Scotland!

Vacation is a wonderful thing. It's relaxing and rejuvenating. I spent a week in Scotland enjoying the sites and sun and amazing weather. Although it was rather windy and chilly up north the sun was out everyday and made for amazing photos.

We began by taking a train to Edinburgh and spent a few days in the city. When we got there we went to Holyrood palace which is a working palace (where the queen stays while she is in Scotland) so I only have photos of the exterior. We also had the best Hog Roast ever at Oink. Oh. and our Hostel was pretty cool we stayed in the room Titled Gothem City and my bed was "Batman" (I am the night!). Our room was a co-ed room and we had some pretty interesting roommates... Let's just say boys are gross.
The next day was amazing weather so we Climbed Arthur's seat (and the smaller one in front of it). It was VERY windy and there were a few times I wondered if I was going to blow off the edge of the cliff. But it was totally worth it for the view, even if I was freezing. Day 3 we spent at Edinburgh Castle. That took all day, a lot longer than we thought it was and we were pooped and tired of walking. On top of that we had to get up at 5:00 am to catch our train to Inverness.
Inverness is up more north in the Highlands, meaning the train ride was beautiful! So many amazing views and mountains. Once at Inverness we got a rude awakening... it is... I would call it a dying city. there is NOTHING to do in Inverness except use it as a hub to get to Loch Ness. Which is exactly what we did.
Loch Ness was amazing! so beautiful. and we had perfect weather. We went to Urquhart Castle and then went out on the Loch in search of Nessie! I didn't find her but I did fine two ducks! I turned around in the boat to take a photo and this duck was flying right at my face! I thought it was going to run into me but he was just trying to land on the back of the boat and get a ride. I did scare me though. After two days in Inverness we returned to Edinburgh and explored the city some more. One of those days we took off to St. Andrews which is on the coast! So we saw a beach, had the best fish and chips ever, and went to the castle and church (we like castles and churches apparently). The beach rejuvenated all of us, even if we couldn't go in the icy water.
Over all the trip was amazing. There isn't much to say about it, because it is one of those you had to be there things. I hope my photos help give a sense of how great it was though!

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO SEE A SLIDESHOW OF SOME PHOTOS!!!!

http://www.photosnack.com/FE76F6FEFB5/pdz9w333

My First Dig!

I did my first dig these last two weeks! It was a lot of work! Did you know that when you start a dig you have to de-turf the area that you are working on (usually if it's on private property and you have permission to work there). This means that you have to take the grass and stuff out in square blocks and stack them up so that you can put it all back at the end of the dig. Let me tell you that is a LOT of work for a 10 meter by 2 Meter trench! and then you have to Mattock and shovel out all of the top soil until you find the archaeological layers. In other words I'm a fit and muscled beast now!
I learned a lot on my dig like how to do drawings or Plans (looking down) and Sections (the stratigraphy of the sides aka the layers). I can fill out all sorts of context sheets, and talk about how dirt isn't just dirt and brown it has colors and is made up of different things. I am a great photographer now too!... well sort of... I of course got to break in my new trowel and he earned a name! First thing I found with it was an iron buckle. Not anything cool and not anything old but my trowels name is now Bucky (also for Captain America reasons).
I got nice and dirty during the week. It rained a few times and I came home covered in dirt and mud. Good thing I bought water proof pants and a sweet jacket. If there is one thing England knows how to do it's their rain gear! I stood in the shower and was able to rinse myself off of mud in my clothes and boots, which were also awesomely waterproof. But even with all my effort I got pretty dirty everyday. But hey it's what I was there for right?

This is AFTER I rinsed some of the mud off with TWO water bottles 

I know you all want to know about the archaeology that we found and and all the good stuff but we can't talk about it, sorry. But over all it was a lot of fun! my trench ended up being over a meter deep too! That's a LOT of dirt  to move! Lucky for me we did NOT have to back fill that one.

Anyway, Monday I'm off to Scotland with some of my housemates! I'm SO excited to travel a bit. I'm turning into a regular outdoors person. Got a kick as backpacking backpack and everything. I will take a TON of photos of course and there will be a post about this adventure.

TO SCOTLAND!

Is this real Life?

I know, I know. I haven't posted in forever I have been really bad at keeping everyone updated. But now term is over and I can start living by my rules!

It's been a rough couple weeks. A lot of stress involving papers. A lot of hiccups. A lot of bumps in the road. But I've made it though my classes, waiting on the results of if I passed but I should be fine... in theory.

I think I said in the last post that I was going to go to The Lake District. ... well that didn't happen. The group didn't get their shit together fast enough and had to move it back a week putting the trip smack at the last weekend before papers were due. Needless today I opted out of going and decided to get my money back. It was rather disappointing since I was so stressed out at that point and really needed some relaxation time.
But that is all over now. Now it's time for me to do what I love and do things in the way I want to do them. I am really looking forward to this new found freedom. I'm working on getting in shape and eating more healthy since I have the ability to structure my own days around my dissertation. The plan is to work in the lab or on reading things for my dissertation from 9-5 every day. It seems reasonable to structure this like a job. That way I can hang out with my housemate in the evenings and take time for myself. Read a book for FUN! whaaaaat!?!

Oh  yeah! my Birthday happened! It was the same day as the last day of term which was great because that meant everyone was up for a party! I have great friends. I got an awesome Firefly from one of my York friends. Which was unexpected and brilliant! My housemates were set on making sure I had fun on my birthday. Not only because we all just wanted to relax but they knew I had had a rough few weeks and needed it. They of course were correct. So I let it all go.
Right after turning in papers a bunch of us went over to Betty's tea house. It's rather famous and amazing! Totally worth the splurge! I got Afternoon tea which consists of a pot of tea, 4 little sandwiches, a scone with clotted cream and jam, and some savory sweets. I was SO full after but it was amazing.

 After Betty's we of course went home a crashed for a few hours. Most of us hadn't slept much the night before, some of us had not slept at all. Later that night we went out for drinks. We started at Lendal Cellers just hanging out and having fun... being rather loud.

 Then we move on to Evil Eye. Because why not?! I spilled water over everyone and we had a grand time!

 And we ended up at a club! I NEVER go out dancing but they convinced me by telling me that they play 90's hip-hop (which honestly wasn't that hard at that point). I was ALL over the idea then! and I danced the night away! Now I know what you are thinking at this point. "I wonder how her hangover was?" Don't lie you were totally thinking it. and I shall tell you how my hangover was.... It was a hangover and not the worst that I have had so I count this as a win!

Following this night of adventure this weekend I started my "Life style" change. Where I take hold of my own life and start being an active participant in it. I'm going to eat better and work out. With that said I did run my first mile today.... dude.... running a mile when you don't EVER run. pheeeew! Killed me and my friend Maria is my work out buddy, girl is gunna kill me! I was already dying when we got back to our street and she goes "SPRINT IT" and made me sprint all the way to the house. If I wasn't gasping for air before I surely was then. But I enjoyed it, you know besides the burning hell fire lungs.
The weather has been amazing here and the other day I enjoyed my first cold beverage of the year. It was a real treat.

I will keep you all informed on the adventures and dissertation wonders I have now... or I will try to. Honestly life isn't all THAT interesting.

All Work No Play

But actually. haha been busy. So here is a quick overview of the fun parts. Otherwise just assume I'm locked up in my room doing research and writing papers.

On Burns night (he's a Scottish poet) we made haggis ourselves and had a proper Scottish meal, whisky and all.

Stuffing the Haggis

Nips and Tatties, Whisky, and of course Haggis!

Often you can find me on my floor in a "Nest" or blanket fort of surrounded by my work. It ends up looking something like this.

Last weekend was Ragnarok and the Viking Festival. Which means the city was rather crowded and it took extra long to get anywhere which was a little annoying. But it was really cool. They had skirmishes between the Viking and Anglo-Saxon camps. On the final night when Ragnarok was supposed to happen they had a reenactment of it which was AWESOME! 

Frost Giant

The Serpent 

Loki's Team

FIGHT!

amazing fireworks at the end!

and that is about all the update that I have. I've been working really hard on classes and papers and things. Life of a graduate student. 

This is a rather an amusingly accurate interpretation of my life right now. http://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/new-term-resolutions-expectation-vs-reality

Amazing Cooking Adventures!

Hey. Shameless Plug of my other Blog
http://domestick8e.blogspot.co.uk/
Or look over on the side >>>>> to see more.
You should follow that one too because I'm going to be posting at least 2 recipes a month that I'm trying out.

I made amazing Caramel-Pear Pie today.

The language of friendship is not words but meanings. – Henry David Thoreau

This post is about to get all the awkward. You see, a lot of people from York also read my blog, it's not just a thing for you people in the states I guess.
Anyway I want to have a little shout out to my friends. My support system.

I love my friends at home and how supportive they have been for me. Although I've lost touch with some people who are important to me I accept that it's not always easy to deal with distance and 5 hour time differences. However, most of them have been there for me though the distance and are somehow able to make me laugh and lift my spirits from afar. Even at my lowest breaking point that I had last year, I had amazing friends who were able to reach across and ocean and say exactly the right things. At the time I didn't want to hear them and I lashed out a little but they knew what was good for me. As they always do. Unexpectedly, I've actually reconnected with some people though the distance. This is due to the fact that they sleep weird hours and that matched with when I'm awake.
So I'm impressed with you guys and putting up with me because let's be honest when we do find time to talk I'm complaining about something. So bonus points for putting up with my depressing self. NOW VISIT ME!

I love the invention of smart phones, skype, facebook messaging, and snapchat. It makes you all seem not so far away.

I also love the amazing friends I've made in the short time I've been here at York. We have known each other for 5 months and we are already like a family. We look out for each other. We make fun of each other. We annoy the crap out of each other. We distract each other and we do really silly things. I love my friends here because after just 2 months of knowing me I had the metaphorical rug pulled out from under me and it threw me off balance. I was an absolute mess and very alone feeling. But they were there for me. They sat with me while I cried, they listened to me (even months later) as I talked and worked though my shit. They bought me flowers, because in the month of being here every time I walked past the flower shop I said "I want flowers for my room" but never bought any, they knew it's would help.
I love that I can walk into any of their rooms and go "GRAD SCHOOL IS HAAAAARD" and they will go "I KNOW!" and we will complain together of a little while and then get right back to it. I love that I know at around 5:00 every night craziness will happen in the kitchen as we try and figure out how to cook whatever we have in the fridge and then someone will make something that looks really good looking and we will all be super jealous and pick on them for awhile while half of us eat pasta or stir fry for the 3rd time that week.

Although, I love the friends I've made and the friends who have stuck by me. I am sad I've lost touch with some people in my life. So guys if you are reading this and it's my bad I'm sorry. I try.

So this is just a shout out to my friends Here in York and back in the States. Thank You for being there for me and keep it up cuz I haven't even started my dissertation yet.

Also if my two worlds ever collide and you all meet each other I'm pretty sure the world will end from being too awesome.

"A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become , and still, gently allows you to grow." - William Shakespeare

A Tale of two Cities

Well this is a little over due but I'm going to tell you a story about a girl and an airplane and a snowstorm.

Once upon a time there was a girl who was SUPER stoked about returning to her beloved city of York and seeing all of her people. However, she had had a long term relationship with Ohio and they were jealous of her new love York. When the day came for the girl to leave Ohio threw a fit and bitter cold and snow fell across the land. But the girl was determined that nothing would stop her from returning to York. She drove through a blinding blizzard and arrived at the airport earlier than expected. Where there were no lines and she breezed through security. All was looking well, her flight had not been delayed or canceled, in fact it was right on time.
As the girl bored the aircraft she was assured that they were right on scheduled and that she would have no problem making her next fight. Ohio, however, had other plans. The wind blew snow everywhere as they pulled away from the gate right on time. The girl sighed in relief knowing that she would be on-time and everything would go well. ... She was wrong. A few minutes after pulling away from the gate the pilot came on and announced that before taking off they would need to de-ice the aircraft. .... for 45+ minutes. The girls heart stopped. She would be late now. As the minutes ticked by her hope for making it to her next flight in the hour lay over that she had slipped away one by one. With a sigh she put her headphones in and turned on her "Power Up" playlist to make herself feel better. There was nothing she could do about it now.
After a soda and some reading and a bit of time they were informed that they were coming up on Atlanta and would be arriving at 7:00 a few min later they would arrive the gate. The girl was filled with hope. Her flight departed at 7:12 perhaps she could still make it! She checked her watch every two seconds. The flight arrived at the gate at 7:05. Katie looked up and all hope fell away...she was at the back of the airplane. and had 7 min. to get off and to her gate. It was never going to happen. So she accepted it and took a deep breath to calm down.
Walking off the plane she saw that she was in T terminal and needed to get to E.... across the entire airport in 2 min. It wasn't going to happen she gave up and didn't even try. Instead the girl got in short line to get her flight changed.... Short is a relative term. One woman was practically crying at the receptionist cuz "she needed to get home". Like no one else had messed up flights from the snow storm. Then there was the group of 18 people who needed to get to Miami (must be nice) together on the same plane or close to. So what looked like a short line quickly turned into an hour plus wait. The girl tried to keep her cool and positive attitude a patron who were in wheel chairs got taken care of before her when they had only just arrived.
After what seemed like forever it was finally her turn. She smiled at the lady and told herself not to get upset or frustrated because they were doing their best and this whole storm was messing EVERYONE up. "I can't get you on a flight to Manchester until Saturday" said the lady. "Saturday?! but that's two days from now." The girl and the woman talked and tried to figure out the best option. NO flights to London. NO flights to Manchester. Nothing she was stuck. Everything was full until Saturday where she could get the same flight at the same time but have to wait 2 days. The girl sighed. "Fine, what am I supposed to do until then?" "We can give you a discount on an airport hotel" said the woman. The girl asked for the cheapest option and proceed to make her way to the shuttles that would take her to the airport.
Upon arriving at the hotel the girl discovered that the hotel was running out of rooms so she was getting whatever was available. The 410 key was handed to her and the trudged up to her room hungry, annoyed and tired. THIS is where the story takes a turn. a HUGE room awaited her! King size bed. kitchen area, couch and lounge chair, desk, bathroom and .... best of all.... a Jacuzzi tub! It was very exciting but first she had to call her parents and her housemate who was going to meet her and let them know what happened and order some food. While everyone agreed the situation sucked there was nothing that could be done about it. Unfortunately the girl had nothing but the clothes she wore and her backpack full of homework and electronics. It would be an interesting few days.

Cool Tub!

My Hotel is bigger than my Room at home...

Once the Chinese food was ordered from room service and eaten the girl decided it was time to test out the jacuzzi tub. It was Awesome! All was as well as it could be. and actually a little bit fun.
The next day however, the girl had to get moved to another room because they couldn't keep her in the fancy room at the rate they were giving her. So she spent the day 2 rooms down in exactly the same thing really minus the cool tub and kitchen area. She got really bored. Jumped on her bed. Did her homework. Ran around the room like a crazy person. Watched a lot of TV. Skyped her friend in York who had been waiting for her and would now have wait a few more days. Oh and ate left over Chinese food all day out of a coffee cup because you can't microwave Styrofoam. After the longest most boring day ever she went to bed with high hopes about the next day.

Homework 

I had really nothing to do....

Food in cup.

The next day she had her continental breakfast and headed back to the airport after checking out at the last possible second. The Atlanta airport was a shit show. Lines everywhere and people trying to get to their flights on time. The girl had time though. She actually had all day. So she waited patiently to find out where her bags were and check that they would make it with her. She waited an hour in the security line before she made it through. Then came the task of finding her gate (since it wasn't listed yet). Using her brain she made her way to the international terminal and decided she would hang out there until she found out. Luckily she found someone to ask and they informed her she was on the right track and what terminal her flight would be at. E4. The girl ate at TGI Fridays and enjoyed a nice cold Angry Orchard, because what else do you do when you have to spend an entire day at the airport?
And then she waited and waited... and waited. It was another long day. Finally 7:00pm rolled around and she was able to get on her way. She had a window seat and sat next to a nice older guy who was going to York for business. They had a pleasant chat and she was on her way... 8 more hours of sitting....
8 hours later Manchester greeted her.... and everything was well in the world. York was just a train ride away.

Welcome Back!

2 hours later and in dire need of caffeine the girl met her friend at the train station and made it home.