People in the London think the Midlands is north.  People in the Midlands think Manchester is north (and at least it is in North West England).  My mother regularly reminds me that anything south of Glasgow is south.  But whatever it is or is not, I am off to Manchester for three days for a DPT residential.  If DPT sounds to you like something to kill ants, well, hmm, there you go.  I am looking forward to catching up with other researchers in my peer group but not so sure about being part of a group of over 50 from three different academic centres.  I am looking forward to some time spent with Mancunian (by birth or by choice) friends and hoping that this years task will be a little clearer than soggy earth by the time I leave.