Document 885

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 37 - 30.03.82

Author(s): 852

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

The Maggie
30 March. '82

Dear Mum & Dad,

Still well, alive, and kicking. Still extremely busy. I'm on the desk tonight, I'll be at the Beach Boys tomorrow night, I've a lecture on Petrarch (and party) on Thursday night, and on Friday Carole arrives. She phoned me Sunday to confirm the time: about 9pm. Mark's running me out to the airport. She's arriving on the evening of the final house dinner, so her first impression of the Maggie will probably be of a crowd of groupies encircling the evening's hired folk singer! Real cool, man.

Talking of temperatures, spring is upon us again, after a temporary lapse - -20°C the other day, and a wind that would cut you in half. But it's way, way up to +10°C today and joggers in shorts are a common sight, weaving their way among the snowdrifts. The snow is fast melting though and we can see areas of GRASS for the first time in ages.

I stayed up till 1.30am this morning to undergo yet another N. American Cultural Experience: namely, watching the Oscar awards live, all 3½ boring hours of it. Still, it was worth it to see "Chariots of Fire" get best film and best screenplay. Colin Welland was in fine jovial form picking up the latter, and Sheena Easton sang "For Your Eyes Only". No one laughed at Roger Moore's jokes, and Jane Fonda accepted her Dad's Oscar with tears in her eyes and a speech that went on forever. I'm surprised I stayed awake.

I'm sleeping well these nights - probably thanks to this fitness programme. I can now do 20 sit-ups and 12 press ups and if I sprayed myself silver I might just become a star.

I didn't do much this weekend - I've been kept busy with coursework and marking. I'm making slowish progress because I keep being dumped with more essays to mark and more seminar reports to research. And if I'm not finished by April 25 or so, then I don't get my summer supplement. So, altho' I don't have too much work to finish once seminars stop in a week or so, I'll have to do some when Carole's here. I'll just have to study a few hours per day, though.

And that's about the end of courses here! When I think about it, this term's shot by, although it seems a long time since last September. I trust that you all at home in l'il ol' Britain are in fine fettle and good spirits.

Information about Document 885

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 37 - 30.03.82