My Month in Numbers: April

Hello, hello.

How's your month been? Better than March?

Not as good as you plan on May being?

Are you just desparate to turn that calendar over and watch April fade away into history?

I realise today is not the end of the month but, one day early, here's how my April numbers added up:

3.2 = the number of miles we cycled on our first fair-weather biking escapade of the year. We now have a device which tells us just how far and how fast [or not] we've travelled. What it can't confirm is whether or not I'll end up walking like someone on the moon when I'm finished.

4% = approximately how much of Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize winning Wolf Hall I have read. Saying I've read at least 4% is slightly less daunting than saying I have 96% left to read!

At 650 pages long it certainly a fitting addition to my big book collection.

Call me a literature snob if you will [I am, so it's fine] but I think my subconscious tells my purse that buying a huge book will be a great investment. After all ...if it's that big ... it must be good...no?

10 = the number of minutes one of my students swore he needed me for. Just 10 minutes. Personally I was doubtful ... how could he only need support for the first 10 minutes of an exam? But he re-iterated it several times. Turns out the tutor had other plans and I ended up staying 2 hours. That's 120 minutes. Not that I minded, especially seeing as how for the whole evening had the makings of a corny old joke. Picture the scene ....

An English woman [me], a German student and a Spanish tutor walk into a room ... [insert your own punchlines here].

10.5 = the temperature in degrees C on 17/04/10:

OK, so maybe I wasn't in any danger of getting sun-stroke ... but it was just about warm enough to finally enjoy being outside fro the first time this year photographing things like thermometers, the neighbours' dog and laundry ...

19 = the number of days later than last year on which I first pegged my washing out on the line to dry.

Springtime last year was so much warmer than this and seemingly by March 12th 2009 I could face wrangling all that wet fabric on to the line.

But I waited until April this year.

In case you're wondering how on earth I know exactly which day I first hung out the laundry ...well, I am a scrapbooker remember? One who, without children or pets to photograph takes lots of shots of domestic life ... and digital photos have a date stamp so I can see when I took it ...and hey! Enough explanations! ;)

Don't ecologists keep track of developments in climate change by documenting the first blossoms, buds and frog spawn sightings? Perhaps they might like to add 'the first time Julie pegs out her washing' to that list? Just a thought ...

26 inches = the 'ideal height' [according to the artist] of two stacks of paper in the centre of this exhibition room in the gallery we visited. Each sheet of paper within the stack had a phrase printed across it and visitors are invited to select a stack from which to remove a sheet to take home with them.

In doing so the audience has a role in altering and contributing to the work even though this means effecting the 'ideal height'. [You can read the full explanation here].

The sheets of one stack read 'Nowhere better than this place' and the other 'Somewhere better than this place'. Which do you think I decided to take home with me?

Well, after I made my mind up which I wanted, I asked James what he'd decided. He replied "Well it has to be 'nowhere better than this place' doesn't it?".

And so it did: Which would you have chosen?

So, it's 'Adios April' with your re-introductions to the outdoor life and your teasing turn toward double-figured temperatures.

And it's 'Hola' May with your promise of lots of crafting assignments slotted in between one birthday and anniversary celebration after another. And no. I'm not complaining.

Fiesta, fiesta!

Thanks for reading,

Jx