Strange days

Nearly a month. The longest I have ever gone without updating.

Today is National Moth Night. Ok so perhaps that should be 'tonight' rather than 'today', but you know what I mean. This isn't quite as random as tomorrow which is World Turtle Day.

Nice to know the more marginalised are finally getting a voice.....

I currently have nothing much to do. My exams are all over, and I am on my fourth day of my summer holiday. Yes, I know it is only May, but nevertheless, I am on summer holiday.

I am not at home though. I have been (several thousand times) but now I am back in the Puddle for about two and a half weeks. When I return to the land of the Manc hopefully I will have a job which will serve two purposes - provide me with some much needed money, and prevent me from being bored out of my mind for the next few months!

As I haven't really updated since Norfolk I have a lot of photos that haven't yet got onto here, even though they are really very pretty. Such as this one. Which is beautiful, but I can't really take the credit for it as it was Dad who took it.

Thats all (for now) folks!

The Bells, The Bells

As I sit in my room in Liverpool I am being serenaded by hundreds of bells being rung across the city. From half one till half two the bells of churches and cathedrals are being rung, along with various percussion groups joining in, culminating in cannons being fired down at the docks. That should happen any time soon, although I doubt whether I will be able to hear it from here. Judging by how many bells I can hear right now, there is a distinct possibility!

I am not entirely sure why this is happening, either it is because it is St Georges day, or because Prince Charles is in the city opening St Georges Hall, or because it is the 800th birthday of Liverpool, or more probably a combination of all of them!

This is one of the things I like about living in the middle of the city. Especially this city. There is so much going on all the time!

But then again, I do miss the peace and quiet of the suburbs.

Anyhow, on with some work!

Sit down you're rocking the boat

Well I have just about got over the motion sickness of being still.

Having been on the boats for a week it sure feels strange to be on solid ground. It actually makes you feel more sick to be still than to be on the boat!

Having said that, the week was absolutely FANTASTIC!! Such an amazing week, as it always is! I expect I shall put some pictures on here in due course, but am slightly pushed for time at the moment.

(Oh it was the Norfolk Broads just in case you were wondering)

Play safe, and wear suncream!

<><

Final Countdown

Ten days to go!

Not that I am wishing my life away or anything....

But it is well exciting, and deserving of record.... hence this post!

Aint it beautiful?? Gonna be there very very soon!!

Less than two weeks to go...

Am trying to feel SOMETHING about the fact that I am going home for Easter in less than two weeks. Excitement? Happiness? Regret? Homesickness? Sadness about leaving Puddle? ANYTHING????

I am excited about going on the Broads, obviously. Can't wait! But the whole 'going home' thing is weird. When it got this close to Christmas holidays I was so excited about going home! But now I don't feel anything about it.....

I expect to enjoy it once I am back among home people. Well, I hope so!

Whats it gonna be like when I have 16 weeks for Summer????

I am wasting time at the moment. I have an essay to write and this is how far I've got:

Turn on computer in order to get to online Library and therefore reserve books to read for my essay.
Now its on I might as well check my emails.
Oh and my uni email as well.
Oh and Facebook of course....
20 minutes later....
Haven't written on my blog in a while...
Oh and now I've remembered those emails I need to write...

So when all that is done I might actually get to the library pages. Then feel good and studious and reward myself with lunch and neighbours and subsequent programmes....

Did you see Comic Relief? Got rather unfunny nearer the end (does anyone actually watch the entire thing until 3am or whenever it was? I was bored by half one...). But had some great sketches earlier on!

Ok, emails calling me now....

Play safe <><

York

This weekend I was in Leeds. Well, sort of. Most of Saturday was spent in York, which was lovely!

I have been to York before, but this was many years ago and all I remember is standing in the rain waiting to go to Jorvik. Which was rather a let down in the end.

But this time it was a glorious day, and we were rather more cultured!

It is really a beautiful city, and incredibly diverse. Where else can you stand on an ancient street corner with a yellow man eating a sandwich?

The culturedness carries on this week with the Russell Watson concert tonight!! I have waited so long for this!

Then tomorrow the UCCF 'Reasonable Faith Tour' comes to Liverpool. Which will be rather exciting!

Then on Friday we are going to see 'Joseph' somewhere in town! Shame we arent allowed to sing along, maybe we will bend the rules slightly.....

Leeds

I'm off on my travels again, this time to Leeds. I have never been to Leeds before so it will be an adventure!

This week has been fantastic! Perhaps it didn't get off to such a good start as I would hope, but it has come to almost the end in such fantastic fashion!

Getting up for early morning prayer every day sure helps get priorities straight, and properly sets you up for the day. Never thought I could manage to get up at 7am this many days on the trot. But I feel more invigorated and motivated than ever before!

<><

Messages

I have been learning a (painful) lesson this week about messages. So I thought I would share it on here.....

Messages can make a mess of things. (see what I did there??)

When two people have an 'issue' or something to talk about it is MUCH better to talk directly, rather than going round the houses about it.

Believe me, I have been on two sides of the mess this week!

Theres the situation of being one of the two people involved who actually thinks theres a bigger problem than there actually is, merely because everyone else keeps telling different stories. And infact if those two people had just spoken to each other originally then it would never have gotten so ridiculously out of hand!

Theres also the situation of being the middle-man. The person (or one of the people) whos going back and forth between the two people with the probably non-existant issue and hence complicating things further, which is probably not their fault, they just happened to get caught up in it all.

Last night we decided to get rid of the middle-men and get one step further to resolving the stupid issues that dont need to exist in the first place. So I addressed my issue directly with the other person involved, and we are further on the way to sorting out the mess than we would have been if we were still using the middle-men. And I spoke to the person I was middle-manning for and got them to directly address their issue.

And what do you know? The stress has all gone! (mostly)

So basically, if you have a problem or a worry or a query or ANYTHING then go talk to that person themselves rather than having other people becoming involved!

I live in a wind tunnel. There is a vent outside my door which is directly opposit my window (well it would be if the door was open). So when it is windy (like today) the wind blows straight through, and it is so strong it opens the door! Which is actually a bit of a pain as it makes it very cold....

I think I am incapable of writing short posts.... for this you must forgive me....

Mission Week this week. Seems to be going well....

<><

This is JACK at the CU ball on Saturday. What a night :-D

Time for an update

but I have nothing worth saying. Nothing that I can say here anyway!

Oh well I could talk about the CU ball. Which was (mostly) FANTASTIC! I had such a good time, and I think most other people did as well! Will need to 'borrow' some photos I reckon....

Have far too much work, and no time in which to do it! Plus it is Mission Week this week, which should take up quite a bit of time!

Was at home yesterday (just for less than a day) which was nice cos I got to see our new patio! Also got to go to Suzannahs goodbye meal, cooked by the one and only Bob the chef!

Luce came and we went to the beach :-D

Also deserving of note is the fact that it is now ten past five (PM) and it is still light outside!

Ear plugs

Finally it is Mission Accomplished.

I have purchased the elusive ear plugs! Along with various other neccessities...... ahem.

Very satisfying shopping trip today... spending birthday money! I got a pair of boots that are AMAZING and I love them :-D Typically they would be in the last shop I go to, but it was worth it (especially as they were in the sale!!)

I didn't manage to get the Sister Act 2 soundtrack. This is due to Virgin Megastores being a total waste of space, and HMV vanishing! Apparantly it has just moved, but moved to where?? Thats a mystery.

Also I discovered that Liverpool is getting its own Primark in the not too distant future.... in time for Capital of Culture maybe?

One wonders what this will mean for the Manchester Primark, being the principle cheap clothes shop in the North-West at the moment...

It was buy two get one free in the Oxfam bookshop as well. So now I have three more books that will distract me from my 'studies'. And I was tempted by the 'buy one get one half price' on all Phillipa Gregory books in WHSmiths. But I felt that was probably slightly excessive.

Got my Red Nose from Sainsburys. Didn't really see why its so cool to have an expanding sponge in a box....

Well, Jenny is coming round in bit, so I must tidy up a little....

Me and Luce are going to see the Feeling on Thursday!! How exciting!

'So exciting the audience falls off their chairs....'

Liverpool

I wonder what you think of when you hear the name of ‘Liverpool’. If you are anything like I was then you probably don’t think much of it. I have only been here for a few months but already I love this city so much!

I live at the top of a hill. Which is sometimes annoying – when I have to carry all my shopping back up for instance – but mainly a good thing. It means that when I walk into Uni everyday I can look down the Hill and see the Liver Buildings. And I can tell you, that view down into town is rather spectacular. Especially in the evening when the sun is starting to set and the sky is all glowing and beautiful!

I also live on Hope Street, well, just off it really. So from wherever I am I always have a view of the Anglican Cathedral. Which is the most incredible building in the whole of Liverpool, if not England! Seriously, if you have never been before you really should visit it, and even if you have been before I don’t think you can go too many times! I have probably been in 6 times since September, and can never get over the incredible awe of the place.

The other cathedral on the other end of Hope Street is also impressive, but it’s nothing compared to the Anglican one!

My department is based in Abercromby Square. Its sure different from a school building! A Georgian terrace, set in a square (duh) around a small park. Ok the ‘park’ is more like a large lawn, but it has trees and flowers and grass and paths and a gazebo type thingy in the middle, so it counts as a park! Honestly, it makes it worth getting up in the morning when you arrive in the square! I cant wait until it is summer and we will be able to sit outside on the grass without getting rather wet….

I couldn’t talk about Liverpool without mentioning the river. I generally end up here at least once a week, I would do it every day if I didn’t have the small problem of attending lectures and doing work…. Which is not too bad this term. Only two long essays rather than the four of last term. There are more smaller assignments, but they don’t take too much worrying about. I digress.

The river. (yes it deserves a whole other paragraph). It takes about twenty minutes to walk down to the riverside walk from Philharmonic Court (I did try to time it once cos I’m kinda weird like that, but forgot what time I had set off by the time I got there, thus rendering the exercise rather pointless). Once there it is just amazing. I sit on a bench down there, sometimes looking out across the river, towards Birkenhead. Sometimes I sit and read a book, just enjoying being outside. Sometimes I sit and people watch. Which is one of my most favourite activities!

Also down here is the Albert Dock. Which is NOT a random modern monstrosity, but rather a beautiful piece of maritime architecture! This is also a good place to people watch! I’m sure that’s why a lot of people go down there, to wander around the dock and watch and be seen.

How can you not love this city?

Liverpuddle

And I am back again. Feel rather like a Yo-Yo at the moment! But I shouldn't be home again until Easter now. Which is probably a good thing!

The weekend was fantastic! Really enjoyed seeing people, especially those I haven't seen for a while.

But it is good to be back.

I took this photo the other week in the fog. It was quite surreal watching the Liver Building appear out of the dense mass of fog. Rather impressive actually. How can you be here and not love this city??

The passing of time

Well, today is my Nineteenth birthday! And, just to make it perfect, it is snowing! It has been for at least the past two hours and, judging by the amount of snow on the ground, it must have been snowing for longer than that.

Its a little bit strange having my birthday here. But its good because it means I have got post for the first time in ages!

Today being today means it must be a year since I turned 18. Wow. That party was a year ago then. How fast a year has gone!

So, today will be a fairly normal Liverpool day. Doing my washing at the moment, lectures in a bit. Maybe Dad will be around for a short while, although that is unlikely considering the snow...

Later on we are going out for a meal to celebrate this auspicious occassion.

But in reality my birthday starts tomorrow night when I get home. Not that it isn't real here, but I think it will feel more real once I am back home and with the people there. Plus, I don't get any presents till I go home!

Not that birthdays are about presents of course!

Brrr its cold in here....

Windswept

I love this picture. It isn't particularly attractive, but it was taken at a very happy time during this week and shows the effect the wind has on me!

I love the wind. I love the feel it has. That is one of my favourite things, to walk down to the docks and stand looking accross the river, being half blown away by the wind. There isn't anything quite like it!

Today had been incredibly foggy. It was glorious this morning, then Hedge and Anne came over and brought the fog with them! Which meant we couldn't see anything, but it sure was atmospheric down at the docks! I love how some of the photos have come out, so keep your eyes peeled for some of them on here in the near future!

Shopping

Apparantly I have already named a post 'Shopping'. Oh well, it is an important aspect of life!

Today being Monday I have the afternoon off. So I decided it was time for some retail therapy. Most of it ended up being neccessities though - food mainly!

I had a really good time though! Before hitting the shops I headed down to the docks for a wander and to look at the archaeological investigation that is going on. They are excavating the Manchester Dock, next to the Albert Dock. Its really interesting!

So I looked at that for a while, then watched the river. No matter how many times I go down it always looks different. Thats one of the things I love about this city.

Then I wandered back into town, and straight into Cafe Nero. Haven't been in there for a long time so it was allowed.... maybe....

Then I decided I had spent enough time in town indulging myself and I should get on with my shopping.

Boots still have me confused about ear plugs. Every time I go in there and ask, they always tell me the same place to look. And every time I look there are none there. Infact, it would suprise me if they were supposed to be there as it is the mens deodorant aisle. But never mind. Once I found them in Superdrug, but now I can't find Superdrug.... well, not the one I found them in before anyway!

I thought I was getting along well with the Scouse accent. Ha. I was in the 99p shop buying my item for our Mystery Box (I can't tell you what it was as it is a mystery....) and the guy on the checkout said something to me. I said 'Pardon' and he repeated it. Which didn't help. We kept this up for about four times, then he gave up and I handed him the money. I had no idea what he was trying to say to me. It was only later that I realised he was probably saying '99p please'.

Then I went to HMV. I hate that shop. Hate it with a passion. It's only the Liverpool one though, I don't have a problem with any others! They didn't have the DVD I was looking for (which is hardly suprising as it came out in 1937. But thats no excuse!) and I had to look all over the shop to find the other things I was looking for.

Sainsburys was OK. Got a lot of food stuff that I needed. And I discovered that they sell Carrs biscuits! So I am safe, I can finish this packet now! Finally got some air freshener as well - I decided it was worth it now it has got a lot colder and I can't keep my window open all day!

Finally I went to the Bold Street Produce Market. Which is one of my most favourite shops in Liverpool! Very good quality fruit and veg for very cheap prices. By this point I had several heavy and overflowing shopping bags which were a bit of a hinderance in the shop. The guy on the checkouts advice was 'you need to find yourself a strong boyfriend to carry your shopping for you!' Which I thought was actually rather good advice.

So I had a very fruitful shopping expedition. Apart from the earplugs. And I'm off to see another house in a bit. Should be interesting!

Play safe

<><

The perfect house

At the moment we are house-hunting. On Friday we went to view a house which is, in my opinion, the perfect house.

However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to make a decision on this house until at least the middle of next week, by which time the house is likely to have been taken by someone else.

Whilst this is mildly annoying, it is also rather comforting. You see, I believe that my idea of 'Perfect' and God's idea of 'Perfect' is HUGELY different.

So, although I see this particular house as perfect for us, God might have other plans.

And I believe that waiting a while will help make this clear. Maybe thats why we have to wait!

If this is indeed the perfect house, and the house that God wants us to get, then I know He can keep it for us. Despite it being highly unlikely that it will still be available by next week, if that is where He wants us, then He can put us there!

And if it isn't the right place then I fully believe that He will point us in the right direction of the real 'perfect' house.

This of course doesn't just apply to houses.

Our plans may not match what God wants for us, and we may dislike very much what He wants us to do. But ultimately God knows best. He knows all of time, so He can see round the bends and knows what is coming up!

Take Liverpool. If you had told me just over a year ago that I would go to Uni in Liverpool I would probably have laughed in your face. That was definately NOT on my plan. In fact, it was so much not on my plan that it was almost on the plan of what not to do.

And now look at me. God sure has a way of getting us to the right place! I don't really know why it happens to be Liverpool, but I trust Him that He knows what He is doing!

So maybe we will end up with this house. Or maybe we won't. Whatever happens I believe God is in charge, so why worry about it?

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Matthew 6v25

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29v11

Killing Time

No, this is not going to be a philosophical discussion on the nature of time and whether or not it can be removed....

Perhaps it should be renamed 'Filling Time', as that is what I am really doing! I have a few minutes to waste until I go and move my washing, so instead of doing something useful I shall update this.

Today I got my SACE hoody!! This is very very exciting as it has been a long time in coming! A SACE hoody is much better than a Liverpool Uni hoody, as it says SACE on the back :-D

(SACE stands for School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology)

But it still has the Liverpool Uni crest on the front, which is what I really wanted since I arrived here!

Househunting has started. Going to see our second house this evening, which hopefully will be slightly better than the one on Wednesday!

Right, time up

<><

Snow unfair

What a weekend.

I didn't make it as far as Durham for a few reasons, not least because the weather was rather terrible (as anyone travelling anywhere on Thursday will testify to) and hence the trains weren't running for a time.

I did make it as far as Manchester, so I spent the weekend there.

Which wasn't exactly what I was planning, but never mind.

Then it tipped it down for the entire journey back to Liverpool yesterday. Not too much of a problem when I was actually on the train, but during the walk up the hill back to Halls I got rather soaked.

And then I find out it had been snowing at home. In fact, from the sounds of it, it has been snowing just about everywhere apart from Liverpool.

Typical really.

Lectures started today. Not that today really counts as all I have is one Latin lesson. Which was alright, considering I haven't even looked at my Latin for about 5 weeks.

Just in case you were wondering, I don't have a plum tree growing in my stomach. Or at least, I am not aware of it if it is there.

TTFN

<><

Tree

I swallowed a plum stone.

I'm going to grow a plum tree in my tummy.

For some reason everyone finds this hilarious.

*goes and cries in the corner*

Vocabulary

It is ever increasing. I learnt a new word yesterday:

pulchritudinous

which means:

physically beautiful; comely.

So there you go. Dont say I dont provide useful information from time to time!