SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 896 Title : Correspondence from Canada: Letter 48 - 11.07.82 Author(s): 852 Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text The Maggie 8 July 82 Dear Mum, Dad & Al, Phew! Today summer hit Fredericton and temperatures soared into the 30's. Humid too, but after last winter I don't care - - I deserve it! Unfortunately I'm in the library most of the time, sweltering, but tonight I walked down by the river and watched the fireflies flashing in the long grass. Pretty - - but I was almost eaten to death by mosquitoes! This is "bug" season, and boy, are they ugly... I spent the weekend-plus finishing off Ch2 of the thesis, so I'm beginning to feel that I'm heading into the final stretch. I think they're bound to accept it: it must be the most utterly boring thesis ever attempted. I spent most of today with my head stuck in a dictionary, and tomorrow will be the same. But life is not all hard work: I have considerable time to socialise and relax. I'm still going (occasionally) to the weight room. More often to Tim Horton's doughnut (or rather "donut") shop (open all night), or the Dairy Queen ice cream parlour. Last week I dragged Julian and Ann to "Bambi," which they had never seen. It was great - - Thumper went down very well. And last Saturday Julian and I were invited out, with Julian's flatmate, Richard, for a meal with a very strange Anglican vicar who, because of a blood-sugar problem, gets drunk on red wine very, very quickly, and who ended up sliding down the bannisters and crashing into the front door! The meal, however, was excellent - - soup, venison, veg.'s, strawberry creamcake - - and the wine was good. Moreoever, the house was full of antiques from Sotheby's - - antique china, silverware, sofa, grandfather clock, and an Allan Ramsay portrait worth $9000... The vicar was definitely nine parts crazy though. This week a Maritimes Writers Workshop is on at UNB, so the place is full of penpushing crazies. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing in this racket - - but not for much longer, I suppose. I've been to some public readings. Thanks for the Snoopy card and news, Al. I look forward to hearing (at last) from the Red Davis. And thanks very much for the tapes - - nostalgia! The Skids album is good. Ah well - - 1am: must hit the sack. It's hot and muggy tonight but I was burning the midnight electricity last night, so I'm fairly tired. July already though! - - summer may be hot here, but it doesn't last long!! I'll be in touch 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: 430 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