Something understood

Writing this in the calm before the storm, I can't help wondering if there'll be power to upload anything by this time tomorrow - it sounds as if it's going to be worse for our bit of Scotland tomorrow night. I even contemplated blipping the view of our bedroom window this morning, as the sun came in and struck the cheval mirror for the first time after the winter, but that same sun showed up the stour on the glass and I thought better of it.

I was feeling dubious about how well my Zoom poetry class would go this morning, as I'd had several apologies with people going off for mid-term visits and so on. I was also doing a poem I'd never taught - George Herbert's Prayer - and had not really understood the significance of at all when I was at University. However, 8 people arrived on my screen and I told them I hoped they would all contribute in the manner of a tutorial group and off we went.

I was thrilled by the result. Every single person contributed, thought, developed ideas. Yes, the fact that they were all people who were comfortable with the concept of prayer made a difference, but I came away realising how badly we were taught at university. These hour-long lectures with little or no attempt actually to communicate - what was all that about? Why were we never asked if we were getting it? Or encouraged to question the lecturer? And - is it still the same? I wish I could have that time over again, but emboldened by what I know now. What fun it would be ...

After the class ended, I was as high as a kite and had to discharge the adrenaline with a walk in the wind. We managed to avoid the rain/hail that swept through at intervals, but there seemed to be more traffic on the shore road than I expected. Some was clearly linked to mid-term holidays, though some was just ...seasonal. That's what I've chosen to blip: a tractor hauling a huge load of hay to deposit in the field where there tend to be black cattle once the worst of the winter is over. When something that size passes, you leap for the verge ...

Apart from this, we had choir tonight. It was good too, so I'm fair buzzing again. 

Update from 48 years ago: I've been in labour since 10am and it's still going strong. Himself was sent home - changed days. By this time - 10.30pm - they'd be thinking of taking me along the corridor, but I'm still in the ward. I didn't update my diary on that day - there was a bit of back-blipping going on that week!