Some days start off grumpy and grouchy and 4 December 2013 was one of those. It began with an early start because Mr Haughty was due in the office for a handover meeting. The bus journey started off the bad mood and, from then on things went steadily downhill. Continue reading Preparing for an interview – first published 4 December 2013
My last walk of November 2013 turned out to be slightly longer than originally anticipated. This was mostly down to Commando. Having heard about my recent, slightly panicked, wanderings in West Wood, he decided he’d show me the path to Hamble I hadn’t been able to find. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Continue reading What, more walking? Aircraft, woods and memories – first published 30 November 2013
After getting lost in the woods on my previous walk I thought I’d have a proper plan for my last November walk in 2013. Due to a blog post I’d read I knew exactly where to go. Alan in New Hampshire writes wonderful articles about the things he finds in the woods and he’s especially knowledgeable about fungi. His beautiful photographs of turkey tails that had me heading towards the river. Continue reading Fish eggs, turkey tails and a triangular tale – first published 30 November 2013
The penultimate day of November 2013 was Black Friday in more ways than one. It began with a hint of pink that turned to grey and a depressing weigh in. By the time I got to work the mood was black with a hint of blue. There were tears, some bruises and wine. Continue reading Black Friday – first published 29 November 2013
Time was running out for us at Silver Helm and on a dank and dismal late November morning, the vultures descended. They came to begin the process of dismantling the happy little office that had been my home for almost eighteen months. Of all the things that happened in those last week’s this felt like the most traumatic. Continue reading The vultures have descended – first published 27 November 2013
The end of November 2013 seemed to be all about job hunting, interviews, CV workshops and, of course, the marketing boxes that were causing quite a bit of consternation in our office. Along with all that there was also a curious traffic jam that lasted almost all day and brought the city of Southampton to a grinding halt. Continue reading Another interview, more boxes and a traffic jam – first published 25 November 2013
My Sunday walk was badly planned. I had no food with me, it was cold and windy and I was getting tired. Just as I was about to turn back Commando rang and urged me to go further. If I’d had any sense I’d have ignored him but, of course, I didn’t. It wasn’t one of my better decisions. Continue reading A chapel, a cemetery and a rail trail – first published 24 November 2013
Some of my walks are planned with meticulous attention to detail, lots of map looking and even lists of instructions to follow. Not many though. Most are hastily cobbled together wanderings with no proper aim. Quite a few end up with me lost and wondering what on earth I was thinking. At the end of November 2013, with my redundancy letter sitting on the coffee table I went for one of the latter. Continue reading a badly planned Sunday walk – first published 24 November 2013
November 2013 was drawing to a close along with my job. The were good days and bad days, hopes raised and dashed. At times it seemed cruel that we had to be there, slowly dismantling our world and our work. At other times we savoured every moment there was left. Through it all the little moments of beauty kept me going. Continue reading Disappointment, sadness and more good news – first published 22 November 2013
In late 2013, the business of slowly dismantling our office continued and there was more than a little drama over some marketing boxes. For once I wasn’t the on carting them about but it wasn’t for lack of trying on the part of the new Marketing Manager. Through it all I kept dreaming about houses and desperately trying to find things to make me smile. Continue reading Bad dreams, good news and boxes – first published 21 november 2013