What I tell you three times is true?

In January last year, the Transforming Musicology launch meeting was held in Oxford, amidst a moderately extreme set of floods (the Somerset Levels were particularly badly affected, but our train to Oxford was definitely affected: the waterlogged train line was, it turns out, a result of the river diverting itself to a convenient straight gully). Transport was... not optimal.

In February, we held the mini-projects workshop, where we invited interested parties to Lancaster, to listen to what we thought would make a good mini-project, and to discuss ideas and form groups to apply for funding. Our return was somewhat delayed: so delayed that, after lightning, fire, wind and rain, our journey having been lengthened by more than 100%, a somewhat manic train manager was pleased to tell us that we could requst our entire fares back in compensation.

So what do we do with that compensation? Well, it comes in the form of train ticket vouchers, so of course we organize another meeting! And of course we invite the successful mini-project leaders, to come and talk about progress! And of course we all gather in Oxford, to share ideas and to talk about next steps.

I’m now sitting on a train. It is not moving. It was delayed to start with, and it’s not even the train that I should be on, and it has stayed here at Oxford station platform for 20 minutes. Apparently, there has been some wind, which has caused some things to break, which means that in fact the train line to London is not exactly working at the moment; in the words of the train manager, “I don’t really know what’s going on; I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

*sigh*. Maybe we should insist that the next meeting is held in London – or cancel any further meetings and see if the weather improves...