Welcome to justthoughtsnstuff

I started posting to jtns on 20 February 2010 with just one word, 'Mosaic'. This seemed an appropriate introduction to a blog that would juxtapose fragments of memoir and life-writing. Since 1996, I'd been coming to terms with the consequences of emotional and economic abuse that had begun in childhood, and which, amongst other things, had sought to stifle self-expression. While I'd explored some aspects of my life through fiction and, to a lesser extent, journalism, it was only in 2010 that I felt confident enough to write openly about myself. I believed this was an important part of the healing process. Yet within weeks, the final scenes of my family's fifty-year nightmare started to play themselves out and the purpose of the blog became one of survival through writing. Although some posts are about my family's suffering - most explicitly, Life-Writing Talk, with Reference to Trust: A family story - the majority are about happier subjects (including, Bampton in rural west Oxfordshire, where I live, Oxford, where I work, the seasons and the countryside, walking and cycling) and I hope that these, together with their accompanying photos, are enjoyable and positive. Note: In February 2020, on jtns' tenth birthday, I stopped posting to this blog. It is now a contained work of life-writing about ten years of my life. Frank, 21 February 2020.

New blog: morethoughtsnstuff.com.

Saturday, 12 May 2012

moaty thing, awash, lasa, swan at radcot, robert gibbings

















Loved seeing the sun today--and feeling its warmth.

Great cycle ride early-ish this morning. A lot of water lying on the meadows down by the Thames. The weird moaty thing near Tadpole Bridge that I said back on 6th April was drying out like never before is suddenly awash. The water is also out on the Great Brook lane. Not quite as deep as it was a few years ago during the floods but I wouldn't expect to see water there at all at this time of year. (The water-level during the floods was too high to cycle through, though I did try--and got very wet feet!)

Busy week, as always, just now. Rewarding, though. Next week there's a lot going on too, including preparations for my trip to San Francisco and the LASA conference.

Meanwhile, hoping to be able to fork through more ground on the allotment tomorrow.

Had a drink at the Swan at Radcot Bridge earlier and caught sight of our friends with the narrowboat on the opposite bank. They still can't move on to Oxford because the currents are too dangerous. Had good fun catching up over a pint.

Talked in part about Robert Gibbings and his books, Sweet Thames Run Softly and Till I End My Song. About his anecdotes about the Thames hereabouts in the thirties and his wonderful woodcuts done for his Golden Cockerel Press.
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous14 May 2012 at 19:52

    Yes. Frank. I'm the one you thought rubbish.

    Best wishes wishes in th US of A @ LA.

    Look forward to next book.

    Orla

    ReplyDelete
  2. Frank14 May 2012 at 20:33

    As you very well know, I most certainly didn't think you were rubbish!

    Thanks for the good wishes! Hope all is well with you and the writing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous16 May 2012 at 09:54

    Hello, Frank. I'm way out of line here. I do apologise. Regards, Orla.

    ReplyDelete

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