101,379

I'm definitely entering the endgame now: the introduction, body chapters, conclusion, and bibliography are all written. I am now above the word limit. My examiners have agreed to read my thesis and I'm entered into the exam. My student days are drawing to an end and I have to face the reality of waking up every day without a PhD to think about!

97,000

Soon my enforced sabbatical from reality will be at an end ... I finished the introduction to the thesis today (yes, I left it til the end) and even filled in the PhD exam entrance form. After four years of slog and one year of considerably faster slog, I'm nearly done! I've even got a title for the thing now. Just got the conclusion, formatting, corrections and filling in one or two gaps to go...

Moreover, a £25 voucher for Adnams products arrived in the post today, as I won the Environment Agency's 'Nitrogen Safety' competition at the Suffolk Show. As I said, I'm on a sabbatical from reality...