End of an era

One of my colleagues has left work. She invited some of us to her home for a BBQ (rather than have a leaving do) and we sat around the fire chatting and chilling out.

They live in a beautiful area near Bristol called Winterbourne which I’ve never visited before. Stunning gardens with trees heavy in red apples. The stars were out, the moon was very big, low and dark amber, it felt very special.

We talked about strange food we had eaten on our travels - I had much to add to that conversation: pigs nose sausages, sheep brain and whole grilled octopus (sitting up on a bed of mashed beans). We then started making jokes about how different parts of the brain may taste different dependent of the function/ name of that part of the brain. It was suggested the amygdala would be a delicacy- it descended into the kind of jokes only a group of people who have studied the brain for years would find funny :-)

This was a little gift she gave me as I left (a magic wand in a bottle of fairy dust). We trained in the same year (she was at the Uni of Exeter whilst I was at Uni of Bristol) and then started work in The same place together about 18 years ago.

Had a lovely chat with my friend Julie about some important life stuff. I feel better for it!