2nd Week...Gone like Frank Sinatra, like Elvis and his Mom

I can't believe this week is gone already! It whizzed - like seriously! But it was phenomenal! Classes were great - we had a special lecture by a pro in Tudor to Stuart homes and he went through the loooooong history of the development of the home. On Monday we had chats with Lynn (in charge of international students at Regent's Park) to set academic goals - played some fooseball...not getting any better! On Wednesday we had dinner and games at Peter and Kay's house - it was great! Chicken Curry is THE meal here in England - everybody either eats it or talks about eating it! It's good stuff! (Mild, though...I'm a big wimp) THEN... Phoebs and I ran over to the quiz to join up with our team, which this time included Laura (Sue's daughter) and her boyfriend Kev. O yes...WE WON! ahahaha! The quiz included a section on Canadian trivia which Phoebs and I could actually answer (you know...capital, largest city, population, etc.). Rocked that...

And then we went home and booked some tickets for Half-term break...to Italy! YEAY BABY!

Thursday Phoebe and I had Emily and Lisa over for a movie party - we watched Mamma Mia and sang all the songs and laughed our brains out! That is such a great film.

And Friday Chloe, Melissa (both from ABU), Phoebe and I went to Formal Hall at Regent's. It was really great, but it was supposed to be Burn's night and we were supposed to have Haggis...alas not. We had fish. And I sat by the heater because I was freeeezing. But the window above the heater was broken. So I froze regardless! Then we went to the JCR for a pub quiz afterparty. We totally bombed that one! We made some British friends who tried to help us out - but we failed...but everyone cheered loudest for us! Gotta love those Canadians...

Saturday was the most insanely super day so far!

#1 we went to Broughton Castle in Banbury area (home of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele (the Fiennes'). This was where they filmed parts of Shakespeare in Love and the lead male actor in that film (Shakespeare) is Joseph Fiennes, the nephew of Lord and Lady Saye. Wowza. So Lord Saye gave us the tour...he is a hoot! And he took us everywhere and showed us everything, including where they live in the castle. I got to wear some medieval armour...I would be an awful knight...the armour weighed more than I did and when I put it on, I shrunk because the helmet was so dang heavy! Not my calling. We even went into the little room where one Lord Saye and a bunch of friends conspired against King Charles I with Oliver Cromwell! I was in the same room where Cromwell was! Love him! Jokes...I just wrote a 16page paper on him...that's the extent of our relationship. And we went on the roof...you know. Here is us running away from the castle just like Shakespeare did...it's also what we would do if we saw Joseph Fiennes coming...he's a bad apple;) And the other one has our whole group in it plus Lord Saye (in front of Matt, who looks like a dweeb).

After the castle we went over to the church on the grounds...that too was very beautiful! And it was a super day weather wise...frost in the morning and then sunshine all day! Not too cold either!

#2 We went to Banbury to see the Lady on the Horse

Poem: Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady upon a white horse. With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes.

Trivia: At one point, Banbury was considered the centre of England. Cool.

#3 We went to Hook Norton to take pictures of the Brewery. But wait! We ambled over to the visitor's shop (which was actually open!) and took a look around...walked through the museum upstairs and then met a nice man who offered to show us the steam engine in the Brewery (which was closed to the public at that time). So we saw the engine, and then he just took us around the whole place - including the fermentation rooms which are off limits. He told us to stick our faces into the vats and take a deep breath...everyone smelled something...except me. O well:( So that was a cool surprise - the tour, not the demented nose part. We even went through this really low tunnel thing into a room full (top to bottom) of kegs! Ha! No samples though...

#4 We went to the Rollright Stones which has a king stone, a circle of stones, and the whispering knights stones...it is a myth about a plot on a king's life (you wouldn't know him, he lived like, 5000 years ago...) and a witch who turned the conspirators into stones...tres cool. Apparently you can never count the same number of stones in the circle twice - Ben: 66; Matt: 69; Some random dude: 63. Hmmmm

#5 On the way home, we went past one of the Top Gear guys' house...I forget which one, but don't worry family, I will find out! We're like neighbours!

#6 We had supper and made cake at Mad's house then went to see a folkish concert by at 14 year old that was pretty amazing! Her name was Judi, and she sang about the credit crunch and global warming which was really funny. Her lyrics were really beautiful.

What a day...

Sunday was an example of how putting cows, chili flakes, mud, cake, football scores and Rowan Atkinson together makes for one jolly good day! First we went to church and then Emily, Lisa, Phoebe and I hopped into our wellies and headed off to take a walk down Watery Lane. That name was not a misnomer...it was shockinly accurate! Sometimes we had trouble telling what was lane and what was creek! It was stupendous! Then the path lead us to a field. Of cows. Real, live cows. That was a hoot! No we did not get attacked, not even Phoebe who was wearing red boots! Then we went to Mad's to ice the cake we made for our host family so we could have it for Sunday lunch - which Ben made for us! It was delicious - but really spicy! That was the chili flakes...

Now here is the rated section: Man U beat Tottenham 2-1 so Ben (a HUGE Man U fan) decided that he would gloat to his Tottenham loving grandparents, so, he wrote 2-1 on his naked bum and Sue (driving), Laura (calling to tell the grandparents to look out the window), Phoebe and I (laughing our brains out) drove over so Ben could do a drive-by mooning! Ridiculous!

Then we went back home to play some cards and do some betting (just pennies;).

And finally! It was Joel's birthday (I know, Michelle's and Janny's too - but Joel is here...) so we had a surprise party at the church, ate some more chocolate cake, played some games and watched Keeping Mum (Rowan Atkinson) - which was suuuuuper funny! It was a good party.

So that was the long way of saying that I had a wicked awesome week!

And I know this one will be good to, since I'm sitting here at the Church because I missed the train! Not my fault, promise.

;)

Cheers!