Hooray, back at work

Morning slackers! Here we are again, back in the belly of the Hegemon and I'm already panicking about the enormous amount of work piling up… lectures, marking, admin, resistance.

Though my weekend was one of those in which cares disappear. When I was a youngster, I despised the booted, hearty types who lit out for the trail whenever possible. A wood fire and a good book were all I ever wanted. So imagine my surprise to find myself bounding out of bed, noting the gale forecast and thinking 'brilliant'. There are few more exhilarating sensations than standing on top of a rocky outcrop in driving rain and rushing wind. If muddiness is an index of fun - we had it.

Where were we? The Cloud, outside Congleton (between Manchester and Stoke). It lived up to its name - the panoramic views available on a clear day were absent, though we could see the Jodrell Bank radio telescope. Lunch was a selection of fine cheeses (thanks Anita) and various other delicacies, taken hunched under a rhododendron.

The other notable spot was the fine neolithic burial chamber we visited, massive and proud. The sun gradually appeared, firstly over Wales, then Liverpool and eventually near us, low and gentle so that the fields glowed bright green as though we were in the glens of Antrim. Then home for a night in the pub not watching Ireland lose to France. At least the rugby draw against Australia the next day was some compensation.

No pictures, as I thought the weather would be too awful to take my camera out. Thanks, as always, to Dan for organising everything. He's now infantilised the Map Twats - we're incapable of buying so much as a bus ticket without him now!