On Repeat

Another tough day although nice to start it with a chat to F over coffee and pastries which ranged way more widely than a typical 1-2-1, including news of their pending adoption of a wee Border terrier.
Dashed back home to tackle the ever growing list, take the dog out briefly then dash back to print stuff for the next graduation (despite tech problems…grr!) and walk across to the hall.
Such a mix of the usual and the strange in these ceremonies. Most noticeably different are the widely spaced people and the masks everywhere, and the masks are most disruptive for me as I struggle to communicate everything just through my eyes. There’s more to be done than it might appear to draw each graduand successfully up the ramp as they nervously negotiate the changing slope and forget where they’re supposed to come to, get distracted by glancing up at the screen or away to their families, so I like to try and engage them early on and send waves of confidence to them to navigate successfully towards me. Hadn’t realised how much harder that is only with my eyes!
Also miss the opportunity to chat to colleagues before and after each ceremony over the drinks and canapés we normally have. Still, it’s still a lovely occasion for everyone and so nice we’re able to do it again
Collected A from work - she’s been tired all day - and home for a while before I was due out again. R popped round for a drink. We’d been hoping to take A out for dinner but I’d had a late meeting added in so we only managed a drink before I had to dash. Discussion with M&D about progress on a number of key projects and several aspects somewhat alarming. We talked over a number of tactics to manage the risks but didn’t leave very heartened by prospects.
Home and made the sleepy girl some supper then we had a quiet evening planning the weekend.