Celebration

Hello everyone, hope you are well and that if you are in the UK you haven't been too badly affected by the overnight storms.  A lot of rain here, but not too much thunder, which is a good thing as last October our street was hit by a lightening ball - it fried our PS3 and the internet router, and knocked out everyone's Sky boxes.  To add insult to thankfully no personal injury, it was just as the winner of Great British Bakeoff was being announced so we all missed the ending!

Anyway, yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far, but we needed to be out and about.  Inhalers packed, we headed off to De Montfort Hall in Leicester

This is why it was so busy on a Friday afternoon:

 

 

Yes, we were there for a degree ceremony.  The hall itself is very grand inside...

Here is some detail of the Grand Organ...

The music was fantastic as we waited for the proceedings to begin...

The Senate looked very grand assembled on the stage (I actually performed on this very stage when I was 11!)

You might be thinking that I was there to see one of my kids graduate, but hopefully that will be in the next couple of years.  In fact I was returning to this stage, to collect this:

It was wonderful to be there with my husband and children, all of whom have supported, encouraged and put up with me whilst working on my degree.  I felt like they had all earned it too!  Not to mention friends who have had to put up with me not always being able to see them when I have been up to my neck in work and studying.  Just goes to show, one is "never too old" to achieve something new.  It was wonderful as well to see how many young people were there, picking up their first degrees, just starting out on exciting new journeys. 

So, at the moment I am enjoying having a bit more time to myself, but by the autumn, if times past are anything to go by,  I know I will be looking for something else to study.  But in the meantime, just enjoying the memory of yesterday - still can't believe that I did it!!

Have a lovely weekend, Helenxx