Making New Friends and Remembering the Old

Though we have been here for just over a month, those days of romping around in York and Rowing down the river around Durham our first week seem like such a long time ago. At the same time, the end of this year has drawn that much nearer, and though it may seem like such a long way off, time seems to be speeding up. It's very scary, and I am forging on making the most of it.
From my last post, I wrote on my excitement in baking, and how exciting it was to bake my first cake...well now here's the picture, so you can see my joy! 2 layered Frosted Carrot cake with Pecans. So Proud!
Yesterday, was a long day, with my two classes in the morning, in which one (Islam) has become my nap time. Then Rowing practice. I row on the stroke side, and have been moved to the bow four men (back four in boat of 8) and do more rowing than the stroke four. Our bow four seemed to just click and we managed to actually glide down the river pretty wicked fast. We were all in sync with each other, and managed to impress our coach! The stern four were shit, and a bit messy with one new guy. I hope they stick half of us in the same boat again.
After that I went and sat outside the church and did homework for an hour in the beautiful mildly sunny but cool whether, until choir practice in the church and our wednesday night evensong service. We ended up singing for a whole whopping two people! Still sang as beautiful as ever!
That evening, as seems to be the scenario every wednesday night, is a big night for socials (parties with different societies) both my volleyball and rowing had a social, and I chose to hang out with the rowers this night because they are so crazy. Their theme was to dress up in a Toga. I know it sounds lame, and it was, but I didn't dress up because I only wanted to socialize at the pub for a while and head home at 11 when everyone goes to the club. I need to start saving more than I spend. So like a few dorks, a couple of the other novices and I chatted with each other feeling excluded for not dressing up in sheets. It ended up being an awesome night, because Luke, Al and myself really got to know each other better. One is from Wales, the other an Englishman, but they are really cool guys. We hit it off pretty well, and hopefully they will become good buddies of mine as the year goes on. Luke's birthday is the day after mine, and we may just throw a joint house party, the first of the year. It needs to happen soon, and so I am working on getting everyone else in the flat motivated and enthused enough to do this. I was glad I went to "The Old Peacock" and really established some good social friends.
Everyone in the flat is getting along together pretty well more or less. Particularily in the last week or so, we have been really getting to know each other better. Had a few late night talks about life, and some deeper issues and such, and it really is bringing everyone a little closer together. I am thrilled with this group. Everyone is so different, but I love them all dearly for different reasons or goofy quirks. It's really going to be a good year with them I should hope.
Well, seeing that I have very few new pictures to share, here are a couple pictures around the city of Nottingham.
This one is a picture taken from in front of the castle.



What many of the city streets look like downtown in the city center. It really is a nice looking city, in it's good spots.

Today, I went to explore a park as it was our assignment. Everyone in the group picked some obscure place on the map and headed out to report back on what it was like, and to gain some appreciation for what "green spaces" Nottingham does have thrown around. I went to Colwick park east of the city, which ended up being a bit of a dissappointment, much like a wildlife reserve, and not much to see. It is situated around the huge horse racing tracks and the Greyhound course as well. I didn't spend much time here, but snapped a few pictures before I left around the lake that was there.
Since I haven't been doing a blog from the start, there are lots of things that haven't made it into the blog, but I felt it was necessary to slip this picture in, on one of our first nights out in Nottingham. The small group of us wanted to find Ye Olde Jerusalem, and spent a long time trying to find the "oldest pub in Nottingham". We eventually did after wandering around the borders of the castle. It is situated within the cliff that the castle is on top of, and when you walk inside, you need to duck your head around the rock ceilings and such as the rooms are carved right out of the walls. It was a good time, but we were all pretty knew to the whole pub scene. I like this picture.
From left: Aaron, Anna, Kevin, Myself, Hilary, and Ryan
"A real sound bunch a kids"
l

I have now just recently reentered the world of Facebook once again. I was trying to avoid it, you know move on and stay focused on such a grand and new place, but I miss so many of my friends, and looking at all the happening of you folks at Luther made me miss you all the more, which is really the reason I wasn't going on anymore in the first place. It's a good hurt, and I have not forgotten all you good people who I care about deeply. Drop me a line on my wall, and I should respond. I love hearing and seeing all that is going on in your lives.