Photographs of San Diego University by courtesy of John Stackhouse, Las Vegas

We departed for San Diego after a few days and arrived at the University campus, which looked like a film set. The buildings were of Spanish style surrounded by very tall palm trees and beautiful gardens full of exotic plants. There was a great atmosphere of welcome and excitement. We were amazed to see that someone had brought a truck load of sand from the beach and two sculptors were working on it to reproduce the Discoveries logo; no mean feat in temperatures of 90º to 100ºF. It had to be constantly sprayed with water.

There were over 500 participants, about 44 tutors and a vast number of helpers and volunteers. Each person was given a badge and on the door of each room was a hand made scroll with a name and country or state. On our beds was a beautiful calligraphy bag filled with calligraphic goodies of all kinds. As we opened them it was Christmas morning all over again. The air was filled with shouts of joy. Then we put our minds to study the safety procedures booklet in case of an earthquake, and practised alternately bracing ourselves in the doorway and crouching under a sturdy desk as advised. We did ponder for a second about our choice of priorities. Accommodation was excellent and, as someone who is trying to slim, I won't even mention the food! Classes took place every day except Wednesday when you could choose to go on one of the many well organised outings. We chose to go to Mexico where I bought a baby armadillo made from a gourd. A fellow calligrapher, imagining that I was having an affair with the whole of the armadillo species, has put me on red alert to await the arrival of a stuffed one by mail all the way from L.A.

Once during that week, outside Starbuck's coffee shop, I happened to get arrested and handcuffed by two rather handsome Cops. This was a joke, you understand (the only weapon I was carrying was a pen!), but on our return to L.A. we suffered a serious trauma. My friend's next door neighbour was horribly and brutally murdered. She was a lovely lady originally from Oklahoma and from the minute I had arrived, she decided to teach me how to speak Okie and had appointed herself my guardian and protector. The perpetrator was eventually arraigned on a charge of first degree murder and robbery. So Margaret and I spent the last few days having serious discussions with Pacific Homicide detectives. I didn't phone home; I gave my husband this news on the motorway after he had met me at Heathrow. He gripped the steering wheel and his eyes seemed to stick out, and after a few well chosen words from him I fell asleep. I was right at the end of two exhausting experiences, one so rewarding and the other so sad. I do miss the warmth of the American people and their energy and enthusiasm, and their freedom from constriction.

The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skilful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned. Anon.