The long drive home

Woke up to a foggy morning but with such brightness that it was obvious it was going to be a glorious day. This was the view from the patio outside my bedroom. If only that clear sky which appeared mid-breakfast had appeared 12 hours earlier.

However, not even the poor timing of the weather gods will take the gloss off such an amazing weekend. Am still revelling in it, privately. Just so cool and completely appealed to my inner geek to be able to talk with Dr Lucie Green about the science of the Sun and it's magnetic storms and to banter with the rest of the team. As I have recalled events for the benefit of Corin and James this evening, all sorts of 'moments' have returned to me which have made me smile.

Today included a blipmeet with Country File who lives not far from where I had been staying. We joined blip at roughly the same time - nearly 5 years ago - and have got to know each other quite well, but never ever met before. It was glorious to spend an hour or so just chatting away and it was a lovely treat to be allowed to hold little Arwen AND for a baby NOT TO CRY when I held it!!!

Drove back, stopping at a Roman fort for half an hour, and did the 170 miles with 1 stop at Killington Reservoir for a quick coffee.

A couple of emails to colleagues about bits and bobs for work (yes, I know, I shouldn't be doing that), dropped a box of exercise books off with another colleague so that he can take them into school for me.

Still the guilt, but the 'unfit for work' note is now in an envelope for my colleague to hand in tomorrow and I just have to suck it up. Having taken my painkillers, I am feeling less bothered but only because I am utterly zonked...at least now, I can stay zonked when I need to instead of having to be somewhere close to fully functional in order to stand up and teach. So the era of zonkedness begins!!!