Well the interim report has been submitted. Is it perfect ? No. Is it good enough ? Absolutely, and at 10% of the final mark I’m seeing it as more of a good start point for the final report. I was amused, looking at my desk with all the coloured pens and sticky notes. This … Continue reading Report submitted →

Not a bad way to get back to a good negroni ( a Campari based cocktail), dinner then my little flat for more writing up my interim thesis report. I’ve cooked most evenings, heated leftovers other nights and eaten breakfast (yoghurt and berries) at home, so it’s lovely to have a meal out in a … Continue reading A ferry back home from Uni →

It was a strange feeling, walking into the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Queensland (UQ) for the first time. Déjà vu, it was so reminiscent of my visit to the same place at Strathclyde University a few years ago, and the day I walked through those doors almost exactly 39 years ago. … Continue reading A student again →

I am off to Brisbane for a week of intense work on my thesis. All the interviews are finished, and the online survey was closed off today. I’m staying in a small apartment by the river, in the middle of Brisbane and working at the University most days. The Masters has been a long haul, … Continue reading Brisbane for study time →

A cool, peaceful and calm time to go for a walk around my gas plant. A strange thing to enjoy, but we’re ok to walk around the outside in normal clothes in the evening and just, well, enjoy it. Or maybe I’m just very strange, that’s quite possible. The cover photo was the first evening … Continue reading Night time →

Salamanca market, scallop pies and a cool morning. Bagpipes playing in the park. Then a walk up a narrow track on Mount Wellington, watching rugby last night in a pretty historic area of Hobart. A fresh produce market today then another short walk on the mountain. Lunch at the Botanic Gardens, then home. Such a … Continue reading Markets & mountains →

A sunny cool day, a drive to the sombre and imposing Port Arthur. It’s beautiful here, with a green landscape and harbour that is breathtaking, but a convict penitentiary history of cruelty and deprivation that is impossible to escape. Added to that is the memory of the massacre just over 30 years ago, when 35 … Continue reading Port Arthur on a beautiful winter’s day →

A few crazy days of travelling; a last minute dash up to Varanus Island for a critical scope so an Uber ride, a plane, a helicopter, a boat to the platform, a boat to platform step which was challenging in moving seas, then the same in return. Then today a last minute flight to Hobart … Continue reading Travelling, travelling →

A lovely walk pre sunrise yesterday at the beach. Cool, calm and dogs having a great time.

My ethics approval finally came through, a few weeks ago, a salutary reminder to trust the process. For work, my job is officially moving to Brisbane without me, so I will be given redundancy when they’ve recruited for my position. Not full certainty, but at least I know what the next few months hold for … Continue reading Some certainty →