Up

I wonder if it’s the second year that the feeling of losing home sets in. The only reason I knew it was Mother’s Day today was because last Sunday Firebox started emailing me in a frenzy that there was only four days left of post before the day (though Bonnie did send a reminder on Tuesday, so I wasn’t totally in the dark), and I’ve also been told that I’m starting to affect a slight twang. I deny this totally, of course, but I do fear that it’ll happen sooner than I expect and I won’t notice it until it’s far too late.

Still, despite that, I know it’s Red Nose Day next week, and I had to explain the significance of a Blue Peter badge to my friend Tammy after watching 56-Up with her this week, so that helps keep up my Britishness a little. And I did spend at least some of that munching British mini eggs. I haven’t started wearing a Stetson yet.

(56-Up was, as expected, both rather happy and soul-crushing. Just how long can it go on, I wonder? Last time, at the end of 49-Up, nobody seemed all that enthusiastic for another round, but while there were lots of negative comments towards the focus and format of the documentary this time, it gave an air of ‘well, we are annoyed at the intrusion every seven years, but we’re British so we’ll just grin and bear it’, so I think 63-Up may happen. Proving Apted holds out, I guess.)

And it’s sunny. The proper pre-summer weather has just rolled into Durham right in time for the latest Food Truck Rodeo (over 50 trucks and still everybody lines up for Chirba Chirba. Guys, they’re around a lot - try something new!). It’s still a bit cool in the shade, but the blossoms on the trees will be coming out shortly. My favourite part of the year in the South, in fact. Warm without being intolerable, and everything looking so pretty as Spring hits in full force.

(Though I say that as somebody who doesn’t have allergies, obviously)