras fixed to a Jeep)–both the ones of hedgerows and woods and the lovely ones of dancers–and the sketchpads and iPads (for more on Hockney and iPad drawings, follow these [6]BBC and [7]Louisiana Museum links). After the exhibition I was treated to a delicious lunch at the [8]Ebury Wine Bar, an old favourite that was as good as ever. 216 Travelled in a Mercedes taxi too. I’m sufficiently non-London savvy to have wondered if you could actually hail one of these cabs (there weren’t such things the last time I flagged down a London taxi). Indeed, sitting in the back of the cab I was trying to remember the last time I did travel in a London taxi... Oh dear!

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-5U4oqQ6uw/T2ZBzGaoMEI/AAAAAAAAA6w/p-exCgWlLYA/s1600/royal+ academy,+mar+2012.jpg 2. http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/hockney/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/spring-long-winter-ageing-john-nash.html 4. http://sexualityinart.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/ david-hockney-winter-tunnel-with-snow-march-2006.jpg 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/end-of-cold-war-humanism-friends-happy. html 6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11666162 7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jabJKtqK0k 8. http://eburyrestaurant.co.uk/

frost, sunny morning, piers, drought and all (2012-03-19 22:05)

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A frost this morning. While there was no ice on the frog pond, the lawn and garden were white. A beautiful cycle ride–I was at home today, on leave. Fascinated in particular by the reﬂection of the water against the piers of the bridge over the Great Brook near Chimney. Amazing how low the water is in the brook, though. Drought and all.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c62gQ55nCrA/T2cMA2nxkII/AAAAAAAAA68/sjArZwcE4ns/s1600/clump, +near+tadpole+bridge+mar+2012.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yLMGdSV29j4/T2cUl9cPCCI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/Nn98tkjR-js/s1600/bridge+ over+great+brook,+near+chimney+mar+2012+a.jpg

spring ﬂowers, ﬁlmscript, mst cw, podcast (2012-03-26 08:30)

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New phone, new camera. Great to see so much blossom and so many spring flowers coming out. The magnolia, above top, was in neighbouring village of Alvescot and the white violets and gorgeous kingcups were along Calcroft Lane (aka the gated road). The cherry is by the entrance to Bampton Library (aka [5]Downton Cottage Hospital). Yesterday, when these photos were taken, was beautiful–first brunch on patio. Finished the dialogue for the short filmscript last week. A fascinating experience–many thanks to [6]James Lawes for giving me the opportunity to work on that. Meanwhile, lovely to hear from friend from Keble days, who got in touch out of the blue. I haven’t seen her since the late 80s but hope to meet soon and catch up. The [7]MSt in Creative Writing residence took place over the weekend. Enjoyed seeing students and colleagues again. A novelty was being filmed for course podcast. Each person only had 30 seconds to say their bit but that proved challenging–tripped over my words, take one; dried, take two; take three, OK.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ORWbS2PvVps/T28sQ__CWMI/AAAAAAAAA7c/8e5WpVmQFQY/s1600/magnolia, +alvescot+mar+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oyyst2QDxUs/T28sdObaeiI/AAAAAAAAA7k/BgLwiLHAf38/s1600/white+ violets,+calcroft+lane,+mar+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TImVSUVbzC8/T28smzsWvCI/AAAAAAAAA7s/mZLiGVeuFbk/s1600/kingcups+ by+calcroft+lane,+mar+2012.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Sj8zlJmAsc/T28s1mh8LWI/AAAAAAAAA70/IQp6UzDshY8/s1600/cherry+by+ bampton+library,+mar+2012.jpg 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/that-downton-abbey-time-of-year-again.html 6. http://www.pretzelfilms.com/agency/james-lawes/ 7. http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=65

219 oxford canal, clematis, maggie the cat (2012-03-29 13:18)

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I haven’t had time to walk by the Oxford Canal on my way to work for a couple of weeks. It was great to take that route this morning. The canal has changed. Suddenly the towpath is bright green and there are wild flowers everywhere. Not that I think the clematis above is wild–a garden escape, more like. Still beautiful, though. Later, walked from the centre of town to a training session at offices beyond Osney Island. Always good to revisit the Island. Meanwhile, watched DVD of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) this week. True, there are some dated bits but mostly it’s such compelling viewing. There are moments that are spellbinding–and these aren’t confined to Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor’s performances. What is striking is the strength of all the performances, each character having outstanding scenes.

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3.4 April party, assignments, clanﬁeld tavern, brunch, patio, drought (2012-04-01 16:13)

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[3] Went to a party in Oxford last night. It was Jim’s sixty-fifth and Jill’s retirement. Lovely to see old friends from Osney Island. The rest of the weekend has been spent marking assignments. Now off for a pint at the [4]Clanfield Tavern. Another amazing day. Unexpected, though, given what the online BBC weather forecast said earlier in the week. Sunday brunch on the patio again. Meanwhile, there’s still a lot happening in the west Oxfordshire countryside. The magnolia flower is showing traces of burn resulting from last night’s frost. The background to the horse-chestnut bud pic is a reminder that it is only the end of March/beginning of April, after all. For those who subscribe to the Sunday Times, there was a disturbing article today on the possible effects of the drought on wildlife, entitled [5]Drought threatens birds and bees. The article begins: "BRITAIN’S drought is threatening to topple millions of trees, destroy populations of wetland birds and wipe out the insects that form the base of the food chain, say government conservation advisers... "Even though it is only the beginning of April...key breeding areas for wetland wading birds such as red- shank, curlew and lapwing have dried out. These are often dependent on winter flooding to replenish their moisture levels but this year the floods have failed in many areas..."

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4fOiYHygoDQ/T3hcFKmoP1I/AAAAAAAAA8g/8fmS4w0yLOw/s1600/magnolia, +alvescot+april+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SO6xoIa5KtU/T3hcST6L_UI/AAAAAAAAA8o/bewFo31g0QA/s1600/horse+ chestnut+bud,+near+bampton+april+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jEc6cj1HIcA/T3hceFK4xoI/AAAAAAAAA8w/zpUJF7TupCk/s1600/pussy+ willow,+near+bampton+april+2012.jpg 4. http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/pub/view/Clanfield-Tavern-OX18-2RG 5. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Environment/article1007176.ece

221 holiday, oilseed rape, drought, kelmscott, willow bark (2012-04-06 19:40)

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[3] Can’t quite believe it’s Easter yet. Not least because it’s holiday-time. The whole of next week off. I’m not quite so shattered as I was at the start of the Xmas holiday but then the work schedule in Michaelmas Term was mad. I’m pleased I rationalised things a little for Hilary. Dad’s death was, of course, something that I could never have prepared for. It’s not just the fact that he is dead that has been so shocking but the way his death acts on my mind and how all the awfulness of the past however many years is now suddenly put into relief–or should that be perspective. I’m not sure. In any event, I’ve started to write about life from 1988 onwards, which is so far, an unsettling, though therapeutic activity. It is something, come what come may, that I feel is necessary. The holiday got off to a lovely start with a drinks party here last night. A low key but warm and enlivening evening. 222 This morning was unexpectedly sunny. I mowed the lawn before I set off on my cycle ride–how late I was in doing this, this year. Most people mowed their lawn for the first time two or three weeks ago. Cycling was great–sometimes cycling involves being relaxed in quite a disciplined, forced way because it’s time snatched from a busy schedule. But today felt luxurious. In the countryside around the village, a lot of winter oilseed rape is coming into flower. A striking but still, I feel, a synthetic-looking crop, somehow. Maybe my view of it is because I can remember it first appearing in the landscape. When I was a boy, a yellow field meant a mustard crop and was very rarely seen. The middle photo above, shows that rather strange moaty pond down by the Thames near Tadpole bridge. Regular readers of this blog might recall other photos of this feature last year–see [4]12th January 2011, [5]10th April 2011, and [6]15th May 2011. If you click on the above photo, I think it’s clear that the water level is low now and reflects the severity of the drought that has led to the hosepipe ban. The land generally round here looks like it’s not doing well–struggling, I would say. After a late breakfast we headed for Kelmscott for a walk and a pint of Hooky at the Plough. The bark of a huge willow near William Morris’s manor is shown above. When we got home, we watched the last few minutes of Four Weddings and Funeral on DVD (ace film) and the start of Sunset Boulevard. I remember we were allowed to watch the start of the latter film when I was at Heatherdown in about 1970. We were all sitting in the old library in our dressing gowns on a spring evening but had to go to the dormitories after about three-quarters of an hour. I’ve wanted to know what happened ever since but have never got round to finding out. I still don’t know but hopefully over the next few days I will.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dzkP13uxD8U/T37rPFLGu5I/AAAAAAAAA9c/b31C3D36ZYo/s1600/oilseed+ rape+near+lew,+oxfordshire+april+2012+b.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ouK4cofaYo/T37rYnyfzLI/AAAAAAAAA9k/b70zKxBLtrg/s1600/’moat’ +pond+near+tadpole+bridge+april+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cGdwIkbUVpo/T38W31Y0hnI/AAAAAAAAA9w/LTqi9UXFa1A/s1600/willow+ bark+near+kelmscott+april+2012.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/first-day-of-spring.html 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/oxford-lit-fest-book-for-all-and-none.html 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/parched.html

allotment, easter, blackthorn; and then something really unexpected happens (2012-04-08 23:39)

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Easter. Holiday. So pleased to have the week off. Weather forecast isn’t good, though. Meanwhile, today was the ﬁrst time I’ve managed to get up to the allotment this year, apart from taking peelings to the compost heap. I managed to fork through a couple of yards of the ﬁrst strip. The soil is shaking out beautifully but I was aware that I’m unlikely to be up there again until next weekend because of the rain. Still , as Des said, the land needs rain. Looking forward to relaxing and doing not much at all, therefore. Already feeling tons better than on Thursday. Have redesigned [4]frankegerton.com. Comments welcome. Happy Easter!!

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224 duxford, violets, shifford lock, tadpole bridge, perspective(?) (2012-04-09 23:28)

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A great walk to Duxford and Shifford Lock and back to Tadpole Bridge this morning. The water-level in the arm of the Thames that passes near Duxford was higher than expected at the ford just to the north of the village, although it was low compared with the winter. Violets were out in between the ford and the lock. On the way back we passed through Chimney Meadows–see [6]post of 27th December 2011 for more detailed information about this nature reserve. The land here–and generally on the walk–seemed quite parched and ’late’, despite the intermittent light rain, and (as is the case from time to time throughout the year) somewhat melancholy. An atmosphere that was added to by the haunting cry of curlews, which have recently returned to breed. Glad to have the rest of the week off. The period of getting family matters into perspective continues. Nature helps.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eWwNwCwfNUA/T4NYQzlasEI/AAAAAAAAA-c/bEBFTCaubZc/s1600/ford+near+ duxford%252C+oxfordshire+april+2012.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r8vEYRtVZC4/T4NYb9KUNII/AAAAAAAAA-k/rzmKvpotFsk/s1600/violets+ near+duxford%252C+oxfordshire+april+2012.jpg 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rVzPELNYwo/T4NY0Nh3AtI/AAAAAAAAA-0/hUMiHm_vtZc/s1600/ blackthorn+near+shifford+lock+april+2012+b.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9-0lj-fqMA/T4NZlukfiAI/AAAAAAAAA_M/7qn6DnDHZRA/s1600/thames+ south+of+shifford+lock+april+2012.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8YwV1vd_PlE/T4NY9Idp8II/AAAAAAAAA-8/hn3h29BdyRo/s1600/chimney+ meadows+april+2012+a.jpg 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/willow-leaves-cold-chimney-meadows.html

226 Anonymous (2012-04-10 12:14:52) Hi Frank. Nice new makeover. Beautiful photos. Thanks for insights and observations on ﬂora and fauna and matters of the human heart. Time to come clean tho’ ... I have enjoyed your postings for some time! Best wishes. Orla (a bygone student).

frank (2012-04-10 12:22:09) Great to hear from you Orla. Hope all’s well with you!

sticky clay, sort out, ﬂowering hedge, sunset boulevard (2012-04-10 20:01)

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Attempts to fork through the potato strip on the allotment were thwarted by overnight rain. The clay soil was sticky when I went up there at 11 and more rain during the next hour put paid to gardening altogether. Beautiful light though when the sun broke through, although the day never warmed up. Went through carrier bags of papers which have been sitting under the bed for ages and found that most were hopelessly out of date and just gathering dust. Still quite a few bags left, even so, not to mention the ones under the spare bed. Meanwhile, when I gave up gardening and took off on the bike, I found the recently laid hedge was ﬂowering and in leaf–above. A strange sight, really, when you look at the bases of the stems and see that they’re all nearly cut through. Finished watching Sunset Boulevard–fantastic theatre and suspension of disbelief.

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Anonymous (2012-04-11 09:33:03) Frank, I hope it is ok to comment, if occasionally. The blog reminds me so much of Ireland ... the hand made hedges, the wide open meadows and beautiful trees, the mists and morning light, the inevitable but necessary rain, and most importantly, the love for the land. I watched John B. Kean’s ’The Field’ last night. Chilling stuff, indeed. Orla.

227 gee’s, standlake lakes, woodpecker, kingﬁsher, weather! (2012-04-11 20:54)

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[3] Great lunch with colleagues at Gee’s restaurant in Oxford. Sunlight streamed into the conservatory; the food was delicious; talking and sharing the meal together was great fun. On the way home I met Jess and Tufty at Standlake and walked to Old Shifford via the Windrush path (which is decorated with mosaics–above). I’d not walked around the lakes here since windsurﬁng days in the mid-1980s. I’d forgotten how exotic the lakes can look sometimes. The promised rain held off, apart from one or two brief showers. A day when I could have been on the allotment, therefore. Wonder what tomorrow will be like! 1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jm644FR-zLs/T4XZQYhFumI/AAAAAAAAA_s/OaVT5WiOGGo/s1600/gravel+ pit+lake,+standlake+april+2012.jpg 228 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZYzlfipWXs/T4XZajOKh9I/AAAAAAAAA_0/zPdsPD1hzb0/s1600/ woodpecker+mosaic,+windrush+walk,+standlake+april+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFh5pLOovlE/T4XZjrGQIqI/AAAAAAAAA_8/ZAAQI8Y5Pcc/s1600/ kingfisher+mosaic,+windrush+walk,+standlake+april+2012.jpg

walk, drought, hollow tree, end of the holiday, writing (2012-04-15 21:56)

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A lovely day which began with a walk into the Thames Valley then back round to Weald, Ham Court, the Plantation and the fields to the north of the village, which are bounded by the Shill and Highmoor brooks. I’d not done much of this walk for several months and it was great to revisit places including the water meadows near the Thames in between the Sharney and Burroway brooks where the curlew come to nest. (The fourth and fifth photos from top show the Sharney Brook, which is low now, though not as low as the ditch shown immediately above them. This ditch is usually full until the middle of summer and often never dries out. The drought is certainly happening round here.) Meanwhile, was fascinated by the hollow willow in the line of the old hedge along the green lane from the Burroway Brook to Weald. I wonder what happened to it–struck by lightening possibly? The oilseed rape is full out around the village. I can’t believe the holiday is almost over but feel very refreshed by it. I’ve also enjoyed writing about the past couple of decades during the week. I’ve learned a lot from that and will continue exploring these experiences in writing over the next week. Also looking forward to working on another short filmscript and reading a novel draft about a First World War poet for StreetBooks.

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231 aldermaston, stories, lustre, nano-tech, quince (2012-04-23 08:52)

[1] Had lunch with Alan and Charlotte at near Al- dermaston yesterday.

Fantastic drive between Wantage and the A34, cross-country, particularly on the way back when the view from Farnborough was even more dramatic than usual, April showers swinging over the Thames Valley like chain curtains.

Farnborough is the highest point on the Berkshire Downs and the view is said to be the one Hardy had in mind when, in Jude the Obscure, Jude sees Christminster, shimmering in the valley, for the ﬁrst time.

Alan was at school with Dad. He founded the wonderful Aldermaston Pottery, a ﬁctional version of which features in Invisible.

The pace of our time at Alan and Charlotte’s home was gentle and relaxing and the conversation stimulating and fun. Lots of wonderful stories about people and trips to different parts of the world with exhibitions of lustre pottery.

Loved hearing about the three Umbrian lustre towns and Alan and Charlotte’s trip to one of them for a recent lecture. (The importance of the ancient lustre technique to current nano-technology research was a revelation.)

At one point talk turned to the subject of theatre critics. Alan told us about a friend, one of whose plays had been savaged. The friend had lamented, ’Don’t they understand how hard it is to write even a bad play.’

Before leaving with a dozen bantam eggs, we went into Alan and Charlotte’s garden and looked at the old apple trees and the quince that was coming into blossom and is shown above.

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232 bridges, grafﬁti, port meadow, puny, tarkovsky (2012-04-24 22:53)

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[9] Had a great walk on Saturday, which I’ve not had time to write about since. I had to work in Oxford on Saturday, starting at 10 but because there is no 8 am bus from Bampton, I had to get the 7, so had plenty of time in hand when I got to the top of the Woodstock Road before 8. Loved walking down the canal then along Aristotle Lane and over the railway onto Port Meadow. Funny doing this walk because it follows the melancholy path that the Oxford don Gerald takes when things are unravelling for him in my first novel The Lock. His walk in turn echoes one that his wife Elizabeth took when she was puzzling over his strange behaviour–he was having an affair with one of his graduate students. Graffiti features on the steel bridges over the railway line in the novel and the real ones are still covered with spray paint even now, over a decade on. Yet the images are new and refreshed. Port Meadow remains its wonderful huge romantic, tragic, uplifting, louring self. On this occasion, quite wonderfully spacious and lit up. As I walked I contemplated the 20k word piece I’ve written recently about what I went through between 1988 and the present within the family. I wrote this during the week I had off after Easter and had completed the revisions the night before my walk. My head was still buzzing that morning–trying to comprehend the enormity of the suffering that had passed during those many years and which was suddenly being made more-or-less portable through the writing of it. Suddenly made puny through the writing of it. The cruelty of others suddenly rendered in its proper proportion for the first time in over 234 two decades. It was a beautiful and strange walk that Saturday morning. Finished off with the Tarkovsky-like underworld beneath the last bridge before the station that I crossed through on my way back to the city.

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mud, holiday payback, oclw, sf, st (2012-04-28 11:26)

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Hum. The allotment remains no further forward than at the end of the week after Easter. Whenever I’ve had a free moment it’s been raining or the ground hasn’t had time to dry out. The scenes in the countryside have gone from drought to huge puddles and acres of mud. Presumably forecasters are right, though, when they say that the rain isn’t soaking into the ground but running off the fields into the ditches and streams. Today was, I thought, supposed to be pretty fine–no sign of this yet. I’ve enjoyed this week. The one before was a rush, catching up after the holiday–the wages of taking a holiday are the dozens and dozens of emails in one’s inbox when one gets back. Sadly, no time to go to the first Trinity event at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing (OCLW)–though I hope very much to go to [4]some in May and June. Online course started this week and other teaching commitments are kicking off. Looking forward to going to San Francisco for [5]LASA at the end of next month. (Earlier in the week we watched Tim Burton’s [6]Sweeney Todd on DVD–love Tim Burton’s work but this one was a bit too gruesome for me...)

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwFJmilS6Hs/T5vBRQiby3I/AAAAAAAABEc/OStGkZRt42Q/s1600/mud+and+ oilseed+rape+near+broadwell+april+2012+a.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6CpzswLPtP4/T5vBY3cst5I/AAAAAAAABEk/x5176B0eGww/s1600/mud+and+ oilseed+rape+near+broadwell+april+2012+b.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KHNuqgVNbBE/T5vBg2TJw9I/AAAAAAAABEs/WL9CEFAul1I/s1600/mud+and+ oilseed+rape+near+broadwell+april+2012+c.jpg 4. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing/events 5. http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/eng 6. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408236

236 fb friend, wind and rain, cherry blossom, magnolia, weather (2012-04-29 21:56)

[1] Earlier on Facebook a friend talked about how the overnight rain had pelted off all the blossom on a beloved cherry tree in her garden. It was with this in mind that I took the above photo of the ground beneath the lovely magnolia by the bus stop in Alvescot when I was out on my bike ride. At the start of the month I photographed the tree’s beautiful [2]ﬂowers that had survived a hard frost the night before. They did well to stay fresh throughout nearly the whole month. But last night’s wind and rain caused havoc throughout west Oxfordshire, it seems. All part of nature’s pattern, I dare say but the devastation felt unduly vicious and depressing somehow, this morning. It had taken all the will I could muster to get out there on the bike. As I pedalled into the wind, which appeared to come at me no matter the direction I was headed, I was confronted by leaves and blossom and twigs strewn across the lanes. In places there were branches down and along the gated road two trees had been felled. Such a strange year–though they always are in the UK. Nothing is ever as you expect, as far as the weather is concerned!

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHQMJEY0zrc/T52mVy6xSOI/AAAAAAAABE4/kHTmVwPXMk4/s1600/magnolia+ petals,+alvescot+april+2012.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/party-assignments-clanfield-tavern.html

3.5 May swan at radcot, cold ipa, spice, narrowboat, morris, red house (2012-05-01 22:52)

[1] 237 Met friends at the [2]Swan at Radcot this evening. A great pint of Green King IPA, chilled smoothflow version–’great’ to my great surprise (not something I would try usually). Actually thought it tasted better than the ordinary. GK IPA’s got a full enough flavour to withstand the cold–in fact the chilling seems to bring out its spiciness. Loved the new-look bar at the Swan too–though it’s been like it for about a year, so they said. Afterwards we visited our friends’ narrowboat, which isn’t going anywhere just now because of the high water level. Wonderful, standing in the boat and staring out at the river which, because of the perspective, seems almost at the windowsill. As we left, the mist was rising on the meadows. A better end to the day, as far as the weather was concerned. This morning it was odd seeing the Morris dancers in front of St John’s–and later in the Ashmolean courtyard (the first time the dancing has happened there, it seems)–in the pouring rain. Well done them for their perseverance. Really enjoyed listening to the Mark Haddon interview on Radio 4’s [3]Front Row this evening–he was talking about his new novel [4]The Red House, which is due out later this month. 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmfgifUY41E/T6BOtZkPNxI/AAAAAAAABFI/W-N6jdCK640/s1600/ narrowboat+and+mist,+radcot+may+2012.jpg 2. http://www.swanhotelradcot.co.uk/ 3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gvq3q 4. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Red-House-Mark-Haddon/dp/0224096400/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid= 1335908824&sr=8-3

frozen, signs of spring, clematis, green alcanet etc, family biz!? (2012-05-06 00:24)

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[2] Last Saturday, drenched. This one, frozen. What’s going on!? Good cycle ride, though, once I got going. Signs of spring, even if it felt like the middle of winter. Loved 238 the clematis and green alcanet by the above garden wall by Kencot and the cowslips and red dead nettle along Calcroft Lane (aka the gated road–the one without the gates). Busy week–whenever isn’t it? But a satisfying one. Felt I’d got some things done in the end. Must say the essay I wrote about the sad family biz has been a ’good thing’–has helped to put a lot of things into perspective and has been pretty therapeutic. Looking back at what happened systematically, you think how the hell did everybody get taken in? There’s a study in group dynamics there–that should keep a researcher or two going for years! Pleased to have a couple of days off for the bank holiday. Feel I need it.

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kind weather, spuds, edzell blues, highland burgundy reds, dibber, shallots and onions (2012-05-06 17:00)

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Weather has been kind the past couple of days, so I was at last able to get onto the allotment and plant the spuds. I prepared the ground when I had a week off after Easter but have had to wait three weeks for a break in the rain to coincide with some time off. Spuds have gone in much later than usual. In 2010 planting started on [4]11th April and last year I put in the lot on [5]9th April... But, as Keith said this morning, ’They’ll catch up.’ Hope so. The varieties this year are Desiree, Estima, Kestrel and Maris Peer. I also put in a row each of Edzell Blue and Highland Burgundy Red, which we haven’t grown for years. When we stayed in Comrie back in the 90s we used to visit Mrs MacLean and order a selection of unusual varieties which would arrive by post in the spring. She grew well over a hundred different kinds. The Edzell Blues are the nearest ones in the bottom photo and the Highland Burgundy Reds, the ones at the back. The wonderful old potato dibber had its annual outing. Also managed to get in our shallots (Red Sun) and onions (Sturon and Stuttgarter)–again very late.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zu84US9_it8/T6abusuf12I/AAAAAAAABGU/iO_FTsKTGIw/s1600/estima+ seed+potatoes+and+dibber,+may+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SuvK4oqzkNE/T6abiKJXNuI/AAAAAAAABGM/0n4rJblgNQE/s1600/maris+ peer+seed+potatoes+and+dibber,+may+2012.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KqCIAyrCndI/T6ab8ahesgI/AAAAAAAABGc/j5XMxvkIcrM/s1600/edzell+ blue+and+highland+burgundy+red+seed+potatoes,+may+2012.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/potato-planting.html 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/dibber-spuds-eucalyptus-and-what-butler. html

240 bank holiday walk, new bridge, thunder, downpours, hophead, suits, back to work (2012-05-07 20:15)

[1] We went on a great walk this morning. There was no chance of any allotmenting, so headed for the green lanes and the water meadows by the Thames.

We’re lucky round us because styles and bridges are well kept. Don’t know who’s built this new bridge over the Sharney Brook, just to the north of the ﬁelds where the curlew nest, but it’s much appreciated. Farmer or council?

Later, after some pretty spectacular thunderstorms and downpours, we headed for the Bell at Stand- lake for a pint of Dark Star Hophead. Back home, lazed in front of the ﬁre.

Before the pub, spent a little time putting away Dad’s suits and overcoats, which have come back from the dry cleaners. Bit sad.

Back to work tomorrow.

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moaty thing, awash, lasa, swan at radcot, robert gibbings (2012-05-12 23:58)

[1] 241 [2]

[3]

Loved seeing the sun today–and feeling its warmth. Great cycle ride early-ish this morning. A lot of water lying on the meadows down by the Thames. The weird moaty thing near Tadpole Bridge that I said back on [4]6th April was drying out like never before is suddenly awash. The water is also out on the Great Brook lane. Not quite as deep as it was a few years ago during the ﬂoods but I wouldn’t expect to see water there at all at this time of year. (The water-level during the ﬂoods was too high to cycle through, though I did try–and got very wet feet!) Busy week, as always, just now. Rewarding, though. Next week there’s a lot going on too, including preparations for my trip to San Francisco and the [5]LASA conference. Meanwhile, hoping to be able to fork through more ground on the allotment tomorrow. Had a drink at the Swan at Radcot Bridge earlier and caught sight of our friends with the narrowboat on the opposite bank. They still can’t move on to Oxford because the currents are too dangerous. Had good fun catching up over a pint. Talked in part about Robert Gibbings and his books, [6]Sweet Thames Run Softly and [7]Till I End My Song. About his anecdotes about the Thames hereabouts in the thirties and his wonderful [8]woodcuts done for his Golden Cockerel Press.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dODNomz0I1w/T67B3YpngPI/AAAAAAAABG4/uVg5NOY5ew8/s1600/the+moaty+ thing,+near+tadpole+bridge+may+2012+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QoD0UzdJ0R0/T67CL7xDMsI/AAAAAAAABHI/QceOBa_o00A/s1600/the+moaty+ thing,+near+tadpole+bridge+may+2012+b.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFBNDCJsbsI/T67CUy73zJI/AAAAAAAABHQ/quvpobL0u0E/s1600/water+ over+the+road,+near+tadpole+bridge+may+2012.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/holiday-oilseed-rape-drought-kelmscott. html 5. http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/ 6. http://caughtbytheriver.net/2011/10/sweet-thames-run-softly/ 242 7. http://caughtbytheriver.net/2009/09/till-i-end-my-song/ 8. https: //www.google.co.uk/search?q=robert+gibbings&hl=en&rlz=1C1FDUM_enGB475GB475&prmd=imvnso&tbm= isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wOeuT4XeAuyX0QXEwICtCQ&ved=0CH8QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=713

Anonymous (2012-05-14 19:52:45) Yes. Frank. I’m the one you thought rubbish. Best wishes wishes in th US of A @ LA. Look forward to next book. Orla

frank (2012-05-14 20:33:54) As you very well know, I most certainly didn’t think you were rubbish! Thanks for the good wishes! Hope all is well with you and the writing!

Anonymous (2012-05-16 09:54:23) Hello, Frank. I’m way out of line here. I do apologise. Regards, Orla.

wolvercote green, wio, reviewing the past, john wain, waterman’s arms (2012-05-17 20:41)

[1] This was the view across Wolvercote Green from the entrance to the Plough on Tuesday night. I’d gone there to attend the Writers in Oxford (WiO) AGM–the ﬁrst I’d been to since standing down as chair in [2]2010. It was lovely to see old friends, catch up on what the society is doing and chat about writing and this and that. The evening brought back memories and added to the sense I have at the moment of reviewing the past, somehow. Not sure why I am doing it–I can’t help it, I guess–but I am aware that this is what is happening. Oxford is in any case so full of overlapping memories and connections. [3]John Wain, the novelist and Oxford Professor of Poetry, lived on Wolvercote Green for many years and he regularly used to walk down the canal that runs past the village to the Thames and on to Osney, where he would drink at one of his favourite pubs, [4]The Waterman’s Arms (now, the Punter...though the water running by is really too deep for punting). The pub features in my novel The Lock (as the Narrow Boat) and was one of the key settings in John Wain’s wonderful Where the Rivers Meet trilogy. It was John’s son Will 243 who published The Lock under his Smaller Sky Books imprint in 2001 (ebook) and 2003 (paperback). Memories, connections...

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Etm9EfWxk6c/T7VQvjVtjdI/AAAAAAAABHo/eVc-zse4fs8/s1600/ wolvercote+green+may+2012.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/wio-farewell.html 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wain 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/watermans-arms-osney-now-punter.html

freezing may, bluebells, sf, ﬂying crows, golden gate, wierd (2012-05-20 20:29)

[1]

[2] Good to get out into the countryside on the bike this morning, even though it was freezing. Where did our summer go? Still, much beauty to be seen this week–including the May blossom on the Oxford Canal and the bluebells on the verge of the Black Bourton road, above. Feel a bit weird about going to San Francisco tomorrow for the LASA congress. I’ve only moved about 20 miles along the Thames Valley over the last 30 or so years, as the crow ﬂies, and haven’t been abroad much in that time, apart from Scotland and Ireland, so this impending long ﬂight seems a bit strange. Still I’ve been reading about the place and was particularly interested in the Independent [3]article that my boss Ruth sent me the link to yesterday–I’ll be in SF for the Golden Gate 75th celebrations, it seems, next Saturday. Also looking forward to meeting my cousin Nathan on Tuesday over there. I guess the next time I post will be from the west coast of the States. How odd. 244 1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XLI4gIFz4Gg/T7kZ9-Zg9GI/AAAAAAAABH4/niKGf-nRjuI/s1600/may, +oxford+canal+may+2012.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qPJ2fO1Ma_k/T7kaIHgZaxI/AAAAAAAABIA/1_Vd-x67EWg/s1600/bluebells+ near+black+bourton+may+2012.jpg 3. http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-san-francisco-7764058.html

san francisco (2012-05-22 18:40)

[1] Well, got to San Francisco. Still a bit jet lagged, though not too much.

Great ﬂight over, made all the more fun by lovely person, Tonia, I sat next to. Being able to chat the ﬂight away was great–in between typing library work into my mobile. Also watched The Iron Lady. Astonishing performance from Meryl Streep, it goes without saying, although it was weird seeing the set pieces like the rubbish piling up in the streets in the late seventies, the footage of the Falklands’ War and the Poll Tax riots. Flying tends to prompt me to look back over my life in any case and this time I had the panorama of those crucial decades’ news reports rolling by too.

Beginning to work out where things are in the centre of town, hopefully, and looking forward to meeting cousin Nathan at 6 this evening.

Enjoying poached egg and sausage breakfast just now–very spicy and herby sausage btw. Then I’ll get down to some more library work and online teaching.

Sunny here, though a colleague has emailed to say it’s 25C in Oxford. Don’t think it’s that here... – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http: //1.bp.blogspot.com/-ofCov4Isb9k/T7vP0b8-dXI/AAAAAAAABIU/H1aGUkiM0VM/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FY2l2aWMgY2VudHJlLCBzYW4gZnJhbmNpc2NvIG1heSAyMDEyLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-796514 2. http://frankegerton.com/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

245 golden gate, alcatraz, sea lions, paciﬁc breeze (2012-05-23 00:11)

[1]

[2]

[3] An after work wander through Chinatown led to San Francisco Bay and Pier 39.

First glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge (75 years old this Saturday) and Alcatraz Island. Wondered what all the deep barks were, then realised it was the sea lions! A friend had mentioned these but I’d forgotten exactly where they were. As I stared at the Golden Gate they were behind me, basking and occasionally squabbling on huge wooden pontoons.

Great to see them–and great to spend some time by the sea for a bit. Refreshing breeze. Searing light, though, off the water–glad I brought my shades. – 246 Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RxL9Hd_oN8/T7weWU7SVaI/AAAAAAAABIk/RxTMOLF6p9I/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253Fc2FuIGZyYW5jaXNjbyBiYXksIGd1bGwgJiBhbGNhdHJheiwgbWF5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-700593 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6zrylx0Lys/T7weW8V9ovI/AAAAAAAABIw/tXLnIqADSGs/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FcGllciAzOSBzZWEgbGlvbnMsIHNhbiBmcmFuY2lzY28sIG1heSAyMDEyLmpwZw%253D% 253D%253F%253D-702665 3. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYWE0AMCzGw/T7weXf9WckI/AAAAAAAABI8/KlouCkIPPGw/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FZm9yYmVzIGlzbGFuZCwgc2FuIGZyYW5jaXNjbywgbWF5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-704514 4. http://frankegerton.com/ 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

two interiors, stanford, lasa launch (2012-05-24 05:44)

[1]

[2] 247 [3] Met fellow SALALM (US Latin American librar- ians association) members and caught a train to Palo Alto for a visit to Stanford.

This was a real treat, not least because I used to teach students on the Stanford in Oxford programme.

Was struck by the vast sense of space, how beautifully kept everything was–both outside and inside– and how welcome we were made to feel. Great to discuss library business and to learn how similar the challenges are on both sides of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, back in SF, LASA XXX launched this evening. An astonishingly full programme over the next three days! – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-MMbX-2F5eL0/T72831V7cRI/AAAAAAAABJU/BIjgjjyTcRE/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FdHVubmVsLCBzdG9ja3Rvbiwgc2FuIGZyYW5jaXNjbywgbWF5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-718835 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YkAUJfR7m0Q/T7284U4JmeI/AAAAAAAABJg/Up7DTb05F0A/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc3RhbmZvcmQgY2h1cmNoLCBtYXkgMjAxMi5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-720713 3. http: //4.bp.blogspot.com/--F04jkrnM3k/T7284zMFB9I/AAAAAAAABJs/67_y01-US9M/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FZ2FyZGVuIG9mIGVkZW4sIHN0YW5mb3JkIGNodXJjaCwgbWF5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-722549 4. http://frankegerton.com/ 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

248 sutter, marti, lineamientos, time passing, sf city hall (2012-05-26 06:53)

[1] Sitting in the Sutter Pub on Taylor, after a day at the LASA Congress. A pint of Sierra Nevada IPA is going down well and a house special burger is on the way. The four TV screens, each showing a different channel make the solo widescreen in Bampton pubs look a bit tame but apart from that, this is a pretty authentic US take on the pub theme. Very warm and welcoming.

Saw a great ﬁlm late this afternoon: Marti, el ojo del canario, directed by Fernando Perez. As the LASA programme says:

’The formative years of Cuban national hero Jose Marti are explored in a historical epic set during the 1890s in colonial Havana. The film follows "El Apostol" from the age of nine to seventeen, as he experiences firsthand the often brutal inequalities of Spanish colonial rule, feels the fire of injustice rise within him, and navigates personal conflict with his Spanish father.’

The film was compelling from a historical point of view but also from the point of view of its portrayal of conflicts within a family. You could really understand Marti’s determination to affirm his Cuban identity but equally you sympathised with the plight of his father and mother as their family got dragged into the terrifying consequences of their son’s political activism.

Meanwhile, a great panel earlier examined the fascinating economic changes going on in contemporary Cuba: What does the future hold for Cuba?: the Lineamientos, guidelines for economic change in Cuba, (approved, April 18, 2011) and Cuba’s VI congress. Lots of info and food for thought during this panel discussion, some of it contradictory. Check out an intriguing blog, written by one of the speakers: [2]thecubabug.blogspot.com.

Can’t quite believe how fast my time in SF is passing.

Pic btw if City Hall, just up the road from where I am staying. – Visit [3]http://frankegerton.com (website) [4]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange 1. http: //1.bp.blogspot.com/-rAMq661a-hk/T8BwboCQ4FI/AAAAAAAABJ8/Vz24gwSLCw0/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253Fc2FuIGZyYW5jaXNjbyBjaXR5IGhhbGwsIG1heSAyMDEyLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-757488 2. http://thecubabug.blogspot.com/ 3. http://frankegerton.com/ 249 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

sfmoma, photography in mexico, romance, iguanas, che, saying goodbye, nostalgia (2012-05-26 23:13)

[1]

[2]

[3] Visited SFMOMA this morning to see the Mexico in Photography exhibition that by happy coincidence is on just round the corner from the LASA congress. The exhibition has been assembled from photos held by SFMOMA and covers the 1920s to the present. From wonderful patterned images inﬂuenced by European 1920s photographers to edgily poignant aerial shots of contemporary Mexico City and the attempts by Mexicans to cross the desert to the US. 250 Highlights included the work of Tina Modotti and Edward Watson who lived and worked together in Mexico in the 20s (how romantic is that); Manuel Alvarez Bravo (especially Diego Rivera pintando un mural, 1930s); Manuel Carrillo’s extraordinary image of a vast pack of wild dogs, 1975 (thought I could spot Tufty’s cousin a few times removed in that one); the photos of Rodrigo Moya, icluding Che melancolico, La Habana, Cuba, 1964; Graciela Iturbide’s images of festivals–for example, Nuestra Senora de las iguanas (woman wearing an amazing hat made of iguanas!); and Oscar Fernando Gomez’s wonderfully quirky colour shots from the 2000s. Last visit to the book fair followed. Bought, amongst other titles, Remembering Che: my life with Che Guevara by Che’s widow, Aleida March, new out from Ocean Press and already well received. Sad to be saying goodbye to SALALM friends who have been so welcoming. Seeing the Chilean ﬁlm, Nostalgia de la luz later–which is about memory, astronomy and archaeology, amongst other things. – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNO8Ak1-yNs/T8FWdycno_I/AAAAAAAABKQ/7P0dF2Qhp_M/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2Ztb21hLCBtYXkgMjAxMiBhLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-747163 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJAW1wnjJHM/T8FWeVyg_oI/AAAAAAAABKc/UrsLFdnYGgs/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2Ztb21hLCBtYXkgMjAxMiBiLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-748742 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m10-JvZJZNg/T8FWek5BKPI/AAAAAAAABKo/QOFqLrxriF0/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2Ztb21hLCBtYXkgMjAxMiBjLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-750180 4. http://frankegerton.com/ 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

show dogs, leaving sf, ace ﬁlm (2012-05-27 18:32)

[1] 251 [2]

[3] Having breakfast at Show Dogs on Market (coffee, poached egg and spicy sausage) before checking out of the hotel and heading for the airport.

Sad to be leaving–loved the LASA Congress and the city. Looking forward to being home too, though.

Grey, overcast sky today and chilly.

Some last photos of SF from yesterday. The cityscape one looks a bit spotty, having been taken through a window at SFMOMA (tut-tut).

Chilean film Nostalgia de la luz was amazing btw–beautifully filmed and very moving, juxtaposing meditations on astronomy and archaeology and memories of people imprisoned in one of Pinochet’s concentration camps in the Atacama desert, as well as film of the women who still dig in the desert, hoping to find the remains of their loved ones who disappeared during the dictatorship. – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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(2012-05-28 23:12)

sea lions vid, back home, english pen’s: big writing for a small world (2012-05-28 23:35)

[EMBED]

Forgot about this video of the sea lions. Now back home–to ﬁnd the excellent English PEN publication, [1]Big Writing for a Small World, waiting for me. It features poems and prose from adult refugees from centres across the UK. I’m a little puzzled about how non-English PEN members can get a copy–presumably from the society direct. Anyway, the ISBN is 978-0-9564806-7-5. Well worth tracking down. Actually, just found [2]Scribd online copy!

1. http://www.englishpen.org/new-communities-new-books/ 2. http://www.scribd.com/englishpen/d/91810547-Big-Writing-For-A-Small-World

3.6 June pruning, biking, lag, festivities, tons (2012-06-02 10:51)

[1] 253 [2]

[3]

Great to get out on the bike earlier, despite it being a misty-grey morning. Took longer than expected to get the bike from the shed–had to prune back rambling rose and philadel- phus that had grown over garden path beforehand. I’ve not been up to the allotment since returning from the US but will try to do something there later. The overnight rain hasn’t helped my chances of working the ground, though. Meanwhile, I’m hoping that the spuds, shallots and onions have grown as much as everything in the garden. (I imagine the weeds have not been slow in coming forward either...) Feeling less tired today but have been very surprised by the effects of jet lag, which I’ve never experienced before. Disorientating, apart from anything else. Well, Bampton is gearing up for the Shirt Race, the Morris dancing on Monday and the various street parties on Tuesday. The folk musicians will be in the pubs throughout. Surprised when cycling btw by the difference between Bampton and Clanﬁeld, as far as bunting is concerned. Tons in Bampton but not much at all in Clanﬁeld–north end, at least.

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254 rain, bunting, walking, morris dancing (2012-06-03 23:01)

[1]

[2]

How well rain and bunting go together, the wet ensuring that the ﬂags don’t ﬂap about too much. And today was wet! Had a lovely walk, though–completely drenched after about ten minutes but it was warm and just great to be out in the countryside. Looking forward to the Morris dancing tomorrow. The dancers go from house to house and we’ll catch up with them for breakfast at some friends’ and for a late lunch at other friends’. It’s looking like it’ll be dry tomorrow. Let’s hope.

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255 kellogg: dialogue between rose solari and frank (of 2001) (2012-06-07 23:17)

[1] Spent a very enjoyable hour or so at Kellogg College, listening to [2]Rose Solari’s seminar. A fascinating talk containing memorable phrases–some of which are recorded below (though I haven’t done full justice to the talk in my brief notes, I realise, but nevertheless I hope they will be of interest). I had only read one of the four novels Rose discussed, The Leto Bundle by Marina Warner. As a supple- ment to Rose’s talk, I reproduce after my notes my review of this novel, which was published in the FT on the weekend of May 19/May 20 2001. – Rose Solari, Kellogg College Centre for Creative Writing, Trinity Term Seminar: Navigating Time: Nar- rative Structure and Believability in the Contemporary Multiple Time-Frame Novel Rose’s new novel–[3]A Secret Woman Novel with multiple timelines and narrators. This kind of novel challenges reader’s expectations of how narrative will progess. Also demands multiple narrative voices. Vivid continuous dream–[4]John Gardner (ref?). Novel has to do this, despite dotting about. Rose rates Gardner [as have other writers I admire]. The Photograph by Penelope Lively: Discovery of revelatory object. Followed by journey of exploration. Re-evaluation of relationships. 3rd person omniscient. Underworld by Don DeLillo: Revelatory object, multiple timeframes. Two narrators. Lively looks at small community; DeLillo looks at US society over last 50 years. Switch between 50s and 90s. The Leto Bundle by Marina Warner (see FT review below): Multiple narrators. Magical object–bundle of papyri. Stone Virgin by Barry Unsworth: Character’s encounter with statue changes him. All above books involve a quest. A Secret Woman by Rose: 12th century mystic–story told by Louise, whose Mum was fascinated by the mystic. Louise finds object through which she can relate to her mother, and which her mother valued. Quest. Louise comes up against resistance–in herself and others. Leads to Louise herself having visions, in London, where her mum came to live (Louise US, practical modern woman). Each book contains one significant death NB. Death opens doors in time–when we are grieving. Louise’s search for her mum. When we grieve we become porous, and we become more receptive to the holes between time periods. Exploring these ideas was part of the reason Rose wrote the novel. Questions Atonement by Ian McEwan–attempts to rearrange the past. Continual fascination with parents, regardless of how we got on with them. Death, though, often reveals how little we knew them. Clare–narrative structure and dream/believability: influence on this of bereavement; Rose–leads to vividness of perception; Clare–exploration of this by the writer is part of the cross-threading of the of the narrative timeframes. Ref Adrienne Rich’s article, ’Jane Eyre: The Temptations of a Motherless Woman.’ Jane Eyre / Charlotte 256 Bronte. New York : Norton & Co., 2001. Reference to Rose having to write 100 lines of poetry to get the first line. Similar process to finding the music of Louise’s voice–her time signature. Rose’s novel contains nothing that Louise couldn’t see, apart from two interludes. Rose avoids moments when the author seems to be winking at the reader behind the character’s back. Rather a wonderful anecdote from the novel about Louise realising how wrong she got her mother, having read a document written by her mother. – Mother of all myths THE LETO BUNDLE by Marina Warner Chatto £16.99, 408 pages It is almost 10 years since Marina Warner’s last novel, Indigo, was published. However, time has not dimmed the sparkle of her imaginative engagement with potentially "difficult" areas such as mythology, the child’s emotional quest for a lost parent, the plight of society’s dispossessed, and the notion that the past is "prologue" to the present. These stimulating themes are interwoven with a vivid portrait of 1990s Albion, which is in part a satiri- cal version of Britain. It is also a place about which Warner is surprisingly optimistic. The novel begins with a protest at Albion’s National Museum. According to the police the protesters are a gaggle of "women who’re just lost for something to believe in", "failed economic migrants" and "urban flotsam". For Warner it is precisely these groups which have something vital to say about our current spiritual malaise: the state of "permanent internal exile". Their spokesperson is Kim McQuy, a primary school teacher in a run-down quarter of Enoch, the nation’s capital. Born in the 1970s in Tirzah, a kind of time-displaced Sarajevo, he was given up by his mother to a civil servant and his wife who had gone there to rescue an orphan. Although he is close to his adoptive parents, his early background has conspired with his temperament to drive him first into political activism and then to near-obsession with the Greek goddess Leto, whose mummified remains are held in the museum. With the help of one of the curators, he starts researching the Victorian translations of papyri and other documents which make up the Leto Bundle. It is through these fragments, which alternate with Kim’s narrative, that Warner draws us into the magical story of Leto, a Titaness, and a fascinating debate about the nature of mythology. When we first encounter Leto she has just been expelled from Olympus by Zeus’s jealous consort, Hera - after he has pursued Leto in the guise of a swan and impregnated her with twins, Phoebe and Phoebus. Her initial delight at their hatching with human forms (albeit without navels) soon gives way to concern for their safety in their barren surroundings, until a wise she-wolf teaches her the art of survival. Back in the present, Kim discovers a medieval text which appears to show that Leto was reborn in Syria at the time of the crusades. With his website about her beginning to attract interest, including that of "agitprop edge" folk singer Gramercy Poule, he next comes across a sailor’s deposition describing Leto’s appearance on board a Victorian ship. To the reader’s astonishment, Leto’s penultimate incarnation is in 1970s Tirzah, where she is forced to make a painful moral choice about her son’s fate. There is a sense of Warner debating with Christian mythology throughout. She has expressed the view elsewhere that while she is drawn to traditional representations of the Virgin Mary, she finds them deeply unsatisfactory. To an extent her portrayal of Leto suggests an alternative Marian mythology. It seems significant that at the outset of the book Leto rejects the fable of the pelican. Following the birth of her twins she remembers her wet nurse telling her how the bird pecks its breast and feeds its young with its blood - but Leto decides that a weakened or dead mother is "no good to anyone". Marina Warner’s Leto is presented not as a goddess or saint but as a diminutive human being, who has been stripped of everything but the most fundamental instincts. She is a survivor with strong maternal feelings, and when she resorts to prostitution to earn money for her children we are asked to sympathise with her: she is more Mary Magdalene than Virgin. For Kim, Hortense and Gramercy the conundrum of the Leto myth is how they might use history to lib- erate themselves from the past. Warner explores this in relation to various issues: Britain’s Imperialist

257 heritage, multicultural Britain under New Labour and the value of eclectic New Age ideas when compared with rationalism. While Kim’s unexpected fate emphasises some of the worst aspects of modern life, the book’s overall tone suggests that Warner is hopeful that new ways of seeing can be found and that we shall create a better, and more feminine, society. Frank Egerton

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-An4Q98pyB40/T9EhQiaOfbI/AAAAAAAABMg/rk8hvkjJ1rU/s1600/rose+ solari+website+june+2012.jpg 2. http://rosesolari.com/ 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Woman-Novel-Rose-Solari/dp/0982625197/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1339106826&sr=8-1 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gardner_(American_writer)

(2012-06-10 22:08)

[1]

[2] There are few oaks in and and around Bampton. As I think I’ve said, this is supposed to mean that the soils are poor. It’s difficult to tell the truth of this because fertilisers compensate nowadays. Oaks are found nevertheless along Hayway Lane and towards Brize Norton and the Cotswolds. The two oaks above are on the Bampton-Brize road and Mount Owen Road respectively. This morning I spent an hour or so on the allotment–weeding mostly because the clay was too wet to fork through–before I headed off for a quick cycle along the Brize road and back to Bampton via Lew and Mount Owen. The ride reminded me of how the oaks start to the north of the village as one nears the edge of the Cotswolds. (The reference in tourist brochures to Bampton being in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds are, it always seems to me, a recent invention and somewhat spurious.) 258 Even so it was fun to be cycling along roads that gave an approximation of going up and down dale for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I’ve been writing up comments on assignments for much of the weekend and thinking about ’this and that’. It’s been a bit of a restless time since getting back from San Francisco. I’ve also been putting the finishing touches to the planning for my third novel. This is based on something I wrote over twenty years ago. At first I tried simply recasting the original in a more contemporary setting but have come to realise that this is a waste of time–having ’wasted’ a considerable amount of time doing so. At least this learning process h

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YRDKfj6-wI/T9RgjWaf02I/AAAAAAAABMw/bxM3bpHObFA/s1600/oak,+near+ bampton+june+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTHkdJAr-Xw/T9Rgs6IYanI/AAAAAAAABM4/6dA29ie-D-s/s1600/oak, +mount+owen+road,+near+bampton+june+2012.jpg

oaks, oxfordshire cotswolds?, up and down dale, third novel (2012-06-10 22:44)

[1]

[2] There are few oaks in and and around Bampton. As I think I’ve said, this is supposed to mean that the soils are poor. It’s difficult to tell the truth of this because fertilisers compensate nowadays. Oaks are found nevertheless along Hayway Lane to the south and towards Brize Norton to the north. The two oaks above are off the Bampton-Brize road and Mount Owen Road respectively–both north of the village. This morning I spent an hour or so working on the allotment–weeding mostly because the clay was still too wet to fork through–before a quick cycle along the Brize road and back to Bampton via Lew and Mount Owen. The ride reminded me of how the oaks start as one nears the southern edge of the 259 Cotswolds. (The references in tourist brochures to Bampton actually being in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds are, it always seems to me, a recent invention and somewhat spurious.) Even so it was fun to be cycling along roads that gave an approximation of going up and down dale for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I’ve been writing up comments on assignments for much of the weekend and thinking about ’this and that’. It’s been a bit of a restless time since getting back from San Francisco. I’ve also been putting the finishing touches to the planning of my third novel. The plot is based on something I wrote over twenty years ago. At first I tried to simply recast the original in a more contemporary setting but have come to realise that this is a waste of time–having ’wasted’ a considerable amount of time doing so. Subsequently, I have come up with something new that incorporates one or two aspects of the original but which has nevertheless changed a great deal and which reflects where I am as a writer in 2012. The process has been protracted and at times painful, although I am very pleased to have reached the point of beginning the real writing!

rose solari’s a secret woman, chris andrews, warm friendship (2012-06-14 21:20)

[1] Just heading out of Oxford on the S1 after going to the launch of my friend Rose Solari’s novel A Secret Woman (Alan Squire Publishing in association with Sante Fe Writers Project, Chris Andrews Publications Ltd, and Left Coast Writers–now there’s a challenge for a former library cataloguer!). See also my 7th June post below.

A great evening, held at the Old Bank Hotel. Three beautifully written excerpts read by Rose in the aptly-named Gallery Room, which was en-studiod by Chris Andrews’ magical photos of Oxford and its environs.

Lovely to see so many old friends too.

A warm evening after a cold and progressively wintry day. What happened to that heatwave friends taunted me with when I was in San Francisco! – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange 260 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hH7MiS1rRyI/T9pH-6vZBvI/AAAAAAAABNM/maywixHf69Y/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB% 253Fcm9zZSBzb2xhcmkgcmVhZGluZyBmcm9tIGEgc2VjcmV0IHdvbWFuLCBvbGQgYmFuayBob3RlbCwgb3hmb3JkLCAxNHRoIGp1bmUgMjAxMi5qcGc% 253D%253F%253D-738420 2. http://frankegerton.com/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

oxford canal, oclw, dr nicoletta demetriou, lawrence durrell, bitter lemons (2012-06-15 14:46)

[1]

[2]

[3] Went to another literary event earlier in the week–the Life-Writing Lunch at Wolfson that was led by Dr Nicoletta Demetriou from St Antony’s College. A terrific talk followed by a fascinating discussion. I 261 only hope my notes below do the event justice. (The photos btw were taken along the Oxford canal this morning.) Oxford Centre for Life-Writing lunch, Wolfson College, Tuesday 12th June 2012 (see [4]www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing) ’The OCLW is delighted to welcome Dr Nicoletta Demetriou (Alistair Horne Fellow at St Antony’s Col- lege, Oxford) as speaker at this term’s Life-Writing Lunch: Dr Demetriou will be exploring the ways in which biography can sometimes turn into autobiography, taking the lead from her biographical work on Lawrence Durrell (whose centenary is celebrated this year) and his years spent in Cyprus. ...The choice of a biogrpahical subject is, in a sense, an autobiographical one. (Reference to Biography: A Very Short Introduction by Hermione Lee (OUP, 2009): ’No such thing as a purely objective treatment.’ (sic)) Ref: experiences shared between writer and subject–examples of when it is hard to escape subjectivity. But what if the biographical subject is a hate figure–a terrorist, for example? Subjectivity enters work in ways other than sympathy: ’We’ as authors would end up, perhaps, bringing our outrage at atrocities to the text. ’We’ write from a position–but concession that end product might not be autobiographical, as such. [See question about impersonal academic biography below.] NOTE: Nice reference to writer being ’invisibly present’–ie in a third person narrative. Talk based on one writer’s experience. Durrell was in Cyprus in 1950s–53-56. (Speaker’s work is partial or microbiography.) Cyprus was then British colony. Durrell taught English to make money. Then held official post at Public Information Office. This was on the eve of the revolt against British rule that was to lead to independence. At first Durrell was welcomed by writers and intellectuals but when he took up his official post he was regarded by many as a traitor. His work, Bitter Lemons, published in 1957, draws on his time in Cyprus. British critics thought at the time that his account of British rule was fair but his erstewhile Greek friends did not. Nicoletta Demetriou was born in the late 70s immediately before the Turkish invasion and the division of the island. Huge change in Cypriot life resulted. In part ND’s book became a quest to explore the ’lost’ Cyprus. Preparing to write it forced her to face certain questions about her identity and the voice she wanted to use in order to narrate the story. Discussions with friends. In the end the 3rd person voice no longer seemed valid because it would divorce her from the forces and tensions that produced her–and her interest in Durrell and his Cypriot world. Book will include her family’s experiences after the island was divided, her memories, interviews with people who knew LD (after Turkish invasion community he lived in was forced to move into southern, Greek half and dispersed), and ’travel’ sections about places LD knew (he lived in what is now northern, Turkish Cyprus but worked in the south). First draft of book to be completed at end of summer. ND made a decision to ’live’ the book–to go to places where LD lived–and to contrast her experiences with his. The book that she is now working on has become a blend of personal reminiscences, travel writing, history and biography. – Questions –Reaction of family? Family pleased. Friends: a friend bought 10 copies of Bitter Lemons in Greek and circulated it amongst other friends. Divided reactions about LD. One friend described emerging book as a love story between ND and LD. –(per Liz): Target audience? Primarily English. May be translated. Turkish audience? Maybe. –(per me): How was blend of diverse elements (personal, travel, biographical etc) structured? Planned or instinctive? To begin with, confusion. No structure. Decision to let stories guide her. No artificial divisions. Resistance to imposing structure. Allowed structure to suggest itself. –Self-indulgence? Yes but LD is always there, so reader will learn a lot about him. (His centenary this year. Conference ’starts’ 13.06.12. Ref to LD not being as popular now as he was. Suggestion from audience that for this reason and in order to illuminate the complexities of Cyprus, ND was a necessary guide to subjects.)

262 –Nostalgia for lost Cyprus apparent in the book? Not really because there is a lot about the division during the 80s and interviews with people who knew LD. –A criticism of Biography: A Very Short Introduction could be that it leaves out academic biography. Does biography always have to be subjective? Is it possible to be objective and impartial? ND asked in turn, Is there any impartial academic work? (Ref during discussion to biography as ’the bastard child of history’.) Questioner wondered if what she thought of as academic biography was now considered an old-fashioned approach–compared to the more self-reﬂexive contemporary one. Somone suggested that biography always involved the question of where the author was positioned realtive to the subject. ND ﬁnished by saying that perhaps she and the questioner could agree on the idea of the ’subjectively objective’. – Visit [5]http://frankegerton.com (website) [6]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0hQmPzCtwbM/T9s9P2oLNcI/AAAAAAAABNc/y_m9iDhU7zU/s1600/yellow+ flag,+oxford+canal+june+2012+(2).jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6_J27wXKpc/T9s9YIyS7NI/AAAAAAAABNk/LElsjX_S9uI/s1600/sedge, +oxford+canal+june+2012+(2).jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0QWckKB2LWg/T9s9f9U02SI/AAAAAAAABNs/Ybx0XkgHhDs/s1600/elder+ flowers,+oxford+canal+june+2012+(2).jpg 4. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing 5. http://frankegerton.com/ 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-06-15 17:02:45) Just a small correction, Cyprus, was invaded, or liberated, depending on your point of view, in July 1974.

frank (2012-06-16 08:01:37) Ah–thanks very much for that correction, Rupert!

north york moors, kirby, burlington, pope, melbourne, nunnington, hound trail (2012-06-17 06:46)

[1] Lovely weekend staying with family on edge of the North York moors, near Kirkbymoorside.

Looked through really interesting ﬁles of family papers, architectural drawings and photos yesterday afternoon, that brought the lives of my ancestors to life. Sad to think that family house, Kirby Hall (a 263 rare design by Lord Burlington–who was the subject of Alexander Pope’s Epistle to the Earl of Burling- ton, Of Taste (1731), one of the Moral Essays) was demolished in the twenties. Great-grandfather lost heart after the death of his only son during the First World War and sold up.

Day also overlaid with happy memories from my childhood of coming to Melbourne Hall near York where my dad grew up.

A sad task yesterday morning was visiting Dad’s grave in order to decide on a headstone. While there we also trimmed the grass on his grave and around the many headstones of our ancestors.

A delicious lunch at the Royal Oak at Nunnington.

In the afternoon we walked on the moors for a bit and came across a hound trail. Fell hounds–a sort cross between a hound and greyhound–race across the moors, following a pre-laid laid trail. Beauti- ful animals. An old-fashioned sport. There are a series of trails throughout the summer and cups are awarded to the champion animals when the season ends.

Non-stop rain yesterday but a great time. – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DcDSdEWiJ0s/T91vUXvHwwI/AAAAAAAABOE/kySHQTSLkTY/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fbm9ydGggeW9yayBtb29ycyBuZWFyIGtpcmtieW1vb3JzaWRlLCBqdW5lIDIwMTIuanBn% 253F%253D-716057 2. http://frankegerton.com/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

decent bike ride, waterlogged allotment, cotton thistles, hedge and ditch, bunting, two great evenings (2012-06-23 15:47)

[1] 264 [2]

[3]

[4] 265 [5]

Haven’t been on a decent bike ride for some weeks, what with the demands of the allotment and the trip to Yorkshire last weekend. I couldn’t do anything on the allotment this morning as it’s pretty near waterlogged. Still, some of the potatoes are in flower (though I never got the chance to ridge them up), the shallots and onions are looking good and the cucumbers and Italian courgettes are beginning to bush out. So, it was great to take my mind off what I wasn’t able to do on the allotment by heading out on the bike. Strong head-winds to start with before I turned off the Langford road just after Broadwell and was carried back along Calcroft Lane and the Clanfield road. Noticed how green everything was because of the rain. Even so, the grass and the corn aren’t as far forward as I’d expected–too cold, I imagine. Or maybe it’s the waterlogging. A plant that appears to be thriving is cotton thistle, which, when the sun went behind a cloud, seemed to shimmer out at you like a wraith. The ones in the top photo (taken near Bampton) were about seven foot tall; the one in the next pic (in Alvescot) was about six foot. Interested to see how much more established the recently-laid hedge and new-dug ditch off Calcroft Lane look (see [6]post of Sunday 26th February). Loved the home-made bunting still lining the brook in Clanfield. It’s been a bit of a mad week, I must say, what with the MSt Guided Retreat coming up tomorrow. A really fun experience was the end-of-year evening for the undergraduate diploma finalists yesterday. Terrific readings! Also, had a great time when J’s god-daughter came to stay on Thursday and we ate out at [7]Biztro (best meal ever there).

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--weEqonifFw/T-WU9T3tsZI/AAAAAAAABOU/bACqlNvLGes/s1600/giant+ thistle,+near+bampton+june+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MvAlqNCwBJ0/T-WVFNUvEJI/AAAAAAAABOc/bnWNJAb21ag/s1600/giant+ thistle,+alvescot+june+2012.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hrCr6hMlEXY/T-WVPcIDqDI/AAAAAAAABOk/PmuTg1OSVCs/s1600/new+ditch+ and+new+laid+hedge,+calcroft+lane+june+2012.jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5dcznA7uq0/T-WVYu9ZHqI/AAAAAAAABOs/qGOXKRc213c/s1600/bunting, +clanfield+june+2012+a.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G-YtAev2uvw/T-WViE356XI/AAAAAAAABO0/JgXPTECsj3E/s1600/bunting, +clanfield+june+2012+b.jpg 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012_02_01_archive.html 7. http://www.biztro.co.uk/

266 s1, al-andalus, aclaiir agm, seacourt tower, roots building, stowe, 18, ﬁlmscript (2012-06-28 21:51)

[1]

Heading home on the S1 bus, feeling pretty stuffed, to be quite honest, after an excellent meal at Al- Andalus tapas bar, Oxford. Pre-AGM dinner for members of [2]ACLAIIR (Advisory Council on Latin American and Iberian Infor- mation Resources). Last year’s [3]AGM was held at the British Library but this time it’s at the Taylor Institution Library, Oxford. Thanks a million to my colleague Joanne for organising such a great meal (and, indeed, the event tomorrow). So much scrummy food. Not to mention, lovely company. Meanwhile, took this pic as the bus wizzed past the Seacourt Tower, a landmark that has been part of my life since 1973. In those days, pre-refurb, it was known, I think, as the Rootes Building, after the long-defunct [4]car company. When I was a boy, Dad driving by this meant it would only be half-an- hour before I was back at Stowe School (sometimes a good thing, other times not so good). Returning to Oxford tomorrow on the 7 am 18 RH Transport bus for the ACLAIIR AGM itself. En route I’ll be working on a further rewrite of the short ﬁlmscript I collaborated on in the early spring. Getting there, hopefully. – Visit [5]http://frankegerton.com (website) [6]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIvv_Is9kJk/T-zD7aRMqaI/AAAAAAAABPI/htIfWvGdvW8/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2VhY291cnQgdG93ZXIsIGJvdGxleSBqdW5lIDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-716350 2. http://aclaiir.org.uk/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/bl-aclaiir-jack-c-spitfire-sausage-mash. html 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootes_Group 5. http://frankegerton.com/ 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

267 runners, wigwams, rain, cycling, aclaiir, lie-in (2012-06-30 10:41)

[1]

[2]

Intended to dig over the patch on the allotment where the runner bean wigwams are to go–runner plants are waiting in pots at the top of the garden. But before I’d finished my cup of tea it was pouring with rain. Went out on the bike instead and hope to be able to get onto the allotment tomorrow. Meanwhile, the online course comes to an end this weekend and diploma marking is arriving. The ACLAIIR meeting yesterday at the Taylor was terrific. Lovely to see colleagues, meet new people, listen to the seminars and attend the AGM. Meanwhile, the countryside is looking pretty healthy (including the mallow beside Clanfield to Bamp- ton road above), although I think the corn seems late this year (lower pic of wheat off Calcroft Lane). Looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mEho90bB5Gs/T-65guMoP2I/AAAAAAAABPg/XI06i1FC4Pc/s1600/mallow% 252C+nr+clanfield+june+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXv_R1h51IQ/T-66PHYn_OI/AAAAAAAABPo/dsUMv1vahqg/s1600/poppies+ and+corn%252C+calcroft+lane+june+2012.jpg

268 3.7 July

lie in, brandy bottle lilies, weeding, bell (2012-07-01 14:42)

[1]

[2]

Enjoyed having a lie in this morning. The last few weeks have been a bit mad–both at work and socially. Nice to switch off and enjoy being at home. Stopped to photograph this part of the Great Brook near Tadpole Bridge when cycling earlier. Love [3]brandy bottle lilies! About to try and do some weeding on the allotment now, though it’ll still be wet. Pub later–probably the [4]Bell and Standlake.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yjz6h5NvRSc/T_BDh3U0pCI/AAAAAAAABP8/I8uNslgg9Rs/s1600/common+ rushes,+brandy+bottle+lilies,+great+brook,+nr+tadpole+bridge+july+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a9Sv2dK5eik/T_BDkszwzTI/AAAAAAAABQE/tc6_rt_gQIk/s1600/brandy+ bottle+lily,+great+brook,+nr+tadpole+bridge+july+2012.jpg 3. http://www.ceh.ac.uk/sci_programmes/documents/Waterlilies_Nuphar_Nymphaea.pdf 4. http://www.thebellstandlake.co.uk/

269 saturated, bistro, essay, shock, swan (2012-07-06 17:45)

[1] Really heavy rain earlier. Lighter now but everything in Oxford is saturated. Miserable.

The last couple of bright days were bliss. Sitting with a friend on Wednesday evening, drinking wine at a bistro, doors open to the pavement, seems a world away.

We talked about screenwriting for a while then turned to that essay I wrote at Easter. I was shocked by how shocked she was at what I had written. Perhaps I am still numb from the horror of what happened over the past two decades. Though I am sure that I am happier than I was. It was good to talk–just as it had been good to write down the events. Part of the strange mixing by which I (and writers generally?) make sense of things. But I still ﬁnd it hard to understand how the people involved did what they did.

Meanwhile, on the Oxford canal this morning, even the swan looked pissed off with the weather. – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http: //4.bp.blogspot.com/-0JqGzYt5cuY/T_cWWQ-BJ8I/AAAAAAAABQY/QBRAIyXPwuY/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253Fc3dhbiwgb3hmb3JkIGNhbmFsIGp1bHkgMjAxMiBhLmpwZw%253D%253D%253F%253D-777117 2. http://frankegerton.com/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

270 common aeshna, walking, reﬂecting (2012-07-09 19:21)

[1] Took this pic of a Common Aeshna dragonﬂy on our neighbour’s ceanothus. Haven’t seen one of these for a while–one settled on our shed two or three years ago. Our neighbour wondered if the insect came from our pond. Could have done.

Meanwhile, pleased to be having some time off. Doing lots of walking and reﬂecting on what happened to the family over the last couple of years. Amazing to think that it’s been over two years since the latest nightmare kicked off. – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4hDUqeoJINg/T_shatrk8qI/AAAAAAAABQs/4osscQWLuTw/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FY29tbW9uIGFlc2huYSwgYmFtcHRvbiBqdWx5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-754207 2. http://frankegerton.com/ 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

wilts, rest, howard’s house, beckford arms, phoenix, poppies (2012-07-10 23:26)

[1] 271 [2]

[3] Taking a break in Wiltshire. Great to get away and do some walking – as well as get some much needed rest!

Wet yesterday although sun shone today – as pic of terrace at the excellent Howard’s House Hotel shows (terriﬁc range of unusual pudding wines at HHH btw – [4]www.howardshousehotel.co.uk).

Saw this ﬁeld of agricultural poppies yesterday en route for lunch at the Beckford Arms – now reopened after a ﬁre and as good as ever (liked the locally-brewed Beckford Phoenix bitter – [5]www.beckfordarms.com). Wondered about these poppies – maybe being grown for morphine ([6]macsmith.com/index.php?page=uk-poppies)? Intriguing to see, anyway. – Visit [7]http://frankegerton.com (website) [8]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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compasses lower chicksgrove, perspective, streetbooks (2012-07-11 17:41)

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[2] [3]

It’s been good to have time off and space to think. Wiltshire–around Lower Chicksgrove–as relaxing as ever. Especially liked taking Tufty for his night-time walk after supper at the [4]Compasses. The pub’s in the middle of nowhere and the village and countryside are so still by then. (Room shutters shown above.) Lots of things in better perspective after holiday. Feeling much fresher–even though we were away 273 for only three days–and now looking forward to work again, including, with luck, the preparation of StreetBooks’ ﬁrst publication not written by me. – Visit [5]http://frankegerton.com (website) [6]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-morZxy22zsQ/T_2vHaBUeVI/AAAAAAAABSw/L7gD_ldO0Ow/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2h1dHRlcnMsIGNvbXBhc3NlcywgbG93ZXIgY2hpY2tzZ3JvdmUganVseSAyMDEyLmpwZw% 253D%253D%253F%253D-700711 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zvO9SBckBAA/T_2vGb_NtiI/AAAAAAAABSY/KiN4zwBWofU/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fd29vZGxhbmQsIGZvbnRoaWxsIGVzdGF0ZSBqdWx5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-796905 3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jpIhoD1Onrk/T_2vGwS1XNI/AAAAAAAABSk/ciEhg_c46og/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FZm9udGhpbGwgbGFrZSBqdWx5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-798902 4. http://www.thecompassesinn.com/ 5. http://frankegerton.com/ 6. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

drenched, autumnal, corsewall point, omg, newton faulkner, comments (2012-07-14 09:35)

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[2] 274 [3]

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More downpours overnight. Just walking up the garden path to fetch the bike left me drenched from brushing past the shrubs. When I set off on my cycle, the rain seemed to have stopped but it couldn’t resist having another go when I was about a third the way round the circular route. The countryside had an autumnal feel. There was a good patch of scabious in Alvescot (a plant I always associate with the cliffs above the Corsewall Point on the Mull of Galloway in September–an arbitrary association, I realise!). [OMG I’ve just discovered that the old lighthouse is now a [5]hotel!] The blackberry bushes are budding, with the promise of a good autumn crop. In Kencot, some hedge trees had been felled–though they will doubtless grow back. There isn’t much natural light entering the house this morning. On the radio it said that people are becoming depressed by the summer weather. I’m not surprised. Decided to download Newton Faulkner’s [6]Write It On Your Skin to cheer myself up–OK, some contradiction here, you might be saying, but he has a GREAT voice. Now to typing up assignment comments for the rest of the working day.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GFnxVqWbw50/UAEg8votoEI/AAAAAAAABTA/6BR4i2yeLqc/s1600/scabious, +alvescot+july+2012.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq_V1_LUK4U/UAEhFvTVwWI/AAAAAAAABTI/dK-uEPKKf98/s1600/ blackberry+buds,+alvescot+july+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tmPFr00sla0/UAEhQfsKKKI/AAAAAAAABTQ/7O0ltBmy1nA/s1600/tree+ stump,+lencot+july+2012.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wBN0kzWNf_0/UAEha3BUu-I/AAAAAAAABTY/DakaNJbSHvI/s1600/tree+ stump+a,+kencot+july+2012.jpg 5. http://www.lighthousehotel.co.uk/ 6. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Write-It-On-Your-Skin/dp/B008DBM69G/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1342253826&sr=301-1 275 fresher air, sun!, black bourton green, more comments (2012-07-15 09:22)

[1] Garden again damp to start with this morning. But when I went cycling the air was noticeably fresher and now the sun is out–a lovely soft summer light. Pic above shows horse chestnut, swing, bench and bridge on Black Bourton Green. Writing up more assignment comments today.

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heron, lock, signs of the times (2012-07-16 21:01)

[1] When I’m walking to work, I often see this heron. He ﬁshes in the channel that runs between the Oxford canal and the Thames near the last [2]lock (the one that appears on the Kindle [3]cover for The Lock). He’s usually a little way off but this morning was only yards from the tow-path–still taking hardly any 276 notice of passers by, though. Meanwhile, overnight, the village has moved several hundred miles north, there’s a new vicar and a neighbour’s started selling postcards. By ’eck, this summer’s an odd ’un.

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[5] 277 [6]

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GYJqgqQk84A/UARp3S3Iq6I/AAAAAAAABT4/2l-e8F7njsE/s1600/heron, +oxford+canal+july+2012.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/oxford-canal-bridge-nags-head-yaffling. html 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/lock-on-kindle.html 4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pzx1BSIac-I/UARr9VgRUnI/AAAAAAAABUA/4WWpgj0Mxok/s1600/downton+ sign+post,+july+2012.jpg 5. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru7Frokbx6I/UARsFwtlbjI/AAAAAAAABUI/-ulf_GDNQEM/s1600/downton+ church+sign,+july+2012.jpg 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-onJQgXqqPoA/UARsOdYjbwI/AAAAAAAABUU/gS0_5GhXAG8/s1600/downton+ post+office,+july+2012.jpg

sandwiches in the parks (2012-07-19 17:43)

[1] 278 [2]

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The Parks, Oxford, earlier this afternoon: saw this squirrel tucking in (to crumbs...) when I was walking between the Social Science and Latin American Centre libraries. – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTnwdDOTMZM/UAhIlFEy1SI/AAAAAAAABVQ/6C1Hvxp_dQI/s1600/squirrel+ in+oxford+parks+a.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JANyvDMtZhc/UAhImnwyAtI/AAAAAAAABVY/UKxQ_azKbRE/s1600/squirrel+ in+oxford+parks+b.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g2XOzcCdme8/UAhIn4465sI/AAAAAAAABVg/0MyWZ30xstY/s1600/squirrel+ in+oxford+parks+c.jpg 4. http://frankegerton.com/ 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

279 summer...?, cricket at worcester, yafﬂing, dinner at exeter, developing as a creative writer, new journey (2012-07-21 14:18)

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Great that summer seems to be here at last. Off to see some cricket at Worcester College later this afternoon. Some friends have been coming back to play the dons’ team each year for two decades. For a couple of years when we lived on Osney I ended up playing too (a sort of honorary Worcester alumnus)–though I can’t claim to have been an asset at all. I liked the beer and listening to the green woodpecker yafﬂing in the trees by the canal, though. Worcester is, I believe I’m right in saying, the only Oxford college with a sports ground within its walls. A wonderful place! Had a busy week–when aren’t weeks busy? But it’s nice to have some space this weekend. Tomorrow evening, I’ll be dining in hall at Exeter College, as it’s the start of the creative writing summer school. I’m teaching a course entitled, Developing as a Creative Writer, which I’m really looking forward to. The dinner will be preceded by drinks in the Fellows’ Garden, where I’ll meet the students for the ﬁrst time. Photo above seems appropriate to the way I feel these days, somehow. Maybe it’s the after effects of the family upsets–whatever the cause, I often feel like I’m embarking on a new journey now.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zzYXRYZcATA/UApn9HewemI/AAAAAAAABV8/LEFeDk8LC8U/s1600/footpath+ off+calcroft+lane+july+2012+a.jpg

Gail (2012-07-22 08:11:06) Looking forward to your reading on 6th August at Exeter. Here’s to new journeys! Gail (OUDCE)

frank (2012-07-24 19:46:39) Btw, now changed to Friday 10th August, 11.15 am.

Gail (2012-08-04 16:32:11) Thanks, looking fwd to Friday now! :) Does this mean Jenny Lewis is now on Monday? I know a student is coming specially to hear her and I’ll notify her of the date change, if you can conﬁrm?

frank (2012-08-04 17:10:45) Yes, I think that’s right. I’ll double-check with Sandie. I’m deﬁnitely on Friday, though.

280 frank (2012-08-04 17:41:34) Just heard back: yes, a straight swap. Jenny on Monday.

borders, granddad, keble gaudy, 99 runs in 30 overs to beat... (2012-07-21 18:31)

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[2]

[3] Walk to cricket pitch at Worcester College took me past the magniﬁcent borders and tranquil lake.

My step-granddad was at Worcester and I always envied him his undergraduate days there in the Twenties. (Keble in the Eighties, was pretty good, of course–looking forward to the Gaudy on the 15th September, which I’ve just booked.)

281 It was lovely to see old friends and to watch some of the cricket. I left after tea when the old boys’ team had 99 runs in 30 overs to beat. That’s a doddle (though not if the team had been made up of players like me–which, fortunately, it isn’t.)

The pitch was heavy towards the boundary but the crease was good, apparently. It had been touch and go whether the match would take place all week but the groundsmen OK’d on Thursday in view of the weather forecast–which has turned out to be right. – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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exeter, weeds, three courgettes, al fresco late breakfast, s1 (2012-07-22 21:56)

[1] 282 [2] Had a great evening at Exeter College–tutors’ meeting then reception in Fellows’ Garden and excellent dinner in hall. Managed to get to allotment earlier, though the clay soil was still sticky. Weeds were mental, as expected. Veg that’s there (and a lot of things didn’t get sown this year) is doing well, even so. Weeded the courgettes and cucumbers which were the number one priority. Brought back three Italian courgettes. First fruits. Late breakfast on terrace–haven’t done that for months. Now heading home on S1. – Visit [3]http://frankegerton.com (website) [4]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0GNo6lkXBjc/UAxpNf1YsaI/AAAAAAAABW8/GqU9IPQr_54/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FczEgJiB3eXRoYW0gaGlsbCBqdWx5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-744493 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IJvLwqW1Sx0/UAz_-JFPDTI/AAAAAAAABXM/YMdvMsz_5GA/s1600/thames+at+ swinford+july+2012.JPG 3. http://frankegerton.com/ 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

walk, binsey, taylor, hollybush (2012-07-28 16:09)

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283 [2]

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[4] Beautiful morning–fresh to begin with, getting hotter, but not too humid, as the sun climbed higher.

Caught 18 bus at seven because I was due at the Taylor. The bus gets to Oxford way before the library opens so I had a great walk. Oxford canal towpath to Aristotle Lane then out onto to Port Meadow and along Fisherman’s Walk. Crossed the Thames at Bossoms Boatyard and headed for Binsey. The lane from the hamlet feels more like the country than the lanes round Bampton. It’s a delight and leads to the ancient [5]church and its ’treacle’ well. We were married at Binsey.

Loved the sight of Wytham Hill from Port Meadow (above) and the chicory plants lining the river bank by the boatyard. You used to only see chicory near the ring-road roundabout at Botley. I’m pleased that it’s spreading. Come to think of it, the roundabout isn’t that far from Binsey. (The sound of the ring road in the churchyard is what gives the game away that you’re not in the countryside.)

284 So many walks along these interlinked paths years ago. Lovely to see the old places.

The sky seen through the vast windows in the Taylor Main Reading Room has been moody at times and at one point looked like rain.

Taking a quick break now before the ﬁnal hour. Then it’s off to Witney and a late lunch at the [6]Holly- bush. – Visit [7]http://frankegerton.com (website) [8]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog) Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JisWHo5lH4k/UBYRHXm5v5I/AAAAAAAABYg/KmO4M5oPzWc/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FZHVja3MgYnkgb3hmb3JkIGNhbmFsIGp1bHkgMjAxMi5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-752922 2. http: //1.bp.blogspot.com/-9VqBKr0IASk/UBYRHoZuCkI/AAAAAAAABYs/jjRr0puff3M/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FZ3JhZmZpdGkgYnkgb3hmb3JkIGNhbmFsIGp1bHkgMjAxMi5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-754606 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B8bPQ3uV4dQ/UBYRIEiloII/AAAAAAAABY4/teKe5vzUIyI/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FcG9ydCBtZWFkb3cgYW5kIHd5dGhhbSBoaWxsLCBveGZvcmQganVseSAyMDEyLmpwZw%253D% 253D%253F%253D-755794 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn4AENjg7-o/UBYRIXTRERI/AAAAAAAABZE/Lz5melnU2yc/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253FY2hpY29yeSBieSB0aGFtZXMsIG94Zm9yZCBqdWx5IDIwMTIuanBn%253F%253D-757324 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binsey,_Oxfordshire 6. http://www.hollybushwitney.co.uk/ 7. http://frankegerton.com/ 8. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

3.8 August

meadowsweet, burnt, exeter summer school, new novel, italian courgettes, argh!, olympic opening ceremony, frank (2012-08-04 08:56)

[1] 285 [2]

Lots of [3]meadowsweet on the verges this year–more than usual, I can’t help thinking. The bottom photo was taken last Sunday, the top one, this morning. The meadowsweet apart, there is a burnt-up feel to the landscape–dessicated cow parsley heads and grass seeds, the oilseed rape and corn ready to harvest. Enjoying the summer school at Exeter–great students. Also, finished the first chapter of the final version of my third novel yesterday. Still in shock! Will be reading this for the first time next Friday at the Saskatchewan Lecture Theatre, Exeter College, 11.15 am. (I’ll also be reading from The Lock and Invisible.) From the programme: ’All three novels are mostly set in Oxford and Oxfordshire, and reflect his love of the region, which the books celebrate. After the readings he will discuss the limitations and pleasures of writing regional fiction–and blogging about it: [4]www.justthoughtsnstuff.com.’ Went to allotment earlier to pick courgettes. Lots of these–and lots of different Italian varieties. There’s also a lot of grass up there–argh! Loved watching the Olympic opening ceremony on the BBC Sport video player. Hats off to Danny Boyle, of course, but also to the esteemed writer behind the event’s storyline, Frank Cottrell Boyce! Meanwhile, an unexpectedly busy weekend ahead.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cJKzixlPj9Y/UBzO9uartdI/AAAAAAAABcE/PKIyUPTUQrI/s1600/ meadowsweet+and+oilseed+rape,+near+clanfield+august+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IpHbDq4ufmk/UBzPHVMFyaI/AAAAAAAABcM/XuAFh_4n9v0/s1600/ meadowsweet+near+lew+july+2012.jpg 3. http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/meadowsweet.htm 4. http://www.justthoughtsnstuff.com/

286 rain, calcroft lane, jessica ennis, tears, narrative, economic gloom, john cantlie (2012-08-05 10:44)

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[2] BBC weather said no rain till 10 am but at 6.30, the rain said, You’ve got it wrong, mate. I had to be up early because of work but had hoped for a good cycle like yesterday’s–no rain and a lovely clear atmosphere. No such luck. A brief respite when I photographed the brook at the edge of Black Bourton Green but then down it came again. Along Calcroft Lane it was particularly heavy, though you can’t actually see the stair-rods in the pic. (For an earlier pic and a couple of vids featuring Calcroft Lane, see posts from [3]31st December 2010, [4]10th March 2012 and [5]11th March 2012.) Went to the Horse Shoe last night for a pint and saw Jessica Ennis run the 800 metres on the big screen TV. Brilliant. I’ve not really been following the Games much but that race was amazing to watch. Great to see Greg Rutherford’s long-jumping too. There were men down the pub confessing to have shed tears while watching Britain’s medal-winners yesterday. Prefaced, of course, by, ’I’m not normally an emotional person...’ Caught two excellent Radio 4 programmes this morning. Jake Arnott’s [6]Something Understood piece on narrative and how it enables us to explore and understand the world. And John Gray’s salutary but beautifully argued [7]Point of View talk on the economy and the sad truth that, ’The relative security that many people enjoyed in the recent past is fading from memory.’ Over breakfast, I read photographer John Cantlie’s gripping and terrifying [8]article in the Sunday Times 287 about being taken prisoner by London jihadists in Syria ten days ago. He was threatened with execution and shot when trying to escape. If you’re not a News Int subscriber, you can also hear Cantlie describing his ordeal on R4’s [9]Broadcasting House.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlG9r-cIhGs/UB44vVRXVxI/AAAAAAAABcw/NJ2cVxVBZGQ/s1600/brook, +black+bourton+august+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ao7nsFoD_eA/UB4446LnGmI/AAAAAAAABc4/x3KojrEtLTU/s1600/calcroft+ lane+august+2012.jpg 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/happy-new-year.html 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/life-writing-party-vodka-cadiz.html 5. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/calcroft-lane-ii.html 6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qn7f 7. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l8rc1 8. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/newsreview/features/article1096135.ece 9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lh96l

sushi, university parks, robin (2012-08-07 21:16)

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Ate sushi in University Parks in between the Taylor and the Latin American Centre. Was joined by this little robin, who cheered me up after my hectic morning!

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288 summer school, oers, allotment disaster, readings, ﬁrework display (2012-08-11 14:11)

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[2] The summer school ended last night with a formal dinner in Exeter Hall and the awarding of certificates to the students. For me, the school was a thoroughly rewarding experience. I very much enjoyed working with all the students. Thanks to them for their enthusiasm, dedication and hard work. Feeling a little drained today–not least because it’s been a busy week at the library. Even so, I’ve been doing some preparatory work for a research project I’m involved in–tracking down, evaluating, classifying and cataloguing [3]Open Educational Resources (OERs) in Creative Writing. (Btw if you’re interested in gadgets and [4]Creative Commons, check out the link to OpenAttribute under JTNS Links–right.) Now off to allotment to harvest onions and chop down grass (of which there is a great deal). To be honest the allotment has been a disaster this year, as far as most crops are concerned. What’s growing is doing really well–it’s just that a lot of crops didn’t get planted. We’re so dependent on little windows of opportunity in between work commitments. When the weather is kind, that’s fine but if it’s against you–as it has been all this year–you’re snookered... Enjoyed reading from The Lock, Invisible and my new novel yesterday. I think the last of these worked OK, although I need to deepen the characterisations in the first chapter, as well as differentiating the voices more. The audience was great, though. Really supportive. Meanwhile, saw great burdock, above, and the wonderful firework display of plants and flowers on the 289 old rubbish tip along the Clanfield Road while cycling this morning.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zmpge9aG2fE/UCYwsU6RHcI/AAAAAAAABeM/5SGn0ix8LgI/s1600/old+ rubbish+tip,+clanfield+road+august+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--nsMCfYV7XY/UCYwgeZIAYI/AAAAAAAABeA/FCtiEekaO0M/s1600/great+ burdock%252C+clanfield+road+august+2012.jpg 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources 4. http://creativecommons.org/

telegraph blog, trains, nell (2012-08-16 22:54)

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Well, you heard about her here ﬁrst. OK, just a brief mention in my post of [2]23rd June 2012: ’Also, had a great time when J’s god-daughter came to stay on Thursday and we ate out at Biztro (best meal ever there).’ And now here she is, writing about [3]trains on the Telegraph blog! With 52 comments, as well. Not sure I agree with everything Nell says (’I think not indeed’! :-), having written my second novel on...buses, but it’s a fantastic piece. What was I writing at 17? ’A...B...C...’

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O6bu8pJkEls/UC1qLQ1EGuI/AAAAAAAABfM/HndoOsZX-0M/s1600/telegraph, +nell+whittaker+august+2012.jpg 2. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/decent-bike-ride-waterlogged-allotment. html 3. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/nellwhittaker/100065833/ tightening-brakes-and-a-sense-of-falling-the-world-through-the-window-of-a-train/

290 bark (birch?), parks, cycling, oppressive, oers (2012-08-18 10:21)

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[3] 291 Took these shots of tree bark in the Oxford University Parks yesterday. Loved the colours and patterns. Assume the tree is some sort of birch, though you can never be sure of what you’re looking at in the Parks. Could be an exotic, completely unrelated to birch. Great cycle earlier. Still nice and cool then, although it’s beginning to hot up now. Don’t think we’ll reach the 30C that’s promised for some parts of the UK in west Oxfordshire but you never know. Actually hope the temperature doesn’t get that high because you can already feel the oppressive humidity–also promised. Now about to get on with the rest of the OER research mentioned last week that I didn’t ﬁnish... Looking forward to a more relaxing day tomorrow.

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hot, cherwell, ash, biztro (2012-08-19 12:43)

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Wow, it’s hot! I’m looking at this pic–taken in the Oxford University Parks on Friday–rather wistfully. It was cooler then and now the sight of the River Cherwell makes me want to go for a dip. Cycled earlier, after having cleared the ash out of the grate and stowed the ﬁre guard (usually do this at the start of the summer but it’s only a couple of weeks since we last had a log ﬁre). Meanwhile, have just mowed the lawn. Late breakfast on the terrace soon. Another delicious meal at Bampton’s [2]Biztro last night–with J’s mum, this time. (For me, smoked mackerel pâté followed by seared tuna salad).

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292 autumnal, min-till, mad, furniture saga, jtns pics on google+, new lights (2012-08-25 10:11)

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The land looks autumnal in many places now. Fields have been harvested, ploughed or min-tilled and sown. The sky was dark and brooding when I started my bike ride but when I was returning along Calcroft Lane, the sun broke through. A mad week at work, ﬁnishing off things so I can take some leave. Meanwhile, the furniture saga I mentioned [6]last year, is only just reaching its grim conclusion after legal issues were resolved–these were nothing to do with me. (The post I’ve linked to btw was rewritten at the start of the year, after dad died.) Oh, and if you’d like to see the complete collection of [7]justthoughtsnstuff.com photos, they’re all on [8]Google+. New lights to explore before my next post. Post edited 17.09.12.

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3.9 September holiday, france, châlons (2012-09-03 00:17)

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[3] Had a great holiday in France–the ﬁrst European trip by car for ages.

Years ago, I took against the Channel tunnel but having travelled to and from Europe via it now, I feel 295 OK. (One of the few ’complaints’ was that French Orange seemed to last from France to GB, whereas GB Orange kicked off after only a mile or so of being on British soil and was in any case just weak 3G–in France Orange data services seem to be ubiquitously strong 3G.)

Now home but will be posting photos of the trip here every so often. Above are, the tunnel and a couple of pics of the ﬁrst stop–Châlons-en-Champagne. – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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end of holiday, horseshoes, bell at langford, châlons, tournon, seguin, jaboulet (2012-09-05 22:29)

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[10] Last day of the holiday... Great lunch at the Hollybush’s sister pub, the [11]Horseshoes, in Witney. Yester- day, did the Bampton-Black Bourton-Langford walk featured in [12]post of 3rd September 2011–superb lunch at the [13]Bell! Above are photos from the journeys to and from the South of France. On the way down we stayed in [14]Châlons-en-Champagne (top pic), as mentioned in my first French [15]post below, and [16]Tournon- sur-Rhône (see also, French Wikipedia [17]site). On the way back, it was just Châlons (last three pics)– quite a drive, that one. The second from top photo shows the bridge between Tournon and [18]Tain-l’Hermitage, which was built by [19]Marc Seguin (the inventor of the wire-cable [20]suspension bridge) in 1849–the first night pic is taken from the bridge itself, looking towards the old castle. This structure was the second Seguin bridge to be built at Tournon. The earlier one (1825) was said to be the first of its type in France (see [21]Bridgemeister). It was converted to a footbridge in 1847 and demolished in the 1960s–for naviga- 299 tional reasons, according to a board on the surviving bridge. In the background of the daylight photo of the Seguin bridge, can be seen [22]Paul Jaboulet’s vineyards. Terrific to catch a glimpse of these, having enjoyed the wine with Christmas lunches. Tomorrow, the furniture is to be lotted up. Quel dommage.

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300 energised, cousins from australia, churches, collobrières, sweet chestnuts, huge, huge thanks (2012-09-09 10:54)

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[12] Well and truly back to work but feel energised by the holiday and the great weather we’ve been having this week. Really enjoyed visit from Australian cousins, Paul and Annette, yesterday. Lovely to catch up, have lunch at [13]Biztro (thanks both) and visit the churches at [14]Black Bourton and [15]Langford (bene- ﬁting hugely from the experience of the guides who were there for the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust sponsored [16]bike ride). Above are photos of our destination in the South of France, [17]Collobrières (see [18]also), a beautiful Medieval town in the wooded hills above St Tropez. The town is overlooked by the ruins of the church of St Pons and has a narrow 12th century bridge leading to the centre, which demands careful driving! Highlights included the red and rosé wines and sweet chestnuts, which featured in preserves, starters, mains, kirs and the local beer. If you’d like to see more photos, they’re on [19]Google+. A huge, huge thank you to Rachel for making the holiday possible! 304 1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ecyLwgOqVy8/UExeg83orMI/AAAAAAAABrA/GdiG7OT-MkQ/s1600/collobri% C3%A8res+from+hills+august+2012.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AF0c-7htLFM/UExetY1Bh3I/AAAAAAAABrQ/GU5LZGuFEJk/s1600/hills+to+ west+of+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--oVW_1yV6qs/UExe_ViKydI/AAAAAAAABrY/J6tpkinEOeg/s1600/sweet+ chestnut+above+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB5O1y3AxmQ/UExfPWJi2HI/AAAAAAAABro/qaV2oH6kIMo/s1600/vines+ near+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jgOClTnB-U/UExfrWOR4AI/AAAAAAAABsQ/GhaNCXs_9h0/s1600/ruins+of+ st+pons+church,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 6. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_3QjzDNjEXw/UExfyJKXRjI/AAAAAAAABsY/hw6j1pWcDXc/s1600/houses, +collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 7. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7rerwK7HZbA/UExf6WO2W3I/AAAAAAAABsk/0LAQ-Tep3gU/s1600/fountain, +collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012+b.jpg 8. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJIvIki5mH8/UExgCazY2MI/AAAAAAAABss/oRK_0gbwLG4/s1600/butcher’s+ shop,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 9. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o5KS9Kdnhyk/UExgMl95NDI/AAAAAAAABs4/jDcV2TPF9_E/s1600/boules+ players,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 10. http: //2.bp.blogspot.com/-cEW17X4c3gE/UExgW1bqXjI/AAAAAAAABtA/J3VNjc_qHTc/s1600/12th+century+ stone+bridge-pont+raoul+calvi-over+real+collobrier,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 11. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rRtSDvpEdI4/UExgm124B1I/AAAAAAAABtU/Y0soQUc_e-M/s1600/from+the+ balcony,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 12. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PXNrW6Oq208/UExgfNVO2XI/AAAAAAAABtM/12MGKzq8CwI/s1600/plane+ tree+bark,+collobri%C3%A8res+august+2012.jpg 13. http://www.biztro.co.uk/ 14. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/black-bourton-church 15. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Matthew’s_Church,_Langford 16. http://www.ohct.org.uk/StridePoster.pdf 17. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collobri%C3%A8res 18. http://www.beyond.fr/villages/collobrieres.html 19. https://plus.google.com/photos/110094791454271883546/albums/5786101657966497169?authkey= CMDkz9qa0I3GYA

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-09-09 12:09:23) I am reliant on you for the gloriously sombre Oxon skies, not for the blue of today, which I have more than my ﬁll of here ;-)

frank (2012-09-09 12:33:29) Ah! Apologies! Back to normal next week!

Lucinda (2012-09-10 06:27:37) Great snaps mate, brings out that warmth. keep up the good work.

305 hooky, plough, oers, keble gaudy, lost, spray, spuds (2012-09-15 19:12)

[1] Enjoyable pint of Hooky at the Plough at Kelm- scott earlier after online teaching and intensive Open Educational Resources (OER) hunting.

Now on bus to Oxford dressed up for Keble gaudy. Can’t believe it’s four years since the last one. It’ll be fun to see everyone again, although it’s sad that 1985 English alumni never come back. Indeed quite a few are ’lost’...

Meanwhile, still reeling from busy, busy week at work. Glad I caught up with some sleep on holiday!

During a break from online teaching and OER stuff, I went to the allotment and sprayed off the couch grass. Hated doing this but I’ve got so behind with everything up there this year, what with the atro- cious weather. Still, the spud harvest was good, as were the onion and shallott crops. – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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306 misty, refreshing, days off, cherwell boathouse, oers live, ﬁrst ﬁre of autumn? (2012-09-22 18:41)

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Misty, cold start to the day. Very beautiful, though. It was great to go out on the bike–journey refreshed me after a madly busy week. Today was hectic to start with, after the bike ride, catching up on library work then doing online teaching. Now, though, looking froward to the rest of the weekend and a couple of days off. Fun trip to next village earlier in the afternoon for colleague’s house warming party. Nice to able to chat to everyone away from work and see the lovely house. Delicious birthday meal yesterday at [6]Cherwell Boathouse! Btw the open educational resources for creative writing that I selected in August and last weekend are on the Rewley House site. Worth a glance at the [7]CW ones, as well as those for other subjects. Chilly evening. Debating whether to light ﬁrst ﬁre of the autumn.

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308 batcombe, sweet tooth, september sun, rain, reckless, assessor (2012-09-26 16:24)

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[6] Birthday break at Batcombe, Somerset. Great to return there and to stay at the wonderful [7]Three Horse- shoes (the best ever food and hospitality there, I would say). Presents included copy of Ian McEwan’s new novel Sweet Tooth, which I’m really enjoying. A textbook McEwan opening chapter that completely immerses the reader in the fiction. The weather on Monday didn’t look promising (top photo), although it cleared towards lunchtime and yesterday’s walking was in brightish September sunshine. Astonishingly heavy rain on Sunday night. Not surprised to learn of sad floods in Somerset and elsewhere. Was intrigued by the tombstone in Upton Noble churchyard ([8]St Mary Magdalene’s)–that middle name ’Reckless’ (third-from-top photo). A story there, I feel. Into Oxford this evening for induction for Certificate of Higher Education assessors. 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gU4kRGvc9zE/UGMZytZwJHI/AAAAAAAABwo/ZBp6ZDWE-Hw/s1600/towards+ 310 stourhead+september+2012.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LlGKDb7DyY/UGMZ6nxRNbI/AAAAAAAABww/JcPgaZ4CWmM/s1600/st+mary+ magdalene,+upton+noble+september+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdD3AJitgZY/UGMaE_I_7JI/AAAAAAAABw4/z5e7Q07oaLM/s1600/sidney+ reckless+denning+tombstone+september+2012.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_WPDEV6iA2w/UGMaLZ23OdI/AAAAAAAABxA/ot107DgGGh8/s1600/batcombe+ september+2012.jpg 5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jDnHst_APkY/UGMaQ895cLI/AAAAAAAABxI/sricTIcBKpM/s1600/near+ batcomber+september+2012.jpg 6. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E0zX2a7iK6g/UGMaZk0nsMI/AAAAAAAABxU/NLWvSTTPYQw/s1600/brook+ near+batcomber+september+2012.jpg 7. http://www.thethreehorseshoesinn.co.uk/ 8. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/upton-noble-st-mary-magdalene

Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-09-26 17:33:26) That’s better, gloomy skies, followed by scudding clouds, I am now living my Autumn through your photos. You were the lucky birthday boy with book and beer, a peerless combination. (A few miles further south, I was once reading Tess in a bar, literally on one of the mentioned bye-ways, and the locals thought I should be involved in their discussion of runner beans. An annual conversation with highs and lows, the latter in a Hardyesque way dominating!) Why are there so many Gold Hills in the West Country?

Frank Egerton (2012-09-26 18:18:50) Excellent story! It’s great that one can spend time in places mentioned in the novels. We once stayed at a pub that featured in Tess and late in the evening a ﬁddle player struck up and there was much Hardyesque singing!

michaelmas, anticipation, things to be done, a conscious englishman, a pint or two (2012-09-29 09:30)

[1] Oxford Michaelmas Term starts on Monday. Lots of preparations have been going on in all departments recently and everyone is frantically busy. There’s a great sense of anticipation and excitement. Teaching tomorrow from 8 am and today there are lots of things to be done for the libraries and the creative writing courses. Will also be doing some more work on StreetBooks’ 2013 lead title, A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping. A terriﬁc book! More on this over the coming months. 311 Fantastic cycle earlier, which got the day off to a good start. A beautiful autumn morning with not a cloud in the sky, as the above photo shows. Will there be time for a pint or two later? I dare say there will be.

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3.10 October oth week, downpours, mist, ace, streetbooks.co.uk, mellow, soft (2012-10-06 11:32)

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[2] Well, 0th Week is over for me. Busy, busy time, welcoming new students to the libraries and making sure they had all the info about how make the best use of the collections, as well as how to access e-resources. Astonishing downpours over the last few days–at night especially. This morning there were giant puddles everywhere and a lot of mist about. Latter atmospherically diaphanous and not thick enough to make cycling unsafe. 312 Been doing some more work in connection with the new novel StreetBooks is publishing on 7th Febru- ary 2013, A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping–see above ﬂier and [3]StreetBooks website. Looking out of the window, it’s mellow autumn sunlight and a soft blue sky.

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ﬂooding, great brook, wet feet, wet ﬁelds (2012-10-07 21:42)

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Hadn’t expected there to be any ﬂooding when I set off on my bike ride this morning. I knew the rain had been heavy but even so... Great Brook out across the road in three places near Tadpole Bridge. Wet feet! Flooded ﬁelds.

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oxford canal, a40, coal barges, snaky heron, rain (2012-10-11 22:53)

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Lovely walk along the Oxford canal before work this morning. Though not as long a walk as I’d have liked because the traffic on the A40 was bad again and the bus didn’t get in till about 8.15. All month the traffic has been bad. I don’t remember it being this bad last year (showing my age with these curmudgeonly comments!). Saw the coal barges above by the last lock before the city. A similar barge is referred to in The Lock, when Gerald, the Oxford don having an affair with a graduate student, visits his daughter Alison on her barge and learns about her way of life: ’His questions revealed that the stove was called a Squirrel and that it was kept going all the time in winter. As well as heating the living-area, a radiator in the bedroom was run off it. Coal was supplied by a firm from ‘up north’ who would phone when their barge was in the area.’ Also saw the heron again at the very end of the canal by Hythe Bridge Street–looking rather snake-like, as a friend remarked when I showed her the photo. I say it’s ’the heron’ but I think this is another one–a younger one. Later, at about 11.30, the promised rain started and the day stayed pretty grey and damp after that.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-za0XjnT4JpE/UHc7CGlH72I/AAAAAAAAB08/RJz-mEBUFpM/s1600/heron, +oxford+canal+october+2012+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r9KEzbv0Z9E/UHc7MFJws4I/AAAAAAAAB1E/CFgXVb7HFYo/s1600/coal+ barges,+oxford+canal+october+2012.jpg

Margaret Keeping (2012-10-12 09:24:37) It was good to see the canal photos ; how the towpath has changed, though, since I biked home from work there every day in the 80’s. Certainly more accessible than the muddy path, but something is lost. More curmudgeonliness no doubt. I think herons have a judgemental look, and their solitariness is eerily beautiful.

315 frost, gang warfare, typesetting, editing, landscapes (2012-10-14 11:02)

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[2]

[3] 316 Up fairly early this morning because I’m marking ﬁnals scripts later. A misty start to the day. There was a frost too and cycling was chilly as well as beautiful. When I had to brake because of an oncoming car along Calcroft Lane, I felt the tyres slip and the memory of when I came off last December returned to me and made me shudder. I’ve continued to feel twinges in different parts of my body all year and it’s only recently that they’ve pretty much gone. Do not want to repeat the experience! Yesterday, I worked at the Taylor. Had a lovely walk down the Oxford canal beforehand but when I turned into Gloucester Green bus station, heading for Caffè Nero, I suddenly noticed police tape across the entrance to the square. I asked the guy selling London tickets what was happening. There had been a ﬁght between two gangs after the clubs emptied and one person lost an eye and another was critically ill in hospital with stab wounds. ’That’s where it happened,’ he said, pointing. ’There’s the blood.’ The pool was magenta and looked surprisingly fresh. I decided to get away from the scene-of-crime police and photographers and head for another café on St Giles. As I walked along the top of the square looking at the debris and little yellow numbered markers by the discarded belts (weapons, I suppose) and other evidence, I felt very sad for the young lives blighted by the drunken evening–both the victims and the people who’ll end up behind bars. Meanwhile, I’ve been typesetting and editing A Conscious Englishman. Apart from anything else, I’m enjoying reading the novel again. The wonderful descriptions of nature and landscapes seem so far removed from what I saw at Gloucester Green. Btw the novel’s author, Margaret Keeping, has just started a [4]blog about her experience of the [5]StreetBooks publishing process. Which is about it for now.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7V7MpRbAZEU/UHp9t40RdCI/AAAAAAAAB2E/YcmY_qwoESQ/s1600/cattle, +black+bourton+october+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Uibkb99yjE/UHp90V2xEqI/AAAAAAAAB2M/WHCuRVi6I_Y/s1600/mist+and+ footpath+sign,+calcropft+lane+october+2012.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Frlu6rvMAs/UHp97ebUPmI/AAAAAAAAB2U/sN0LE8f7bSg/s1600/misty+ landscape,+calcroft+lane+october+2012.jpg 4. http://publishingmyedwardthomas.blogspot.co.uk/ 5. http://streetbooks.co.uk/

Margaret Keeping (2012-10-14 17:26:07) I like the compassion in your thoughts about that horrible ﬁght, Frank. A different Oxford, one I used to be much more aware of when I(and Marc) worked at the Probation Day Centre in the 90’s but now never see.

317 oxford canal, streetbooks lock, bampton post ofﬁce raid, log ﬁre, cathy x (2012-10-20 22:59)

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[2] Lots of work this weekend, which means cycling in the dark both mornings. So, here are two photos I took yesterday, while walking along the Oxford canal. The bridge over the last lock will be [3]familiar to jtns regulars and features in The Lock, my first novel– an image of the bridge appears on the [4]cover of the [5]StreetBooks Kindle ebook edition. It has been, sadly, another violent Saturday. This time closer to home. As I walked into the centre of the village, there was police tape cordoning off part of the square, an ambulance, many police cars and a dozen or so police officers, some interviewing witnesses. I saw a woman being led to the ambulance and our post office manager standing outside his premises. From what I’ve learnt since, there was a raid about 9.30 am, involving two men. The woman who works behind the counter was badly beaten up. An incident that has left the village shocked and angry. [Since writing the above, the story has started to appear in the local [6]press.] It is not the first raid on a business in the village since we’ve been here. As someone said, crooks must think little villages ’easy pickings’. The day has been mostly overcast and cold–though there was some thin sun around noon. The ground is sodden from torrential rain during the week. A chill autumn day, therefore. Log fire this evening. Thanks to Cathy x for the mention on her blog [7]writeanovelin10minutesflat.

318 1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uB4TuLWKzjw/UIJ8-pt33XI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/9XXQ5CoVFLc/s1600/autumn+ leaves+and+red+berries,+oxford+canal+october+2012+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImPYKI5fw7Y/UIJ9G6udckI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/LUAUgcjEFtg/s1600/oxford+ canal,+last+lock+october+2012.jpg 3. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/oxford-canal-bridge-nags-head-yaffling. html 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/lock-on-kindle.html 5. http://streetbooks.co.uk/fiction.html 6. http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9997793.Bampton_post_office_robbed/ 7. http://writeanovelin10minutesflat.wordpress.com/

writeanovelin10minutesﬂat (2012-10-21 15:39:25) Thanks Frank. That’s very kind of you to name-check me. Love the beautiful leaves. Cathy x

lie-in, webs, oed word of the day, hotchi-witchi (2012-10-21 10:17)

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Decided to have a bit of a lie-in after all. Feeling fresher for it. Amazing webs in the hedges and on the ﬁelds, when out cycling! Btw I subscribe to the Oxford English Dictionary’s excellent Word of the day service (see [2]oed site, box on right hand side). The word that appeared in my inbox the other day, complete with etymology and historic examples of its use, was ’hotchi-witchi’, which is an English Romani word for hedgehog. Love that word!

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MoibvwJuZm0/UIOxTKeP0PI/AAAAAAAAB4c/3J0-viH6nXo/s1600/webs, +kencot+october+2012+a.jpg 2. http://www.oed.com/

319 marking ﬁnished, lie-in, warmer, blue trailer, mst blog, edward thomas’ oxford, wio 20th (2012-10-28 15:17)

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[2] 320 [3]

Finals marking finished for another year. A rewarding experience. Had a lie-in this morning and have felt a good deal less awake than on previous Sundays when I’ve got up at 6 am... Enjoyed cycling, though. Rather warmer than yesterday (top photo), which was freezing. There wasn’t much of a frost but the wind was extraordinarily bitter. The countryside was grey and fairly nondescript this morning, apart from the blue trailer. Btw the MSt in Creative Writing now has a blog, which is exciting: [4]http://blogs.conted.ox.ac.uk/m- stcw. And talking of blogs, [5]Margaret Keeping’s post on Friday featured the wonderful book on Oxford that Edward Thomas wrote. Published in 1903 by A & C Black, it has illustrations by John Fulleylove and the fee for the book apparently saved Thomas and his family from the ’gutter and bankruptcy’. Seeing the post made me want to reach for my first edition, only to find it not on the shelf. I have a feeling it’s in the attic. I’ll have to get the ladder down. Meanwhile, looking forward to the Writers in Oxford 20th anniversary party at Worcester College in a couple of weeks’ time. As the invitation says, it will be held in the room ’where it all began’. I’m wondering how many past chairs of the society will be there.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AjwjlFoLOas/UI0wycsXVAI/AAAAAAAAB5c/xBnmM72Uahg/s1600/yellow+ lichen+near+black+bourton+october+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--v0N0iN3HdM/UI0w8w2nhNI/AAAAAAAAB5o/2pEykW34KB4/s1600/blue+ trailer,+calcroft+lane+october+2012.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ECMu_FYm_cE/UI0xGQb9pqI/AAAAAAAAB5w/pNoG_9cOXlA/s1600/blue+ trailer,+yellow+lichen,+calcroft+lane+october+2012.jpg 4. http://blogs.conted.ox.ac.uk/mstcw 5. http://publishingmyedwardthomas.blogspot.co.uk/

Margaret Keeping (2012-10-28 17:42:34) Well Frank, if yours is a ﬁrst edition of ’Oxford’ as mine is too, I hope your attic is good and dry. Must admit I ﬁnd it a curate’s egg of a book for me, - good in parts. My favourite section is The Oxford Country, when you can feel him getting into his stride, literally and writerly,like, ’One such footpath I remember,that could be seen falling among woods and rising over hills, faint and winding, and disappearing at last,- like a vision of a perfect, quiet life.’ And , For the most part we saw only the great hawthorn hedge,which gave us the sense of a companion always abreast of us, yet always cool and fresh as if just setting out.’

321 3.11 November

greylags, signet, running to catch up, family (1 unkown before now), hunger (2012-11-03 09:40)

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[3] 322 [4]

[5] Working in Oxford today but don’t have to be in until 10, which means I had time for a decent walk along the canal, across Port Meadow and down the Thames path to the city centre. (Now having regular Americano in Caffè Nero.) As always, a delight to walk the byways I loved when living on Osney Island.

Finished the last of the marking for a few weeks on Monday. Spent the rest of the week running to catch up, it seemed. Lots of things happening. Lots to prepare for.

Delicious meal at Biztro, Bampton last night. Family staying on both Thursday and Friday this week. Lovely to see H then S!

Also nice to hear from a distant cousin, RS, earlier in the week–who I knew nothing of before then.

The treat at the end of the working day will be late lunch at the Hollybush. Witney. Worth the hunger! – Visit [6]http://frankegerton.com (website) [7]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

1. http: //3.bp.blogspot.com/-QB86zLk-sG4/UJTmuHlkA4I/AAAAAAAAB6s/Yc1qEt81a-o/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8% 253FB%253FZ3JleWxhZyBnZWVzZSwgcG9ydCBtZWFkb3cgbm92ZW1iZXIgMjAxMi5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-770655 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_U-y2pgcjQ/UJTmu7OxHNI/AAAAAAAAB64/JY4dUxuz838/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2lnbmV0LCB0aGFtZXMgcGF0aCwgb3hmb3JkIG5vdmVtYmVyIDIwMTIgYS5qcGc%253D% 253F%253D-775235 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ldkO4RtG1p4/UJTmwKRIZ8I/AAAAAAAAB7E/7t4CDeXfx9Y/s1600/%253D% 323 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2lnbmV0LCB0aGFtZXMgcGF0aCwgb3hmb3JkIG5vdmVtYmVyIDIwMTIgYi5qcGc%253D% 253F%253D-779882 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJNcvTg3DHQ/UJTmxWaY7FI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/ot3mhRdP7_0/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2lnbmV0LCB0aGFtZXMgcGF0aCwgb3hmb3JkIG5vdmVtYmVyIDIwMTIgYy5qcGc%253D% 253F%253D-784994 5. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cm4uRwMcO3M/UJTmyFOXR_I/AAAAAAAAB7c/o6WtdJPlfUg/s1600/%253D% 253Futf-8%253FB%253Fc2lnbmV0LCB0aGFtZXMgcGF0aCwgb3hmb3JkIG5vdmVtYmVyIDIwMTIgZC5qcGc%253D% 253F%253D-788446 6. http://frankegerton.com/ 7. http://justthoughtsnstuff.com/

rain, waterlogged ﬁelds, ﬁrst log delivery, brazil, in trouble again (2012-11-04 21:55)

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Rain overnight was heavy by at least 4 am and lasted till midday. Lots of waterlogged ﬁelds by the time I went cycling. First log delivery of the winter this afternoon (we’ve been using up what was left of the last spring delivery till now). Enjoying Michael Palin’s [2]Brazil on iPlayer. In episode 2, Into Amazonia, Palin visits the [3]Yanomami, recalling Redmond O’Hanlon’s adventures, recounted in [4]In Trouble Again.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C8K_GohPg5A/UJap47NOGiI/AAAAAAAAB8U/YSit_LozoUA/s1600/flooded+ field,+black+bourton+november+2012.jpg 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nqm81/Brazil_with_Michael_Palin_Into_Amazonia/ 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanomami 4. http://literature.britishcouncil.org/redmond-ohanlon

324 autumn leaves, aa gill, edward thomas, a conscious englishman by margaret keeping, streetbooks (2012-11-11 17:07)

[1] A beautiful autumn day. Or should that be winter’s day? Not quite winter, I think. Not least because there are still so many autumn leaves on the trees. The relentless rain seems to have been good for keeping them on, if for nothing else. A great [2]article on Edward Thomas by AA Gill in the Sunday Times. (Sorry that link won’t work for those who don’t have access beyond the News International paywall...) I liked the following especially: ’Barely two of his poems mention the war and then only in passing. But altogether they are an almost unbearable memorial to the trenches, not as dispatches from the front or descriptions of horror, but as a departing view of what was fought for and what was lost.’ The article anticipates the [3]play about Thomas by Nick Dear at the Almeida. Meanwhile, A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping, which will be published by [4]StreetBooks on 7th February 2013 is showing on [5]Amazon, [6]Blackwell, [7]Waterstones and other major online retailers. See also, Mar- garet’s excellent [8]blog, Publishing my Edward Thomas.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pl94uenPiBA/UJ_CfvcnCwI/AAAAAAAAB9M/kdbRHJ6Beg0/s1600/ heart-shaped+leaves,+the+parks,+oxford+november+2012.jpg 2. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/culture/books/fiction/article1160454.ece 3. http://www.almeida.co.uk/event/darkearth 4. http://streetbooks.co.uk/aconsciousenglishman.html 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Conscious-Englishman-Margaret-Keeping/dp/0956424236/ref=sr_1_5? ie=UTF8&qid=1352648879&sr=8-5 6. http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/id/A_Conscious_Englishman/9780956424235 7. http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/margaret+keeping/a+conscious+ englishman/9437149/ 8. http://publishingmyedwardthomas.blogspot.co.uk/

Anonymous (2012-11-14 15:31:39) I, too, read the article on Thomas in the Times and was irritated (but not surprised given Gill’s historic hostility towards the Welsh)by it’s title (’The Quiet Voice of England’)and not even a passing acknowledgement of his Welsh roots (both his parents were Welsh)of which he was very proud, to the extent that he gave all his children Welsh names (Merfyn, Myfanwy and Bronwen), and note, his son’s name spelt the Welsh way, with an ’f’ rather than a ’v’. And now here’s this book, ’A Conscious Englishman.’ If, by this, certain English people are trying to stake an exclusive claim on Edward Thomas as being one of their own, then it is a deception that does not bear scrutiny.’ There is no doubt that he loved England, but he is more 325 fairly described as an Anglo-Welsh poet.

Frank Egerton (2012-11-15 09:10:53) Thanks. The title is a quote from Thomas himself–see, for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now _All _Roads _Lead _to _France. In the novel Thomas’ pride in his Welsh roots is made very clear. (I am half-Welsh and appreciate the points you make.)

Margaret Keeping (2012-11-15 14:51:59) As you say Frank, ’I am rapidly becoming a conscious Englishman,’ was a significant statement in his growing belief that he had to ’do something’about Britain at war. He called himself an ’accidental Cockney’, was described by a very close friend as ’A Londoner with a covering of Oxford’, and the truth is that English language and literature, writers and preoccupations filled his thinking constantly. His prose ’Beautiful Wales’ is lovely, but only two poems relate in any way to Wales - Mountain Chapel and Helen of the Roads - a pity.His poems and 90 % of his prose are specifically placed in southern England, no doubt reflecting demand for the prose and daily influence for the poems. So in a way Gill is right. But do read Thomas. He saw ’lovers of the Celt’as poseurs: ’Their aim and ideal is to go about the world in a state of self-satisfied dejection, interrupted, and perhaps sustained, by days when they consume strange mixed liquors to the tune of all the fine old songs which are fashionable...I cannot avoid the opinion that to boast of the Celtic spirit is to confess you have it not.’ Ouch! You can always rely on Thomas for honesty.

Margaret Keeping (2012-11-15 16:38:25) Of course in that he says,’I am rapidly becoming...’ does imply that he was not a conscious Englishman beforehand. He is using England to mean Britain as he disliked that term and thought it meant nothing: people only relate to their own ’holes and corners.’ It’s annoying but I think it was even more prevalent then than now, when we are a bit more attuned to separate identities.

trailer, autumn days, wio 20th, fox, snowdrops, tunes (2012-11-18 22:39)

[1] 326 [2]

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[4] 327 [5] A mix of gloomy, leaden days, this week–like yesterday–and beautiful sunshine, like Wednesday and today. On the sunny days the autumn leaves have been glorious. Yesterday we went to the [6]Writers in Oxford (WiO) twentieth anniversary party, which was held in the room in Worcester College where the society was founded. It all came about when two Oxford-based writers were returning from a Society of Authors meeting in London and decided to see if there was any interest in a more local group. When they contacted fellow Oxford authors, far more than expected turned up to the inaugural meeting and WiO was born. It now has around 200 members. I edited the Oxford Writer, the society’s newsletter, in the early Noughties and was chair from 2008-2010. When we arrived at Worcester we met Brian Aldiss, who used to send me updates when I edited the newsletter, including news of the Steven Spielberg film [7]AI, which was based on one of his stories (Super-Toys Last All Summer Long). As we wandered towards the building where the party was being held we saw first a fox, nonchalantly strolling across the lawn, and secondly, clumps of snowdrops out beneath one of the trees. A somewhat surreal experience! It was lovely to see so many old friends. There were speeches from Brian, Philip Pullman, the current chair Denise Cullington and one of the two people who came up with the idea for a society on the train, Jenyth Worsley. (Sadly the other founder, [8]William Horwood couldn’t be at the party.) Philip remembered a memorable gathering at his house, when the whisky writer, the late Michael Jackson, gave a talk and cracked open many rare whiskies from his private collection. I remember that evening well–it was the greatest of fun. Today, I got up early to work on [9]A Conscious Englishman–the typesetting is nearly done. I also downloaded Daniel Merriweather’s [10]Red and [11]Mad World by Gary Jules (loved the film in which the Tears for Fears cover featured, [12]Donnie Darko). I bought T-Mobile versions of both tracks but they don’t work on the Blackberry and I’ve been meaning to replace them for ages! Yesterday evening, after getting back from the party, listened to David Gray’s Life in Slow Motion. Hadn’t heard that for a while–still pretty great.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIPj2g_PYTI/UKjMkW_YdsI/AAAAAAAAB-I/64PxGEgYXys/s1600/autumn+ trailer+november+2012+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6p1iJyBDjI/UKjMtIDqWMI/AAAAAAAAB-Q/AjsBIpAy0CQ/s1600/autumn+ trailer+november+2012+b.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuK8RhtixF8/UKjM1uDTz8I/AAAAAAAAB-Y/gdAIlDC6pQg/s1600/autumn+ trailer+trash+november+2012.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd5CtPN2em4/UKjNAH1XZgI/AAAAAAAAB-k/QhyqgPyMsIk/s1600/autumn+ leaves,+water+and+tees+near+tadpole+bridge+november+2012.jpg 5. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PV_KNoHEKQc/UKjNKEQqocI/AAAAAAAAB-s/h-VtKzLh7QU/s1600/water+and+ trees+near+tadpole+bridge+november+2012.jpg 328 6. http://www.writersinoxford.org/ 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.I._Artificial_Intelligence 8. http://www.williamhorwood.co.uk/ 9. http://streetbooks.co.uk/aconsciousenglishman.html 10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yur15Brfvhs&ytsession=9R8nlxTveUP0-oQ_hiuDOgfmcjLvTLl4fOD_ dOhz1pUYN2t65x4qiqPgAPow8ocCZjI5_1tfL94HJmaMdIFU1bSKl19swSioujULFLkolaB5JxAdqycrVqwoLeXZcbL_ izhqDkLF55KcCUSlIxAkPqg3WeiH2XOeo7YwT2C5EG4upKJ6xF3sCfsgogff_1gYz3YTaREG9U_9YigORFX61U0cx2b_ onEws4xFCp05uCI 11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4 12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Darko

ﬂooding, tredegar, edward thomas, insecurities, visconti, clair, such a strange experience (2012-11-25 15:41)

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[4] The rain was relentless yesterday, pouring down on ground that was already saturated. The fields and the allotment are awash. On the latter this is a miserable end to a miserable year. So far, though, no significant flooding of roads in our village or neighbouring ones, apart from some water flowing across the Black Bourton road in Clanfield just beyond the Plough. But only a few inches. The water was lapping over the Shill Brook on Mill Green in Bampton but hopefully this will subside soon–the water does seem to be getting away much quicker than it did during the dreadful floods of 2007 (some 200 houses were flooded then). As I mentioned on Facebook earlier in the week, I was intrigued to find out that Edward Thomas’ father was from Tredegar in the Rhondda Valley. This was where my maternal grandfather came from–also called Thomas, though no relation to the poet that I know of. When I told the author of [5]A Conscious Englishman, Margaret Keeping, about this, she said in passing that she thought that I was ’not unlike’ Thomas. Well, if I only had his gifts... But what I do relate to when reading the novel, is his insecurity and lack of confidence. I’ve sometimes wondered if these are traits that other descendants of people who left Wales feel. I certainly noticed this in my cousins on the Welsh side, who now live in England. In fact I wrote about these issues in The Lock. Gerald’s best friend, Jonathan (a Welshman living in Oxford), manifests just such insecurity and lack of confidence, despite being successful (and nearly all my Anglo- Welsh cousins are successful). I don’t understand why being of Welsh descent living in England should produce these traits but perhaps it has something to do with feeling deracinated and not fitting in. Having said that, in the Times’ [6]review of The Lock (for those with access beyond the paywall) there 330 was mention of ’hearty northerners’, which I think referred to Jonathan–so perhaps I didn’t make it clear enough that he was Welsh, after all :-) Meanwhile I unpacked some paperbacks yesterday that I hadn’t seen since January 1978. My reading from the 1970s, including scripts of early Luchino Visconti and René Clair films, which I must have been going through shortly before everything was put in store (regular readers of this blog will be familiar with the odd saga that is behind the unpacking of the books). Such a strange experience, seeing them again. Hard to get my head round it.

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMnrzsWq-sY/ULIzEsxQCDI/AAAAAAAAB_k/iecDn35JReM/s1600/straw+ trailer,+dawn+november+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2BE6cRcclos/ULIzLEI3RnI/AAAAAAAAB_s/auYfHPIbvzk/s1600/straw+ trailer+and+flooded+field,+black+bourton+november+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6n_wWz19FcI/ULIzR7yqo8I/AAAAAAAAB_0/0bKdl9y8AnA/s1600/flooded+ plantation,+bampton+november+2012.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d-AxdlhpjQo/ULIzcY8dBaI/AAAAAAAAB_8/-oV2sC8TbEg/s1600/allotment+ flooding,+bampton+november+2012.jpg 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Conscious-Englishman-Margaret-Keeping/dp/0956424236/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1353857990&sr=8-1 6. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/books/article2456913.ece

3.12 December

assignments, frosty bampton, a conscious englishman, life-writing lunch, lincoln college, letters, end of term (2012-12-03 10:21)

[1] 331 [2]

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[4] 332 [5] Missed cycling this weekend due to work, including writing up comments on assignments. Enjoyed doing the assignments, though–they were the final ones of the course and it’s always exciting to see how people have developed as writers over the ten weeks. Did manage to get a walk round the village on frosty Sunday morning to collect Sunday Times. Bamp- ton looked beautiful but the cold weather made the house difficult to keep warm, even with a log fire and the heating on. It’s all down to the original windows, which we prefer to double-glazing. Proof copy of [6]A Conscious Englishman arrived earlier in the week and the first batch of books is now printing. Last Tuesday, I went to the [7]Life-Writing Lunch at Wolfson College–part of the [8]Oxford Centre for Life Writing series of events. Great fun. This time, Dr Oliver Herford of Lincoln College gave a preview of his next research project: a study of the circulation and publication of the letters of nineteenth-century poets and novelists, especially Henry James and John Keats. [Lincoln College was, by-the-by, where Ed- ward Thomas was as an undergraduate.]

Among the many interesting things Dr Herford said was that the recipient of a letter is ﬁfty percent of the context. In relation to this point, he was reluctant to see any one of the apparently contradictory personas of Henry James that appear in different letters as being the more true. Dr Herford emphasised the complexity of the writer that the different letters reveal. He said that some things are sayable to one recipient and not another. He also pointed out that letter writers don’t tend to write with the thought that letters to different recipients will one day be scrutinised side by side. A fascinating area–not least when these observations about letter writing are applied to one’s own emails, perhaps! Hard to believe that another Oxford full term is at an end. They are so chock-a-block with things happening and just whiz by.

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xS0oYbilhDs/ULtPzPINwcI/AAAAAAAACBY/MH-y8mCWNzI/s1600/bampton+ church+on+frosty+morning,+december+2012+a.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GdhYa_5oX00/ULtP5gNNvgI/AAAAAAAACBg/FS-iXsrG5sU/s1600/bampton+ church+on+frosty+morning,+december+2012+b.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMOVQm0cREM/ULtQAVphWpI/AAAAAAAACBs/xboh9N1BIEQ/s1600/sandford’ s+piece,+bampton+december+2102+a.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-coeGBBhENVg/ULtQHQ0liRI/AAAAAAAACB0/GMSB8aDUaFE/s1600/sandford’ s+piece,+bampton+december+2012+b.jpg 5. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Q9fSw68qB8/ULtQO-yRdqI/AAAAAAAACB8/B3bPW1N9UGE/s1600/sandford’ s+piece,+bampton+december+2012+c.jpg 6. http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/margaret+keeping/a+conscious+ englishman/9437149/ 333 7. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing/events/lunch 8. http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/clusters/life-writing

rare walk (sad), turkey n all, ace, east oxford art & book fair (2012-12-08 14:13)

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[2] 334 [3]

Beautiful morning but too icy to cycle ﬁrst thing. Decided to go for a walk instead–only to realise that the last time I did that particular walk must have been Christmas 2011. Sad! Was struck by the vividness of the dropped larch needles and tufts of grass in the morning sunlight on Mill Green as I was coming back into the village (above). First work Christmas party earlier in the week (Latin American Centre). Turkey and all the trimmings– good to have because the other big work party is at an Indian restaurant this year and on Christmas Day we’ll be having pheasant, as usual. The review copies of [4]A Conscious Englishman have been printed and are being put into envelopes this weekend for sending out. Have to say that [5]Lightning Source have done a great job of printing the book and have made Marc Thompson’s painting on the cover look terriﬁc (thanks also to [6]Marie O’Hara who photographed it and [7]Andrew Chapman for designing the cover). It was lovely to see the author, [8]Margaret Keeping, on Thursday and hand her a copy of the book. Next weekend, pre-publication copies of the book will be on sale at the East Oxford Art & Book Fair at the Cowley Road Methodist Church–Saturday 15th December, 11 am-4 pm.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFiabjWNdA/UMNEgo9U7KI/AAAAAAAACC4/Fw5krt1vmJw/s1600/buckland+ road,+bampton+december+2012.jpg 2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RDBqTetQwnU/UMNEqLT6xII/AAAAAAAACDA/wUTKjlvxuTE/s1600/larch+ needles,+mill+green,+bampton+december+2012.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqnN4hIH9wk/UMNE68vOEoI/AAAAAAAACDI/XS8lSZhTxqU/s1600/Xmas_Book_ Fair-02.jpg 4. http://www.streetbooks.co.uk/aconsciousenglishman.html 5. http://www1.lightningsource.com/ 6. http://www.marieohara.co.uk/ 7. http://www.preparetopublish.com/ 8. http://publishingmyedwardthomas.blogspot.co.uk/

335 frozen oxford canal, east oxford art & book fair, brian levison, yehuda amichai, fox at great barrington, sir bradley (2012-12-16 23:21)

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[2] 336 [3]

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[5] 337 [6] Warm today but SO cold earlier in the week! Oxford canal froze over (above)–a very different scene at the last lock before the city centre to the one [7]a couple of months ago, let alone the one that was used as a basis for the cover of the [8]Kindle edition of [9]The Lock. [10]StreetBooks was at the ﬁrst East Oxford Art & Book Fair yesterday, which was an excellent event. In the photo above, Margaret Keeping signs a copy of her wonderful novel about Edward Thomas, [11]A Conscious Englishman. It was also lovely to see friends there, including many fellow members of Writers in Oxford. The event was opened by Brian Aldiss. It was nice to talk to him and to remember the extraordinary [12]fox sighting before the Writers in Oxford twentieth anniversary party. Thrilled to buy a copy of Adding An A by my friend Brian Levison at the fair. The estimable Henry Shukman said of this poetry collection, ’This is a warm-hearted, good-humoured collection that both celebrates everyday pleasures and explores common tragedies with wit, candour, and a delightful ﬂu- ency.’ When I was editor of the Oxford Writer, I was proud to include one of the poems, At a lecture on [13]Yehuda Amichai. These are lines from the poem: ’...I stare through the pages at the Old City smelling the narrow alleys, old stoves and simmering pans dazzled by the light bouncing off buildings obliterating for a moment the mortar and bullet marks, picked scabs on the face of the walls.’ Today, we were supposed to be walking near Hay-on-Wye but sadly this mini-break fell through when the hotel’s boiler packed up... Very disappointing. Although the walk we did near the Barringtons and Windrush village did a lot to make up for it! Beautiful unspoilt countryside round there. The walk only marred by a nasty incident when Tufty was attacked by a vicious bull terrier. He seems OK now, though, thank goodness. Nice to round off the walk with a pint of Donnnington BB at the [14]Fox at Great Barrington. PS Ace that cyclist Bradley Wiggins has just won [15]Sports Personality of the Year.

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soaked, ﬂooding, logs, near-boiling, holiday, still work to do, moan, moan, moan (2012-12-22 12:16)

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[2] Soaked to the skin when I went cycling.

Fields I’ve not seen ﬂooded before are now under water.

Expecting a delivery of logs in a minute, which I’ll trundle up the garden path–one long puddle.

339 What happened to the coldest December for a hundred years! It’s wet but near-boiling for the time of year.

Good to be on holiday, though there are still a fair few things to get done before the 25th!

Moan, moan, moan! – Visit [3]http://frankegerton.com (website) [4]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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ﬁrst walk together in ages, bampton-downton, profumo, log and twig deer (2012-12-23 23:18)

[1] 340 [2]

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[4] Pre-Xmas guests left this morning–great to see Deci and Margaret. 341 Took T for a walk afterwards. The ﬁrst time we’ve walked on our own together since I can’t remember. A beautiful day for it, with the sun coming out every now and then and thankfully no rain. Water, water everywhere, though. T was reluctant to walk off the lead as we headed away from the village but was brisk off the lead on the way home! It was strange, somehow, getting used to walking together. Meanwhile, an extensive article in the Sunday Times about Bampton property and the Downton Abbey effect, entitled, [5]Live Abbey ever after in your own piece of the real Downton (not sure about that pun!). Bampton is where the village scenes in the TV series are ﬁlmed, though the Big House itself is actually 30 or so miles away. Also intrigued by the second extract from a new book about Stephen Ward and the Profumo scandal, [6]An English Affair: Sex, Class and Power in the Age of Profumo by Richard Davenport-Hines, a story that has always fascinated me. Loved the deer made of logs and twigs in front of a house further down the street.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h3orJDxTs-c/UNcjeTwS4uI/AAAAAAAACIg/NUeqA5Sv4Gc/s1600/flooding, +millennium+wood,+bampton+december+2012.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iSoThOwhrzs/UNcj0QrUFWI/AAAAAAAACIw/v85rWtuO51Q/s1600/bench+and+ red+hoodie,+millennium+wood,+bampton+december+2012.jpg 3. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m5hmEy9bato/UNcjpF5ztVI/AAAAAAAACIo/PVRkX6nYgLc/s1600/flooded+ rec+plantation,+bampton+december+2012.jpg 4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zivkIJZs7NI/UNcj8sBS4-I/AAAAAAAACI4/XTpWq1vpyK0/s1600/log+deer, +bampton+december+2012.jpg 5. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/My_Place/article1179891.ece 6. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/newsreview/article1181656.ece

ﬂooded farmland and allotments, morris and talbot, midnight mass, humanist, happy christmas!!!! (2012-12-25 00:26)

[1] 342 [2]

[3] Lots of ﬂooding in west Oxfordshire when I drove to Witney and Burford for last-minute Christmas shopping–though thankfully it looks like only farmland is under water (above are the Windrush valley by the Swan at Swinbrook and east of Burford). The allotments are pretty soggy too, of course. Went down to the Morris Clown and the Talbot this evening. Nice to see friends. Also nice to hear Midnight Mass on Radio 4, despite being a Humanist! Happy Christmas!!!! Have a wonderful day!!!!

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Rupert Neil Bumfrey (2012-12-25 05:04:46) I always end up listening to Carols and Readings from Kings, takes me back to those Christmas Eves with Grandfather and latterly Father. After seven years of brainwashing in formative years, very hard to erase a fondness for rousing, militaristic hymns ;-) 343 happy xmas!!; wreath, walks, pints, pheasants & rioja; more bampton-downton (2012-12-25 14:48)

[1] Happy Xmas!!

J’s Xmas wreath is on the front door, we’ve done one walk with T, delivering cards, enjoyed a pint or two with Alan and Cathy at the Horse Shoe, and are about to go on another walk with T while the pheasants roast and the Rioja breaths.

Meanwhile a further Bampton-Downton property article has appeared in the Mail: [2]http://bit.ly/V1xtGa.

Not sure ’tiny’ is quite right, though.

Weak but welcome sunlight and only an early downpour today. What a wonderful surprise!! – Visit [3]http://frankegerton.com (website) [4]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from EE

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344 goodnight, john mcgahern, moving forward?, contemplating the past, saying what you mean, happy days! :-) (2012-12-25 23:49)

[1] Goodnight all. Xmas Day is almost over for another year. A warm day, both literally and metaphorically. Also a day when I began re-reading That They May Face the Rising Sun by John McGahern. In truth I began reading this book at Easter 2006 (I think it was that Easter) but set it aside about a third the way through. Somehow I believe that the interruption was signiﬁcant and beginning the book again is the start of moving forward. I wonder. In any case, the prose is beautiful, characterful and redolent of place. Inevitably too this Xmas was a time for contemplating the past. In this regard, I was struck by a scene in Marigold Hotel, which we watched a bit of at the end of the day. Ronald Pickup–appropriately named–is trying to chat up a woman in a club in India. Suddenly he drops all pretence and is just himself and whereas he would have lost the woman with his dreadful ’seductive’ patter, suddenly he is in with a real chance. Why do people waste so much time by talking rubbish and by not saying what they really mean or who they really are?

Happy days! :-) – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from EE

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345 rain is the new snow, happy swans! (2012-12-27 21:02)

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Took these photos when walking yesterday. Rain is very much this Christmas’ theme–such a contrast to the snow in [3]2010. Still, the swans in the top pic seem happy!

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346 blenheim, henbane, woodman, frosty bells, downton, reﬂection, tim parks, ebooks, reading (2012-12-28 23:23)

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[2] 347 [3]

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[5] Walked round Blenheim today–the long route through the woodland to the south of the house–for the first time in nearly 20 years. I’d forgotten so much, including the verge near Springlock Gate where we 348 saw [6]henbane for the first (and only) time. Dropped in at the Woodman, North Leigh, on the way back–excellent pint of Howell’s [7]Frosty Bells. (Not too strong but a brilliant full malty, seasonal flavour.) Watched some Downton Abbey Series 3 on DVD later. Fascinating to see the village in its 1920s fancy dress. The holes in the road by the library/hospital must be left deliberately to help the film makers! This midwinter time of year continues to be one of reflection and looking to the future. What a year. What a future? (Let’s hope!) Terrific [8]article recommended by Facebook friend Julia Bell about ebooks. Apart from anything else, the author, Tim Parks, describes the techniques and activity of reading wonderfully!

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biking, water still, friends round for drinks, t growing up...a bit (2012-12-30 17:44)

[1] Good to get out on the bike today. Love long country walks–that I don’t get the chance to do for much of the year–but cycling is special. It’s the sense of freedom as you spin through the countryside, lost in thoughts and views. Still a lot of water in the ﬁelds but no ﬂooding of people’s homes round here that I’m aware of. The outlook is better for the coming week, so the land should get a break. Enjoyed having friends round for drinks at lunchtime. T reasonably well behaved–at over 7 he seems to be calming down...a bit. 349 1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GaoAl6mOdfo/UOAv9a7poyI/AAAAAAAACRE/CUDJRKVrcqE/s1600/flooded+ fields,+calcroft+lane+december+2012.jpg

luminous moss on a cotswold wall, the ups and downs of 2012, looking forward to 2013, happy new year!!!! (2012-12-31 22:05)

[1] Saw this mossy Cotswold stone wall while walking between Windrush and Sherborne this afternoon. The moss glowed in the fading four o’clock light and cheered the otherwise muddy and waterlogged landscape. Now, as the new year approaches, I think of the things that have happened in 2012. There have been sadnesses. Dad dying, nearly a year ago now, was the worst. Over the last year, I’ve learnt things about him that I didn’t know before–things that bring him alive as a person I wish I had known. Earlier in the week, I wrote about people failing to communicate. Despite all the education and the supposed erudition (so hard won), despite the advances in human understanding, we failed to say what we meant in his later years. I miss him very much. The sale of family possessions not seen since 1978 was–well, not a sadness exactly, but something so bizarre and odd that normal phrases can barely convey my feelings about the experience. Of looking through the online catalogue and glimpsing childhood memories that were hidden in crates all that time, only to emerge and be destroyed as a collection of meanings and memories. I hope their new owners find happiness in these things. Recently, a friendship changed suddenly due to misunderstandings. I hope that 2013 will see renewal. But there have also been rather wonderful experiences in 2012. The trip to San Francisco in May, which had an unexpected, almost life-changing effect on me. To travel at last to a place I’d dreamt of going to when in my teens and to find it more real and more fascinating than I thought it ever could be. Driving to the South of France in the late summer with J and T. Inland from the tourist beaches, high up in the chestnut woods in the medieval village, the pace of life was gorgeous and reviving. Lovely that our friends from the Alps were able to join us. I’ve loved preparing the novel A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping for publication in Febru- ary 2013. The book is a fictional account of the last years of the First World War poet, Edward Thomas, and his work has a special significance to me. When I was just beginning to unravel the family mysteries back in the mid-nineties, I became pretty depressed and Thomas’ poetry about the simple beauty and magic of the countryside sustained me, brought me back from gloominess, gave me hope. His poems and the complimentary paintings of John Nash were so important to me then. I’m pleased to have started writing the ’proper’ version of my third novel. It has taken many years to find the right path. 350 Writing an extended essay about my family’s experiences over the past two decades last Easter was cathartic–the start of coming to terms with things and healing. Also, on the subject of non-fiction, attending talks at the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing has been inspirational. I have loved working with my creative writing students and my lovely, supportive colleagues at the University. A year of warmth and sadness. Of happiness, of pain, of keeping going. In many ways, a year like any other. I’m looking forward to 2013, though. I don’t know why exactly but I am. Happy New Year!!!! – Visit [2]http://frankegerton.com (website) [3]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from EE

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351 352 Chapter 4

2013

4.1 January

sunlight and blue sky, 2013 (2013-01-01 18:17)

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[2] 353 [3] At least there was sunlight and blue sky!

Happy 2013!!!! – Visit [4]http://frankegerton.com (website) [5]http://justthoughtsnstuff.com (blog)

Sent using BlackBerry® from EE

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354 holiday, promise of spring, hedging (2013-01-04 20:52)

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[2]

[3] 355 Great to have some extra days’ holiday. Back at work on Monday. Meanwhile some signs in the west Oxfordshire countryside that promise spring, including more hedge laying along Calcroft Lane (aka the gated road). The hedging continues the work that started [4]last winter and is wonderful to see.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-jcKqGd8xo/UOc_Ob3-p0I/AAAAAAAACUo/BlP3ih6_rMw/s1600/sheep, +weald+january+2013.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYRzkiMLphs/UOc_QYKrwWI/AAAAAAAACUw/ZeMarT5f-T0/s1600/sheep, +calcroft+lane+january+2013.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EvLn6OFNzMg/UOc_WfslFwI/AAAAAAAACU4/RAvk8MSvA30/s1600/hedging, +calcroft+lane+january+2013.jpg 4. http://justthoughtsnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/hedging-part-two.html

back to work, forecast of snow, coal ﬁre, oxford 0th week, fresh eyes (2013-01-12 22:19)

[1] Gosh, a challenging week! A shock to the system, going back to work after the lovely long holiday! Still feeling the benefits, though. One of these has been an unexpected urge to tidy desks and put both my physical and virtual filing systems in order–something not felt for a few years. Colleagues will wonder what’s happened! Somewhat grey and lowering weather, nevertheless. Incredibly warm to begin with but now chilly–with the forecast of snow. Loved the smell of a coal fire from one of the barges when I was walking along the Oxford canal the other day. Oxford 0th Week–this past week–seemed earlier than usual. The online course I teach started last Mon- day and there has been a fair bit to do in respect of other creative writing courses too. All very rewarding, however–as suggested above, the long holiday has meant I’ve viewed the world of work with fresh eyes! Long may that last.

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Margaret Keeping (2013-01-14 11:13:40) Good luck with the new orderly Frank - though you’ve always seem to get where you’re going in life OK. I love those barges and the smoke rising from the chimney - once I took that daily walk to Hythe Bridge Street 356 from Port Meadow for work and seeing your pictures vividly reminds me of that quite other life.

snow, change opportunity and uncertainty, ebooks v ’real’ books, oxford english, a conscious englishman, margaret keeping, linda newbery (2013-01-20 22:48)

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[11] 358 Snow arrived in Oxford and west Oxfordshire on Friday. Some disruption to travel but not much, thankfully. Not as bad as the past two years. The predicted heavy falls this afternoon didn’t materialise. The roads will be icy tomorrow, though. Last week was Oxford First Week and seemed busier than usual. Lots of admin and meetings during it and Noughth Week. All rather fascinating, even so. The impact of the digital revolution is being scrutinised and responded to throughout the University, as plans for the coming years are drawn up. A time of change and opportunity, as well as uncertainty. Same in publishing, of course. I’ve been heartened, nevertheless, by some articles about the importance of the book, as opposed to the ebook, recently. There was [12]The Book Bounces Back in last week’s Sunday Times and [13]Why Printed Books Will Never Die on [14]Mashable (not behind the News In- ternational paywall!). Why was I heartened? Well, having been excited by ebooks for many years, I have to say I do love ’real’ books. True, they’re bulky and a nightmare to house, whether at home or in libraries, but they are great to work with and enjoy. Academics also raise an interesting point about referencing–the problem of how to cite a page reference, when there are no pages as such in an ebook. Well, I’m sure a way round this will be found–if it hasn’t already–but the culture of citation in respect of physical books is so fail-safe and unambiguous. The rise of the ebook won’t cease but I hope that e and physical books will co-exist. As my friend [15]Lorna Fergusson put in a discussion recently, ’What I wish is that we could debate all this in a non-confrontational manner accepting that for most of us it’s not a case of "either/or" but "both/and".’ Pleased to receive my copy of the second issue of Oxford English, the annual magazine published by the Oxford [16]English Faculty. Well produced, apart from anything else, and only available, as far as I can see, as hard copy. Meanwhile, very, very pleased to receive some wonderful comments about StreetBooks’ forthcoming title, [17]A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping from the novelist [18]Linda Newbery, who wrote: ’Her [Margaret Keeping’s] writing is very assured and she has the necessary eye for place, detail, weather and seasons to write about Edward Thomas...I hope the book will reach the wide audience it deserves and feel sure that many others will enjoy it as much as I have.’

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VUVzmx3ZId4/UPxiHK1gXgI/AAAAAAAACXg/uF_13pIvSQ0/s1600/snowy+ bampton+village+centre+january+2013+b.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGaFTNgIxXk/UPxiJr70OBI/AAAAAAAACXo/E97fhf1ACu0/s1600/snowy+ talbot+pub,+bampton+january+2013.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lM6miKnCiic/UPxiSNJjxMI/AAAAAAAACXw/tRo6wbJOL4Q/s1600/snowy+ romany+pub,+bampton+january+2013.jpg 4. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sT6nclj4FWM/UPxiSwaF-VI/AAAAAAAACX0/j82kRA7lJOM/s1600/snowy+ victoria+arms+etc,+oxford+january+2013.jpg 5. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0NCdYf8qUs/UPxihx5HTQI/AAAAAAAACYI/5XjXU91lZRs/s1600/snowy+ oxford+canal+&+former+lucy’s+site+january+2013.jpg 6. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xhbhst-k3VQ/UPxipDo6K4I/AAAAAAAACYQ/VfIHy2mwGoU/s1600/snowy+ jericho+bridge,+oxford+canal+january+2013.jpg 7. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFo5UECngSU/UPxirZnnbQI/AAAAAAAACYY/-qwY9JlpB0s/s1600/snowy+ ’unofficial’+barges,+oxford+canal+january+2013.jpg 8. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5sNYc0mDiK4/UPxixcrKGtI/AAAAAAAACYg/1K0UGRJlvDw/s1600/snowy+ causeway,+buckland+marsh+january+2013.jpg 9. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9B490WWtOl8/UPxi3ryD2KI/AAAAAAAACYs/-CcXysVOGxY/s1600/snowy+ lane+from+buckland+marsh+to+buckland+january+2013.jpg 10. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lBb4gpzF3p8/UPxi3WFf7qI/AAAAAAAACYo/SsxQ5NomKF4/s1600/tufty+ rolling+in+the+snow+january+2013.jpg 11. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rleNym1NjiQ/UPxi4e0ta7I/AAAAAAAACY4/Vc3sPehvBOg/s1600/green+ barn,+near+buckland+january+2013.jpg 12. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/newsreview/features/article1192952.ece 13. http://mashable.com/2013/01/16/e-books-vs-print 14. http://mashable.com/ 15. http://www.fictionfire.co.uk/ 359 16. http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/ 17. http://streetbooks.co.uk/aconsciousenglishman.html 18. http://www.lindanewbery.co.uk/

thaw, a conscious englishman on sale, look inside, burns night, cairn o’mohr spring oak leaf wine (2013-01-26 12:09)

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The thaw began last night and this morning, after a lot of rain (ﬂooding predicted in some areas), there is hardly any snow left. Another rather hectic week. Lots going on at the libraries, there’s teaching and marking to do, and the publication of A Conscious Englishman is imminent. Talking of the forthcoming novel, you can now buy copies from the [2]StreetBooks website and Look Inside on [3]Amazon. (There’s also a nifty £5.58 Book Depository copy available on Amazon, I notice. As has been widely noted, the ways of Amazon and pre-publication copies are a mystery!) Meanwhile, having some friends round for a Burns Night (well nearly) supper this evening. The Cairn O’Mohr [4]spring oak leaf wine arrived yesterday and the [5]Rough Guide to Scottish Folk has been downloaded. Btw the original box of spring oak leaf was damaged–all thanks to [6]Cairn O’Mohr for getting a replacement to us within a day!

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-byfB6mQgBQY/UQOntCuyrcI/AAAAAAAACZ4/KncL0mHYkd8/s1600/thaw, +bampton+january+2013.jpg 2. http://streetbooks.co.uk/fiction.html 3. http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Conscious-Englishman-Margaret-Keeping/dp/0956424236/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1359198984&sr=8-1 4. http://cairnomohr.homestead.com/T9.html 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rough-Guide-Scottish-Folk-Second/dp/1906063605/ref=sr_1_1?s= books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359200917&sr=1-1 6. http://cairnomohr.homestead.com/index.html

360 mud, hardy celandines, streetbooks on linkedin (2013-01-27 09:55)

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[2] After the thaw, mud! Still, nice to see these two hardy celandines, which were covered by snow till yesterday and are under- water today. Btw for those in Linkedin, you can now visit the [3]StreetBooks company page.

1. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zFHmkgrgISg/UQT3Z7q_1JI/AAAAAAAACbI/tzyKln2pQkI/s1600/mud, +bampton+january+2013.jpg 2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LqNkvZ604rE/UQT3VQN8wII/AAAAAAAACbA/Z3T12C9B0sM/s1600/ celendines,+maybe,+mill+green,+bampton+january+2013.jpg 3. http://www.linkedin.com/company/streetbooks?trk=top_nav_home

361 4.2 February

moon, crows and snowdrops, ribs, a conscious englishman, edward thomas, publishing my edward thomas (2013-02-03 15:15)

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[4] Yesterday, the sun shone and the countryside round Bampton really cheered up. Beside the spire of [5]St Peter and St Paul’s, Broadwell, the moon was still out at 8 o’clock in the morning and crows flew in front of it (spot the moon and crows!) and there were snowdrops in the churchyard. Today, the fields were stark, the trees and hedges so obviously picked clean, the gate in the picture, almost hidden in summer by foliage, now laid bare like ribs on a carcass. Meanwhile, the official publication of [6]A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping nears–Thursday 7th February. As readers of this blog will know, the novel is about the last years of World War I poet Edward Thomas’ life. It’s a terrific read. And you can find a huge amount of extra information about the poet at the author’s excellent blog, [7]Publishing my Edward Thomas. Today, appropriately, given the weather, is a quiet day, catching up on sleep and rest after a hectic week.

1. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wgcySxN377g/UQ55yCc2PUI/AAAAAAAACcM/oR0YcbMPzTk/s1600/st+peter+ &+st+paul’s+church,+moon+&+two+crows,+broadwell+february+2013.jpg 2. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oxqzVrskmaE/UQ557t2yLTI/AAAAAAAACcc/KCBNJJbB03s/s1600/snowdrops, +st+peter+&+st+paul’s+churchyard,+broadwell+february+2013.jpg 3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYFn072b2AQ/UQ5553R8ocI/AAAAAAAACcU/BQ2VSfMoreQ/s1600/towards+ the+cotswold+from+lew+february+2013.jpg 4. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P348arTUExI/UQ559_51XWI/AAAAAAAACck/NOOUDrhkFZw/s1600/gate+and+ horses,+lew+february+2013.jpg 363 5. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-253435-church-of-st-peter-and-st-paul-broadwell 6. http://streetbooks.co.uk/fiction.html 7. http://publishingmyedwardthomas.blogspot.co.uk/

a conscious englishman by margaret keeping published today (2013-02-07 13:03)

[1] I’m very proud that A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping is officially published today by [2]StreetBooks. I’ve followed the novel’s development over several years and always hoped that one day StreetBooks would be able to publish it. The novel’s subject, Edward Thomas, has been important to me since the 1990s when I began reading his poetry during the turbulent family times that I have written about elsewhere in this blog. In those days I desperately wanted the family problems to be resolved and dreamt of moving out of Oxford to the countryside. Late at night I would read Thomas’ poetry or look at John Nash’s paintings and dream of another life. Well, we did move and when I walk through the lanes and fields round Bampton, I am reminded of the images in the poems and paintings and am grateful for the help they gave me to get through that difficult period. The novel is a wonderful rendering of the last years of Thomas’ life. It is told from both Thomas’ point of view and that of his wife, Helen. To say that Thomas is the novel’s subject is, to an extent, misleading because it neglects Helen’s perspective, which is in many ways the book’s great strength and is essen- tial for an understanding of the poet. The novel brings the two people’s stories together in a brilliantly accessible form that is compelling, beautiful and poignant. I have been struck by the number of people who have already read the book who say they cried at the end. The ending is very moving. The novel is available from the [3]StreetBooks website and can also be ordered from bookshops and bought from online retailers (ISBN 978-0-9564242-3-5). ’[Margaret Keeping’s] writing is very assured and she has the necessary eye for place, detail, weather and seasons to write about Edward Thomas...especially like the way she’s shown the origins of the poems in his observations, and her depiction of the complicated relationships between the main characters. 364 I hope the book will reach the wide audience it deserves and feel sure that many others will enjoy it as much as I have.’ Linda Newbery, author of Set in Stone

1. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNLGCdc4-EA/URN4OzZtAzI/AAAAAAAACdw/c86HT3rUA_k/s1600/a+ conscious+englishman+by+margaret+keeping,+front+cover.jpg 2. http://www.streetbooks.co.uk/ 3. http://streetbooks.co.uk/buyaconsciousenglishman.html

Cathy (2013-02-09 21:19:45) Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the recommendation Frank. Cathy x

margaret keeping on the bill heine show, radio oxford; excellent reader reviews of a conscious englishman on amazon (2013-02-10 15:33)

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Margaret Keeping, author of A Conscious Englishman, appeared on BBC Oxford’s [2]Bill Heine programme earlier today. She was guest newspaper reviewer for the ﬁrst hour of the show. You can listen to the programme on the iPlayer over the next 7 days. Some excellent reader reviews of A Conscious Englishman on [3]Amazon btw.

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365 cycling, misty morning, catching up, moss, nests, ace reviewed, weekend (2013-02-16 11:29)

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[3] 366 Good to be cycling again. Ice and work commitments have meant I’ve not been out on the bike for a couple of weeks. Today was misty–thicker in some places than others, as the two pics above show. Yesterday, I enjoyed catching up with two friends who I first met when I worked with them on Oxford creative writing courses. Lunch at Brown’s with one and drinks at the Randolph with another. It was great to see them and hear their news. I say ’first met’ but in one case, yesterday was the first time we had met face-to-face because the course I taught was online and we have only kept in touch by email and Facebook since. Wonderful to see him and hear his voice. Meanwhile, when I went to the shed to get the bike this morning, I noticed clumps of moss scattered across the path. Evidently excellent nesting material! On Thursday there was a good review of A Conscious Englishman in the Oxford Times–also [4]online. Great that the novel is selling well and that there is already a lot of very complimentary feedback from readers. All down to Margaret Keeping’s wonderful story-telling and gift for natural description. Some online teaching and assignment marking this weekend. Also a Skype tutorial with a student in Japan. Plus some time for relaxation, of course!

1. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQRcILJG8OA/UR9oCjCHHHI/AAAAAAAACf8/jTowdbPSW4w/s1600/moss, +garden+footpath,+bampton+february+2013.jpg 2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xRkk-Fj9QAw/UR9oJ6EWgUI/AAAAAAAACgE/3wcjHUQjr20/s1600/tidied+ hedge,+alvescot+february+2013.jpg 3. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vK1TGHxQD68/UR9oK8Og4JI/AAAAAAAACgM/-ueED8FD70U/s1600/field+and+ tree+in+mist+february+2013.jpg 4. http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/leisure/books/10222361.A_Conscious_Englishman_by_Margaret_ Keeping/?ref=rss

twickenham, old boys match, freezing, snowdrops, hedging (2013-02-24 15:36)

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[4] Excellent afternoon at Twickenham yesterday, watching the England-France match. My first time at the stadium–wonderful atmosphere but unbelievable to think that there might have been as many as 82,000 368 people there. In the taxi back to Bampton from Witney last night, the driver asked what the stadium’s capacity was and as I said the figure, I thought, I must have got that wrong, it can’t be that many. But it is! I used to play rugby when I was at Heatherdown and Stowe but didn’t continue with it after school, apart from an old boys match when I was about twenty (a game that almost finished me off–a year or so of student life had left me as unfit as anything). Another striking thing about yesterday’s game was how straightforward and giving the crowd were. Just 82,000 people out to enjoy themselves! Meanwhile, it’s freezing in the west Oxfordshire countryside. A cold easterly wind that seemed to modify its direction with every turn I made when cycling this morning so that I was always heading into it. Lots of snowdrops out, though, including the ones above on a verge just outside Black Bourton. The hedging and tree cutting at Alvescot continues.

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Margaret Keeping (2013-02-25 18:04:00) I liked your Twickers blog very much; might send you privately my ’rugby’ poem - one of the very few I had published though now I wouldn’t expose myself to that degree! I hope there’s some proper hedging going on at Alvescot.

4.3 March waterways, craft, grebes, the lock, picnics (2013-03-03 15:47)

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[3] I was working at the Taylor yesterday but beforehand walked along the Oxford canal where I took the photos of the rowing boat and the narrowboat rudder above. The great crested grebes I saw on the Thames near the train station earlier in the week. When we lived in Oxford I used to love seeing these birds on different parts of the river. On Saturdays, when my wife finished work, we often used to cycle to Port Meadow and have a picnic beneath an evergreen oak on the bank of a narrow arm of the river and watch the pair of grebes that always nested there. In my first novel, [4]The Lock, I used this place as a setting for a couple of the scenes. In the following extract, Elizabeth and her daughter Alison are walking along the bank and see the grebes. *** They passed an evergreen oak and the line of trees to their left gave way to a broad grassy expanse of bank running down to a dense margin of water forget-me-not, mint and woundwort. The pool itself was formed by the stream broadening out at a point where it forked. Both arms flowed into the Thames a little further on from here. The main one arrived at a weir beyond the end of the next bit of avenue. The other one flowed down the side of an island that was covered in rosebay willowherb and alders, joining the river near the railway station. ‘There they are,’ said Alison, pointing at the pair of grebes. ‘Oh yes.’ ‘And they’ve got little chicks. They hatched just the other day. There – the little stripy heads are poking through her wings.’ 370 ‘Oh, yes, two of them.’ ‘I can never work out which of the adults is which, let alone the chicks – both sexes look more or less the same. The other one, though, seems to have a more peachy-coloured throat.’ ‘Dad would know.’ The grebe that was not carrying the chicks promptly dived, to re-emerge some way off from its partner almost half a minute later with a straggling piece of reed in its bill. It propelled itself gracefully towards their nest with its prize. The other grebe swam up to the nest now too and both prodded the reed into place. ‘I wonder if they really are the same pair Dad used to bring us to see?’ ‘I should think so. Do you remember seeing them down by the lock?’ ‘Yes, that was brilliant. I didn’t believe they were the same ones that time. The city seemed so big then – I didn’t understand how all the waterways linked up. Funnily enough we were down at the pub on the Island the other night.’ *** That bit about all the waterways connecting up is significant because a lot of the story unfolds on the banks of the Thames, Cherwell and Oxford canal. When the location shifts from Oxford to Gloucester- shire in the second half of the book, the scenes are set on the banks of a different canal–the Thames and Severn. In the novel, waterways link the characters even though they are at odds with each other. Meanwhile, today I cycled towards Tadpole Bridge and along the Great Brook for the first time in several months. The Great Brook lane had been closed because of flooding. It was nice to go that way although the land looks as if it has been picked clean by the water and there is that strange cement-like smell in the air that lingers for a long time after flooding.

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371 brrr!, almond blossom, king cups, guardian books blog, disputed land by tim pears, the next day (2013-03-10 15:32)

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[2] Can’t believe it’s forecast to be only one degree above freezing tomorrow. I was quite getting into the comparatively balmy temperatures of a few days ago. Some signs of spring, nevertheless. Spring is late, though. Saw the almond blossom above out on an Oxford street midweek and was thrilled to see the ﬁrst king cups out in a ditch along Calcroft Lane. Oxford full term ends this week but as far as creative writing courses are concerned, it’s business as usual till almost Easter. Was really pleased that A Conscious Englishman by Margaret Keeping got a terriﬁc mention in the [3]Guardian Books Blog last Tuesday. Btw you can now follow StreetBooks on [4]Twitter. Yesterday, I started reading Tim Pears’ 2011 novel [5]Disputed Land, which is set in a big house in Shrop- shire and is told from the point of view of a perceptive 13-year-old boy called Theo (they grow up so fast these days!). It’s a great read! Meanwhile, I haven’t looked forward to a new David Bowie [6]album so much since Scary Monsters!

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Margaret Keeping (2013-03-10 16:37:36) I’m very keen on on Tim Pears so I’ll look out for Disputed Land. His child characters in ’Landed’ were remarkable, and his writing on the countryside of borderlands like Shropshire.

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Edited: March 10, 2013