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It's been an extraordinary day. I already knew that Roy and Kirsten were forced to withdraw from the course after going through the residential week, so of course there were not going to be good results coming from them. But what I did not expect that was Paul would also fail.

I also had a message tonight from Helen Betts, one of the ladies I met on SXR207, and she also failed. Worst of all, she failed by 1%, a narrower margin than that by which I failed (mine was 3%). She must be absolutely gutted; I know I feel bad enough about it.

My online OU acquaintance Anne Lane told me this evening that someone on the Physics course choice forum has indicated that he is thinking of cancelling his registration for SXR207. Statistically I know there is only a one-in-four chance that he is going to be on the same week as the one I had hoped to re-register for, but I have to consider it.

Part of me tonight is considering however drawing a line under the whole SXR207 experience, accepting the 'fail', and moving on to thoroughly smash TXR220.

But that's a hard choice to make. When I think about the week that I had -- that we all had -- the howling laughter, the Countdown theme music, putting the world to rights with Paul, the lovely meal with my other Mad Physicists, the simple joy of the reunion with friends -- then accepting a 'fail' seems a failure in itself. But I know that if I resit SXR207, it won't be the same, there won't be the same people there of course, and it will be a week of simple hard work, with a clean slate, with a new bunch of people.

The alternative is TXR220 in August 2011, down in Bath. Paul will be there, possibly Andy too, if he is able to get a place. I have some thinking to do; I need to make a decision.