November 1st 2007 - Group Skills Course

Fantastic 3 day course at the PCT facilitated by Michala Purseglove and Paul. I learned a lot and it never does any harm starting from scratch. I will use the skills I have learned at my next support meeting for the appraisers. 3 days on a free high quality course like this is a luxury and privilege. Halena, Jenni, Micheal, Paul, Catherine, Louise, Pam and Ron were great to work with.

28th October 2007 - Clara Schumann

"Beloved Clara" was put on by the Ackworth Concert Society last night. It was the story of Clara Schumann's relationship with Robert and Brahms. There was a fabulous pianist and two actors doing the narrative. It was interesting to me that the Schumanns had Mendelsohn round for a meal. He is a very distant relation of mine. Lovely high quality piano in the meeting room of the 200+ years old Ackworth Quaker school. Ackworth is 5 miles from our house. The CD of this is in the IPOD music store and I bought one track. What a great week of culture Kath and I have had. Today we went out to a delicious lunch at George Gauden's in Badsworth (a beautiful village particularly in the autumn sunshine of today). Tomorrow I am starting a 3 day course at the PCT on "Group skills" and am really looking forward to it.

October 26th - Theatre

We went to see the National Theatre's touring company's production of "The History Boys" last night. It was at the Grand Theatre, Leeds. I have been going there since I was about 7. A superb theatre with a huge population base. Completely different audiences from London where the theatres can be full of tourists (like us!). Last night the intellectual and county set brigade. Musicals attract an enthusiastic and completely different lot.
The actual play was fascinating and that night it was announced that this production has resulted in the greatest number of audience attending a drama there ever.
The play is real food for thought for me. The schoolboys all got into Cambridge but ended up in jobs that could be had from any university. What is sucess? What is a good education? No wonder that play is running for ever. Why is history so important?
I have seen Peter Ustinov there. I have seen Ken Dod there. Pantomimes there have ben fabulous -we saw John Nettles in one. I am so glad to be living near Leeds which is a vibrant city with loads to offer at all levels.

24th October 2007

Went in to Wakefield (in our new car with voice activated satalite navigation) to do a morning's work at the PCT. Brain going completely. There were about 10 empty desks and 4 of us working in that particular open plan area. I took a message on the phone for Angela, wrote it down, took it to a colleage and asked where Angela worked. She was Angela. I had a meeting later in thedday with a GP and all I had put for where was "Room 17". I had to phone the GP to ask which building it was in. It was my old/new surgery in Castleford. Oh dear. Oh Dear.

22nd October 2007 - The Reunion

Kath's Birthday

We returned this weekend from our reunion with some of the London Hospital Medical Students I trained with. We qualified as doctors in 1968/9 form The London Hospital Medical College and have had many reunions since then - almost annually. This years was in the fabulous hotel at Lucknam Park near Bath.
The excellent picture was taken by Graham Hillman. From left to right, back row, Roger Lear (dove shooter), Kate Colvin (ex ambassador to the Pope), Graham Hillman (owner of large digital phallic symbol), me (rejected application for rectal tie), Brian Colvin (il Presidente), Robin Harrod (this year's obergruppenfuhrer). Front row left to right, Anne Teasdale (aka Delia Smith), Colin Teasdale (the knife), Francine Hillman (Graham's little frog - his words!), Kath Sloan (birthday girl today), Sheilagh Pavey (ex QOF inspector), Penny Stern (Kingston girl), Linda Lear (top knitter award, 2006), Dave Stern (aka Duncan Goodhew). I missed a sort of middle row on the left. To the right of Anne Teasdale - Christine Harrod (MIL of Dough author), Kevin Pavey (has 10 O levels).