Baby It's Cold Outside

It has been looking like this out:





So I have been looking like this:

When Coats are no Longer Enough

In England, Fall means business. As soon as October hit the wind set in and the leaves all turned instantly yellow or red. Now that November is here the temperature has dropped and maintained a cool forty degrees or below. This may not sound like a big deal, but I, may I remind you, was born and raised in Southern California. Forty degrees is what happens a few nights in January when you are snuggled in your bed with the heater on and two pairs of socks.

Sunday I got ready to leave the house and, because it I knew it was fall and a little chilly, I put on a sweater and walked out the door. I stopped dead in my tracks. I then turned around, walked back in the house and got a scarf. By the time I had tried to walk out the door again, the gust of cold air convinced me to go back up into my room and pile on another shirt, then the sweater, then the scarf and finally my winter coat (the first winter coat I have ever owned, by the way). As I was walking towards town the only part of my body that remained warm were my shoulder sockets where all five layers were piled up, making it hard to move my arms, but keeping my rotator cuff warm and toasty.

It has since been necessary to wear one's winter coat everyday this week. Mine, I might add, is the brightest color of red you could possibly imagine. And so, as of today I now own two winter coats, the second of which is a reasonable dark brown and unlikely to blind the passerby with its sheer force of color.

And before I get back to my reading I just need to say that I love sheep. Without sheep there would be no wool and without wool there would be no way to POSSIBLY stay warm enough to not die on your way to tutorials. This may sound like an exaggeration to all of you, but let me say again: born and raised in southern California.

In Honor of America, Summer, and Bluegrass

A picture taken by Kathy (who is quite proud of her photography skills) during the summer:

Musical Madness and More Pictures (because I can)

A few weeks ago I was studying in the library and decided to listen to some music on the computer I was writing on. I grabbed my headphones out of my bag and put them in my ears and turned on some Diana Krall, but it sounded weird. I took out the head phones and switched ears, but still it didn't seem to help, so I took them out again, stared at them, and stuck them back in. Then I realized that the music wasn't any louder with the headphones in my ears, and was very confused. I looked down the cord and suddenly noticed that I had forgotten to PLUG MY HEADPHONES INTO THE COMPUTER. I was playing music for the entire lower reading room of the Radcliffe camera and let me tell you, they did not appreciate it. I just thought you would all like to know that.

Here are some pictures of my family in London. There aren't any pictures of me from this particular trip (a fact I just now realized), but that is not because they don't love me...I hope.

Here are my Mom and Dad in front of our hotel (which was right next to the London Eye and right across from Parliment):



Here are Ellie and my Dad in front of good ol' Big Ben:

Fall From my Window

Funny Face

I went to London with my family (three fourths of them, at least) this weekend, and I will write all about it soon, but for now, more from my illustrious roommate!

In referring to her struggle to retain the English history that has been forced upon us:

"I have a hard enough time keeping track of American history, and there is only 300 years of it..."

Blustery Day

Fall here has been absolutely incredible. We get these bright shiny mornings like today and it just makes you want to actually frolic. There is always a very brisk wind, but this makes it all the better as leaves fall down and blow around in the air and the giant ambers in the back yard toss, causing their multi-colored leaves to shine and sparkle in the sun. Everything is usually wet too (because this bright beautiful morning will most likely turn into a cloudy afternoon and a rainy evening), making the colors more vibrant. It is so beautiful!

Happy November!

(P.S. every time I post on my blog someone email me and tell me to work on my paper. That is inevitably what I should be doing instead.)