10.43 am. The voyage home, on a pendulous Pendolino train, and the usual straining and wheezing Arriva Trains Wales charabanc. En route, I caught up on my incoming emails and diary, and ate my way though an M&S corned beef and pickle sandwich. Too often, sandwiches and burgers are swamped by the competing tastes of the meat and the garnish (mayo, pickle, and sauces etc.). I prefer mine simple, and to taste the meat only. (I’m sure Agnes Martin would have been of the same mind.):

No ‘QuietZone’ today. Passengers voiced their private conversations publicly on mobile phones. The telephone kiosk not only provided the caller with privacy but also protected the public from the embarrassment of overhearing.

The last leg, from Machynlleth to Aberystwyth, is never less than mildly painful. The anticipation of arrival changes one’s perception of distance over time:

3.30 pm. Back at homebase, I inaugurated a new pair of carpet slippers. Those sturdy backs will be trodden down in no time:

6.30 pm. Practise session 1. 7.30 pm. Further incoming mail and postgraduate and research admin to dutifully dispose: letters to distant doctoral students posted, tutorial dates arranged, and responses to reference requests and research initiatives dispatched.