Hawked

Today I learned that my job doesn't exist anymore, at least not in the new structure that will take effect in a couple of months. I know I'm lucky to have been in continuous employment in my sector since I started work in 1991, and that streak may continue, but the alternative roles that have been created are all a grade or two lower and a general dilution of what I do. I'm not alone, my whole team was told the same thing and the university is explicitly aiming to get rid of 160 of us. This will be a familiar story to many of you. 

So I took myself off to some football this evening to distract myself. I selected Ilkley Town v Otley Town over Bradford City v Sheffield Utd from the local pre-season friendlies, not least because it took me further away from the scene. The two Towns both play in the West Yorkshire League, with Ilkley in the Premier and Otley in D2. Tonight's game was a fairly fluent affair on the 4G pitch at Ben Rhydding, and closer than the 4-1 final score suggests.

It was pleasant standing there next to Wharfe while the sun went down and the swallows hawked overhead and later, when I walked back up to the station, Silver Y moths were very active on Buddleia.