SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 889 Title : Correspondence from Canada: Letter 41 - 08.05.82 Author(s): 852 Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text The Maggie 8th May. Dear Mum & Dad, Thanks for the last 2 letters and photos, which I'm returning. I hope you enjoyed your holiday in Yugoslavia and that Mum's stomach was OK. I didn't realise that the problem was dragging on - I hope you get it sorted out soon. I've had no news from the AUC yet - I'll write or maybe phone as soon as I know. I'm expecting the result of my application any day now. I thought that you flew out on holiday on May 9th not May 2nd - thus the confusion in my last letter. Not a lot is happening here. The weather is beautiful - sunny and in the 80°'s for 3 days now. Yesterday I put on T-shirt and SHORTS!! - and so exposed my hairy legs to ultra violet light for the first time in about 12 years! Unfortunately the warmer weather must have reactivated all the bacteria that was in cold storage all winter, for I've had a couple of minor health problems. A week or so ago I had an eye infection in my left eye and had to get some ointment from the Health Centre. That's cleared up completely now, but at present I'm suffering from a summer cold. There's a lot of it around - it's irritating but not too severe. I'm taking medicated lemon drinks and getting lots of sleep. I've settled into my new room now - it's a carbon copy of my old room, but with one less bed and a nicer view - it's nice. One of the students who's leaving for the summer has left me his desk and swivel chair for the while, so I'll be able to do a lot of work here. The thesis proceeds apace. I'm kept very busy with it altho' the better weather is distracting. I've a massive amount of reading etc. to get through, but I'm getting a considerable amount down on paper. If I can keep up the pace of the last few weeks I should finish in time. Chapter One should be in some form by the end of this month, and after that's finished the rest should fall into place more easily. I wish I'd a little more free time. Helen [CENSORED: surname] is taking her son to Quebec sometime this month and has offered me the chance to go too. I'll see how much work I can do beforehand - I'd rather get ahead of myself than fall behind. I've also got a standing invitation to go to Shediac to eat lobster and lie on the beach, and I'll probably do that before I start on the revised draft of the thesis as a whole. Plus I've been invited to join trips to Halifax, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. Oh, for a computerised counterpart to take some of the workload off! The Maggie is about ¼ full and at times derelict but there are some decent folk left. It's lonelier than it's been but not too bad. It keeps me working. Hope you're all well, Write soon, Love, [CENSORED: forename] This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience Adults (18+): Audience size: 3-5 Writer knew intended audience: Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1982 Word count: 537 Text medium Other: airmail Text publication details Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: Correspondence from Canada Text setting Private/personal: Text type Correspondence/letters: Author Author details Author id: 852 Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1950 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: University Lecturer Place of birth: Ayr Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Bridge of Weir Region of residence: Renfrew Residence CSD dialect area: Renfr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Insurance Broker Father's place of birth: Auchinleck Father's region of birth: S Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Dental Receptionist Mother's place of birth: Ayr Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In most everyday situations Language: Portuguese Speak: Yes Read: No Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: When trying to communicate with my in-laws Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In domestic/activist circles; reading literature