The whole Monday afternoon got wiped out getting home to Liverpool. All due to some small errors:

• Not leaving enough time to go to the post office and then finding a queue of ten people with only three staff working. This gives a ratio of 3.3. My personal rule is, if the ratio is more than 2 then it is not worth waiting. This rule does not apply at theme parks.
• I got to New Cross station and found late and cancelled trains. I really should have checked the National Rail website before I set off, but I had got used to the trains being very reliable. However, the combination of a new timetable and icy conditions meant that New Cross station had been like this all week. Ironically, the new timetable increased the frequency of trains.
• And I should have got a taxi back home. The train was slow and the walk home was covered in ice. Not easy with a suitcase.

Actually, writing about the journey home is an excuse for me to publish a photo which I took today:

While admiring the view, I asked the question: who got my work Secret Santa gift?

A bet for Liverpool to win the FA Cup AND for England to win the World Cup. I should be £125 richer at the end of July. As a clue, the accompanying card reads: “Miracles do happen at Christmas”.

Friday 16 October has been on my mind for a while. Today was the date of accountancy exam results. Passing meant I could stay in the job for a few more months. Failure meant I would be going back to Scouseland. The other trainees had been nervous all day. We’ve spent countless hours on consolidated accounts and tax computations – no one wanted a retake.

I passed. If you don’t believe me, you can search for my name on the ICAEW website.

I celebrated by performing a petty cash count with my flatmate on his box of change. I initially offered him £10 for the box, which he rejected.

The total came to £86.68 – including 454 hand-counted pennies. I’ve included some bottles of beer in the photo to dispel rumours that accountants were unexciting.

For me, relief trumps happiness. It’s a hard road to become a chartered accountant. The next step for me is to ensure the controls around cashing the money at the bank are working correctly.

The blog is now in its normal state of autumnal neglect. There are no big events but a series of smaller reflections.

One working knee
Is all I have. I’ve been told to lay off the training for six weeks. I tried to cycle with one leg and found out it doesn’t really work at all. Struggled.

One year on
From living in London, from stating my job and from joining the church. I see the same faces and get to build relationships. Stable.

Playing guitar in church
I’ve been playing the guitar for about 10 years. I got to play at church last Sunday despite not learning any more chords in the past 5 years. Actually, I have learnt the strange John Mayer chords that require huge hands and ridiculous dexterity to play. However, they are obscure enough to be nameless. Anyway, all you need for church is D. Simple.

It went well. I lost feeling (or blood circulation) to my right hand but carried on playing. 80% of the chords were hit on time, and the ones I missed are inaudible to the human ear anyway.

What could disrupt this current peace and stability? Exam results on Friday. Sadness?