a minute of fame

I finally replaced our lavender hedge. I wasn't sure about spacing but Richard suggested about a foot. I can't get my head around these weird non-metric units but I measured one of Richard's boots and then used a measuring tape to plant the lavender because I am weird like that. Looking at the neat row of plants, I think I should have measured a larger boot for reference, or just relied on my instinct. It has only taken a year and a half to get this done, after our last hedge perished during the freezing winter of 2022-23. We now have 28 little lavender plants framing our wildflower meadow. I scarified some of the meadow area and scattered some more seeds. I had kept the seeds in the freezer for three weeks, to simulate an extended period of frost, which they need to germinate. I hope there is some yellow rattle in the mix, to keep the grasses at bay. I forgot to check. 

I got a flavour of being a famous actor this week. Ok, probably not world famous but just a little. I spent a couple of hours with our marketing and social media team, being filmed for a new marketing video for the MSc programme I lead. I spent about a week worrying and drafting answers to the standard questions for this type of video. Spontaneity is not my strength, nor is acting, although I can be very dramatic. My colleagues made me feel relaxed and it went ok. One of them had to climb on a chair to hold my notes up, like a living telepromter. I am glad she didn't fall. We then walked around campus for outdoor footage of me walking admiring the campus, looking clever and important (someone else carrying my bag and coat). There is no denying it, our campus is beautiful, the cloisters and the tower absolutely stunning. The weather was mostly beautiful. too. Bit chilly to be walking around without coat but a little bit of suffering is manageable. I was superb apparently, a "natural". Neither adjectives I am normally associated with but I take it. Almost as good a "Christina is legend", a student testimonial read out at Graduation a couple of years ago when I was awarded a teaching excellence award. Work is not all bad (but oh so exhausting). 

It is Friday and I am pooped. I am on Zoom pretty much all day, typing this last sentence while our students are in breakout rooms for discussion. I'll be volunteering tomorrow, looking forward to it. After that, I'll meet a friend, if I can still walk. Volunteering is physically demanding and I am usually aching when limping home. The cafe we are meeting at does a mean walnut coffee cake, a strong motivator for getting myself there. 

Thank you for visiting 😊