Like so many people’s, my job often involves periods away from home, and now is one of those times. Far from Oxfordshire, I’m currently (for two weeks) living out of a suitcase in a hotel in Ramsbottom (comedy name, not made up) in Lancashire just north of Manchester. For most of the time I’m working with another colleague from my office, so we eat together, so it’s not just a case of work during the day, and then more work on your own in the evening.
My colleague is, however, on another engagement today, and so it’s one of those evenings where the only real option is to do a bit of work, put on the snooker, and order room service, which is terribly decadent and lazy, but I think better than sitting alone in a restaurant looking a little bit silly. I may be wrong though!
One of the plus sides of this job is that at the weekend I get to see my family, who are also of the Northern persuasion, living just over the Pennines in Yorkshire, so I’ll call in and see them tomorrow evening, before heading back to Oxford for the long weekend, and to meet up with an old friend – Simon MacHale of quasimodal fame no less – to show him what May Day in Oxford has to offer!
Another benefit of work related travel is that my hotel this time has a lovely pool, jacuzzi and sauna, so I’m feeling pretty chilled out this evening!