Graduation!

[galadhir]

Went into London on Thursday evening, to stay over in a hotel so we could be dressed and ready for son's Masters Degree graduation at 9.45 on Friday morning. Son and daughter met us at the hotel and we had a nice evening just chatting at the bar.

Even with the hotel we had to get up pretty early in order to get to the Royal Festival Hall via Docklands Light Railway and the Jubilee line.

Son, who has just had an operation on his foot, was in a medical shoe most of the day, but swapped it out for a normal shoe to cross the stage and get his photos taken.

Graduation ceremonies have become a lot less cold and formal since I had mine. There were people in the audience cheering as their graduate crossed the stage, and graduates doing little dances before they got their formal handshake/bow. It was a change I approve of, I think. We ought to be able to enjoy our triumphs, I think, instead of making even our celebrations feel like an ordeal.

There was still an awful lot of clapping to be done!

Nice speeches and a very warm atmosphere. And of course we(me, DH, daughter) were all extremely proud of him.

Then we went to Kintan (Japanese barbeque restaurant on Oxford Square) for lunch - which is a great option for the three meat eaters, and does spicy vegetable noodles and barbeque-your-own halloumi for the vegetarians :)

After which we caught the new Elizabeth line back to the DLR, mainly so we could check out London's newest tube line (very like all the other tube lines except cleaner and roomier.) And thus back to the cars and back home.

Then it was Saturday, and DH got up and got dressed for the Mark Jones Day of Dance and then half way through tying string round his knees he said "You know, I don't actually feel very well."

He was testing negative only the day before, and I was testing negative until yesterday, but he got the red line on Saturday, and I got it today, and to cut a long story short, we are now both grounded with Covid.

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

Congratulations to your son! That's fantastic and I'm so happy for him and for you guys.

But oh no, Covid. :( I'm so sorry it's knocked you both out.

[galadhir]

Thank you! Yep, he's the first one in the family to have a higher degree. It wouldn't surprise me if he went on to do a Phd, if only he could find the funding from somewhere.

Thanks! We're hanging in there :)

[mistressofmuses]

Congratulations to him! I hope he can get the funding if he decides he does want to go for a PHD, though I also hope that for now he can sort of take a rest from schooling and enjoy the accomplishment!

And I hope the Covid is over quickly and easily. Ugh. Zero fun. Whatever variant is going around our area currently seems quite variable - some people have a pretty mild time and some have a longer bout of misery. Not sure what your current type is like, but I hope everyone has the easiest time possible.

[galadhir]

Yes, he's got his boat to sort out first, and also some means of making money. It's definitely going to be the year of trying to get his life a bit more settled.

Heh, thank you! We're mainly stuffed up and headachy with no energy and the occasional cough. I'm hoping one of us will be well enough to help Son get the boat out of the boatyard on Saturday, but it may have to be Daughter instead.

[mistressofmuses]

I do hope that the boat stuff gets figured out - that sounds like a very stressful situation all around.

I'm glad that you guys don't have any super serious symptoms, though any of it sucks enough. I hope the energy levels improve, and the headaches and congestion go away. Especially when you have stuff coming up that you need to do, but definitely don't push if you're still feeling cruddy.

[galadhir]

Thank you!