Late again!

Since I finished my formal studies, when I managed about 10 years worth without once running out of time on an assignment, I am finding it increasingly difficult to hit my own, self-imposed, deadlines! My excuse is that this blog is for my own amusement, and the chance to try out the various technological skills – such as using pictures – which I still find a bit of a challenge. I know, but I am a bit of a techno-idiot! Anyway, here goes for the latest instalment!

Talking about 10 years, it seems very strange to think that it was just over 10 years ago that I wrote to the then Chairman of the newly formed Alcester Roman Museum, David Moulson, offering my services as a volunteer. I thought that, as a Classical Studies student, with a particular interest in the Romans, I might have something to offer. I was certain that I would find it interesting. He must have thought I had something to offer, and I did find it interesting. Run entirely by a squad of volunteers, the museum opened in 2004, so this year is our 10th birthday.  We mean to celebrate in some style. This is our logo for the year. The figure is Clodius, who appears in a lot of our literature, in leaflets about tours of the town, and in the educational aids the section who run school visits use. He makes things just that little more personal, and closer to the people who lived here 2000 years ago. The highlight of the opening year was when Guy de la Bedoyere, Roman historian, TV personality etc, came to formally open proceedings. This year we have author Lindsey Davis coming to talk to us, along with a programme of events throughout the year. The Museum, while providing an extremely good service to the local, and not so local, schools, also has a programme of talks by various Roman experts for the adult volunteers, who do so much to ensure the museum runs smoothly. These have varied between local enthusiasts and academics, all of whom have donated their expertise for just the very basic expenses. Thanks to them all! They have enlivened proceedings and imparted much extra knowledge.

Apart from the museum anniversary it is also the year of my biannual school reunion in Somerset. It never fails to amaze me how far the old girls are willing to travel to attend these events. This year, as in previous years, girls are travelling from New Zealand and Canada, partly, if not entirely, to spend a weekend in May in the wilds of Somerset in the company of a lot of ‘ladies of a certain age’! If it’s anything like previous years it will be a hoot. The committee do a splendid job, arranging events that bring back so many happy memories.

With awful weather and floods all over the country we have been pretty lucky here – so far anyway! Alcester used to be prone to pretty horrendous floods. This is one of the worst, not so very long ago. However, subsequent to these events, flood relief work was put into action. The result has been stupendous! Dreadful weather, though not as much rain as in some areas, but very little flooding. Congratulations to whoever it was who pushed through the work, and for the engineers who did so well. But I do feel sorry for those who have not been so lucky. I know the Somerset Levels well, having spent my formative years in that part of the country. It makes me so angry that the hard-working farmers of the area are being so short-changed. Why is it that nobody in power ever bothers to listen to the people on the ground? The farmers have been there for generations, and know how the local topography works. Dredging has worked for years, why stop doing it? Because some politico in Westminster thinks there are more votes in the ecological lobby than in the farmers? It’s the same with housing developments on flood plains. Why do they continue to allow it? All they have to do is listen to the locals. They know their area much better than government ministers, and often than the local MP, who has been parachuted into a ‘safe’ seat for party political reasons. I know we need more, and better, housing, but it’s not better if it is in imminent danger of flooding each and every time we get a real deluge. This is even more important at a time where the weather seems to be getting more extreme. I saw, somewhere, a suggestion that insurance companies could invest in flood defences in order to cut costs for them in terms of payouts. Even better would be if they charged new flood plain houses exorbitant rates for insurance against flood to deter people from buying new houses on the flood plains. Then the developers would not be able to sell their houses, and perhaps stop them building in the wrong place.  Would that work? Probably not. The best solution is to not allow developers to appeal to Westminster for permission to build when it has been refused by local councils.

My Latin lessons have taken quite a turn. We have all signed up to do the GCSE course (though not all, including me, intend to actually take the exam.) This has changed the nature of the lessons, where things have got a bit more ‘serious’, or as serious as any lesson with Neil could be! The one thing that has helped me is the fact that the Latin we are reading is telling the story of Agrippina and Nero, and his matricide. At least I know the story and can make some educated guesses! I am finally beginning to make some REAL headway, though my memory is still not enough to take the exam. That’s never been of much importance. I just want to feel I am making progress in one of my most difficult disciplines – languages!