{"id":2130,"date":"2026-04-19T10:30:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T10:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scottysblog.com\/home\/?p=2130"},"modified":"2026-04-19T10:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T10:33:00","slug":"the-catz-college-reunion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scottysblog.com\/home\/the-catz-college-reunion\/","title":{"rendered":"The Catz College Reunion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last Saturday was quite a biggie – I finally decided to go along to one of the College reunions that pop up every 6-10 years. This time as it was for our year and the three years above – probably the best way of cutting up the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Went along with the two Helens as my wingmen, all of us promising not to abandon anyone else either on their tod or in the company of some of the inevitable ‘nargs’ as we used to call the swotty, dull people in college..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Massively luckily, it was a stunning April weekend – Cambridge bathed in sunlight is always so much nicer than when it’s grey and wet. Had a good old wander around town with the Helens and a bite of lunch so we could all catch up before hooking up with others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And of course a wander round college – my first year room is on the right here in the shadow, J6 on the third floor. Hello Sherlock Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And here is Main Court – my third year room being up this first staircase, into room A2, my double set shared with Helen Vickery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a trip down memory lane, it was onto the Mill pub by the river, which already had a dozen of our year getting started in there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, I found this the best part of the whole day. Ended up chatting to lots of the people who were on my social radar, but perhaps more around the edges of it – all of whom I liked, but perhaps didn’t see or speak to on a daily basis as I did some others. Actually, we had some really good chats and people were pretty much even nicer versions of their twenty year old selves. Hard to believe this was a 40 years since Matriculation event!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checked into my single room in college, as we all did (bar a few snotty ones who thought this was beneath them and their financial capabilities!) and as I opened the wardrobe to hang my dress up, a large wooden panel fell on me from above – luckily only partly hitting me on the head or I could have missed the whole thing..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then it was time to get into fancy wear – including the most uncomfy shoes I have worn in YEARS – and down to a drinks reception. All the men in black tie – and all looking weirdly similar as a result – a sea of grey hair and 2\/3 in pairs of glasses. Some looking like older versions of their college personae – and others looking honestly at least 10 years older than they were. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Added bonus of our best man, Alex McDonald, being there alongside another of H’s chums, Phil Bracken. And plenty of people to speak with, although the question of ‘what do you do with yourself these days’ is always a tricky one. The answer of ‘trying to stay alive and having chemo 4x every four weeks’ is a bit of a conversation killer… So I made up a more palatable version for those I didn’t think really needed the full monty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Then it was the dinner – luckily I was with the Helens as you can nominate two people to be near, though sadly next to an older woman who had studied Vet Science, so I gamely launched into my best effort at a vet conversation, only for her to say she mostly worked with mice in a lab. Eek. The Master did a pretty decent speech though his claim that the college renovations (all pretty cheap and grim IMHO) now provided Catz with the best conference facilities in Cambridge really didn’t resonate with anyone I suspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somehow survived (having changed shoes after the dinner) till midnight, down in the awful college bar. A dreadful white and pink neon affair, pretty soulless and dark, a million miles away from the grubby ground floor but entirely charming and gossip-filled tatty bar of our time there. Which was full every night – unlike this horror show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ah the passing of time. 40 years since this was our turf, our set of people etc. I had a good chat with Archie, the chap I went out with in my second year, reminding him that he had dumped me when I was in Thailand with 3 of my year that summer holiday. He still remembered Lord Chancellor Walk as being my family home, and still drives past it as his kids went to school in Wimbledon – of all places! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The final bit was brekky in college – sitting with the lovely Jim Adshead (now a senior prostate cancer specialist) and Keith Davies (who Jim has operated on!). Both really good blokes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, worth going to and enjoyable, though maybe not something I would repeat. Came away without anyone’s mobile number as I’m happy that the people I still love and see regularly are the ones for me. x<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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