Friday 9th September 2011, 5.30pm (day 15)
After 6 days of work, I finally reach the weekend. After 6 days of rain, the sun finally comes out. And it’s about time I put a photograph of the wife up here.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Archives
Kro Bar, Manchester
Thursday 8th September 2011, 6.00pm (day 14)
At this time of year there is an element of the holiday rep about my job. One lot of students are about to finish their time with me but as they do so, the next lot are on their planes in, ready to start the next cycle. Today I had drinks with some of those who were departing. Cormac, my colleague (being Irish) and I had Guinness; Huiyu & Dalal caffeine. But it’s all the same in the end. They’ve worked hard this year as have we. We all deserve it.
The Official Photographer, Simon Building, University of Manchester
Wednesday 7th September 2011, 1.10pm (day 13)
At this meeting I attended today this guy was taking photographs of everyone, as soon as they opened their mouths. He was a nice guy, though. At the lunch break I said, ‘You’ve been taking photos of everyone, now I’m going to take your photo, and put it on my web site.’ And so, I did.
First day back at school
Tuesday 6th September 2011, 3.05pm (day 12)
Recently, any emergence of the topic of the return to school has meant that grouching and complaining is sure to follow from Joe. Nor does he profess himself ‘bothered’ about seeing his friend Ishmael again after their weeks off.
At 3.05pm out come this fairly bouncy pair of kids and Ishmael asks if Joe can come round for tea. ‘How was school?’ ‘Boring!’ J cries in an enthusiastic voice. It’s like the Lord’s Prayer. It’s just one of those automatic responses you give without conscious thought.
View from my living room
Monday 5th September 2011, 10.55am (day 11)
Joe goes back to school tomorrow after his summer vacation. On this photo you can almost see the rain still falling. Someone’s telling us, ‘That’s your summer mate. That was it, gone. It’ll be back in another three-quarters of a year.’
Alice’s Run, near the railway station
Sunday 4th September 2011, 11.00am (day 10)
It was my attempt to train for a marathon in 2007 that half-destroyed my left knee: so I don’t run any more. The Wainwright walks are my compensation, so I don’t regret this, most of the time. But seeing an organised event like ‘Alice’s Run’ (named after a teenager whose premature death inspired the event) does give me occasional pangs of nostalgia and I admire the fitness and dedication of the people who do it.
Joe in the Railway, Hebden Bridge
Saturday 3rd September 2011, 5.30pm (day 9)
One of the nice things about Joe is that he will engage very well with adults, having no problem at all with social situations. It makes it much easier to also be ourselves when among friends, to relax after the efforts of the week just gone, and not have to constantly be looking out for him. (That’s orange juice he’s drinking, in case you were wondering.)
Wasdale and Ennerdale walk – Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd September 2011
Great Door, Yewbarrow (2nd Sept, 9.10am – day 8)
I left Wasdale Head in grey but dry and tolerable weather. As far as Dropping Crag the way was steep but unproblematic. Then everything changed. The cloud came down and the rain started, making the rocks slippery, and the climb just got steeper and harder. It was an unpleasant 90 minutes to say the least. But there was this one dramatic moment, as this huge crack opened up in the world ahead, mist rising up through it like something out of Tolkein. For a moment I did not have to worry about getting down again and could just wonder at the sublime nature of it all. Did it make the horizontal hail on the summit worthwhile? That’s an open question.
Frog on the Dore Head scree-run (1st Sept, 5.45pm – day 7)
Halfway down the torrent of scree which drops a thousand feet from Dore Head to Wasdale, descending by a mixture of precarious clambering and simply sliding down on my butt, this frog hops across the ‘path’ and just sits there, waiting for me to do something. Whatever it was doing up there, only it knew for sure. Perhaps it spends its days hopping up a couple of hundred feet then climbing on a little flat piece of rock and schussing down to the bottom again when no one is watching.
University Office
Wednesday 31st August 2011, 10.00am (day 6)
I’d like to say this is a piece of corporate motivational crap, but actually I find myself nodding in agreement…
Waterside Gym, Hebden Bridge
Tuesday 30th August 2011, 9.00am (day 5)
So far there are no other people in these photos. To me places are more interesting when they are quiet. I like being first one in the gym in the morning, but don’t think I do it because I am particularly keen: more the case is that if I don’t do it first thing, I don’t do it. And I need to do it.
Being 42 