February Eighth

I am 24 years old, working on a masters degree, and still cannot spell 'February' without the help of spell check. No matter how many times I try to figure it out, it always winds up with a red squiggly line under it. LC can attest to this. I usually throw in a few too many u's or not enough r's. I have never been--nor will I ever be--a spelling bee champ. But I've learnt to live with it.



Above are two photos from my recent time in Lyon. The top is the Saône and the bottom is the Rhône (yes, there are two big rivers in Lyon!) I was gone Monday through Thursday. I spent a lot of time in the archives looking at microfilm, but my work was productive.

This morning rowing started up again. I had given into the idea that I could not row this term because of my need to do research travel, but they wanted to get a third women's boat out (and that means only three outings a week and permission to get subs for absences)... so I am back in it! It was good to be back on the Cam at sunrise (don't worry HORSE... sunrise is like 7am, so I am not up that early!) More news about upcoming races, etc later!

Mom gets to Cambridge on this upcoming Tuesday. I've booked our flight to Seville and our hotel and I have been praying for a sunny trip! The weather has been fabulous lately, and I am hoping it remains for mom's trip!

Also in regard to travel, I recently purchased a flight to Auckland to visit Kevin in April. It's a wicked flight (something like 36 hours, layovers included), but it should be well worth it! Kevin has promised a fun time with camping, beaching (!!!) and a bit of sight-seeing. The trip occurs just about the time I will finish research and begin writing my thesis... so it will be a good breather to push me into the 100 pages of work I'll have ahead of me.

That's all for now. I hope everyone is well; send updates sometime! I think of you all often and would love to hear about life back home (it was quite an out-of-body experience to watch a piece on the California elections on French news... the weight of your vote has made news around the world!) Au revoir and ciao!

Last day of January

The sun is just going down on the last day of January. For some of you it is already February and for many of you the last day of January has just begun. What does that mean: the last day of January? Somehow this seems significant. I guess January always feels and sounds new. Say it: 'January'. It produces a feeling akin to that aroused when saying: 'the very beginning', 'fresh', or 'rejuvenation'. It's a month like any other, yet we have been so programmed to think of it as a new start. But, really, I think it is a good programming. I know that I often live between starts and finishes, with 'the end in sight' sometimes the only motivator to keep me going. And to have a yearly, perpetual end-in-sight is really a rather refreshing constant.

But here we are at the end of the beginning, on the verge of the long middle. I made no resolutions this year, so I plan to keep no resolutions (seems the easiest path to success, I suppose). But I do plan to learn and experience this year. Perhaps this year I will try to hear more. One of the most interesting questions I have encountered in my course of study is that of the senses. Is it safe to assume that for all generations vision has been the primary mode of experience? Our world certainly takes advantage of sight as the primary sense, but what of a world in which there were no corrective lenses and only dim, smoky light past sundown or on gloomy days? We did an exercise one day in crew in which we all closed our eyes and continued to row. In that way we were forced to feel the boat be sat and hear the rhythm of the paddles breaking the water. No vision and we still rowed in time. So I think I will try to hear and feel and smell my way through life this year. Of course I'll see the world--it's too beautiful to miss--but perhaps I will close my eyes more often and stimulate a less sensitive part of my brain.

When I began this entry, I intended to tell of my mother's coming trip to Cambridge and our bounce down to Spain, of my upcoming trip to Lyon, and of thesis progress... but you get thoughts on the start of the middle of the year instead. I hope it is a glowing year for everyone. And if not, don't forget that we get another shot at the start in just eleven months.

A difficult thing to do

Here is something that I have come to appreciate: it is hard to get lost in London because there is always a tube station somewhere nearby. I think that thought always provides me with a bit of confidence when I come to this city.

Photos

Before ice skating

Strapping into my skates!

Old Lyon

l'Hôtel de Ville de Lyon

Kevin in King's Chapel

At the Granta

Adventures!

Friends!
I am sitting at my desk, drinking coffee, and working on a translation. I was awakened by the sun this morning (the first time in a long time), but it seems that the clouds have taken over. I have been told that the white gloom and haze will last until about March, so a sunny morning is something to post about!

So, break is over and I am back into the swing of things (except 'the swing of things' is a rather amorphous concept this term, so I don't really even know that it means to be back into it...) Nevertheless, I am back in 'work' mode. Christmas vacation was a wonderful time both back at home (I think this is emphasised in my last post) and back here in England. A few days after I arrived in Cambridge, Kevin came out to meet me and stay for two weeks. We spent a week of our time in Cambridge and a week in Lyon, France. During our time in Cam we visited all the major sites and saw the inside of many pubs and cafés (wherein we passed the time playing Gin Rummy, doing sudoku and reading). I think Kevin's favourite part of Cambridge was The Hot Sausage Company... a cart in town that sells fried sausages on buns (somehow I think that will be Dad's favourite bit when he visits too...) Perhaps one highlight of our time in Cambridge was our ice skating night. This year they set up an outdoor ice skating rink in Parker's Piece (a park in town). We strapped on some skates and had a go... I only fell five times in an hour. It would have been closer to 50 had Kevin not caught me on all the others. It was brilliant... an old lady even laughed at me. But I did better by the end (right, Kevin?) I will post some ice skating photos with the rest.

Our time in Lyon was also lovely. The main point of the trip was research (the majority of my primary documents are in the city archives and library), but we also got plenty of time to play and see the city. I think that the Old City a favourite of us both. The city was founded in 43bc by the Romans, so it has plenty of antique ruins and relics from the past 2000 years (of course this is all juxtaposed with a modern, bustling city).

Looking forward, the next few weeks hold even more adventures. I am back in Lyon in abut two weeks (this time as a lone traveller), and in three weeks Mom is coming to visit from 10 days! We are going to see Cambridge, London and head down to Spain! I think our Spanish destination will be Seville... but that is still up in the air. This is mom's first trip to Europe, so we are both really excited! I am sure there will be plenty of great photos from that adventure too. (And friends who lived in Spain... or have even visited... please send your tips and suggestions about places to see and travel... and remember that Mom is fluent, so we won't have to worry about my faulty Spanish skills!)

As a last note: I heard word a few days back that my proposal has been approved and that I passed me assessments last term! So far, I am on track to have a degree by summer! Woot!

I hope everyone is well and I will try to post again soon!

A Joyous Holiday Season

Similar to my last post, I am writing from a sun-filled room on a warm California winter day. First, I want to say that it has been such a pleasure to see all of you these past few days! Between my trip to Santa Barbara, Jess's trek into the 909, the Sexsmith/Strybel/Rasmussem gang over for Christmas, and Kevin's long trip from Auckland, this has been a whirlwind of catching up and loads of laughter. It has been a superb reminder of my contented and happy life here in California, and of all the loved ones I have on this side of the pond. Thank you all for being who you are and who I have always known you to be; it is a wonderful comfort to come home and find life with a character similar to when I left.

I make the long flight back to London tomorrow night. My carry-on will contain about six layers more than I will leave wearing, for my adjustment back to 'feels like 25F'. Back to frosty mornings, frozen rowing oars and rosy cheeks. (All I can seem to think about now, on the brink of my departure, is the cold!!) Awe, but there are many good things that await me back in Cambridge. Frozen oars means hours in the River Cam rowing in time with girls I appreciate and satisfying races against rival colleges. Frosty mornings always reflect the sunrise with a unique brilliance, unknown here in temperate California. Walks into the countryside around Cambridge, tea at the Orchard, and lunch with friends at various butteries to break up our studies. Yes, my return will be a good thing.

And perhaps the most exciting bit about my early time back at Cambridge will be the time spent with Kevin, on his brief holiday to my Island Home. Kev arrives in London two days after me, and is going to holiday until the 13th. Our first week will be spent in England and the second week in Lyons, France. In England we will visit the dreaming spires of Oxford and have a pint at CS Lewis's pub, the Eagle and Child (affectionately the Bird and Baby, a favourite of my former time spent in that city) and we will head to London to see some of the sights together. In Lyon, I will be doing research at the local archives, but we will also have plenty of time to see the sights and soak up a little French culture. Oui, oui! We both anticipate a wonderful time travelling and being together. I will be sure to post 'Adventures with Kevin' photos come mid-January.

Again, thank you all for being such wonderful friends and family. It has been such a pleasure being home, and being with all of you certaintly made it feel just like the home I remember!

Long Overdue

Although it may seem by my lack of blogging that I have disappeared, I am back... and here is a bit of an update (I am going to adopt the subheadings to keep you engaged throughout)

Arduous title:
Perhaps the most significant aspect of these past several weeks has been the submission of my final dissertation proposal. It was a bit of agony to produce (especailly on the back of a week of assessments). I think the most memorable part of the whole process for me was dialoging with my supervisor for half an hour in order to get a title. He literally gave me a marker and sent me up to the white board to write out ideas, erase, move words around, and finally produce a title: The history, architecture and political significance of the seventeenth-century town hall of the City of Lyons. Phew! Doesn't think like it would take that much effort does it? Well, it is a most deceptive process (especailly when no one really gives you instruction as to what a title should contain!!) So, now my proposal is submitted--with title--and I am ready to get going on my research.

Get keen:
We had our big boat race a few weeks back (the last Thurs in November). It was quite a rush. We took 15 out of 62 women's boats... not in the top 10, but not too bad (I would also like to point out that we made better time than a number of male boats...) This race--Fairburns--was the final event in my novice boating career. Now I am free to drop out of the sport or to continue as a senior rower. I have decided to give another term of rowing a go. It is a larger committment (more and earlier mornings, HORSE!)... but with no classes or lectures next term, I think the structure will be good for me. The things I am not looking forward to about boating: (1) the aforementioned early mornings and (2) frozen hands... it gets cold in the winter. But I suppose I will at least try for a few weeks and decide if I want to stay on.

Dublin, Oxford, and California:
I am currently back in California for holiday; I arrived Sunday night after a not-so-smooth flight. Before coming home, however, I had a bit of down time to travel (my supervisor left early for France, so I ha to submit my proposal a week before the deadline... leaving me an open week to explore). During this time I went up to Dublin for two nights (it was one of those cheap flights, no baggage, sleep in hostels kind of adventures), and then I got a coach to Oxford for a night, an then out to London to see Cambria and go to a concert for my birthday. It was a fun, but a whirlwind week. Dublin was lovely; I think my favourite bit was when we took a train out to Howth and hiked along cliffs overlooking the sea. Oxford was just as charming as ever and London was great (we saw the Verve play at the O2 arena).

That is about all I am going to post about for now. I hope everyone is well and I look forward to seeing many of you during this week at home!!