Earlham Park

Two of the last three days have been sunny! Today is beautiful, but I slept in and missed the morning, which I hate to do. On Thursday I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to go for a run through Earlham Park. It is a park I pass every day on my way into Uni, with big iron gates and lots of huge trees and it is always very misty and foreboding. It reminds me of Jane Austen. Mama, you would love to walk in it! I've been wanting to explore it since I got here. I took the path towards the back, past the cafe (yes, there's a cafe in the park, that sells ice cream and pasties) and ran along the river. This took me back into the woods, where there are lots of little trails through the trees, which all covered in moss and ivy. It's so green here, because of all the moisture. Very fairylandish. I saw rabbits and magpies. I passed a couple of old englishmen walking their greyhound. I came out by the back of the school and saw the rugby team practicing. Eventually I made it to the Broads, which is marshland and a giant pond (more like a lake) which is very cold and deep. People were sitting playing guitar on the docks. It was a great run. Hoping to make it out for another one this afternoon.

I'm getting along so well with my flatmates, they are really the sweetest people. Yesterday I was taking a nap (I had 6 hours of class in row!) and I hear this knocking on the door. "Cailin, we've bought you a present!" They had bought me a little Chelsea Football Club piggy bank! Then this morning Richard woke up early to get me a ticket to the Freshers Bash tonight, because he knew I hadn't bought one yet and wanted me to be able to come with them. They all like to tease me about American things. Last night they were making grilled cheese and were doing it all wrong (using sprinkle mozzarella instead of chedder, for one thing) and when I told them how I would make it they said "Well, never argue with an American about food. You won't ever win that one."

My classes are great, but there is so much work for them! Besides the primary reading (a novel a week for each class) we also have secondary reading, which is critisism for the novel or author (in the form of journal articles or books ). My professor said that we're expected to work a 36hour week as a student, so while 8 are class hours, the other 28 should be spent on homework. Also, my schedule is great because I have Monday and Tuesday off and only one class on Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday I have all 3 seminars at once (seminars are 2 hours long), which is exhausting!

Grady's apartment looks adorable! But going from Penthouse to the basement...I guess the good news is that now you have nowhere to go but up!

Connor, you would probably get along with the guys in my flat very well. They went into the city at midnight the other night to wait in line to get the new FIFA 11 for their XBOX. Which I'm told is MUCH better than FIFA 10. And 9, and 8, and 7...

Off to go for a run and read Robinson Crusoe and The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.

In the words of Ellina, "I love you more than the Atlantic seperating our souls."