My portfolio for the level 2 Interpreting Archaeological Evidence module has been submitted on time. Due to various events like Christmas, my daughters wedding and a three week illness however, I put myself under immense time pressure to finish. When I say finish, I mean an assignment that I am happy with.

The weekend before submission for example, I must have worked 20 hours at least and that is on top of a full working week. At the end, I was happy with the assignment though the marker will be the judge of that!

I am now on a break between modules but, the books for my next module, The Mediterranean in the Medieval World, have arrived, and there is a temptation to steal a march and start.

I believe however, that I have been a bit too close to exhaustion for comfort and so, I have checked that my books are all present and correct and put them away. I firmly believe that it is as important to know when not to study as when to study.

This promises to be an exciting year ahead with my assessed Fieldschool at Bradgate Park to look forward to in July as well as continuing excavations on the manorial complex at Croxton Kerrial and not forgetting, ten nights in Sorrento revisiting Pompeii, Herculaneum etc.

We have welcomed new students into the DL Virtual Student Café who are starting their journeys in February and I look forward to meeting and greeting many more.

I am loving the course more than ever and strange as it sounds, I am glad that it is hard work and pushes me to the limit. Would it be worth doing if it didn’t?

Till next time.