London!

Well it is now the end of my second week in London! So sorry I haven't done any posts! I have been soooo busy! I'm going to try and start writing a little bit everyday. Heres some pictures of where I'm living in London. Our location is amazing.

The front door.

This is in the front entrance to the house. I have to walk up four flights of these to get to my room. I have to walk six of these to get from the kitchen on the lowest floor to my room. Sorry its so dark I forgot to put the flash on.

My door.

My room! Because someone dropped out of going on the trip I got to have a single room. It has a view of the garden and that window lets in great light when its sunny. For some reason this picture came out really dark even though sunlight is streaming through the windows. I'm hoping its just this computer that I'm on. It's old. If it is dark to yall leave a comment so I know it's my camera setting or something.

The view from my window!

New glasses and a cool dress

Yay! New glasses! Not only are they anti glare, anti scratch, and any other anti you would want they have scotch guard(!I know what?!). It's supposed to make them easier to clean, rain apparently rolls off them, it makes them even more scratch resistant, and in my opinion have the power to stop pollution and crime. Impressive. I feel dumb taking pictures of myself so I warmed up by taking some pictures with J.P. my brother and guitarist extraordinaire.


JP and I. We can never take a good picture of the two of us without funny faces or something to screw it up.
My brother has a fro. Bad ass.

Awww. That's a good one. Mostly. Except that it's blurry and my head looks teeny and his head looks giant.

Finally a good one!

New glasses! I'm happy even though I look pissed.

There we go that's better.

Now for the hard part: figuring out the timer. I love this dress. It was my moms in high school and I think it's great, so to figure out the timer the subject will be my dress.

Left- OK. Note to self a two second timer is not enough time to do anything.

Down- Second note to self, ten seconds seems like a long time when you're just standing there.

Me: Jeez hasn't it been ten seconds yet? Maybe I didn't set it right. Let me just bend down and take a look. Click. Well, at least it worked.

I don't know why I'm smiling and squinting. Is that how I look whenever I don't understand/am trying to figure something out? So confused I'm squinting(like that will help) and smiling at myself because I'm dumb?

There we go. Isn't that a cool dress? And yay I know how to use the timer now!

This last one is my favorite picture of the day. It was taken when I was still trying to figure out the timer so it's blurry. I like it. It looks like I'm dancing.

Late Pre-Christmas Christmas pictures

Pretty nice left side of a front yard!

I finally figured out how to get the pictures from my new camera to the computer! I feel very accomplished now! So, finally here are some of the Pre-Christmas Christmas pictures. All of these were taken in Grammy's yard.

Rachael holding an icicle
Deer tracks!
Deer tracks leading into a den!

Sledding!

More icicles!

Can you tell I'm from Florida?

Uncle John. He was using the tractor to clear the driveway for cars. Though the driveway was actually used for sledding.

Notice Rach playing with the pup in the background.

11 days later

Two posts in one day! WOW! That's what happens when you wake up at 3 am.

So, after that asshole ran the red light and I hit him, besides having no more car. Poor Trogdor (burninating the villagers!) is in car heaven. And having to go through so much hassle with insurance companies. My injuries kind of suck. I realize I am sooooo incredibly lucky to not be broken and to still be able to go on my trip. I understand that and am sooooo happy for it. But having said that...

My knee freakin' hurts!! This is the only injury that really worries me. I'm going to be doing so much walking on my trip. And if it hurts just sitting here whats it going to be like hiking in Snowdonia National Park in Wales? But I'm hoping it will be in better shape by the time I leave.

The stupid bruises. I know this is trifling, but I'm in a complaining mood. They are everywhere! My left leg from ankle to above the knee is a mass of bruises. They are finally starting to heal and turn that sickly yellowy greeny color. Really only the super bad ones are left but its still sore even though you can't see them all anymore. My right ankle(the stupid gash isn't healed yet either) is bruised and tender still. Bruises on my hip from the seat buckle are still here as is the cut from the seat buckle. There is nothing like climbing into bed(left leg first) and crying out in pain from the shock. I keep forgetting they're there. Damn bruises.

Stupid neck. And collar bone. And right ankle. Those are just sore but damn.

Yes, I'm a wuss. And a complainer. I don't deny it. But it sucks. I'm not used to having pain just sitting here!

But I am extremely lucky! I'm alive, unbroken, uncomafied. It could have been so much worse: what if I couldn't walk? or dance??!

Maybe that's why I've been dancing sooo much in the past days. I CAN!

Songs I've danced to so far today: Outkast - B.O.B., Josh Ritter - To the dogs..., Rumors, Lillian Egypt, Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere.

Excited!

I am so excited! 21 days until I leave for London!! As is my unfortunate habit about three weeks before any trip I'm super excited about I can't sleep. Or rather I sleep and then wake up at three or four in the morning and start thinking about the upcoming trip and can't get back to sleep. About a week before I leave I'm lucky to get 3-4 hours a night. And 2-3 days before my trips I'm lucky to get naps. I'm also known to jump up and down and go EEEEEEEEEEEH! (high pitched squealing) at random intervals for no particular reason. Sometimes this is combined. Now that, I'm told, is a sight.

Luckily when I finally arrive at my destination I am finally able to sleep. Though the jumping and EEEEEEEEH's! never seem to stop.

Oh my gosh I'm going to England! I'm going to get to see England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and more!!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!

P.S. Songs that make me happy today are: Nina Simone - Sinner man (I'm currently obsessed) and Josh Ritter - To the Dogs or Whoever (This song in particularly conducive to crazy, jumping, wild, get out the manic excited energy dancing. Which is pretty much how I dance anyway. Add extreme excitement and watch out! And is just plain fun and awesome.)