Jelly Beans, Jesus, and Just Getting Through Those Essays!

My deepest apologies for having faltered on the blog front. The past couple of weeks have been very crazy. All of last week was devoted to writing my history paper, which had me nearly pulling my hair out, but has as of last Thursday been completed and turned in. I'm sure I am going to be blind by the end of term from looking at all of those manuscripts. I spent an entire weekend squinting at my computer, trying to make out a word in Scots, or attempting to make out a name written in flowing English script. While the work was difficult, it was so enlightening to look at primary documents, instead of reading about events out of a history book. A letter to Charles XI of Sweden from the Privy Council with statements like "We no more value a seapasse of Sweden than the barking of a dog." Classic lines that had me doing a double-take and thinking, 'They actually said things like that in the 1600s...to a king?' So overall, it was a very rewarding experience, and I believe that the paper turned out well.
The following day I had my first creative writing essay due, which was another adventure in and of itself. It had to be a work of nonfiction, a literary essay, and we were given prompts. I chose to write about a travel experience. But they also told us we needed to have sources. Sources? Like what? Bibliography: my brain. There, that was my source. No, I'm kidding. But still, it was strange writing a literary essay and citing books on Notre Dame and Versailles. While I didn't put nearly as much effort into that one as my pirates essay, I still think it turned out the way they wanted. Now I just have to wait and see.

Somewhere during this week of endless work and rubbing my eyes from weariness, I found time to go to the Ladies Golf Society cocktail party at Ma Bell's pub on the Scores, which was a nice break. A daiquiri cocktail (rum and pure lemon juice along with something else I can't remember) and some excellent small bites were enough to give me a second wind. And after all the papers had been submitted by Friday, it was time to celebrate the end of a long week with a drink and some catching up with friends. We headed to the Rule that night and enjoyed St Andrews Ale, Tennants, and Bulmers Cider with Natalie, Dan, and Kim.
Also during this long week, I received a much needed pick-me-up from home: a care package stuffed to the brim with dark chocolate, jelly bellies, and my old camera (since my new one is being weird and won't turn on). This, along with drinks on Friday, and Saturday to amble around town, take fun pictures basking in the sun, and watching Aladdin, were quite a huge help in recuperating from the long time with my nose in the books or staring at my laptop.


Saturday night, Kate and I headed over to the Fairmont Hotel, quite a ways past East Sands, for her New Hall Ball. The Venue was very impressive, complete with Chocolate Fountain, Vodka ice sculpture, casino, and ceilidh, it was a fun few hours for us. The only problem was that no one told our transportation where we were going. Our bus driver stopped at least twice and said, 'This is where we're doing, right?' Uh...no, sorry. And then at about midnight, when we were ready to leave, the security guards were telling us that the buses weren't leaving until 3 am. We were not about to stick around for that long, since we could hardly keep our eyes open, so we asked for the number of a cab company. No number. Excellent, so we moved on to text friends and see if they could look up the number of a cap company. No service. Great, now we were stuck. We were at the point of wishing we'd brought coats so we could just walk back (no matter how far it was, since it was way out of town) when we followed a group of students heading for the buses, and we sat there for about fifteen minutes. God bless that wonderful bus driver when he finally came and drove the group of us back to hall. Getting ready for bed that night, I got yet another bloody nose, a small one, so not that long, and forgot to take off my jewelry, so needless to say, I was a mess waking up for church in the morning.

We showed up in comfy clothes, ready for some Jesus after our long week and transportation nightmare. It was a lovely service, about God being for you, and the worship was wonderful. After, Kate and I stuck around for the lunch they were holding. We met some nice girls from Albany Hall, and had warm baked potatoes with chili, and best of all...FRESH FRUIT! Everything from blueberries to the sweetest pineapple I've ever tasted, and melons, kiwis and strawberries. It was heaven. I think I got three bowls full of fruit.
Sunday afternoon found me back to the books for a presentation the following day (which ended up being more of a discussion) and living off of a banana and peanut butter for dinner. We were fasting economically.

Our travel plans for spring break seem to be coming together nicely. We will be going to the Burn House (which will be like walking into Pride and Prejudice; yay!), have a few days around town to probably do some hiking and a day or two in Edinburgh, and then spend Easter weekend with JJ in Glasgow. Following that, we will go to Doolin, Ireland (on the west coast) and relax, see the Cliffs of Moher, and enjoy break in a small village on the coast. I can't wait, less than two weeks away!

The rest of this week will see me in bed vegging, since it's low key (finally!). The weather continues to get warmer, and the sun is out more. It is just lovely. Kate and I have been doing a different run this week, Hepburn Gardens, a small park with beautiful huge trees and a path that runs right along the creek. Shorter than running the beach, but lots of hills, so definitely more intense, which is good for both of us!