A Season of Giving (and Receiving)

It has been a very relaxing albeit not too productive couple of days. On the upside, I had dinner with Cleo, a friend of DT and an A Star scholar who was leaving Oxford permanently to go back to Singapore, along with her German boyfriend. They were both really lovely people and I greatly enjoyed their company.

I received lots of new stuff thanks to the generosity of Cleo including a upstanding lamp, new kitchen stuff, and best of all a futon which has been brilliant. DT got a printer and a scanner among other stuff.

I also opened the presents that DT got for me and they were really lovely. I am really touched by her generosity and thoughtfulness. I went shopping yesterday for some Christmas presents in return.

I write this as I start my first day in the lodge, working over the vacation period. Its been relatively quiet overall, and Graham the head porter ensured that I am pretty well stocked up on Sainbury microwavable meals, snacks and even a couple bottles of wine. I have also got a nice room in the Lodge Annexe with sheets and stuff nicely done up, so its all good really.

Watched some holiday television including most of Gunga Din, one of those oldie movies involving a rebellion against the British Raj and an indian who desperately wants to be a soldier and who (of course) dies gloriously to save the day and is given his wish, but couldn't help but cringe at all the cultural stereotyping. Was more looking into Bringing Up Baby, one of the Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn movies, but had various matters to settle and lost interest in it in the end. There are lots of holiday movies coming up, some of which I may end up watching, but it does mean that I doubt my time in the lodge will be dull to any degree.