windsor and other outings.

According to my “blog” aka my mother I am in need to updating, but I already was planning on doing that because I have a ridiculous amount to catch up on.
Monday, a week ago, was a normal class day. I had Classic Civilization and British Literature. I then took a walk around where I live and got a few things to send to the states for Valentine’s Day. I then walked to the post. Now a note…

Dearest Father,

In my great intentions to send a package home and to Kylie the credit card was used. Needless to say postage here is a little more expensive than in the states and your package to send was more than it was worth. But the point of this was to show my love so hopefully you will be okay with it. I sure love you and hope you thoroughly enjoy those treats!

-Love your Londoner

The next series of adventures were by far my favorite. Emma, Audrey, Laura, Christina, Jenny, Jenny’s dad who was visiting because of business, and I went to Ben’s cookies! (Mom, cookie fanatic, you would love these) I got a milk chocolate chunk which was gooey, warm and delicious. We then got on the tube and went to the best production I have been to, Phantom of the Opera. I was completely overwhelmed the whole two hours of watching it, I am sure my jaw dropped at a few of the really high notes. After we went with Jenny’s dad + Jake and Caitlin to try to go to Rules, the first pub in London that is really expensive and has amazing desserts, but they didn’t have enough room to fit all nine of us. So we went to a random little Italian restaurant and had a late night snack. It was so fun having a parent around, it made me really miss my parents. I love them so much!

Audrey and I before Phantom. Me and Jake.Tuesday was a group travel day before our weekend out of the center. I went to one of my favorite places so far, Windsor Castle, where the Queen lives on the weekends. I started off the day by getting up around six thirty to go do kitchen crew, which I have been doing all week. We have to put out and help with breakfast and dinner and clean everything up. So once I was done cleaning I rushed to get ready and got on the coach. Audrey has been my sitting partner and we both fell asleep really quickly for a short hour and then were woken up by professor MacFarlane telling us that we were at Running Meade, the place where the Magna Carta was thought up. We got out of the cozy warm coach reluctantly and walked thought a muddy field to a memorial for it. The whole forty five minutes we were there was basically a photo shoot so we got back on the coach and headed for Windsor. In Windsor we walked to the castle and went on a self guided tour of the state apartments, the semi-state apartments that were open, St. George’s chapel and the grounds. It is a beautiful castle, although from the outside it may not appear to be. We then took a short walk to a little café and Emma and I got these tasty sandwiches and chips(french fries, I have concluded that the Brits call fries chips because they don't like the French). It was a little pricey for the quality but none the less it was good. Then as we always do on our day trips we stopped in at Starbucks for a hazelnut hot chocolate. Yummmmmy! After another short bus ride we were at a small church yard called Stoke Poges. We walked through the graveyard, the church and the most beautiful gardens. Across a little river in the gardens was a gorgeous golf course and club house that I know my dad would have loved! We took tons of pictures and the made the short journey home. I fell asleep that night around seven and didn’t wake up until eight in the morning for kitchen duty again. I needed that sleep because we were leaving for Rome the next day!

Our happy little family.

Jenny and I in Stoke Poges

I love Calvin. He is very strong and makes me smile.

Beautiful golf course in Stoke Poges.

london is my [second] home. and i love it here.