As you can see from the picture we are still catless. No little kitten has yet arrived to replace Dimple. It is under consideration, but no decision as yet.
This has been a very mixed year with several definite low points. The nadir was yesterday, I write this having just heard of the death of a much loved long-term friend and colleague.
The year started hesitantly. It was Amata’s skiing comeback following the previous season’s ACL injury. I’m glad to say that she seems to have made a complete recovery. We started very carefully, not attempting anything too serious but by the second week it was clear that she was going to be capable of serious skiing for awhile yet. Highlights were trips with our favourite guide Pietro Barragazi. He took us down my favourite run in Val d’Isere (The Champagne Chardonnet couloir), then rounded it off with a final day trip involving a long ascent on skins. This is now my favourite form of skiing. In general the best ski resorts can be as crowded as the London Tube with the added handicap that everyone is wearing size 112 boots. Take the trouble of walking a little way uphill from the top of the lift and within 20 minutes you can find whole mountain-sides that are totally deserted. This year we were fortunate enough to get the perfect day. A gentle breeze, dry and cold except for a brilliant warm sun. This year I also took the opportunity of having my first attempt at Telemark skiing. This is an archaic style that’s making a bit of a comeback. I should do more of it. It slows me down, keeps me on the piste, and stops me doing things that are too outrageously dangerous.
Probably a sensible move at my time of life. On our return from skiing we expected to drop once more into the ceaseless round, the common task. However unexpected perils lurk far from the ski slopes. We had not been back long when I developed chest pains and was rushed into hospital with a suspected heart attack. Subsequently I was diagnosed as having pericarditis. I was off work for six weeks but had to work part time for another eight weeks before I got back to full time. Even now I’m not back to full fitness but I did donate blood two weeks ago without ill effect and my doctors tell me that I can now consider myself as cured. In the meantime I had an even worse scare. I developed abdominal pains which were initially diagnosed as suspected colonic cancer. Intellectually I knew that this was nonsense, nevertheless one naturally worries. Following a barium enema (not the most charming experience of my life) the doctors have now decided that it is not cancer. While I found it surprisingly entertaining and instructive to be able to carry out a detailed examination of my own colon, I don’t feel that it was altogether worth the discomfort and indignity involved. I don’t recommend the experience. All of this was of course very disruptive to social and sporting activities: no Ballroom Dancing, no golf, I even had to give up my circuit training and drop down to the ladies aerobics class. We haven’t even been able to book our skiing trip yet. Almost unheard of for us. Hopefully we may be able to rectify this soon. I have another appointment before Christmas when hopefully they’ll develop a new, more plausible theory.
In September Amata had to go to work in Paris for a week. I went with her and played the tourist while she slaved away at the hot lab bench. I did the usual things, perhaps the most memorable being to “discover” an ice cream shop on the Ile St Louis that somehow ensured that wherever I started my day I always seemed to finish up right outside the ice cream shop. Afterwards we went on to Burgundy, staying at Semur and visiting Fontenay (over-rated but still worth a visit); Vezelay (over endowed with fellow tourists but also still worth a visit) and the small but delightful Ch Bussy (not to be missed if you’re in this part of France). We had splendid food and wine but yet again reached the conclusion that the retrospective cachet of having discovered a politically correct, traditional, quaint and eminently recommendable auberge rarely outweighs the short term benefits of staying in an ugly, modern, purpose built hotel. Particularly when the food and wine served in the latter are as good as they were in Semur. From Burgundy we went on to the Jura. This forgotten corner of France is wonderful, well worth a visit. Of course I am slightly prejudiced in its favour as the Jura is a limestone caving area. A highlight for me was an obligatory visit to a quite attractive show cave notable for its very active bat colony which flitter round as one explores. Amata missed this delight but we did share some wonderful walks, particularly a 300m climb up an active canyon with magnificent views of breathtaking waterfalls. The only down-side was that I can’t say that I was converted to the local wine, though even the natives admit that its an acquired taste.
Last year I promised the forthcoming appearance of our web site. Its now there and more or less working. This Christmas I suppose that I shall give it a major overhaul. Top of the agenda will be some pictures to make it a little more visually attractive. I was surprised at how easy it was to build once I got started. I was equally surprised at how frequently I receive email from casual visitors; or hear from friends, colleagues and acquaintances that they’ve met some one who visited it. I must also pay some attention to developing an equivalent site at work. Many of the young people coming for interviews now tell me that the Lab web site is one of the most important indicators that they use to decide whether its likely to be an exciting progressive work environment.
I’ve saved the biggest news until last. Amata is now officially retired. The happy event occurred just over a week ago as I write and was celebrated very modestly at home (as befits aging couples of restrained means). Alas full retirement did not last very long. The following Monday she was back at work as a half time employee on a short term contract. Her plan is that she should be able to give up doing those bits of the old job that she didn’t like (administration, organisation and arbitration between prima donna scientists) and concentrate on the bits she enjoyed (doing experiments). Only time will tell if it works out the way that she plans.
Copyright©Dennis Summerbell, 1977, (Link to full copyright notice)
Updated 20th December 1998