Party Party!

Orphans Christmas was great. I cooked almost all day. I made everyone my mom's specially sticky buns for breakfast, although I did put my own twist on her recipe. For dinner I made French onion soup (vegan and regular), stuffed mushrooms with almonds, steak pie and Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for dessert. I also made each orphan (there were 7 of us total) stockings and filled them with the traditional Clementine and candy, along with some other gifts for them. Overall the day was fabulous. after we were done with our food and stockings I went back to my flat and got to talk to my mom, dad, sister and brother in law! It was almost like being home, except not as great as actually getting to be there with them.

Today is my birthday and I took myself out to breakfast and then bought myself a Starbucks. Then I went out to the after Christmas / Boxing Day sales with my friend Karen. Now we are getting ready to go out and celebrate with some of our other friends. We might go to the movies or we might go mini golfing its really all up in the air. I will try to post again tomorrow but if I miss it then I will tell you all about my Norway New Year when I get back on the 5th of January.

You want me to get up how early??

I wanted to make sure that I was up to date on postings before I left for Norway on Tuesday. So here we go. Last week I went to Stonehenge and watched a "traditional" Druid ceremony to celebrate the Suns ability to raise again after the longest night of the year. (It also marks the days getting longer again and the ceremony has a lot to do with the Druid Sun god, shocking!! =0)

Five of my friends and I took the train to Salisbury and then the bus to Amesbury, where we had booked to hotel rooms. Our hotel was just a five minute tax ride from Stonehenge. When we arrived in Amesbury we had a 15 minute walk to the industrial section of Amesbury where our hotel set. Once we had all settled in we found a pub right next door and when in for some dinner. We finished dinner and decided to take a hike back into Amesbury center and find a pub. The problem with this, you see, is that Amesbury is a very, very tiny town and really only has three pubs. We finally found one that looked like it would suit 6 archaeologists and went in had some drinks and then headed back home early (in archaeologist terms) since we knew that we were going to have to get up in the morning.

Sunrise was at 7:40 AM and they were letting people into the henge by 7:30AM. So we got there at 7Am to make sure that we were able to have a primo view of the event. It was absolutely freezing and by the end of it I couldn't feel my toes, other than that I knew it hurt to walk on them. It had snowed all day the previous day and so we were basically standing in about an inch of snow for an hour. I had heavy waterproof hiking boots on but all the same. Not to complain but just to relate how very chili we all were. Well maybe not Josh since is from Maine and kept saying that we were all wimps. =0)

Over all the experience was great. There was lots of drum beating and flute playing. One guy who recited some terrible poetry and others said some prayers for the next year to be fruitful and peaceful throughout the world. It wasn't what I expected but that doesn't mean that it wasn't fun. It was definitely a once in a life time experience, going to Stonehenge and being there on the morning that it was built to celebrate.

Check out the pictures Below from the event.

Josh Dunn

"Big C"

(Not all of these pictures where taken by me.)

Thanks Santa!

It SNOWED!!!!! Check out my cool pictures from last night and this morning after the snow!

snow ball fight!

Winter Wonderland!

Forecast Fabio Capello

So, I have a cold. Boo! but that is not what I want to talk about. Really what I want to talk about is the weather. Terribly exciting, I know but "Baby, it's cold outside." No joke, today the weather forecast said high of 5 (41 degrees F) low of 0 (32 F) but then if you factor in the wind chill, (7mph winds) I am pretty sure that makes the high around 2 (35 F) which means that I don't really wanna know what the low is ;0). On top of that we are suppose to get sleet starting at about 9PM and then on Friday.... (drum roll please...) .... SNOW!!!!! Can you tell that I am excited??? (keep up with the weather in Bristol click here)

I have never lived anywhere where I could watch it snow from my own window! Needless to say I am really looking forward to it and hoping that it will actually snow. They are not always the most reliable source, meteorologists though. For example, they did forecast it to be Fabio Capello all day Sunday a week ago. So with that in mind it might not actually snow in the end, but it would be nice if it did.

I don't mind the cold so much if I have something pretty to look at. Mind you this does sort of put a huge block on my plan to go to Glastonbury on Friday. Oh well, I get snow instead, or perhaps we'll have another day of Fabio Capello, who knows. Plus I can always go to Glastonbury next week, or perhaps before Friday, since most people are going home or abroad tomorrow, that means I need to find things to do with my time. I am also thinking of going to see a Christmas concern of Bach music tomorrow night, hopefully the tickets are not all sold out. If they are then I will simply miss Bach and go watch the Nutcracker instead. Tough life hu? And for those of you who are wondering who I am going with to do all of these wonderful thing, the answer is me, myself, and I. But it should still be really good.

In other news, I went to my first pub quiz last night. Our team did rather well 37 out of 60, which in terms of pub quiz I am told is a decent showing, so I am happy with that. I also finished editing and directing my first short film (hopefully to be posted later). It's not the best thing in the world but it will do for now. I was also told that after it has been marked I could go back and work on the editing a bit more, so we'll see.

Currently I am making a water colour painting for my friend Pods' Birthday/Christmas present (19th is his). It is probably one of the best watercolours, thus far, that I have ever made. I am going to be a bit sad to part with it but I will take many pictures so that you all can see it. Pictures never do it justice but maybe in 50 years it will be worth something and he might sell it to a gallery or something. You never know ;0)

That's really all I have to report for now. I am getting ready for the "Orphans Christmas" party that I am putting on for all the people that are not going home for Christmas. It should be fun. Not sure there will be many pictures but I'll see what I can do. I hope that you are all well and enjoying your Christmas season and festivities. Sorry that I have been falling down on the blog, its a bit hard to find the time to write between classes but next term should be a lot less stressful with only 3 days instead of 5 of classes.

Love you all loads and miss you too! XX

Still to Come

Coming soon...Thanksgiving pictures...