Happiness and Peace Every Saturday Morning

Exactly 5 weeks ago, I started volunteering at Sardis Raptor Center. It's a little piece of heaven to me. Sardis is a bird of prey rescue and rehabilitation center here in Whatcom County. The people of Sardis rescue wounded birds of prey and give them the medical assistance that they need. Birds that can be, are released back out into their natural environment. Birds that are unable to care for themselves in the wild are kept at the center and used to educate the community about animal conservation. For more information go here. I have always wanted to do this, but felt that I never had the time. I have the same amount of time now as I always have, but I finally decided to go for it. And I am SO glad that I did.

I spend every Saturday morning up to my elbows in chicken guts and blood, raw cow livers, and occasionally even some things that used to be fish. The smells are... Beyond description. I scrub poop out of cages and wash bloody dishes. And I am SO happy. :D

The very first day, I got to walk into an enclosure housing 8 Bald Eagles and 1 Turkey Vulture. An enclosure housing a Barred Owl. An enclosure housing a Great Horned Owl... I put out food for them, cleaned out and filled their water dishes, and gathered the left-overs. It is truly breathtaking. I get to spend time with and care for some of God's most amazing creatures.

Since the first day, I have fed pretty much every bird in the center... Golden Eagles, Red Tail Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Barn Owls, and even a Sea Gull! In a couple of months I will get trained on how to handle the birds on gloves! So exciting!!! Last week was huge... We were very low staffed as most of the volunteers were away on a show. There was only one volunteer there who was trained to handle the birds... We have an Osprey in the clinic who has to be hand fed. This other volunteer needed help, and I wasted NO time in offering! He caught her in a sheet and handed her to me! I got to hold her for about 20 minutes while he fed her then cleaned out her cage. I was ridiculously happy! Today, as he and I were the only volunteers in, I got to hold her again! I also got to hold an immature Red Tail Hawk while he gave it an injection. :D I was also graduated to feeding the birds in the enclosures on my own.

I can't really explain how happy I am every Saturday. Words are not enough. I spend each day anxiously awaiting the return of Saturday. I am brought nearly to tears by the wonder and beauty of these animals. I can't see me ever getting used to the feeling of privilege I experience in the presence of these phenomenal birds. If you get the chance, come out and see them. I would love to take you on a tour, and share my love of these birds with you. (We are open to the public on Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm.)

Have a blessed day. :)

God's Funny

As I stated in my last post, this has been a day of sadness... But good things are happening too!

For MONTHS I have been looking for ways to supplement my income. I have debts to pay, and I need to save for school. I have spent hours every day, looking for part time jobs and filling out applications. I don't relish the idea of holding down two jobs, but... You gotta do what you gotta do. But it was all to no avail. NOBODY wanted to hire me. But I keep trying... I sold an old keyboard, which was a HUGE breakthrough. I had been trying to sell it for months, and found that one of my coworkers needed it. Yay!

If you have ever read any of my previous posts, you know how much I love animals. Well, God's funny. He gave me a kind of head-smack a couple of weeks ago. I was sort of complaining, telling him how hard it all is, how I can't find work. That's when I got the "wake up" head-smack. It went something like this... "You love animals, right? And you have cared for ALL sorts of them for friends and family, right? You have experience with dogs, cats, horses, birds, and even piranhas, right?... Advertise as a pet sitter already!! God's pretty smart, in addition to being funny. I mean, what a great idea! Do something I LOVE to do, and get paid for it? Brilliant!

I started composing some ads... I posted on craigslist and facebook marketplace. As of this very moment, I have two paying jobs booked! One for a lady who saw my ad on craigslist. She has a whole variety of animals and wants ME to take care of them. Another for an acquaintance/friend of mine... She heard from our mutual friend that I was going into the pet sitting business and gave me a call! Not a bad start, eh? I am super excited! I get to help people and animals! I get to have fun! I get to make money doing it! Hooray!

God, thanks for the head-smack! You rock!

A Large Dose of Reality

Today was a sad day. Do you ever have those? Days when the darker side of reality presents itself to you in a new way. A day when you thank your lucky stars that you have the blessings that you usually take for granted... Today was that day for me.

I came face to face with some ugly reality today. Reality in the life of a person I met for the first time this morning. Reality that cuts your heart up into little pain filled pieces, and sparks anger deep inside. Sadness and anger. Anger at the injustice and at my inability to go back in time and prevent the pain this person is going through. Sadness that I can't. Sadness that there is nothing tangible I can do to help, so I offer comfort and love and pray hard (which, I guess IS a lot of help, now that I think about it). Sadness that this kind of reality exists so often in our world and that it often gets overlooked.

So I ask this of you, my readers: Take some time today, and actively seek out things to be thankful for in your life. And look for a way that you can help change one person's dark reality. Even a genuine smile can change a person's day, change their life. Here are some ideas I had, to get you started...

Thankful For:

1. A loving God
2. A family who loves me and wants the best for me
3. Food to eat and a bed to rest in
4. Friends to share my life with
5. A job to help provide for my needs and wants
6. The ability to articulate my feelings (So many people can't)

Change a Dark Reality:

1. Offer a smile
2. Hug the children in my life more often
3. Find ways to be helpful to people I take for granted
4. Listen to a person's story and let them know I genuinely care
5. Pray earnestly for those I know are struggling
6. Befriend the friendless

It seems like a lot when I list it out. A lot to be thankful for, and a lot of things to do to help. I do have a lot to be thankful for, when I actually take the time to think about it, and this list just scratched the surface... And as for the things I can do to brighten someone's reality, well, it seems like a lot, but can be done easily throughout the day if I look for opportunities, and it WILL mean a lot to those you touch...

God, sad as this day was, thank you for reminding me how many things I have to be thankful for. And thank you that you know the best way to help the person I met today and that you are faithful to do so.

Poetry Corner

Misdirected Flight

Drifting
Looking for the path
Wondering
Searching for direction

I lift my eyes
Your face is all I see
My direction is set
The path leads to you

Do I follow?
Is this right?
Will my heart be broken?
But how to discover...

I take a breath
I lift my foot
The step is taken
I am falling

Lost in your eyes
Thanking God I found you
I am blind to all else
I fail to see

I am undone in love with you
My heart flies, soaring
But your eyes have changed
My heart loses altitude

I lay, broken
My flight ended
The crash unexpected
I am left here

I pull the pieces of me close
Try to put them together
Attempting to forget the pain
I find myself, once again...

Drifting
Looking for the path
Wondering
Searching for direction
_____________________________________

Trying

Working so hard
Longing for a reprieve
Wanting so badly
To start the next chapter

But imagination has run dry
Ideas stretch thin
No wise words offered
No light bulb flashes

Dreams long forgotten
Started stirring a while past
The next chapter beckons
But where to begin?

I need inspiration
A thought
A sound
A word

But I hear only silence and
My own heart beating
My own breath catching
As I try one more time
To step out into my life

Sigh of Relief

I know, I know! It has been ages. What can I say? I was overwhelmed by the tasks facing me. The stress of figuring out how to get my visa, how to get the financial side of things figured out... How to get it done in time... Well, it nearly broke me. The stress had been affecting my physical health as well as my emotional health. I was a wreck. I felt absolutely convinced that all my dreams were going to grind to halt, never to get going again... Eventually though, I snapped out of it.

It occurred to me a couple of weeks ago, that I could request a deferment, that is, see if I could keep my offer from the school, but start a year later in September of 2011. I also realized, that if they didn't grant the deferment, and I lost my offer, there was nothing stopping me reapplying next year, well nothing but myself... It all seems like such an obvious solution to all the stuff I have been stressing out about lately. The only defense I can offer for not seeing it sooner, is that it is never easy to look at a situation objectively, when you're right in the middle of it...

So, after much back and forth, I wrote to the Science Department admissions office at MMU. I explained that struggles I was having getting everything together in time and asked if I could defer my spot until next year. This morning I received this email:

"Dear Kelina

Thank you for your email. I have amended our and UCAS records to show you have deferred your application to September 2011. We will contact you during the Spring of 2011 to ask if you still intend to take up the place. In the meantime, please inform us if your contact details change.

Many thanks
Pat

It was as easy as sending an email... I could have skipped all the agonizing stress of the last couple of months by writing this email sooner. Clearly I am as blind as a bat was under too much pressure to realize it before. Anyway, upon reading that email, I heaved an enormous sigh of relief.

So that is my plan at the moment. I am now thinking and planning with the idea of going to school next year, instead of in a month and a half.

________________________________________________

And now, on to a completely unrelated topic.

I love acting. I REALLY love acting. I have been told I have a talent for it too. Not just by friends and family, but by professional talent scouts. But when I was about 14 or 15, I started having very severe audition anxiety. Even when I auditioned for friends in a church play or something. It increased every year. The anxiety is crippling. My heart races, I sweat profusely, words get stuck in my throat OR rush out in an incomprehensible rush... I freeze.... Once I had a part, the anxiety vanished as if it never existed. I could go to each rehearsal and act my heart out, loving every minute of it. But the audition anxiety got so bad, that a couple of years ago, I gave up. It broke my heart to stop acting. I felt like a huge piece of me died.

Last week, while going through job postings on craigslist (I am looking for a second job to help raise money for school) I saw a posting for an audition. It was for a feature length independent film that is scheduled to start shooting in Washington this Friday. They were having open auditions in a town about 30 minute South of me... I decided to go.

Sunday, I asked all my friends on facebook to pray for me. All Sunday evening and Monday morning, I got drenched in support and prayer. When I arrived at the audition venue Monday (yesterday) morning, I felt nervous, but only in an excited way. I was amazed, as I stepped onto the stage, to feel calm and confident. I got all the way through the audition without even a hint of the crippling anxiety I had become accustomed to feel. I had a blast. Even though I was just reading one scene over a couple of times, I found my joy in acting again. I don't even care if I get a part. Making it through the audition AND enjoying it, was a GREAT result. I am so thankful for all the love, support, and prayers of my friends. I felt them all. Thank you.

Just Writing

There has been a lot of craziness. Mostly because my nephew got quite ill and had to go down to the Seattle Children's Hospital. Poor baby! I love him so much! The good news is, he seems to be responding well to treatment and is on the mend. Thank you Jesus! Our prayers have been answered. :)

Yesterday I met with my friend Julie. She is a genius. She also knows a lot about student financial aid... We sat down at her kitchen table and opened up my laptop. She was a star! She helped me get started on applying. She directed me very well and saved me hours of reading through instructions and watching tutorials. When I got home I entered some more information into my application, then I got stuck. :( Sigh. So at work this morning, just as Julie was coming in, I pounced on her. She gave me a two word explanation that cleared everything up! Julie is my FAFSA hero! So after a bit more work, I finished my application! Yay! It is all sent in and now I am praying hard that God will provide the funds that I need.

My next HUGE project is to apply for my visa... I have spent several hours trying to figure it out... I still have no clue! If anyone has any experience that might help, please contact me!! And please join me in praying for the visa application process to become clear and go smoothly, and that FAFSA will work out.

And finally, love and prayers for my beautiful nephew and all of his family. I love you babe! Kisses from Auntie Kelina.

Overwhelming

I still can't believe it. It hasn't really sunk in. In a few short months, I'll be a student living in the UK. I'll FINALLY be "A Bellingham Yank in the UK." It seems unreal. I mean, as much faith as I have in God's love, goodness, and care for me, I'm not sure I really believed this was possible. I had gotten used to seeing other people's dreams come true, but me? I have had a few. I have stood amongst Roman ruins, taken a couple trips to amazing places, found friends that I know will be a part of my life forever, but as hugely important and life-changing as those things are/have been for me... I still didn't believe I was allowed to have more. This has caused a major shift in my thinking, in my faith. EVERYTHING looks a bit different now. A bit brighter. A bit more in focus.

On the heels of these overwhelming thoughts, come other overwhelming thoughts... I spent some time today, trying to figure out how to apply for my visa... It about did me in... Holy cow! I got dizzy, lost, clicking through page after page of confusing information... I'm really wishing I knew someone who had moved from the US to the UK for school and could walk me through the process. On top of that I have to start applying for financial aid. *Shudder!* VERY overwhelming stuff. And then there are the thoughts of everything that I'll miss here, while I'm there... That's nearly enough to stop me going. Nearly. I would be a level of stupid all my own to give up this opportunity. I don't want to be stupid. I also don't want to stay the way I am. I want to grow, learn, become more who God meant when He meant me...

So I ask this from those I love, who love me, pray please. Pray that visas and finances work out easily and swiftly. Pray that I don't crack up! Pray for peace.

Thank you.

School Stuffs Update

I have sorely neglected the original topic of this blog lately. What? Oh. You don't know the original topic? Well that makes sense, as I haven't mentioned it in ages... When I first started it, it was to document my adventure into applying to and (hopefully) attending school in the UK. (Check archives for earlier posts.) I figure I'm due for a school update about now...

So, while I was in the UK a few weeks back, i heard from the school I had applied to. I didn't get in. I was lacking certain qualifications for the program. It's not bad news though. After about 4 minutes of sadness, I got fired up again. When I returned home, I started researching other schools and programs in the UK. Here's the good news. I found 2 schools that have programs that are even more suited to my needs and wants! Yay! One school in Hull, has a Zoology program that includes a foundation year. The foundation year is for getting the qualifications you need to begin the actual degree. Fabulous! I added Hull to my application... Then I found something even BETTER!! It is a degree program called "Wildlife Biology." Perfect? I think so! The wildlife side of Zoology is what i wanted to focus on anyway. AND it includes a foundation year! It seemed a bit too good to be true, but I added it to my application too.

Two days after they both had received my application, last Monday, I got emails from both schools. Both said they were pleased to receive my application and looked forward to reviewing it and getting to know me during this process. One school, MMU in Manchester, the one with the Wildlife Biology course requested that I send them my transcripts by May 6. I emailed them back, explaining that it takes a few days to request and receive transcripts from school, so I was afraid they might not get there in time, and could I send them electronically? They replied right away that scanning and emailing them was fine.

Yesterday I picked up my transcripts from Squalicum High School and Whatcom Community College. I emailed them right out at what would have been 11 PM UK time... This morning I had a form letter thanking me for sending the documents and assuring me that they would be submitted to the admissions office.

So, at 11:45 this morning, I put my kids down to sleep and got out my laptop... After only a couple hours of consideration, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN UNCONDITIONAL OFFER TO ATTEND MMU!!!!! I can hardly sit still! I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off! I can't believe it, I really can't!!!!

Tedium

It is really hard, after going on an adventure, to go back to your ordinary life. It's just so... Ordinary. I had gotten into the habit of blogging several times a week, so the last couple of weeks, I keep opening up blogger, only to stare blankly at the screen, trying to figure out what to write. The truth is, I don't really have anything to say. I mean, who wants to hear about my day? After about the third post that says exactly the same thing, people would be over it. I know I would, if I was reading it! :)

The day after I got home, I had this momentary panic attack. I was convinced for a short while, that I had dreamed the whole thing up. That made me sad, and worried that I was losing my mind if my delusions had become that realistic. That was when I tripped over my suitcase while getting out of bed... So I knew it had either really happened, or my delusions were far more advanced than I first thought...

So here I am, being my same old boring self, blogging about, well, nothing... Sorry!

Final Days

Monday was an adventuring day. We set out in the morning to visit the legendary Sherwood Forest! Yes, we went to Robin Hood country. We stopped in a town on the way and saw an ancient church. Then made our way to the forest... Of course, it is a lot smaller now, much of it having been cut down for building before it was made a National Nature Reserve... It was a beautiful place, even in its end of winter bareness. There were birds singing everywhere, an laughing voices as people wandered the paths... The main attraction being Major Oak. Major Oak is an extremely old oak tree, that is the rumored location of Robin Hood's hide out. Granted, it's not QUITE old enough fro that, but it's a fun thought! Around the oak, there were booths set up, archery and catapult games, and people in costume. It was a fun festive atmosphere.

Tuesday we took the morning off. We spent time watching T.V. Nice and quiet... In the afternoon, we went to Matlock. It is a sweet town. We walked through the park and around some of the streets, taking it all in. After a bit, we loaded back into the car, and headed to Mairi's parents' house... They live in Matlock. The Montgomerys are WONDERFUL! I loved them to pieces in no time. I was treated to tea from china cups. Offered three different types of cake, and ate the one I chose with the cutest silver cake forks. I got to hear some great stories, family history and such... It was a lovely afternoon. A nice way to spend my final day, surrounded by that family feeling, hearing stories and having great conversation.

That night was hard for me. I love England, and it feels so much like home. I didn't want to leave. Much as I DID want to leave, be home, see my family and friends, I DIDN'T want to leave, you know?... I went to bed that night, with tears...

We got up Wednesday morning at 2:30... Ugh. We had to leave just after 3 am to get to the airport... The good byes were hard. Mairi and Ben had brought me and I cried as I hugged them and turned away... They watched me up the escalator, I turned a corner, and that was the end.

Security wasn't bad at Manchester Airport... The last time I flew out of there, I was surrounded by policemen with machine guns, and had to go through 4 different security checkpoints. This time was much easier... The flight to Paris was short and pleasant, but arrived in Paris late. Now, I had been warned in advance about Charles De Gaulle Airport... I was informed that 3 out of 4 times through, your luggage will get lost, and if you have less than an hour and a half, you probably won't make your flight... IF my plane from Manchester had arrived on time, I would have had an hour and twenty minutes to get the next one... And the plane was twenty minutes late... Great...

I ran... I ran very fast through the airport, knocking people out of the way, shouting "Excuse me!" behind me... About a hundred yards from my gate, I had to stop. There was an enormous line, and they were not letting ANYONE skip through it. Great... I was beginning to panic a bit. Thankfully, I was standing next to two guys from Seattle, who were waiting for the same flight as me. We talked and kept each other calm, agreeing that as so many of us seemed to be in the line, they would hold the plane, right?

It took forever. When we got through that line, we were sent to another line. This line? Another security check. Yep. I got frisked, for the first time in my life, by a large, rather frightening French woman. Then I ran again... I was the second to last person to get on my plane, and had no assurance that my luggage had made it on.

The plane was really nice. The most comfortable one I have ever flown on. The seats had more room, and I could even move my feet. The seat next to me was empty, something I had been praying for hard. I was nice and cozy for the over 10 hours I was on the plane. Every seat had its own screen and had tins of movies and T.V. shows to choose from... It was a great flight, despite its length, except for one thing... The flight attendants didn't feel the need to pay attention to the coach passengers. Half an hour after we took off, we got a snack and drink. Five minutes after that, we got lunch and a drink... That was it for a VERY long time. They kept taking food and drinks up to first and business class, but we were utterly ignored...After SEVEN hours, I was very thirsty. I was tired of waiting, so I rang the call bell... I waited five minutes, then rang it AGAIN... Someone finally came. For crying out loud! SEVEN hours and I had to ASK... An hour after that, the decided to feed us again. A tiny muffin and a drink... I guess it was too much to ask to have a nice comfortable, smooth flight AND good service. It was silly of me to expect it...

Upon reaching Seattle, I made my way to customs. That customs check was surprisingly easy... Of course, then we had another one. At the second, I was lucky enough to be chosen to have my bags all searched. Yay... When I finally made it to where I was supposed to meet my mom and Tab, I was a wreck. Exhausted, sad, and ready to go home... But they weren't there. It took me 45 minutes to find them. They had been told repeatedly by airport officials, that people from my flight would be coming to this other place... So imagine my distress, when after all those hours of travel and multiple searches, to not find them anywhere... It wasn't pretty. I fell apart a little once I finally got to them... After the two hour drive home, I spent my first afternoon and evening alternately watching movies and having long chats with mom and Tab. That, and trying to stay awake...

I am very glad to be home, but miss all my people over the ocean SO much. I hope they all know how much I love them and how grateful I am to them for all they have done for me...

And now I am trying to adjust back to life in the US. My first challenge was approaching the correct side of the car when a passenger... I almost got in the driver's side...

Giants and Pirates

Saturday dawned clear and bright. It seemed the perfect opportunity to go adventuring. My fabulous friends decided to take me to see some of the hills and countryside where that amazingly wonderful film, The Princess Bride was filmed. Yay!

The hike was beautiful. Derbyshire has some truly breathtaking landscapes. We were up in the hills, so we stopped now and then to take in the view. It was astounding... Then, suddenly, we saw it... The big rock where the Dread Pirate Roberts (aka Wesley) defeated the giant... I must admit that I squealed... It was a lovely morning. Truly lovely. Fresh air, gorgeous views, scenes and quotes from favorite movies, and delightful people. A fantastic day...

The afternoon and evening were spent around home. Mairi was baking, so my stomach was constantly growling from the delicious aromas drifting out of the kitchen... At 6:20 exactly, I saw my first episode of Dr. Who... Now I know what all the fuss is about. I really enjoyed it!

Easter Sunday was sunny too. I rode with Mairi to church at North East Derbyshire Christian Fellowship, or NEDCF. A wonderful and welcoming place. I got a lot of, "Kelina? From America? Oh! THAT Kelina!" :) It made me smile. I was VERY excited to meet Kara. She is a very good friend of my friend Ben. She and I had connected on facebook ages ago, and were rather anxious to meet for real. She is lovely! We were talking like old friends in no time. :)

After church we had a delicious chicken dinner and lazed around on couches for a few hours. The evening was to be spent first at this church called Sanctum, then out at a pub called The Poets. Sanctum was where I would be meeting James, anther of Ben's friends who had become a friend of mine via facebook and twitter. Then all four of us were going to the pub.

Sanctum was my first experience with a C of E church... It's nothing like the stereotype. For one thing, the vicar, Mark, has a nose ring and a mohawk. For another, the worship service was more like a hard rock concert. I loved it.

At The Poets after, James and I also agreed that we both thought the other looked very like their picture, but less flat. We had a blast last night... Well, I guess I can only speak for myself, and I did have a blast. :)

Until James broke my heart... :) haha

English Sunshine

A lovely day in the English sunshine... Also known as rain. :) As a native Bellinghamster, a little rain never scared me... The plan for today? Chatsworth...

Chatsworth is an amazing, enormous old stately home. It is one of the biggest in Britain I believe. It has been the setting of many novels and movies, as well as some real life adventures...

So this morning we all had a nice slow start. Once we were up we had a traditional full English breakfast... SO tasty!!!!! We, Ben, Steve, Mairi and I, set off through the rain... The drive to Chatsworth was beautiful. When we got onto the estate, there were sheep grazing inches from the road and wandering all about. There was a huge herd of deer as well. The grounds around the house are worth the trip, not even factoring in the house. There are rolling hills dotted with sheep. A gently meandering river. Stands of trees stretching their arms to the sky. Breathtaking. But the house itself... Beyond description...

Never have I seen such grandeur. The opulence. And most of it quite tasteful. The outstanding opulence is not over done... That may seem contradictory, but it's true! The pictures I took, don't do it justice... When once we had finished touring the house, we exited out onto the back lawn. We strolled up to the magnificent fountain on the hill, then made our way through to the car, past the place where Mary Queen of Scots used to go for her exercise when she was being held prisoner at the house...

Next we headed to Bakewell. It's a town connected to the estate. What I could see of it from under my hood was lovely. We went to a tea shop. The afternoon tea was amazing! So good and so filling. We finished with Bakewell Pudding. Absolutely delicious! We went to the farm shop next, the headed home... It was a tiring, but fantastic day...

Looking back over this post, I see it is rather short, but the day was so full... But Chatsworth isn't something that can be understood by reading it in type... You have to see it to understand. So be sure to travel to Derbyshire and visit Chatsworth and Bakewell!

Coffee In England (And Other Matters)

Well, yesterday was my first full day in Tupton. Tupton is the town in Derbyshire where my friends live. It is quite close to Chesterfield. I had a nice quiet morning drinking tea and catching up on some emails and such. Around 10 am Ben, Steve and I walked to this cute little coffee shop. It was called The Cornerstone I believe. It was odd. I asked for a caramel latte, and the barrista looked at me like I'd grown horns. hahaha. Steve remarked, "You're not in Kansas anymore." My response, "Apparently." :) The regular latte I had was pretty good, but not like home. And that's fine, because they have the BEST tea in this country, and that's all that really matters.

After coffee, we strolled back towards home, but stopped in the butcher shop on the way! Steve bought bacon. It was my first British Butchers experience. When we arrived back home, we had bacon sandwiches, or bacon butties. So yummy! We spent the rest f the day watching TV and movies. When Mairi got home we watched Sister Act 2 during dinner. Love that movie! We all sang really loud along with the movie. Fun times!... The day was nice and relaxed. Good food, good friends, and good conversations. And of course, sort of good coffee. :)

This morning, we drove into Chesterfield. We stopped in another coffee shop first. It was Cafe Nero... I know, sounds ominous, doesn't it? Nero... But at least this cafe had heard of flavor syrup. I got to have a caramel latte! It was pretty good, really. Next we wandered into a cute little gourmet chocolate shop, then a pet shop. Next I got to visit my first Argos. Then we went to see the famous Crooked Spire. It's so cool! It sort of twists and bends to one side. The church it's a part of is quite lovely. We spent some time walking through and I snapped a few pictures. After we finished there, we strolled through the stalls. It was market day! Chesterfield is a picturesque town. It has a lot of character.

This afternoon, we picked Mairi up and went for a drink at the Hardwick Inn. Really lovely place. Lots of atmosphere. It was nice and quite, and wonderfully old and beautiful.

This evening we stopped at Tesco on the way to dinner... I was ridiculously excited. I've been hearing about Tesco for ages. My friends here swear by it, so I've been eager to see one for myself. It did not disappoint. :)... We had dinner at an Indian restaurant in Chesterfield. This is my second curry dinner in England... Man can they do a good curry here!

Now we are now settling in to watch Little Miss Sunshine... Happy times! :)

Quiet Time

I've just finished a long weekend with my friends Graham and Christine. It was a great weekend. I got of lot of rest in. Friday night, I spent just relaxing and catching up on correspondence. Saturday was lovely. After a nice leisurely morning , Christine and I headed to her mum's house to drop some things off, then ended up being joined by her as we headed to Oswaldtwistle Mills. It is an old cotton mill that has been converted into a shopping center... I guess, as I'm in England I should call it a centre. :) The mill is just outside Blackburn. It was great! We had a nice girlie day, wandering up an down aisles, browsing through racks and shelves. Lovely. We had lunch there as well.

Sunday after a great church service, I spent a lot of time just relaxing in my room, watching TV online. In the evening, I went with Graham to pick up his son-in-law, then to get Dr. Bob. We went to a little church in a place called Kearsley. Dr. Bob is a pastor I know from the US and was speaking at this church. It was a great meeting. Afterward, we dropped Dr. Bob off at his hotel, then went out for a Curry. Oh. My. Gosh! So good! It was blissful... Incidentally, I have had the best food on this trip...

Monday was a day of rest. Bobby the dog and I bonded. I sat on the floor and he sat with his adorable, fluffy head in my lap. It was great! :)

Tuesday morning I spent getting all of my things together, packing, and hauling my suitcases down the stairs. At quarter to 2, we headed to the station. Graham and I had a lively chat about raccoons and dolphins on the way. hahaha. It was a fun ride. :)

On the train again... The sweetest little old lady sat across from me. She told me all about her trips to China and the US. The first person to talk to me on a train trip, and a good one to talk to on top of it! When I arrived in Chesterfield, I found that I "got" to haul my suitcase down a flight of stairs, only to get to haul it up anther flight. Sigh... Fortunately, half way up, I spotted my friend Ben and his dad smiling and waving at me. Ben ran down and helped me drag it up the rest of the way.

We had a lovely ride to their house. Ben's dad, Steve, played tour guide. He pointed out all the unique things about the area, such as, speed bumps, puddles, schools, and the like. It was amusing! :) When we arrived at the house, I was greeted by Ben's mum, Mairi. She and I have spoken on skype on several occasions, and we facebook a lot, so we were quite pleased to finally meet face to face. we both agreed that the other looked just like their pictures, only less flat. I was informed that I was a lot taller than she thought... It was fun! A while later, I met Ben's brother, Keir... We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the living room talking and catching up. At 6:30, the guys and I headed to their weekly youth meeting. All the kids were really friendly. One girl in particular, was rather excited to meet me. She said she loves America, but she has never been there. Apparently she loves it because, "It's just so big and everything." :) She was a sweetheart... When we returned home, we ate an amazing dinner. We had Haggis with mashed potatoes and turnips... I had never had haggis before. It was so delicious! I cleaned my plate... Then we had Bread & Butter Pudding... There are no words. The only thing I can say is that it was so good, I nearly cried... After dinner, and before and during I suppose, we watched TV and we all had our laptops out... The rest of the evening was spent in pleasant conversation.

All in all, a quiet, restful, GREAT weekend, and a very pleasant first afternoon/evening in Derbyshire. :)

Castles and Geese

Yesterday was my last day in Wales. I woke to a rather fine morning. It wasn't raining! So our plan to see a castle or two could move forward. I got ready, finished packing, and hauled all my stuff downstairs. After breakfast, I watched a little T.V. Around the time that Alys expected to be back, I decided to move my things out to the conservatory, so they would be easy to get to the car. Disaster. Upon opening the door to the conservatory, I heard it... The sound of rain hammering on the glass roof. Not a bit of rain, floods of rain. My heart sank, then I had a little conversation with God... Well, Alys got stuck in traffic. When she finally made it home, the rain stopped! Thank you God!

We wedged my giant suitcase into the cute little car and headed out. As the traffic jam had eaten up and hour of our time, we decided to go to just one castle, the bigger and older of the two. So we made our way to Caerphilly Castle...

It was breathtaking. Building on it began in 1268, and boy did they build. It was huge. It had a big moat filled with geese and the occasional swan, and parts of it were ruinous. To see pictures of the castle, as well as pictures from the rest of my Wales trip, click HERE.

Unfortunately, several of the pictures I wanted to include in the album, wouldn't upload :(

We hiked all over. There were tight spiraling, very steep staircases everywhere. We climbed every one. We walked out on the walls and ramparts, visited the hall where Alys's friend Myra gt married (married in the castle!) and walked around the ruined bits. It was fantastic. We got one or two little sprinkles of rain, but stayed dry on the whole. We had a blast! My favorite part of the castle was the tipped tower. It had been undermined, meaning enemy forces had dug underneath it to destabilize it and gain access. So it leans at 10 degree angle and has jagged edges where it pulled away from the rest of the castle. Seeing something so large, so heavy tipping toward you, is amazing. It has been sitting at that precarious angle for hundreds of years... I got a bit f a kick out of what look, at first glance, like big boulders strewn about, but are really big hunks of the castle that fell, probably while it was under siege, and got left there.

Originally near this spot was a Roman fort. Built first around AD 40. There isn't much left and you can't see it. The man who had the castle built also had the extensive moat dug out and added an extra wall for protection. These castles really are amazing. The engineering and design that went into them is astounding. And like visiting Roman ruins, you can't help but think of all the slaves who hauled all the rocks from all around, and built it up, piece by piece... Well, I can't help but think of it anyway. :)

After we'd seen every corner of the castle we headed back to the car. Alys almost got attacked by a goose, and we nearly lost it on some extremely slippery mud. But we got back eventually. Then we headed to Abergavenny, where I was catching the train, to get some lunch. We hadn't traveled two streets when suddenly, the clouds exploded with rain. It was like all the rain had been being held back behind a door and the door had suddenly opened. Thank you God! Great timing!

We had lunch in a very nice pub, then went to the station to wait for my train. After good byes I jumped aboard and headed out. It was a pretty uneventful trip, except for the gorgeous rainbow that was visible for a while... We got into Manchester/Piccadilly a little ahead of schedule. I followed the signs out and waited for mt ride... Christine and her friend, Mary picked me up. We had a bit of fun nearly getting lost, but eventually made it home. I am now temporarily established in the Wilkinson home :)

Restfully Lazy

Yesterday was a great day. Because of torrential rain, Alys and I decided not to go castle hopping. Instead, we stayed in. It was lovely. We drank tea, ate delicious food, and watched period films. What did we watch? Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and after that, a very long, very well done version of Jane Eyre. A very full day. We were exhausted at the end of it all. :) After Alys picked Gethin up from work, we set about ordering my train tickets. I got my tickets to travel to Manchester tomorrow, and to Chesterfield on Tuesday... Later in the evening, Gethin picked up dinner from the chippy. I got to have real fish and chips! I have been craving them for months. They were so good! After dinner, we played Carcassonne. I love that game, but hadn't played in ages. I did not do well. :/ It was a lot of fun though!

On the whole, yesterday was a lovely, restful, lazy day. Food, fun and friends. A winning combination for sure! :)

Today, Alys had to work. I slept in a bit. After I got up I made some breakfast, then, as it wasn't raining, decided to take a walk around the farm and the area. Ty Gwyn Farm is gorgeous. I took a load of pictures. I leaned on the fence for a while and got acquainted with the cows. They are lovely. They have bright red, curly fur, and big friendly eyes. I wanted to get to know the horses too, but they were way out in the muddy field, and I have no boots. :( One of them ventured toward me, but changed his mind. Tease. After a bit, I walked down the lane to the road and wandered up it for a while. The higher I got up the hill, the more breathtaking the view. Then I about faced and walked down the road. I found some lovely spots, including a stand of trees with a little stream meandering through it... There were birds everywhere. And the air smelled so sweet. The area is so peaceful and full of life. The air, sounds, and sights were so refreshing and filled me with happiness. What can I say? I love nature! :)

I spent the rest of the day watching movies and nibbling on snacks. Very quiet and cozy. After Alys and Gethin came home, dinner prep began. A friend of Alys's was coming over for dinner. I set the table, Alys made dinner, and Gethin made an apple crumble. Then Myra arrived. She is great. We all had a lovely chat at the table, then moved into the living room. We talked some more, then watched a short DVD by Rob Bell. I have never heard him speak before, so this was my introduction... Then we ate crumble with hot custard. SO good! I couldn't finish mine though, as I had eaten s much dinner... It was a lovely evening.

Before I wet to bed I said good bye to Gethin, as he would be leaving early for work. Tomorrow, Alys and I are going to see a couple of Castles before my train!

The Stuff Of Dreams

Lots to tell!

My train journey was lovely yesterday. It was so restful and comfortable. I definitely recommend train travel whenever it is possible... I arrived in Cardiff and was met by my wonderful friend Alys. She is such a sweetheart! After the initial “How have you been?” conversation, Alys asked if I was interested in seeing The Welsh Heritage Museum, as we had a couple hours before we needed to get her husband from work... Naturally, I said, “Yes!”

It was a beautiful museum. It is full of buildings from Welsh history, spanning many centuries. All of them have been moved to the museum from their original property. It was such a neat look into the lives of the people. We wandered in and around, laughing at the bleating sheep, and ducking to enter some of the oldest buildings.

After we finished up there, we drove over to pick up Gethin, Alys's husband, and headed to the farm. Alys and Gethin live on Gethin's family farm, Ty Gwyn Farm. It is beautiful. It sits on a little hill looking out over the valley. They live in the oldest section of the house, which was originally made from stone. The walls are over 2 feet thick!.. They showed me to my room, where I found a package of Haribo, a package of Welsh Cakes, a 5 pack of Dairy Milk, a box of tea, and a beautiful bouquet of the national flower, Daffodils. :)

Next we went to The Angel. My first real British Pub! The atmosphere is amazing! And the food... Words fail me. I ate a Steak, Mushroom, and Guinness Pie... I nearly died it was so good. That has to have been one of the best meals I have ever eaten... EVER. The portions were huge too. I was so stuffed at the end, but it looked like I had hardly touched the food. Believe me, that wasn't the case... We came home after and watched some T.V. And chatted. It was a lovely first afternoon and evening in Wales. :)

This morning we were up early. We dropped Gethin off at work and headed for... BATH!!!!! I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan. My favorite Austen, Persuasion takes place in large part in Bath, as does another Austen called Northanger Abbey. Jane Austen herself spent several years of her life there. For years I have been reading about Bath and seeing street names and building names, wondering if I would ever get to see them... Today, I did!!! Such a dram come true...

We parked a little way out of the city at a park and ride. The bus, my VERY FIRST British bus, picked us up and we headed into town. I was bouncing in my seat! It dropped us off on none other than Milsom Street!!! OK, you may not know what that is... It is a main road in Bath that a lot of Austen's characters walked and shopped. No doubt, Austen herself walked there. I was ecstatic. The buildings and streets are breathtaking. Despite the modern clothes, signs, and occasional car, it really is like stepping into the past or into a book. You feel transported, and the happiness is almost too much... You wonder, "Why do I get to have a dream come true? Why do I get to be this lucky?" I wondered that ALL day. Every step I took revealed a new wonder. Every building I saw or entered increased my joy to the point I thought I might explode!.. We wandered a bit, taking in Milsom Street and pointing out other street and building names that we recognized from the books. Then we decided to see some specific things... We thought we'd go to the Baths first...

When we got to the Baths, we found they were right next door to the Bath Abbey. We went in there first. It was stunning, and a bit sobering. I had been in old British churches before, so I wasn't surprised that the entire floor was made up of grave stones. Nor did the sight of them covering the walls catch me off guard... It was more the fact that this church had been standing in this spot since the mid 600s. And that for all the names and dates we could read on the stones, there were many older stones which time had removed the names from. A church that has been there that long has a weight to it. The happy times of weddings and christenings, the sad times so pointedly marked by the gravestones... A lot to take in... But it was beautiful. The stained glass alone would be worth a trip across the world!

After we finished in the Abbey, we went to... The Roman Baths and Pump Rooms!! Not only were they places I have read about for eons, but I LOVE Roman history... You know that feeling I was describing before? The one I had when I realized a dream was coming true? I had it once before... When I went on a mission trip to Bulgaria in 2007, I got to see my first Roman ruins, an amphitheater. I was brought to tears... So the idea of seeing more Roman artifacts, of seeing another Roman structure, had me all giddy... It was phenomenal. There aren't enough words to describe it, so I won't try... We spent quite a while there, poking our noses everywhere we could get away with poking them... I really don't know what else to say!

After the Baths and Pump Room, we walked up to The Circus... No, there was no tent, no ringmaster, and definitely no elephants. The Circus is a perfect ring of connected Georgian houses, well, connected in sections. In the center is a circular green with a few trees. It is truly marvelous. from there we walked to The Royal Crescent. The Crescent is like The Circus only... Crescent. It looks out over a large green and has views of the city. Now The Circus and The Crescent were, in Georgian times THE place to live. Only the wealthiest most powerful people could even dream of living there. It's hard to get from pictures, but if you see it, you understand. It is outstanding, and yes, they are mentioned in the books. ;)

Next we walked down to The Jane Austen Centre. (Yay!) We purchased tickets for the exhibition then went to the top floor to have tea while we waited. We had a proper High Tea, which in The Jane Austen Centre was naturally called, "Tea With Mr. Darcy." What type of tea did we get with our food? Why, the Jane Austen blend of course! I know! I know! But what else would you suggest we eat and drink in such a place? After tea we went through the exhibition. We heard a lecture on her life, before we went through... Though "heard a lecture" doesn't really tell you how it was... The woman giving the talk was clearly trying desperately to remember everything she was supposed to say. She would close her eyes and shout as quickly as she could until she absolutely needed more air. Then she would suck in a giant breath and do it all over again. It was rather amusing, but I hope she doesn't decide to pursue a career on the stage!

It was a truly remarkable day. One that I know will be alive in my memory for the rest of my life. I feel so blessed. Thank you God for blessing me! And thank you Alys for helping my dream come true!

Train Travel

1. If you are new to train travel, and don't really know the ins and outs, people will glare.

2. Do NOT accidentally touch the seat opposite with your shoe, the ticket checker lady will not like it.

3. Train travel is SO comfortable

4. Do not let the other people at the station hear you naming a pigeon.

5. Traveling through the UK on a train will show you an amazing amount of beauty.

6. In addition to beautiful scenery, you will also see, 12 male Pheasants, 3 female Pheasants, 2 hawks, dozens of ducks, hundreds of magpies and crows, a flock of swans, sparrows, and an adorable little black bird with a bright orange beak... I am determined to find out its proper name!

7. There will be one very crazy lady who will talk very loudly and attempt to kiss a stranger's kids on the head, while said parent tries to politely freeze said loony out.

8. The crazy person will leave after 15 minutes.

9. There is a comfortable amount of legroom on a train.

10. The Shropshire Hills are GORGEOUS!!!

11. The green hills of the UK are a completely different green to than similar hills in the U.S.

12. The rocking motion of the train will make you rather drowsy.

13. Despite having a lot to keep you busy on the 3 1/2 hour trip, you won't do one. The country side, and towns are too interesting.

14. And finally, once you travel by train, you will never want to fly or drive anywhere ever again...

Final Days With Some Great Friends

Yesterday was... Different. The morning started out quite relaxed. I had a leisurely breakfast, then Steve and Rita's granddaughter Sophie came over. We watched movies, or as they are called here, films. A very nice way to spend the morning, sipping tea and spending time with and adorable little redhead... Then it all went nuts...

At abut 12:15, people started showing up. Once a month, all the Sri Lankan folks, and a few other members of Steve and Rita's church come to their house. The men go on a long walk, and the women and children all stay here... ALL day. They are all wonderful people, but... That many people in a small house, with a bazillion kids, all really full of energy... Well, it's... Different... It's astonishing how much energy those kids have, and how long the energy lasts. The noise... Wow. It was very overwhelming. I visited a bit, but after a while the level of activity actually made me feel very stressed. I developed a headache. I feel horrible about it, but I really didn't feel well after a while. I spent a lot of the day in my room. I came down periodically to say hi to everyone, because they are lovely people, but even hearing how loud is was from behind a closed door was hard. I think they need to figure out how the kids can maintain that level of energy for so many hours. Then they need to sell the secret for billions of dollars, or pounds rather. They could not only repair their church building, they build a new spectacular one. In spite of my headache, I was very impressed the kids. :) Talk about culture shock! I didn't think that would be much of a problem in England!

When things quieted down, I came and said good bye to those who were left, got a bite to eat, and went back to bed... At 7:30. I was exhausted! Exhausted from sitting on my butt just hearing the activity! Crazy! Needless to say, Steve, Rita, and Harold were wiped out. (I'm not sure if I told you about Harold. He's Steve's dad and lives here with them. He is the sweetest old man. He's 89 and still quite active. He loves animals as much as I do. He spent 5 1/2 years in the British Navy during WWII as signal man. He was responsible for using torches and flags to signal other ships and ports. So cool! I got him to tell me some of his stories last night!) Tired as I was, it took ages to fall asleep :p

This morning was church. Steve and Rita's church is called New Life Church Radcliffe. It is so full full of life and love. You feel, walking in, as if everyone got up and came to church, specifically to see you. It's awesome. I got to see my new Sri Lankan friends, a couple of people who had come t my church for our conference, and several new faces. Everyone was so welcoming and genuinely interested in everyone else's life. It was remarkable. I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to visit, and hope I can make it back again soon.

After church, we took the long way back home. I got to see some lovely green fields and hills, full of sheep and horses. It was breathtaking... The afternoon has been quiet. Rita's sister is here chatting with her and Harold, Steve is working in his office. I have some laundry in so I can pack tonight. I got to sit and have a glass of rum with my buddy the retired sailor. :) I am quite sad that my time with Rita and Steve is nearly over. They are my extended family. Bu tomorrow brings new adventures...

I just remembered a funny conversation I had with Steve the other day...
Steve: "If it wasn't misty, you could see the Welsh mountains over there."
Me: "Mountains? Really?" (I was thinking that was odd, I didn't remember there being mountains in the UK.)
Me: "When you say 'mountains' do you mean 'mountains' as I understand them, or...?"
Steve: "No, they're hills."
Me: "Ah!"

hehehehehe!

To see all the pictures from this leg of my trip, visit: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=128242&id=652229566&l=31d55d3144

Church... Sri Lankan Style

Sorry I didn't bolg yesterday, I spent most of the day reading and relaxing. We did something in the evening, but got back so late, any words I typed would have been completely incomprehensible...

Steve and Rita, who I am staying with at the moment, are pastors of a local church. Their church has quite a few members who are first generation immigrants from Sri Lanka. (For those of you who don't know, Sri Lanka is a small island country, just off the southern tip of India.) Apparently, most of these people fled to England to escape. Sri Lanka is a war-zone at the moment. Some have been here quite a few years, others are new arrivals. Some escaped, but couldn't get ther families out with them, others had no family left alive to bring with them... On Friday nights, they all gather at one of the families' homes for a little church service.

When I arrived with Steve and Rita, I was very warmly welcomed. Hugs and kisses all around. The kids stared at me with huge eyes. It was amazing, in the course of the evening, to see how passionate they are about God. To feel their hunger for Him in every word they spoke... I feel privileged to have gotten an opportunity to be a part of their community, even for a little while. And it really is a community. They all look out for each other and each other's kids... When the meeting ended, we were invited to eat. Such an abundant spread of delicious Indian food! They are so giving. Every time I turned around, they were trying to fill my plate, my glass. During the meal time, I had a conversation with one of the ladies. I got a glimpse into her world, what she left behind her, what she had to deal with after arriving here. What an awesome, strong woman!

I left the house all aglow. My heart has been touched.

Random Encounters

Hello! How are you all?... Ok, moving on...

Today was an interesting day. Granted, every day has been interesting lately, but today was different. This morning I went with Steve and Sophie to purchase my train ticket for Wales. Yay! :) That took a while as the lady in the booth had to keep going to handle train arrivals. Not to mention the fact that the card machine she had, kept trying to say that my debit card was expired... It expires January 2012... Anyway. I finally booked a seat on a train for Monday morning... I take the train from Horwich to Manchester/Piccadilly then switch to the train that will take me to Cardiff. I have something like twelve minutes between trains. I have never traveled by train before and am a bit nervous about the train transfer. What if I don't find the right platform in time? What if i get on the wrong train? Don't laugh! I'm worried. Please pray for me. The lady I got my tickets from assured me that if I miss one of my trains, I will not be refunded. Eek!

After that, we went into the main bit of Bolton to walk around and see what there was to see. (Incidentally, I went to an ATM and found that my card works just fine, thank you very much!) We looked at some great old buildings. One was a pub called Ye Old Man & Scythe. It was built in 1251! Rebuilt in 1636. It is where the 7th Earl of Derby passed the last few hours of his life before he was beheaded nearby in 1651. History everywhere! (Again, pictures of all these places are on facebook) We went to the Town Square thingy to see the massive Bolton Town Hall. It's beautiful! While there, we were approached by a news crew for an interview! Apparently there is going to be some big demonstration in the square. The BNP stirring up trouble between different races or something. People have been warned not to bring children around while it's on. As we had Sophie with us, they wanted our opinion on it all. I didn't have much of an opinion as I was only learning of it right then, but I stood next to Steve and Sophie while he gave an interview. They said it would air tonight, so the T.V. or "Telly" has been set to record it... I tell you, my third day here, and the press has already found me! That's the problem with fame, no privacy! Sigh...

Rotten Tomatoes

I'm a bit annoyed, really. I was trying to add some pictures to this post. But for reasons that God only knows, blogger is thwarting my every attempt. It doesn't seem to matter that I have done everything correctly. Grrrr! As it is, all the pics are on facebook.

Anyway, moving on. I woke up this morning after having slept for 11 hours! That is a record for me. I am relieved to discover the secret to a good night's sleep. All I have to do is stay awake for 34 hours, travel across the continent, then across the ocean, get hassled by customs agents, and drink a Guinness, and I will sleep straight through the night! I only woke once, at 6:30 am for two seconds before falling right back to sleep. I usually wake constantly. So, I may be able to sleep through the night every other night, from now on... Or, maybe not.

This morning after a quiet breakfast, the couple I'm staying with right now, Steve and Rita's daughter and granddaughters came over and we all went to shop at Asda. Asda is almost exactly like WalMart. They did grocery shopping and I bought a hair straightener. Why? I'll tell you. If I don't blow-dry and straighten my hair, it becomes a living mass of frizzy puff that attempts to swallow my entire head. It really does. A living monster... Rita's a dear and gave me an old hair dryer she didn't need any more, so when I showered yesterday, I was able to partially tame my hair, but only partially. After Asda, we stopped by a pet shop, then came back to the house. I immediately plugged in the straightener. My hair is now more subdued, thank God. I'm sure that, if left to its own devices, once it had finished off my head, it would begin attacking anybody that crossed its path.

Once my hair was sorted, we went to do a little tour of the surrounding area. We visited Horwich, Rivington, and drove through a bit of Bolton, where Steve and Rita live. First we went to a little church and had a look 'round. The building, like most in the area was hundreds of years old, and had a little graveyard with some quite old stones. Very pretty. Then we went to the Rivington Barn. This barn is a very old stone building, with a vaulted, wood beamed ceiling. The legend is that it was built out of the remains of an overturned Viking ship! So cool! My Viking blood got a bit excited to walk through it. :)

Next we went into the village of Rivington. It was about three buildings in total but quite lovely. It had a little Village Green, on which were the village stocks... Now we had already seen some stocks in Horwich. I had posed with my hands in them and everything. I was a bit surprised to see another set so close. Once we finished walking around Rivington, which, let's face it, didn't take long, we drove back toward Bolton. Steve pointed out some points of interest. He took me to see something called The Headless Cross. We just pulled up next to it as it was right on the road... And right next to it... Another set of stocks. I mean, really! We only traveled a total of a couple miles, and saw three sets of stocks. It made me wonder what kind of people I was surrounded by. The descendants of some very unscrupulous people by the look of it. And just think of the number of rotten tomatoes that must have been chucked around here. All the villagers taunting the prisoner... Deary me!

Things To Know When Traveling Alone

1) The first leg of your journey will be deceptively smooth, lulling you into a false sense of security.

2) The second leg will be hellish.

3) Your second flight will leave an hour late, despite the fact that they boarded you a good 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.

4) If you are a woman, then on your second flight, you will have strange men seated to your right, left, fore, and aft.

5) One of these men will keep shooting suspicious glances your way, as if waiting for you to try and rob him.

6) There will be a very strong head wind, to delay your already late plane.

7) Despite assurances from the flight crew, you will not be only a few minutes late.

8) When you haven't slept in too many hours to count, the customs lady will stop you and question you for longer than she questioned anyone else, all the while glaring at your passport and writing lengthy notes about everything you say.

9) Once she finally lets you through, you will be so exhausted and emotional, that you might stand at the wrong baggage carousel for 10 minutes, about to cry because you cannot find your suitcase.

10) Once you have your suitcase, you will run for the exit.

11) Upon arriving in the terminal, you will almost fall apart with joy at the sight of a friendly and familiar face, smiling at you in welcome.

12) Once in this friend's car, you will be so relieved to be away from anything to do with air travel, you will talk really fast and laugh in a giddy fashion.

13) Upon arriving at this friend's house, you will be greeted by more smiles and hugs, and feel like you are home while away from home.

14) You will then be served stupendously delicious hot tea and bacon sandwiches in the conservatory, chatting to these amazing friends and listening to the birds sing.

15) Then you will blog about it, but do so while still extremely tired, and upon reading it over realize you had to # 5s, and so have to re-number most of the post.

Twitchy

I am SO close to vacation! So close, but not there yet. sigh. It's making my eye twitch. Friday was a blast. I go off work at 3 pm and bid all my coworkers farewell... "See you in a month guys!" It felt great. The last time I said that, was because I was going in for major surgery and wasn't allowed to work for a month after... I prefer the vacation scenario.

I am in no practical way, ready for this trip. I have most of my laundry done, and I bought a new tube of toothpaste. Today I am finishing up the laundry and attempting to pack. I HATE packing. There are so many things I always want to take, but it just won't work. :( For instance, one of my complete sets of the Harry Potter series. I mean, what better place to read all of Harry Potter (again) than the country in which it is set. On that same line of reasoning, I want to bring my complete set of Austen novels, the collected works of William Shakespeare, some Henry James, and my book of plays by Oscar Wilde... Alas, there are limits to how much you can take on a trans-Atlantic flight. That being the case, it also SERIOUSLY limits how many pairs of shoes I can take. Plus, I want to leave space and weight available for bringing souvenirs back... Drat.

Oh well. Despite the stresses ahead of me today, I can't get too annoyed. I'm going to the UK for three and a half weeks, after all. And anyway, Tabitha will kill me if I complain!

7 Days & Counting

Aaahhhhhh! One more week until vacation! Eek! I can hardly stand it! I'll actually be able to be a Bellingham Yank IN the UK, for a while at least. (If I heard from school, I'd finally know if I am going to be one a bit more permanently... Sigh) This week leading up to my departure is going to be nuts. I have to get my hair cut and eyebrows sorted. I mean, I can't go to Europe looking like some kind of American ragamuffin. I mean, really. I also need to do ALL my laundry, then spread it ALL out and stare at it for a few hours, until I finally decide what to take. I need to pack the things I decide upon. I need to get my train tickets sorted out (I am taking the train between stops at friends houses). I need to attend a very important meeting on Wednesday night, and several more on the weekend. I need to go to my cousin's wedding. I want/need to spend time with my momma. I need to sort out host gifts... The list is longer, but the more I type, the more freaked out I get by all that I need to do...

The last couple of weeks have brought a new friend, Kate. She is working as a volunteer here at the center. She is from the Bath area, and is very excited that I will be spending some time around her hometown. It's been really fun talking to her. it helps me be excited instead of nervous.

Pardon? What was that?

...

Oh, why am I nervous?

Several reasons...

1. I have never traveled alone before (Except a short San Francisco trip) and it's a long, slightly intimidating trip to take alone.

2. I worry about being a bother to the friends I am staying with.

3. I'm nervous about train travel, as it's something I have never attempted.

4. I'm nervous about having the finances I need to get me through the trip and make up for the work I'll be missing.

5. I'm nervous that the rather insane airport in Paris will lose my luggage or make me miss my connection on the way home. This is something I am assured happens very frequently in the Paris airport.

6. If worry #5 happens, I'm nervous about handling it, despite some advice from reliable people who have dealt with those very things in that very airport.

So, yeah. Nervous. But as the big day approaches, the excitement is starting to overtake the nerves. I am SUPER excited to see all of my friends that I have missed so much. I am SUPER excited about meeting those friends I have yet to know face to face. I am also SO looking forward to having some fun, recharging my batteries, and having a lot of new experiences... And if my luggage is lost or a flight is missed, as my friend Tabitha says, at least it will make a REALLY good story to tell later! :D

New Technology and a LOT of Impatience

After months of dreaming, it has finally happened... I have a Macbook! Yay! I am ridiculously happy. I have been trying to find a way to afford one forever. And just when I was about to give up hope... Ta Da! Macbook! It isn't new, but it's new to me. It works great, but has some funny little quirks. For instance, the "o" key needs special attention. It won't stand for being pressed just like all the other keys. Oh no! You have to take a little extra time, to show it that you really want it to make an "o." If you treat it like any other key, it will refuse to make an "o" in protest... Another quirk is the disc drive. It works when it feels like it, and ONLY then. Hmmm. I may have to look into getting that little quirk ironed out. Those are the only ones I have found so far, but I have no doubt I'll discover more as time goes on. As it is, I am just basking in the joy of being able to communicate with people more frequently. Or, you know, blog in the middle of the day.

Excuse me for one moment...
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Ok, I'm back.

Now you are probably expecting me to list the things I am feeling a bit impatient over. You would be correct. The first thing I am impatient about is finding out about school. I need to know really soon if I am going to get in. I need to get financial aid and get my student visa going. All of this takes time. I have gone from checking UCAS twice a day to checking UCAS five to seven times a day. Even when it's like three in the morning in the UK. It's driving me crazy!! I don't know how much longer I can handle the suspense. I might just crack.

Another impatience is this. I bought tickets to take a three and a half week vacation in the UK! I leave in two and a half weeks. It's KILLING me. I haven't had a proper vacation in... Hmm... I don't know how long. No wonder I am cracking up...

Now I would like you all to look back over this post and count how many "o's" were used. And think about the fact that each time I used one, I had to give the key a little extra attention...

Honesty

I just feel the need to pour my heart out a bit. Things have been tough lately. Don't feel like you have to read on. But opening up honestly on a public forum, seems like it might help me a bit. I don't know why...

There are a few dreams I have had, for as long as I can remember. The two most important being, that I want to be a wife and mother. Yep, when friends were imagining being doctors or pilots, I wanted to have a family... There are other dreams, that took longer to puzzle out. Vague images that took a while to form into solid ideas and plans. The main being that I want to help save the lives of wounded wildlife, and heartbroken, neglected teens... Both at the same time. In addition to having a family, I want to open an animal rescue farm/teen counseling home. Animals help people heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. While having people who care help the animals and the kids. I want to have a Vet on staff, a professional counselor, and take in the wounded and broken. I want to create a place where I can facilitate the animals and children to help each other heal...

These three things, being a wife, being a mother, and creating this farm/home, are my three greatest dreams. My ultimate goals. My purpose on this Earth. And I want to do all these things for the glory of the God who gave me these dreams... But I am beginning to lose heart.

I feel my heart break more, every day that I am not living those dreams. I have been taking practical steps to achieve at least one of those dreams, which is the whole point of this blog. Trying to get into school, so I can become educated on the animals I want to tend. Going to school in England, well, living in England for a time is one of the dreams that comes in right after the top three, so why not try to do both at once? But I feel time slipping away, stealing the years I could have spent living all of these dreams. I wish I had figured out the third one more quickly, so I could already be living it... And every birthday, is another year gone, wasted on just existing, rather than living... I am not living my life. I am on hold. Waiting for my life to start for real...

Don't get me wrong, on the whole I am a happy person. I have some truly amazing friends, a family who loves and supports me, and a job that gives me a steady paycheck in this not-so-job-happy time in the world. What's more, it's a job that allows me to help children, which is a desire of my heart, even if it's not exactly the dream. I also have a God who loves me and sent his son to take my sin, so that I can have the right to know Him personally... Pretty great, right? So I feel kind of whiny and selfish for feeling so discontented... But I want to be ME. The me God created me to be. Fully alive, and living my dreams. And every morning when I wake up, and I am not, I grieve... I've never been a half-way kind of person, so only half-living, breaks my heart a little more every day.

Eeep!

So, UCAS has been giving me a lot of problems again. Grrrrr! They randomly decided not to let me login to my "Track" page... Track is where you go to check the status of your application, edit information, etc. They kept telling me my login details were wrong, which they weren't. Every time I requested the "correct" information, they sent me my login details from my old application. Talk about frustrating...

I asked my buddy James, if he could call for me like he had in the past (Making him my hero). He did so, but even though I gave him all the info, like my personal ID numbers and such, they refused to tell him anything. :( I was not a happy camper.

I mean, honestly. HOW do they expect international students to get ANYthing done? If I email to their "Help" account, I just get an automated response telling me to call this number between specific hours. Naturally, these hours are when I'm sleeping or at work. HOW am I supposed to contact them then? Hmmm? And if, like me, you are lucky enough to have an amazing friend like James, who will take time out of his own hectic schedule to call for you, but they won't tell him anything, what are you supposed to do then?!

Wow, I ranted a bit. But I'm done now. Or at least, for now. As you may have noticed, I have been a tad put out. It really is the worst feeling. Having to wait to hear about how you may be spending the next few years of life, then not being able to even check to see if any progress has been made... I went a bit mad....

Today, magically, UCAS let me login. :) YAY!! I was able to check my status. My application has gone through the UCAS screening, and they have sent it to the university for consideration... Now for more waiting...

It's KILLING Me!!!!

You may be asking, "What is killing you, Kelina?" Well, the short answer is this: Suspense. I am SO not good at waiting... That's not entirely true. If I know how long I need to wait for, I'm pretty good at waiting. If the time period is vague, then waiting KILLS me. It actually causes a physical pain. The pain hits just behind the lowest ribs, round about the diaphragm. It's sharp, shooting, achy, sore, and cramp-ish all at the same time. That is the pain that is eating away at me right now. If only I knew when I would hear about school, then I could handle it, or handle it better anyway. Ugh!!

Ok, now that I've got that out of my system... A Couple of updates... We will be moving onto our new house this week! Yay!... This is the first house I have ever lived in, that I was allowed to paint, so I did, pictures coming soon!... Zach, my brother, is no longer a student at PLU but is now a student at UW. Go Huskies!... And... Hmm... I know there was something else... Crikey... Umm. Nope! It's completely gone! Oh well! Have a glorious week!

Panic Attack

I woke up today, and began having a mild panic attack. Well, not mild per-say. More of a MAJOR panic attack.

What am I thinking?!

I'm too old to go back to school!

Do I even know how to learn in that kind of environment any more?

I can't move to another continent!

It would really be better to stay here, I mean it's... Well, I was going to say "comfortable" but it's not. I am not comfortable with only half living my life...

Am I really brave enough to go, even if I do get in?

What if I don't get in?!

What if they don't grant me a visa?

Can I really move away from EVERYTHING I have ever known?

Can I really leave all my family, most of my friends?

Will my pets know me any more, when I come back for visits?

Will my niece and nephews know me?

How weird will it feel to VISIT my home?

I know a lot of these things are questions that hundreds of thousands of people have had before... But... Well, I've never really asked them before, not seriously. I gave them a cursory thought when I decided to go to school. It didn't seem as huge then though. Sort far off, you know? Hmmmm... God, help!