I’ve previously mentioned this is in the works – here goes!

Bailiff!

Real life hit rather hard last Thursday. (Was it really more than a week ago? I wouldn’t normally go back that far in time, but this is too real to let go.) Following Knit-Sock and and a perfectly ordinary Thursday, Tom and I got home to a pile of post on the floor. Normally we do a quick scan of the post and leave it to the various people who supposedly live here. There are only three people in the flat above, but by the postman’s accounts there are thousands of them. I also had to teach the postman how to read the signs that clearly state that the restaurant is 199, we are 199a and They are 199b. Anyway, I digress.

On this particular Thursday, I spotted a little notice which I have attached for your viewing pleasure.  I read it with some amusement at first, thinking that They must have attracted it (they order the most insane amount of stuff. There is a package for them most days). To my horror, I suddenly realised it had “199A” written on it in pencil. Oh. God.

To cut a long story slightly short, Tom and I hastened upstairs to sit down to have a conference of war with the various parents, and check all the bank-accounts and post to ensure it wasn’t for us. The parents didn’t really help in terms of calming – phrases like “don’t let them in, they will steal all your stuff”, “go out NOW and get a chain for your door” “if they try to get in, call the police”  weren’t really helping. To make it worse, mum saying “they are bullying thugs”, coupled with the below photo from their website convinced Tom and I that we totally didn’t want to deal with this.

Whyte & Co header image from website. Eek.

Next day I stayed at home in an effort to make sure that they didn’t come and leave us with a fine (there was something about this on the small-print) and in the end managed to talk to “Steve C”, who turned out to be rather pleasant, and explained that it was for the previous tenants. (Why don’t they TRACK THEM?) Blood-boiling rage aside, I was most pleased that the whole episode was over. I ran in to college to hand in the biggest headache this year, my literature review, and experience the new design for the blogs this year. I’m not going to ruin the surprise, but you’re all gonna love it.

Rehearsing in Bath

The next real-life thing that took place was my ID card, driving license and card got ‘stolen’ in Bath on a weekend away. This is an annual thing designed to make all the people in Sinfonietta get to know each other. Rehearsals coupled with a night out on the town, and in my case, a lengthy visit to the police station. It was good, though, and my cards got found at the Youth Hostel as I was on the phone to the police explaining how someone had taken my stuff and replaced it with a sweet that I found in my pocket. I was rather inebriated, but I blame a certain friend who I had to help carry home for the ‘loss’, and would like to extend my extreme gratitude to John and Will, for being amazing at Corrie-consolation (Corrielation?). Unfortunately, I managed to cancel my card, and am now lacking money a lot because the new one will go to Devon.

Being attacked in Bath.

Returning to London on Sunday night, all was well. We went to bed relatively early, and at about 3 AM Tom woke me up with a “something just smashed – has something broken?” I hadn’t heard anything and dismissed his concerns with a “don’t be silly”. About ten minutes later I got woken up AGAIN by a timid knocking on the door. I opened to a John, covered in blood with the most endearing “I have a problem…I need some help”. I think I took his “I just punched the window” fairly in my stride, and all I can say is a) I need to do a first-aid course, and b) John has REALLY bad dreams.

That was a massive “I told you so” from Tom, and Tuesday morning found the glaziers coming to fix it. It took the guy about an hour, and the worry now is that the new pane of glass is so clean that the others all look terrible, haha.

Spoons in Bath with the second violins

Not much to say about the rest of the week. I spent basically the whole week in bed, with achy skin, achy hair, a temperature for a bit and the most painful cough I’ve had in my life. I hauled myself up on Thursday to try make it to lectures, managed to sit through two hours then bailed and ended up back at home, sleeping away the hours. I did manage to make it to see my parents, mum on Tuesday in the Docklands (“you’re looking pale Corrie, are you eating enough iron?” “Mum, I’m just ill”) for a delicious fish and chips and chocolate tart (not in the same dish haha), and dad on Thursday for some pasta in Bella Italia.

The morning after rampaging in Bath

Walking to the rehearsal venue in Bath

Pretty view of the river in Bath

Tom and me in the JCR, much happier after SCARING AWAY the bailiff.....

Attacking Simon in Bath

I’m pleased to report that my health is much improved (though the cough remains…anybody any suggestions on how to correct this? My throat is SORE). Tom has gone away for the weekend, John and I are going to Borough Market today, and I’m going to do my absolute best to catch up on everything that I’ve missed out on this week. Lovely.

Ciao for now!

Fourth Year Friends

Short and concise title, what can I say? You may be wondering why there have been so few posts this week – I’ve been too busy. Deadline for literature review is next week, I had to get my research plan done, lectures to write up….argh! Anyway, last week was my first week without Sinfonietta, and I didn’t go to riding either. Still didn’t manage to get it all done – so far, fourth year is HARD! Although, we did manage to go see Inception in ICU Cinema last week. It was really good, and kudos to the team for pulling it off with only one minor glitch!

My typical week at the moment, in a similar style to how I did it last year will follow. My options this year are Nanomaterials II, Biomaterials II, Systems Physiology and Tissue Engineering. VERY Biomaterials related…can you tell what my chosen career path is?

Digger the Dog, relaxing like me.

Monday: Day off with official work – go to the finance office for an hour, then head to the department to work on project work, writing up lecture notes and revising for the comprehensive paper in May. When I get more into my project, the whole day will be spent in the lab. Head home for dinner and bed.

Tuesday: Work 9 to 10 am in FO, spend the morning on various projects. Lectures from 2 to 5 pm, home for the only evening Tom and I have together all week.

Wednesday: Work 9 to 10 am, spend the morning working. Riding lesson in the afternoon for an hour. Home to do some work, eat and sleep!

Ashton with two of the fish he caught.

Thursday: Lectures from 9 to 12, work in the finance office. Some work in the Materials computer room, project group meeting with supervisor. 5.30 to 7 pm, KnitSock! Cake, knitting and a drink from the union bar. Perfection.

Friday: Free day to do whatever I haven’t done for lecture notes/project work. Work for an hour, ICSE in the evening followed by social.

Anyway, on Friday last week mum got back from a month in Zimbabwe/Zambia/Malawi on a work trip. I woke up at 5 AM, checked the times for the flights getting in from South Africa…there were two, two hours apart which were meant to have arrived at the same time. I didn’t know which one I was supposed to be getting to, so in a massive panic I drove to Heathrow to pick her up and ended up sitting for two hours, working.

Just to reiterate how big it is.

We drove to Devon and relaxed at home for a weekend. It was cool – Ashton went fishing with dad, mum and I did a lot of shopping (I am now the proud owner of a TOOL-BOX!) and I knitted some stuff.

Missing the antics of the summer, dressed up in my festival gear.

We saw our Gran, did a lot of nothing, and returned on Sunday night to deadlines, late-nights, a lot of laundry and the harsh reality of real life. It’s not all bad though, I’ve been SCR breakfasting, and Tom and I completed Lego Harry Potter on the Wii last night. John came up for 90 minutes of amazingness the other day, and my knitting is coming along well. Just so I don’t scare you all!

Right, off to carry on with some work. Sorry for the photos, they are all I can get off Facebook for now.

Games with the Dwarves and assorted friends

Well, the last you all knew, I was having dinner with the Dwarves. And so, we did. I roasted two chickens with BBQ flavour (marinade chickens in BBQ sauce for several hours, put in an oven at 190 degrees Celcius for an hour and a half, turning every 20 minutes and basting. Add some olive oil and salt, too) and we played an utterly ridiculous card-game. Everyone got bored and left – sorry! I had fun, though.

BBQ chicken, Corrie-style

Had a riding lesson on Wednesday, which was brilliant. The best one yet, I reckon. Lots of cantering, and in a group full of people who didn’t really know what was going on and so couldn’t really follow instructions very well. Ego boost, right there. Yay! Luisa tried out for the team and got into the seconds! Congrats, I’m really happy for you! We spent ages giving Flora advice on what to do in third year (get started on your project work early, do all your courseworks, go over your lecture notes) and I got back home for a quick shower.

Matt graduates as a Master Jedi

This was all overshadowed by the big event of the day – graduation! Neither Tom nor I were graduating, but John was, so we headed over to the union for a bit of fun. I got a parking ticket outside the RSM which I’m going to contest (you can’t actually SEE the parking suspended sign) and spent the night admiring the new bar (568), laughing at certain people who were VERY drunk, and taking Simon, Naomi and Eugene home on a grand tour of Fulham in the Leopardile. Don’t worry, I wasn’t drinking! Ha.

Anyway, congratulations to everyone who graduated. By all accounts, all the hard work was done months ago, but nobody tripped over and you all looked stunning! (I LOVED that you were all walking around looking like Jedi/wizards. Win!)

Ashton teaching Twitch a fun party-trick

I was ill on Thursday, and the busiest day of my term so far was quickly cleared by a number of emails, texts and Facebook messages. I spent the day sleeping, hugging a hot water bottle and taking copious amounts of pain-killers. John made me soup – Tom brought me all my knitting, and I felt much better on Friday. Yay.

Anyway, yesterday I went into college for a chat with my tutor about PhDs, worked out I need to get 100% this year to have a chance of getting in to the group I want to get into (I already failed on that, deffers didn’t get 100% on the last assessment I did. Sigh.) and spent a while working. ICSE in the evening was good, I somehow ended up on the front desk of violas, and afterwards Tom and I came home to give our gerbils a bath and clean up the flat. Simon came over, we went to the Sains, bought supplies, and got home in time to meet various members of our crew plus friends we made over the summer for a night of epic Harry Potter. To be honest, I slept through the first two films – we are now on No. 4, Jason, Tom, Hannah, Jenny, Simon and John are all asleep on the floor/sofa/in my bed, and Richard and I are the only ones still going.

Two of the ladies, pigging out on porridge and cardboard

You know we’re cool. While everyone else catches up on their ZZZZ’s, I’m going to work on the literature review, do some more knitting and write a shopping list! All while watching HP, of course. The joys of being an adult. Tomorrow promises fun and frivolity, with a jaunt down to Kent with John and Jenny, to go see Seth Lakeman and eat wholesome roast dinner. Yummies.

The slightly business-like nature of this blog is a result of the extreme fright I currently have over the state of my life. I’m having to drop Sinfonietta and pull my act together in terms of efficient working, which is sad and good. Too busy! I’m going home next weekend to see my mummy and daddy, and can’t wait to have a break with them and the brother.

Ciao for now!

PEOPLE PILE