Delamere Forest with Kas

I was looking forward to this Saturday all week. I am really grateful to be pretty fully employed between my two jobs, and especially because when I get a day off I really want to make the most of it. I had an idea that I wanted to get out into the wilderness of some kind, hug the trees and listen to ducks laugh so when I received a text from my friend, Kas, about how it might be nice to go to Delamere Forest, I said. yup! sounds good! Not only was today Saturday, but it was also very sunny, freezing, but sunny :)
There is a pretty sizable lake in the middle of the forest and we walked the path around it, this picture doesn't do it justice, it was so lovely, still, bright, of course my camera batteries died... so these photos are courtesy of Kas. Thanks Kas!
This is Kas, we met at Christ Church, she is great. In a few months she will be re-joining YWAM in Hawaii and follow where God is leading. I've said it before and I will say it again: I am not sure what I did to deserve the friends that God puts in my life (and I am not sure I do deserve them, how could one person be so lucky??) but for all of the amazing people who have touched my life, I am grateful.
We packed a picnic and sat by the lakeside in the sun to enjoy it. Kas brought apples among other treats and I think perhaps I just have not enjoyed apples in a long time. I may have over-dosed on them during my MA, but this apple today was SO DELICIOUS. So our conversation was sprinkled with little interjections of this apple is so good! And I thought I didn't like eating them unless they were sliced. I guess people can change, even me.
This is a picture of Kas balancing over the water. It was such a beautiful day and I think I am going to round it off with some roasted mushrooms for dinner (people can change!!) with carrots and salad. Because although it was sunny, it was freezing outside today. Delamere forest is a close 20 minute train ride from Chester and I hope to make more frequent visits. One thing is for sure, being outdoors today reminded me how important it is for me to re-energize in nature. I kept thinking of a Thoreau quote that a friend told me a few years back:

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." -Thoreau from Walden 1854

I maintain that going outside into the forest, even for a day, does wonders to lift one's spirit.

This is worth a post.

Last week I started my job working with anti-social youth in a suburb of Chester. My first night I worked with a group of roughly 15 of 11-15 year-old boys. It was interesting, but the most interest they had in me was to ask which team I supported. I did enjoy their confused faces when I said the Huskies... I was even politely corrected... was told I MEANT to say the Wolverines... they are funny and huge football fans (just not the American variety I learned).

Tonight I worked with a mixed gender, fewer students, and younger as well. They were hilarious, and rowdy. But also very inquisitive. They all spotted immediately that I was not local and then proceeded to guess where I was from. Most guessed "America" right away, but one student took a bit longer. The exchange went something like this:

Student one: Are you from Ireland?
me: nope
Student one: Are you from Scotland?
me: nope, think further away.
Student one: Australia?
Student two: She's not from Australia, she's from AMERICA
Student one looking at me with a puzzled expression: But if you are from America, why aren't you dark?

I laughed really hard. From listening to some of the musical selections of these young people, I can see that they are mostly exposed to Black American Rap Music... and this seems to have coloured the impression this student has about race in America (please excuse the pun).

I've come across many sweeping generalizations about cultures, addressed and discovered some of my own pre-conceived notions and prejudice, but what this student reminded me is that I still have a lot to learn.

Grow Your Own Drugs

There was a series on the BBC awhile back called "Grow your own drugs" hosted by James Wong. In each episode he created several homemade and natural solutions for problems from acne to athlete's foot to stress relief using herbs and flowers we COULD in theory grow or buy (unless you live in a house without a garden... and are broke). I found the book based on the series at a bookstore, that shall remain nameless, for such a considerable discount that the happy herbal hippy in me had to say, "yes!"

Tonight we found ourselves knee deep in fresh sage from the soup I made the other evening. (gorgeous, white bean and roasted garlic soup, email me if you want the recipe. so nice). As I flipped through my new book, I came across a recipes for a sore throat soother. Basically you simmer fresh sage leaves in enough runny honey to cover for one hour. It gets really foamy and lovely, sounded perfect.

This is a picture of Letty, diligently sterilizing the jar, as recommended. We think this will work, if not, well... it was a honey jar before anyway... surely that makes it okay. :)
Best part of creating this witches brew? Not only do we have a lovely infused honey for tea that will in theory help a sore throat and taste nice, but also our whole house smells of sage simmered in honey. If you've never enjoyed this scent before, I recommend it. We kept putting our faces close to the pan saying we wanted to bath in it, or eat it. Then Letty looked at me with all seriousness in her face and said, "I think this is what fairies would smell like." I have to say, I whole-heartily agree.

work and weekend

I don't really feel like writing. However, the Catholic guilt I retain even after the protestant reformation of life is ever present and I recall my resolution to be more diligent in blog posting. The thing about posting blogs is it so often seems that so much is happening that there is not time to do it justice via the medium of blogging (especially without pictures) or the events and daily happenings seem so mundane as to not warrant a post. BUT let's find the exciting in the impossibly everyday! That is the goal of this blog entry. Without further adieu:

I have a job! That is right, not a career I would say, but it does put a little hummus in the fridge and bread on the table (or where ever you keep bread, I keep mine in the freezer). I work at a company called Fat Face. Which is actually quite a cool organization. The people with whom I work are really down to earth, funny and friendly. The music at the store lately is a call back to the 90's and I very much enjoy the Blind Melon and Nirvana which sometimes creep in between Sheryl Crow songs. I got this job with a bit of luck really after returning from a 3 week holiday they hired me on for Christmas, then someone fell ill and another person quite and I am here to pick up the hours. hooray. Not that I would cheer someone being ill or quitting, but it does happen and I think that they are as happy to have me around to pick up the slack as I am for the opportunity to do it.

The best part of my job is when I walk to work in the morning. It reminds me of the awesome awesomeness that is the City of Chester. I walk up on the city walls and past the Chester Cathedral, the bell tower ringing as I pass to remind me that I am slightly late (but not too late). In the morning light, ,especially when there is mist the city seems so quiet and ethereal and I am truly grateful for this moment most mornings to pause in our sometimes too rushed life to appreciate that beauty. I love it.

Another great aspect about this job is not only that it is a little cash in hand, but also it will allow me to go forth with my other new job! yay! Last week I started a job out in a suburb estate of Chester working with anti-social youth. On Tuesday I will work with a few other adults to engage the hearts and minds of 15 eleven to fifteen year-old boys. On Wednesday I will work with a younger group that is mixed gender. This job is great because whilst it is only 10 hours a week they are giving me much in the way of training and opportunities to learn more about the social care system for troubled youth in England. Eventually I will take on my own case load, do home visits and evaluations and perhaps help run sessions. Again I am blessed because the people with whom I work are of the most excellent variety and the students will certainly keep me on my toes (if for no other reason than to make sure I don't get trampled or accidentally smacked, just kidding they are sweeter than that, but seriously, so I don't get hit)

This makes my weeks a little bit busier for now, but I am really blessed that work situation is sorted, if temporarily, before I had to send off my passport to the UK Border Agency to apply for my extended post-graduate work Visa. All evidence of my life in the UK was sent on Thursday and I am keen to receive my passport back... and also my diploma... but it should take a month to three months and then I shall have it returned with a shiny new picture and Visa in it! hooray! In the meantime I have dreamt of ways to use up the extra passport photos (in which I look quite straight face and cheerless) one idea is to put it in a little heart shaped frame and plant it surreptitiously on my housemates bedside table. I think it will be well received. I also think that little heart shaped frames with said picture will make excellent Valentines or birthday gifts, so watch your mail boxes!

Enough about work, more about what really matters and that would be my friends. I have said it once and it is worth saying again that I am TRUELY lucky to be surrounded by some of the most caring, loving, funny, intelligent and downright good looking friends on the planet (who are, coincidentally, all over the planet). This last weekend I went up to Leeds to see my old Flatmate from Leeds, Charlotte, as well as my other friends who are still in Leeds. I want you to take a moment to picture the most relaxing Saturday you can remember in recent history. Do you have it? Can you feel it? Is your blood pressure lowering as you read this? Well that was the way my Saturday was in Leeds. I think often it can be stressful to try to wrangle everyone together, and especially since I was only in Leeds for 24 hours I didn't know if I would get a chance to see everyone. But it was pretty close to perfect. Went out for beers with Fiona and Maddy on Friday night after I arrived and the Saturday enjoyed a succession of meals and coffees with a group of people whose main agenda for the day was spending time with each other. It was amazing. I think life should be filled with more days such as these. Plus Charlotte brought me some very promising looking chocolates that you stir into hot milk and make these lush hot chocolates. amazing and thoughtful.

I admit that I am still working on my level of diligence about blogging. I hope to write something more stirring in my next blog post. Perhaps some stories from aqua aerobics and adventures on my bike. Or a more detailed description of the afore mentioned chocolates. :)

Happy New Year! 2010- lookin' good so far!

Thanks for the fireworks and snow London, it made New Year's eve completely surreal! There are a lot of events to look forward to this year. A few of them include my mother's 60th birthday, the birth of my sister's baby, my first niece or nephew, my ten year class reunion. 2009 was the first year I have spend entirely in a foreign country (that's right England, I love you, but you are still a foreign country because I need a visa and I don't yet say 'cheers' for thank you. Don't be sad dear England, I will get there:) 2010 is also the year that I say hello to being 28 and great! With so many momentous and sure to be memorable occasions I wanted to start the year out right.

Directly after work on the 30th, Wednesday, Letty (my housemate from New Zealand) and I hurried to the train station to travel down to London where we met my very lovely friend Andrew, our host extraordinaire. Andrew is a particularly amazing individual that I had the good fortune of meeting through our mutual friend, Dan. We were both moving to England to study literature and it is always nice talking literature ad nauseum with Andrew! He gave and lent me many books this visit in preparation for his move back to the USA. London will miss you Andrew!
Upon our arrival we decided that we absolutely MUST take Letty for a curry. Letty had never yet had a curry in England, and Masala Zone, just around the corner from Andrew's house in Camden Town was just the ticket.

For dessert, Andrew prepared amazing vegan cupcakes (another thing Andrew and I have in common is our enjoyment of vegan baking) Andrew received silicon cupcake holders for Christmas and was eager to try them out. Sounds good to me! :)
Meanwhile Letty helped me make our pint-glass-sized gin and tonics to enjoy whilst the goodies were baking. I guess that is what happens when the two sizes are either very tiny or massive. Massive it is then.
I was Andrew's helper and was in charger of putting the apricot jam in the center of the cupcakes. so delicious. I like this picture because it shows my ginormous glass of G & T, cupcakes, and fantastically cool watch Tim gave me for Christmas. :) Good job Letty :)
The next day we had a relaxing afternoon, went for noodles, made some dinner and then drank a few coffees with Bailey's and mulled wine (it is COLD outside people). After accidentally using liquid soap as toothpaste (don't recommend, it is so 2009) I cleaned out my toothbrush and used proper toothpaste and then bundled up in every article of clothing I had brought with me for the weekend to brave the cold. Letty, Andrew and I ventured out into the crowds to find a view of the fireworks. I am really glad that we chose to venture to the Thames. the buzz in the streets was amazing. I don't think I have ever seen so many people out for New Year's in my life!! The picture above was taken near the Black Friar's Bridge (where we were to watch the fireworks) and I think the double Decker bus caught amongst the throngs of people captures perfectly the madness in the streets. I even enjoyed the periodic yelling in jubilation of the new year and random horns and whistles.
Letty and I waiting for the fireworks to go boom!
There they are. Was a spectacular show. We were a little far away to hear music or a count down, but it was fun nonetheless. Bonus, because we were away from the loud I heard my phone and was able to talk with Tim and we wished each other Happy New Year! from the capitol of England and the capitol of Scotland. cool!
We saw this sight on our epic walk across the entire city of London back to Andrew's house. Odd but cool. I HAD to take a photo. Sober and tired and still wide awake from all the caffeine in our coffee earlier we had a nice long chat and headed to sleep. But not before Andrew came out with a few great one-liners about English culture. My favorite being "salad is not something that grows in our garden!" English people often ask if you want salad on your sandwich and they mean lettuce and it is confusing and a little strange every time. I actually kind of just went with it and assumed they were putting salad on my sandwich albeit a very simple one. You learn something new everyday.

I have friends that don't like celebrating New Years, but I quite like it as it has a sense of New beginnings and it seems that anything is possible. I have a few New Year's resolutions, one of them which is (maybe) relevant to you if you are reading this to be a more consistent blogger. I miss my family and friends scattered all over the world with a high concentration in the great Auburn area of Washington, blogging is a great way to stay in touch (as mention in previous blog) Also I would like to write more letters and in general write more. more. more... and perhaps if dare to dream... better. poetry in particular is a craft that is missing in my life lately. So here's to New Year's resolution that improve the quality of life! More life in my years I say! :)