So this is a record for me. I am not very efficient keeping the blog up to date. It's 2 months since I posted an entry. Not that an army of fans have been banging on the door for more. Even my daughter hasn't harangued me.
So what has happen in my life since the last post. Zzzzzz - whoops dropped off there casting my mind back over my life during the past 2 months.
May:
- Judy, my long suffering wife, came and stayed sans les enfants for a long weekend at the end of the month. I nearly managed to kill her dragging her up into the Jura. I have to admit to the odd twinge myself. 20km only but it was the steep climb for the first 7km that was the killer. Then a trip to Annecy in the rain. It always rains when Judy visits - least this time it wasn't a deluge. Oh and a trip to a vineyard near Beaune to pick a couple cases of wine :) - partly my birthday present
June:
- the computing T(echnical) D(esgin) R(eport) was submitted and an open presentation to the LHCC review panel. No feedback as yet - though it seems to be planned to have a 3 day review meeting for all 4 of the LHC experiments computing TDRs plus the LHC computing Grid project TDR sometime in September
- flew home to partake in the annual bubble-chamber 5-aside soccer tournament in Birmingham. This is an inter-university tournament that has been ongoing 30 years. Bristol have only entered a team in the last 6 years. We won the tournament a couple of years ago. The year I couldn't make it! I'm the old man of the team by at least 15 years and we had a couple of ex-Bristolians playing as well - it's the winning not the participation that matters! I'll gloss over our performance this year but for those interested Liverpool won it for the first time ever. I won't mention anything about South American ringers - no sour grapes.
As you may have noticed from my bio I was meant to return to the UK at this point but have singularly failed to mention that fact here. For the simple reason I'm staying in Geneva for the time being. As my daughter pointed out - I'll have left home by the time you come back. [Spot the correlation Jen ;) - just kidding love you really]
July:
- an interview panel at RAL to find a person to fill the LHCb eScience post there. A strong field of candidates, so looks good.
- an ALICE Oversight committee meeting for the UK funding council. The trip was notable for the complete cancellation of trains from London to the West country & Wales because some tosspot's preferred suicide method involved splattering themselves on a high speed train. What's wrong with an overdose locked in the bathroom - no inconvenience there except to your closest & nearest. In fact there may be no "closest & dearest" if you're suicidal - that would save that hassle as well. In fact self-burial alive sounds like a method to recommend or how about hiring a crematorium for a day. Tasteful music, a few flowers - you could always travel in style & hire a hearse. Rant over.
- a trip up to London (with Jack, my youngest, & his friend) to watch the rugby. This was the week after the bombings & Jack's friend who came with us was slightly wary. Not much sign of terrorist activity in Brentford though. A poor performance ending in defeat - we didn't deserve to win but London didn't look too good either. Huddersfield's season hasn't looked too rosy since the Wigan victory.
August:
- the annual holiday approaches. For the 4th year running it's 2 weeks in the Auvergne region of France. Plenty of walking, wine & cheese. This is an old volcanic region & this year it's the Cantal department we are heading. The family arrive in Geneva Friday evening and after a cramped night in my cave it's off to Thiezac. I should give a full report, with photos, when I return. Please hassle if I don't.
