Sunday

The second competition has been judged already, in a manner of speaking, and we were among the winners. It was the first stage of a two-part competition: in the first stage, 45 competitors presented ideas for improving the centre of a small town and some sheltered housing, all in rough and simple outline form. Fifteen have now been selected to develop these rough ideas into reasonable, feasible projects. In other words, what we won was the right to take part in another competition. Better than the proverbial kick in the head, but not by much.

I spent two days in Hamburg last week, visiting with Ageing Yuppie and his crew, and doing a bit of work too. Eleven hours in the train for three hours of customer hand-holding? not quite right somehow; but flying would only have been about an hour shorter door-to-door considering security lineups and waiting for baggage and all that crap. I'd rather spend the time on the train, where I can at least walk about and look out the windows.

Time for sleep, it's been a long day.