(Gonville and Caius, S Staircase)

S is for schoolmates and snow at St Mary's

“Is everyone from your high school in Cambridge?”

I’ve had the question more than once of late. Last Friday night I was definitely the under-achiever. I went for drinks at the Eagle with four other guys from my little Canberra high school. Two post docs (physics and IT) and a PhD candidate (early modern English Lit with something of a focus on Milton) and me (a mere Masters student) are Friday night regulars.

We were joined by someone who was in Cambridge for an interview for a tenure track lectureship position.

Having just finished his economics doctorate at Harvard.

As you do.

Monday I had a visitor, another high school friend (and second cousin, once removed, as near as we can work out). It was cool showing someone else Cambridge: though the pretty bits can be covered in well under four hours walking. It was good to have an excuse to wander up to the top of St Mary’s tower and take some aerial shots though (see “a new set” over at the photo album).

It was a mildly “The Crow” moment, being at the top of a church tower, accompanied by a thin man in a long leather overcoat and a lot of black (including knee-high, lace-up Docs), being mildly snowed upon.

Yes, it’s snowing again of an evening. Not enough to take photos of yet, though, dammit.