Drying out

The PET office is still drying out – the landlord's property surveyor visited this week and declared the ceiling was dry but the walls and floor are still wet. The frustration is not knowing how long it will take to dry and when someone will next come to measure the damp. I have been tempted to buy a comedy sign for the office, 'You don't need wellies to work here but they may help!'

But the team are not just sitting watching walls dry, we are completing end of grant reports, writing grant applications and starting the work we need to get done to kick start our digital transformation. The editors continue mentoring the science-writing trainees and publishing BioNews.

Sandy and I have shared an office for ten years – talking is our main way of communicating with each other and that just doesn't work so well when you have to call someone each time you want to bounce an idea about or check something. Even with modern technology it really is a challenge for us, especially as he has to leave his desk to call me so he doesn't disturb his new office. Even worse is the fact we can't make our terrible puns and share them, or rather inflict them, on Jen, Martha and Shaoni.

We are extremely grateful to all those who have made a donation to help us keep our heads above water but we have a way to go to hit our target, so please support us is by becoming a Friend of PET as detailed here, and giving us a regular donation.

Or you can help by making a donation via PayPal (click here), by text (text 'PROG23 £10' or any other amount to 70070), or by post (as detailed here).