terrshee's Diaryland Diary

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Prospect of London

A credit card and the Internet are a dangerous combination. Yesterday was big bookshopping abuse plus a new used notebook computer. Can you hear the nice big electronic ka-ching?

Of course I can justify everything except my impulsive spending. The books are definitely for research and hard to get elsewhere. For one of the books the publisher gave me a hefty discount because I'd been waiting for a while and we share an enthusiasm for the subject (Sir John Hawkwood, this is the long anticipated reprint of the 1880's biography, insert chivalric whoop here). The other has a certain cachet because it will be taking the slow boat from Australia (why do I have good luck with rare books via Australian bookstores?). The notebook is for writing when I travel and preparing PowerPoint slideshows for when I teach (and I did a lot of comparing prices on similar units and managed a student discount).

Isn't there some Rita Rudner routine that because you saved x you must have more to spend?

Anyway, travel and research is definitely on my mind. I'm trying very hard to track down some still extant anchorite cells. Guess what? One may be in Kings Lynn in Norfolk which I visited five years ago in the company of Keilyn (during a very rainy November when the rail lines were going through service interruptions, but it was loverly anyway, except maybe the coach ride to Kings Lynn, that was cold and damp). And I completely missed it. Grrr, but then it wasn't on my obssession list at the time. Kings Lynn is at the end of the rail line that serves Cambridge and Ely, both of which I'd like visit and Norwich which I'd like to visit again now that the castle has reopened.

Hmmm, I think my January trip is taking shape. Plus I've got enough frequent flyer miles to go business class, the gods be thanked. That is, if I can find open seats when I'd like to go. I have to fly into Heathrow, which would be new to me, but no big deal. Then there's the prospect of staying at my favorite hotel on Ebury Street near Victoria Station, the Lyme Tree. It is small, unpretentious, comfy, friendly and serves an excellent breakfast. Hmmm, I'm getting a bit chuffed. Down, Scholar!

12:14 p.m. - 2005-09-22
0 comments

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

past tense - always tense - future tense