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.

Monday, 6 May 2013

bank holiday, witney walk, s1, allotment, outside, historical novels review, wild flowers, mount owen road



















I'm writing this blog post on the S1 bus from Witney to Oxford. Yep, working this bank holiday--the University doesn't have a day off today and students need their libraries.

Actually, quite enjoying the day so far. It's a beautiful sunny morning and I had a lovely walk in near-deserted Witney before catching the first bus. All being well, I'll get another stroll from Botley to the centre of Oxford, via the Willow Walk and Osney.

Started work on the allotment yesterday, having cleared the shed of seven years' worth of junk last Sunday (psychologically, a good beginning; and how lovely it was to open the shed door yesterday and see everything in order). A modest bit of digging got done, it has to be said--it'll take a little while to get allotment-fit again. Still, I did enjoy being up there.

At the house, yesterday, had breakfast outside and sat up the top of the garden later. Also sat out at the Plough at Kelmscott, enjoying a pint of Cotswold Way.

Pleased to see A Conscious Englishman in the Historical Novels Review. Tut-tut, though, Lightning Source, about that faded type on those three pages...

Just passing over the Thames at Swinford toll. Surprised by how full the bus is, now I've looked up from typing.

After the allotment yesterday, I went for a quick cycle. Saw the wild flowers above on the verge alongside Mount Owen Road--a beautiful country lane up and over Bampton's only hill ('Mount' is something of an exaggeration). Not normally keen on dandelions but these were such a rich, vibrant yellow!
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1 comment:

  1. Margaret Keeping6 May 2013 at 17:10

    Glad you have recovered from allotment discouragement, Frank. I keep a summer picture of ours around to encourage me. The fruit looks like being spectacular this summer.
    Artweeks is going splendidly, probably because of the sunny weather and Marc's quietly well-known reputation.
    I sold a copy of ACE and many admired its excellent good looks.

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