Crunchy leaves

So spent last weekend in Durham with the girl, we had a good look around and spent Sunday afternoon in the botanical gardens. This time of the year is one of my favourites, the leaves are turning yellow and red and the air has some bite to it. It was brilliant to spend the afternoon walking arm in arm through copious leafage with the girl. No one knew who we were and we weren't worried about being spotted. There is a certain excitement to being in a slightly secret relationship, but it does take its toll, mostly because I'm a bit useless at it. I've got one of those faces that can't hold back a secret and I can't lie, can manage a bit of havering, but I can't do an out and out lie. We're going to a party this evening as well and I know how likely I am to just louse everything up by saying or possibly even doing the wrong thing.

But anyway, Durham, beautiful, and hilly thank God. I love Cambridge but the flatness of the fens is soul destroying sometimes; if you're born and bred in the hills you just can't do without them. We went to the Cathedral where one window just bathed the stone in brilliant purple light; there was this real sense of peace to the place, even though it was busy. The Colleges don't look like Oxbridge Colleges, which I found a little weird. I'm not sure what they look like, mebbe like little estates or perhaps like a school. The front bulding of St Mary's definately looked like a baby version of my primary school, though without all the fences and security bars- I did grow up in a rough bit of Scotland mind.

View from the 'bridge:

• Don't go shopping on a Saturday afternoon, under any circumstances.
  
• Try and see 'Once' if it s still on at your local cinema, or even a cinema 400 miles away. And see it with someone you love; its the cinematic equivalent of hot chocolate.
  
• The good Lord has spared the region of East Anglia from the storm surge this weekend; I wonder what our end of the bargain is?
  

Purple sky

The sky outside is the most brilliant shade of purple. I don't know what that indicates but it is incredibly gothic, especially with the architecture here. Back to work after a few days off, missed the girl terribly. We're off to Durham this weekend; looking forward to seeing hills again.

View from the 'bridge

• A punch to the shoulder hurts more than a punch in the jaw for some reason.
  
• A cup of Earl Grey makes just about everything better.
  
• The ducks at Trinity don't like apple pies.