29/11/92                                          19 Barleyfields
                                                           Didcot
                                                             Oxon
01235-816583                                             OX11 0BJ

     Yet again I'm sorry that I've not written or visited but I'm 
sure you know how it is.  The year began with a 'free' weekend in 
Frankfurt  courtesy of Access.  I'd cancelled my credit card  the 
previous  year  when  they'd introduced charges  but  I  had  850 
air miles to use up!  For my main holiday this year I toured  the 
south coast in my caravan visiting Hampshire, Sussex & Kent.

     My  mother died in October from cancer of the colon but  the 
hospice  delivered  on their promise of a pain-free  exit.   That 
meant  I  spent many weekends travelling to and  from  Colchester 
over  the  summer and autumn.  I am full of  admiration  for  the 
hospice  movement  - it didn't cost us a penny.   My  father  and 
brother  are  both  coping  well and I've  taken  to  wearing  my 
mother's wedding ring since then.

     At  work I've reached the top of the scale but  am  thinking 
twice  about moving now that the government has removed  security 
of  tenure (2 months after I moved here).   When Cranfield  loses 
its  contract  at RMCS in 1994/5 it might be worth  too  much  in 
redundancy   money   to  ignore.   I've  been  given   a   large, 
professorial type office so I'm rather pleased. Interestingly CIT 
is  still  paying  our 6% pay-rise in  spite  of  the  government 
imposing 4.2% on the rest of the sector.  Another case of  divide 
and conquer?

     I was offered two interviews in one day during the year  and 
chose  to go for the head of department at LSU College of  Higher 
Education  at Southampton rather than a readership at  Derbyshire 
College.   In the event I didn't get the Southampton  job,  while 
Derbyshire  failed  to  appoint anyone.  Now, of  course,  its  a 
university too.

     I  read papers at Oxford, Paisley and Portsmouth during  the 
year although the latter two were actually given by my  co-author 
Jean Soper from Leicester.  For the Open University I've  changed 
to  tutoring DM862 Intensive Prolog and I also got to  examine  a 
thesis for T401.

     I  was  out  with  my boat on the Thames  one  day  when  an 
enthusiast  asked to buy it.  Eventually I came up with  a  price 
which  he  was  happy to pay.  He intends to restore  it  to  its 
former glory since it is in a bit of a state.

     I've still got the Volvo 440 but am thinking of changing  it 
in the summer.  I'm currently keen on the Lada Cossack, 1600  cc, 
four-wheel  drive all for 9000 pounds.  I feel that  the  Russian 
economy needs all the support it can get from us!

     I'm still keen to buy a weekend place at auction, there are 
bargains  to  be  had.  I actually bid 23,000 pounds  for  a  two 
bathroom flat in Bournemouth which went in the end for 23,750.

     Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!