The Long Long Winter of 17/18

It has been Dr Anne's longest winter.  She broke her patella on the 4th November so it has been six months of sitting, reflecting on life, the universe and all.

Dr Anne spend Christmas and New Year with her neighbours instead of travelling.  It was a fun time. She then went with her neighbours to a lodge on Loch Tay. where she jumped in and out of the hot tub with the girls.  This is a new and lasting friendship.

New Year 2017

Arriving at the Lodge.

Dr Anne's longstanding friendship with SS has strengthened to a new level.  Who was there to pick her up when she was discharged from hospital, looked after when she was poorly, drove her home and cared for her by phone and email but SS.

In February, SS accompanied Dr Anne to the dance festival in Newcastle.  They had some nice food, a visit to see the Greatest Showman in the cinema, and a walk along the river on a cold but sunny February morning.

In April SS and Dr Anne went to Glasgow to see the Highland Fling with Scottish Ballet then lunch at the Dome in Edinburgh with Melanie Boyd from Canada and one of Dr Anne's dancers.

The Ballet

The Dome

Small Great Things

Picoult, J. (2017). Small Great Things.  London: Hodder and Stoughton.

This is one of Richard and Judy's selection in 2017.  Dr Anne had bought the most of the series.  She took this one on her first train trip since she broke her patella.  She had picked it up and read Ruth's story and Kennedy's story.  She laid it down when it came to Turk's story as she became uneasy.  Eventually she made it through the book.  It was a well written story bringing out bias, racism and making one thing about one's prejudices.  It was a book to make one feel uneasy.