Teaching and learning

My seminar groups so impressed me last week - definitely one of those classes that make it completely worthwhile. We were looking at Pope's Eloisa to Abelard - the poem that made me think that there might be something to Pope after all - and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's 'Epistle from Arthur Grey, a Footman after his condemnation for attempting rape'. They cracked 'em wide open.

Our delivery of veg and fruit was rather disappointing this week. It seemed a bit smaller and I've found a rotten kiwi, orange, apple, and a really stinky potato. I do appreciate that organic stuff doesn't keep as well as treated produce, but I found the yucky veg the day after it arrived! I know it's the end of February - not the most productive in terms of veg here in jolly ole - but still, I am paying for it. I'd prefer more fresh, usable cabbage (which I'm developing a taste for - must be my German side coming out!) than manky potatoes. Luckily, the company asks that we tell them about such incidents so I shall send out an email and hopefully no more rotten veg!

There is an tree all a-flower around the corner from our house. And the sun is shining. Today is pilates rather than running - tomorrow, with luck, the sun will shine again and we can run by the canal.

My seed potatoes are happily 'chitting' in the kitchen. My friend and I went into Saltaire for 'potato day' on Saturday - I've never seen such a scrabbling for taters! I managed to get out with four varieties (3 organic, 1 non-organic) so this year Nas, I, and our allotment-mates will be enjoying Maris Bard (1st early), red Duke of York (2nd early), Golden Wonder (early maincrop), and Arran Victory (late maincrop). I'm very excited. We're also going to plant some standard Majestic or such for everyday eating. Hopefully, this early spring will mean a long growing season. I'll take some pictures of the plot next weekend - it will be the 'before' picture! - and try and record this year's growing and such.

Yesterday I saw a friend's Baroque orchestra and choir perform Handel's Alexander's Feast; or, the Power of Music up at the uni. Then I went to see Hot Fuzz with Nas. I like running the gauntlet from top culture to pop culture. The singing in the concert was beautiful and the orchestra played on period instruments which is always good fun to watch. The trumpets without valves were amazing and they also had a theorbo, which is a beautiful and very unusual stringed instrument somewhere between a sitar and a mandoline in appearance... Very educational.