Let Misrule Rule.
Well, this term has gone by pretty quickly. We go down on Friday although judging by the campus and Uni Quarter this morning it seems like a mass of undergrads have vanished into the ether already. We are spending the night at home on Friday then heading to Tallentire for Christmas (or Saturnalia) with Dad, Louisa and Chloé on Saturday morning (21st).
I have done two things I didn't think I would ever do this term:
Eins: Had a 2nd wedding celebration (vow renewal actually) for the UK contingent und
Zwei: I have been on Strike! 8 Days of industrial action as a member of the UCU (University and College Union).
For nummer eins we had Reinhardt over from Germany, which was a huge surprise. Sadly, we hadn't enough beds (or space) in any of our collective houses for him and Gritta (his wife) so they ended up staying in a hotel. The first I knew of this was Dad saying, "Book two more places at the meal," (when we got back from Aus) but he wouldn't say who they were for.
Imagine my surprise when we saw Reinhardt's delivery van (it's an Opel, like an Astravan) pulling down our driveway on the Thursday evening before the bun fight. It was full of wine - Dad's usual order; Phil's usual order and my usual order. The difference this time [apart from Dad and I driving down to Cochem] was that Reinhardt told me to put away my check book, the 3 dozen cases were our wedding present - that's German cases BTW.
Gran stayed with Mum as expected and we had a long, serious, private chat about the upper age limit for safe IVF - I think she would love to have grandkids from me too... She never actually said that though. [Oh Gran, I don't think I want to be a Mum....]
The meal was a lunch - at about one pm, an hour after the vow renewal which happened in a annexe to the same hall... The choice of the double use venue was appreciated by everybody.
Dad and Laura's Dad gave father of the Bride speeches having tossed a coin to see who would go first.
There was obviously no best man but Charlotte (Kaybers) did a 'best woman' speech instead. She has known me since we started school together aged 4! Fortunately she didn't reveal any of my skeletons and believe me she could have if she'd wanted...
We decamped at 3.30 pm back to Mum's house which is a fair bit bigger than mine to then reconvene at the same hall for 7.30 where the Ceilidh band had set up. All of the vow renewal guests came back as did about 40 of the friends and colleagues (and students) we'd invited for the evening bash.
Some were gobsmacked at the idea of a Ceilidh (at first) but after a few dances almost everyone ended up on the floor whirling around, stripping the willow and dosey-doeing etc etc. They'll all remember Shona and Laura's weddingish thingy whatsit, that;s for sure (that's how most people pronounce my name, BTW).
Part of the success was down to the woman caller who was clear and precise in her instructions - and explanations before each dance began. When they had a mid-evening break and put on a CD you could almost touch the disappointment. Even my dickheaded brother had to admit it was not only as unusual as he'd expected an event organised by me to be, he'd thoroughly enjoyed the dancing too...
I had to sit down to get over the shock.
Nummer zwei: der STREIK.
I signed up to a Union in order to have legal protection against spurious claims against me of a personal or professional nature, Someone said it was a good idea, Mum agreed having been in the NUT ever since she qualified in the early 1970's as a teacher...
I abstained in the strike ballot but we (fellow abstainers) were persuaded to go along with supporting the action as it had something like 70% support. I spoke to the Union rep and asked if it was OK to still see my Masters' candidates and Year Threes and she agreed that would be OK. I also said I would help man the Student Support office in the Students' Union for the duration of the action - which I did.
It was a bit weird as the place was sort of like a vacation campus but not quite. There were a lot of students milling about for most of the days and I got taken out for a cuppa by a few of my freshers and second years, especially once they realised I was helping out in student support...
I only actually did 6 days of the 8 as two of those were when I work at the solicitors. I am still not sure if it has actually achieved anything, to be honest, but if it makes the people who award salaries cut back the eye-wateringly inflated sums Uni Chancellors seem to be getting, that has to be a good thing...
However I feel a sort of solidarity with workers everywhere now, as I have been involved in 'Industrial Action' against my employers.
A few verses of "The Red Flag" anyone?
