Day 2

Mario drying off in the sun after I so cruelly soaked him - and made him go round twice.

I was a bit tired and hungover from our foray to the pub the night before and so my plans of getting to Thorpe Park at opening time were slightly scuppered. I woke up at 8.15 feeling like death and decided that it was a no go day and we were retiring back to bed. But by 8.30 with a little dose and lots of water the world seemed a decidedly brighter place and I merrily rang Mario to wake him from his slumber and rouse him to the Thorpe Park Fun Bus. However, this was forgetting that the night before I had promised that our earlier plans of park opening arrival had been updated to a post-pub we'll get there for 11 plan, and thus I was met with an extremely affronted creature who quelled my cries of 'but I'm so excited' with 'well I'm tired so we cancel each other out, we're going later!'. We did eventually get going and had a lovely day. It was particularly fun taking him round where he hadn't been and I knew the park so well. This was particularly fun when I told him that 'Loggers' Leap' was a gentle and scenic boat ride and he got soaked on both the dips. Similarly his reaction to 'X no way out' going backwards was suitably surprised. The weather was great so I was really glad we choose that day and my new sundress meant that I had a lovely tan but was maybe a poor decision with some of the blowier rides!

Day 1

Went shopping in Staines with Mario. I discovered that we weren't as shopping compatible as previously thought, with very different taste in our 'good' shops. Also he has that same bored look when waiting in the changing rooms that straight boys do when they're taken shopping, it made me realize just how much I rely on him for advice! I bought two blue and while summer dresses from H and M for the warm weather. I went to Gospel rehearsal in the evening and we learnt Sign No More by Mumford and Sons, which although I was initially skeptical about, sounded lovely. Afterwards we sat in the quad outside Crosslands and then Mario persuaded me to go for 'a quick one' and Monkey's which turned into staying until closing time when the police turned up (very exciting) and Mario walked my home like the lovely boy that he is.

Summer of Fun!

This blog is so named because way back in the summer of first year the concept of a Day of Fun was created. It was a day when me, Ed, Dan and Cat were together spontaneously and there was good weather and on such a day you had to be completely spontaneous and only do fun things. They're some of my favourite memories of the summer in first year and so the blog was given their namesake. However, times have changed, Ed's in Paris on his erasmus language year, Dan's in New York studying music enterprise for a year and Cat graduated and has moved back to the depths of Wales and all of a sudden I am in my very last weeks at my uni EVER! 

This is a very scary thought and so I have made a resolution to make every last day count and spend them doing things I love with the people I love, and I shall record them here to prove to old and boring Sarah that I didn't waste my final days of Uni and that I had fun! And thus, I spent this evening at the pub beating Leah and Mario's bottoms' (to paraphrase Basil Fawlty) at Backgammon. My three weeks of fun begin here.

Success

I got in.

I'm going to be a doctor. 

It is a very surreal feeling - its taken me more than 2 months to process it enough to actually want to write this post. At first it felt illusory - it was just a bit too good to be true. Then I was terrified and intimidated by the connotations and practicalities - 'I'm never allowed to make a stupid mistake again' and 'wow I am going to be in SO much debt'. But now finally I am happy. Far more than happy, I am thrilled! Absolutely fulled to brim with boundless enthusiasm for the rest of my life. 

I'd done my research (a lot of researcher!) and I knew what I was letting myself in for with the debt, the dramatic lifestyle change, the reality of 10 more years of official studying and a lifetime of learning but your feelings towards these change dramatically when they suddenly morph from a mere  possibility in the future to an imminent reality. A fantastic open day at the Uni addressed every single one of these worries with constructive solutions and since then it's been smooth sailing. 

There is a tremendous satisfaction in wanting something for a very long time, working out what you need to do achieve it, implementing those measures, and finally, after a lot of hard work, achieving exactly what you wanted. Even more so when you're been born into a family who although loving and supportive in every way, aren't able to offer the privileged advantages, financial support and guidance which many of your competitors will have revived.  It was not at all easy but I'm proud to be able to say that this is something I did for myself and it's going to be so very worth it. 

Bank Holiday Monday

A typical, coastal,  washed out bank holiday. Leaden skies, sheets of rain rattling the window pains and the squawking of desolate seagulls blown in from the sea. Definitely the kind of bank holiday that should be spent in front of the fire, in a cosy cottage next to the beach, rubbing a soft warm dog tummy!

Happy Families

Just like every other Easter Sunday we all gathered for the 'Resurrection Dinner' at the eldest cousin's house. 

Same beautiful eldest cousin,

newly toddling little boy,

same random craft project,

even more delicious meal,

same perfect Pops but with brand new cousin.

Mainly it was just the same as the others in previous years but what I noticed for the first time this year was just how burningly happy everyone was. I mean it's been just as happy every other year, I just never noticed before. There are a lot of reasons for people in that house to be really miserable, not just from a bad year this year, but unfortunately life has been decidely inconsiderate to the people I hold so dear. But what's amazing is that you'd never hear or feel it; never does a moan pass their lips or any ingratitude for their lot appear. Instead, they are boisterously happy, laughing and teasing, filled to the brim with a zest for life.  People often ask me how I'm so happy all the time, and whilst I'm sure that part of it is being blessed with happy genes, the other part is definitely my having been taught the art of happiness from this family. It's a skill for life and something for which I shall always be grateful.

''It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy , that makes happiness.''

Charles Spurgeon

Rome

Way, way back, on a drizzly November day me and my pal were contemplating the Italian Society trip to Rome. Blighted by low funds and the thought of missing the first week of the revision filled Easter break, we'd debated whether it was sensible and whether it'd be worth it. Fast forward 5 months to us blinking in the balmy warm sunshine, standing outside the Colosseum, having left a chilly England just hours before and neither of us were doubting that this was an excellent decision! It was only 3 days but my word did we see a lot of the city, eat a lot of pizza and soak up a lot of well needed sunshine. Although a bit knackered afterwards, the change had refreshed us ready to settled down and revise!