Our new Aunties!!

Hey familial unit!

Sorry I didn't update yesterday but I got a little tired and grumpy at the end of my day (even though it wasn't a bad day) so I decided to wait to update for today! It's Tuesday (it was in the seventies today) and I just got back from running and making a pretty good dinner for someone who can't cook...

Let's see yesterday was Monday, and we were SUPPOSED to go to Hastings. Well I got up all ready to go do that and of course, (and this is like...eight in the morning?) I'm eating my strawberries and cereal and no one else is up. It didn't start to phase me until about eight forty five because we were supposed to leave at nine.

Well I finally weirdly asked Claire (rousing her out of her sleep I felt bad about that one) if we were still going. She looked at me groggily and said I guess not. I was kind of upset because I would have slept later if I'd known we weren't going on a day trip - so I was a little upset to say the least.

AND - I remembered that we'd invited Kemper and Mandi and they live in a flat down the street (well two flats over really) and they would be outside waiting at nine. I went outside to catch them on the stoop (well only Kemper was up there) and I told her. We were both a little grumpy together but we decided to make the best of our day. This way that we were up early we could be productive.

So...Kemper waited for me to finish getting ready and then we went to the Tea and Tattle and I got an espresso to go - it was delicious. Then I mailed Johnny a letter. :) AND THEN ... yes can you believe it ... we went to the Union at ULU to do some homework. If you have a library card you can assess their wifi so we sat in the place and typed up some guidelines for our presentation on the guardian. I must say I highly enjoyed reading that paper.

Anyway - by the time we finished our presentation guidelines it was about lunchtime. Kemper wasn't hungry because she'd gotten some sort of sketchy looking sandwich at the union cafe - so I asked her to come chill with me whilst I made lunch. Surprise Surprise - I had grilled cheese. I finally broke down and bought some crisps (chips) the other day to eat with my lunches. I think it can't be too unhealthy because they come in little snack sized pre-packaged bags so if I only eat one per meal I should be ok. I also had some grapes so I'm getting some balance somewhere...(AHEM but then I had like four cookies - FAIL.)

I told Kemper that I had found a cool park when she was gone on her trip this past weekend. And it's true - I found that park next to Buckingham palace. It's called Green Park, although originally I think I called it St. James Park, but St. James Park is kind of more posh and garden oriented and it was really busy when we finally got to it yesterday.

I say FINALLY because somehow I managed to get us incredibly lost and a walk that should have taken thirty minutes at the most turned into a two hour trek. I don't know what it is. I don't have these problems when I'm walking along by myself - I manage. But somehow, when I have to find a place with other people it gets incredibly complicated.

We ended up walking along Regent Street, which has some incredibly expensive stores including Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger. We window shopped and wished we were rich and then we found Green Park. It was so nice! We layed in the grass like real Londoner's and stared at the incredibly nice blue and sunny sky! The clouds were even fluffy it was so nice.

We chilled like that chatting and reading some free papers that we'd picked up along the way highlighting up and coming music events around the city when Madi texted Kemper about a sushi deal. Apparently there's a restaurant near the flat that has a deal on sushi on Mondays. So I begged and we got to go even though Kemper doesn't really like Sushi and she didn't get anything but water.

They had this conveyer belt thing that brought around all these different looking sushis and I tried a bunch of them. It was great, actually, because I had been talking about sushi all day long. Lovely. :)

After that we went to Sainsbury's for different reasons - I needed some breakfast stuff and Kemper and Mandi needed other assorted groceries. After the grocery shopping Kemper and I picked out our article that we would have to present to the class the next day and then I went back over to my flat.

I talked to Johnny after that and then I went to sleep to prepare for the next day - the only problem was I couldn't sleep. I tried
and I tried but I couldn't get to a good night's sleep for some reason.

Today was a great day in many ways but I was a little depressed.

Let me explain. We started off the day with my favourite class - British LIfe and Culture. Everyone had to give a presentation on a different UK news publication and I found the presentations very enlightening and fun. Just to clue everyone in - the paper that Kemper and I did - was described with a stereotypical reader who is a leftist feminist vegetarian. Needless to say, our presentation wne pretty smoothly.

Actually, let me back track. I walked to class by myself this morning because I was having a hard time waking up. Well, there's nothing like the incessant honking of car horns and groaning of standard car engines to jump you awake. So I managed to wake up on the walk over there, but unfortunately, the lady who is in charge of our building forgot her keys so we were locked out. Kemper was the first one there and I found her leaning against a lamp post with a Cafe Nero coffee.

I was prepared...I had my starbucks mug with lovely beautiful warm white tea inside! So we stood chatting with each other until our prof Susie showed up. I am so excited (this probably sounds silly) but she remembered both of our names. :) Once we got inside she proceeded to tell us that she and Jean (our Shakespeare Prof) really like this year's Hendrix group and that they wouldn't mind being our adoptive Aunties! Haha. I know that sounds silly and maybe they say it to every Hendrix group but it totally warmed my heart.

Anyway - we spent the whole class discussing the media and we also got directions for our play that we had to see today. It was titled "Earthquakes in London" and it was showing at the National Theatre. I was excited when she said that because I knew where the theatre was because I found it on accident the day I went to Church. :)

So...we got out of class and went to make lunch and then we left about one thirty for a two thirty show. We found the theatre no problem (although it was a bit confusing seeing as how the national theatre is comprised of three small different theatres in one huge ugly building...) Anywho my biggest complaint about the theatre was that the show was so depressing. Maybe it is supposed to get me all riled up about the environment (it was all about global warming) but it was also about the relationships of this one family.

All the relationships were fettered with so many problems it was just upsetting to me. Kemper and I had a discussion about the point of art...we were a bit confused. I don't know. It was also three hours long and that's a long time for me to sit still! BUT, the theatre itself was neat. I would have taken my camera but I didn't feel like carrying stuff today so I only took my keys and wallet. If you can try to picture this I will describe it the best I can: there is a runway like fashion stage that snakes across the floor. There are chairs at the runway floor a bit like high stools at a bar that swivel. We were sitting in those chairs and a very much part of the action. There were also two opposite sides of the rooms that had a little inlet of space that acted as two different stages of sorts: so there were three distinct places for the action to occur.

Most of the time there were three different things going on at once, which was nice, because at least I was always occupied. Also, the two walls which did not have the inlet stages had balcony seating, so there were a bunch of different angles to view the action depending on your seat. Apparently the famous director of Slumdog Millionaire (which is a movie that mom and I watched together this summer and it was pretty good) was present at this production of "Earthquakes in London."

It was kind of exciting to be near a 'famous person.' There was also supposedly a famous actress, but you guys know that I can't keep up with that stuff unless it was someone like Julia Roberts. :)

Let's see, onwards with the posting. I went running right after the play because there wasn't really an ending, a nice closing to the upsetting feelings that the play induced in my tummy. SO...I went running round Big Ben and came home. I went about four miles. It felt really nice to get out and just run off my global warming frustrated feelings. :) Whoot. Then I made some dinner - sauteed sausage and vegetables and corn. Then I was supposed to go to a cafe with Kemper to plan our wanderings in Northern Ireland which is coming up pretty quickly (in about two weekends...)

Anywho I sent her a message telling her that I didn't have the energy...but we settled for going on a walk anyways. I was just still unshowered (actually as I am now - stinky) from my run...Haha. We went to Tesco so that she could get some dinner because she hadn't eaten yet. First however she gave me my birthday present.

Haha - no worries my birthday is not for about 22 days (actually Johnny's birthday is tomorrow the 22nd of September!) BUT Kemper is amazing and wanted to be sure that we got to do something neat for my birthday. Originally I wanted to go to a funky rooftop dining restaurant, but all the available ones are too expensive and posh like. SO...Kemper got us tickets to a wine tasting! I'm really excited - it's next Thursday - so we're celebrating early. This is neat and something that I've never done before and it's kind of elegant. I'll dress up. :)

Let's see...I got some really good grapes - they're purple. Let's see what else...I miss you guys so much. I'm learning that one of the basic values that I uphold more than anything is family. You are all so great to have in your own way as part of my family. I realize that more and more each day as I realize that I can be an independent sort of grown up individual. I'm learning a lot about myself...like...maybe I can cook after all. ;)

I ALMOST FORGOT!!! I got a letter today! It contains a lovely brightly colored yellow poem! I love getting mail. :) I will definitely be sending a poem back to none other than Uncle Bubber! Poetry is so fun. :) It made my day. Gramner - I haven't gotten my box yet. :( I'll keep you posted!

Anywho - no pictures this time but I promise that I'll put some more on here soon. Tomorrow I have art and architecture and I'll take my camera to be sure to get some good pictures. :)

Cheers!