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I haven't really updated in a while. Here's a rapid summary of the last month.
Venice was... well, easily the most beautiful city I've visited. Very tempting to stay.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mraltariel took some lovely pictures; you can see a few here and I'll try to get the rest online at some point. The last one in that group was the view from our hotel back across the lagoon. We were staying here; the building had been recently renovated (the spa isn't open yet) and apparently had at one time been the place where wealthy Venetian families stuck their daughters so that they were safely away from the big city. Very like Newnham. A little boat (the "Bauer Boat") took us across the lagoon each day. We took a Special Sekrit Tour of the Doge's Palace which was all about bureaucracy and spies. Yes, someone made a tour just for me *dabs eyes*
On to North Carolina. We are living on a quiet new estate in the middle of nowhere - well, 5 minutes drive from Wake Forest and 30 minutes from Raleigh, all of which would place me bang in the middle of things if I could drive, but I can't. It is bliss. Peace and quiet and no distractions. There is a shop to sell me coffee and bagels, and a massive great supermarket 2 minutes walk across the road (5 when hot). There is a gym on site which I have looked at but obviously not yet tried out. Once I had unjetlagged and my sinuses had unblocked (owwww), and the all-important watching of season 2 of Rome was achieved (twice), I was sorted. I've been able to do a good solid 6-7 hours writing a day out there, and it's felt great. I've elected not to have access t' t'internet during the working day, and it is terribly, terribly good for work. Also:mraltariel is there. See how quickly those plus points rack up? I'm feeling more relaxed just thinking about being back there.
I am in the UK for a couple of weeks to do work related things, which will be dreary and time-consuming, and may only just get completed before I have to catch a flight back to the US (May 17th). My PC appears to have died while I was away. It's a bit rubbish withoutmraltariel and I can't wait to get back to see more episodes of Special Branch.
Today I voted. A waste of time in this area, but I had a very pleasant walk down the road to the polling station, and the weather has been rather nice the past few days, and I'm still enjoying the colour of English trees, the novelty of brick houses, and not having to breathe conditioned air. So all told I rather enjoyed being enfranchised. And the new season of Hustle is starting right now... See, things could be worse!
Venice was... well, easily the most beautiful city I've visited. Very tempting to stay.
mraltariel took some lovely pictures; you can see a few here and I'll try to get the rest online at some point. The last one in that group was the view from our hotel back across the lagoon. We were staying here; the building had been recently renovated (the spa isn't open yet) and apparently had at one time been the place where wealthy Venetian families stuck their daughters so that they were safely away from the big city. Very like Newnham. A little boat (the "Bauer Boat") took us across the lagoon each day. We took a Special Sekrit Tour of the Doge's Palace which was all about bureaucracy and spies. Yes, someone made a tour just for me *dabs eyes*On to North Carolina. We are living on a quiet new estate in the middle of nowhere - well, 5 minutes drive from Wake Forest and 30 minutes from Raleigh, all of which would place me bang in the middle of things if I could drive, but I can't. It is bliss. Peace and quiet and no distractions. There is a shop to sell me coffee and bagels, and a massive great supermarket 2 minutes walk across the road (5 when hot). There is a gym on site which I have looked at but obviously not yet tried out. Once I had unjetlagged and my sinuses had unblocked (owwww), and the all-important watching of season 2 of Rome was achieved (twice), I was sorted. I've been able to do a good solid 6-7 hours writing a day out there, and it's felt great. I've elected not to have access t' t'internet during the working day, and it is terribly, terribly good for work. Also:
mraltariel is there. See how quickly those plus points rack up? I'm feeling more relaxed just thinking about being back there. I am in the UK for a couple of weeks to do work related things, which will be dreary and time-consuming, and may only just get completed before I have to catch a flight back to the US (May 17th). My PC appears to have died while I was away. It's a bit rubbish without
mraltariel and I can't wait to get back Today I voted. A waste of time in this area, but I had a very pleasant walk down the road to the polling station, and the weather has been rather nice the past few days, and I'm still enjoying the colour of English trees, the novelty of brick houses, and not having to breathe conditioned air. So all told I rather enjoyed being enfranchised. And the new season of Hustle is starting right now... See, things could be worse!
