tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89338997404549321312024-03-13T08:25:29.330-06:00The Vomiting FrogRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-69864177707222777962012-05-17T06:15:00.000-06:002012-05-17T06:34:46.490-06:00New AdventuresLife has a funny way of taking you down paths you don't plan on. I always make plans even though they never work, they never turn out the way I expect them to. That is probably a good thing because I don't really know enough to make my life as awesome as it can be. Thank heavens I am in someone else's hands. The last 8 months have been some of the most stressful of my life, (don't get me wrong: it's been great, but I am in a foreign country so there's lots of adjustments) but I am glad of what I've experienced and learned and I am very happy to be in England. And I know things are just going to keep getting better. <br />
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Status update: My Masters classes are done! All my term papers are turned in and will eventually be graded. Probably will take two months before I get those grades, but I'm not going to think about them at all. Now I get to spend the summer concentrating on my dissertation and of course, I am planning on traveling around and doing fun things. I've moved to a new place closer to London, though still on the outskirts. But I have my independence: I can walk to the station, travel into London, travel back, walk home. In the past weeks I have also met a lot of fun people through church and now that I am not so stressed and focused on my classes and assignments, etc., and all the other stresses in my life (like my dad's health which is loads better and how my family is doing and me figuring out a new country and school system and new culture), I will be able to get out and have more fun. And that is what living in London is all about, right? Well, I still have to make sure my dissertation comes first. I have written 4,000 words so far. (I am a little behind b/c I've spent weeks looking for a place to live and several times once I'd decided on a place it seemed to fall through, ergh. It is really hard to write when you are stressed, even when you have the time to write because your mind is just not in the right place to do it.) I need to write 1,000 or so more today and then send that to my tutor/supervisor. She, Sophie, is awesome and brilliant and I am so happy to work with her! She will review what I've written and then on Monday we'll meet at the British Library and see what is working and what isn't and where I should go from here. <br />
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Anyway. I'm where I need to be, I just took a different route to get there then I'd planned on. The next 4 months are going to be amazing and hopefully very busy, full of people, writing, editing, activities, traveling, etc. Then after that I'll see where life takes me.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-46912762750469166482012-03-18T13:41:00.002-06:002012-03-18T13:59:08.245-06:00English CountrysideLast weekend I went with my British parents David and Gloria to visit their friend in the Norfolk area. The weather was beautiful and sunny, still a little cold mostly from the wind, but that is one of the best feelings. It brought back memories of hiking through the English countryside, through meadows, over mountains, into valleys, past sheep-loads of sheep-though there weren't any on the walks over the weekend. The memories were almost overwhelming and calmed my somewhat stressed soul. Nothing too big in the stress department but as with any big change in life there will be adjustments and sometimes I handle them just fine and other times I get tired. The walk through the country renewed by zest for life and tapped into my energy, which I had been keeping under control, thinking that would be the best way to get work done. I've discovered I don't do too well when I have too much time on my hands. I am best with structure and routine though not good at creating either for myself. So I need to be better at managing my time. Except while I was walking through the countryside I wasn't even thinking about writing, not directly. I was thinking about a dream I have, a lovely dream where I have a home in the English countryside, where I can roam as I please, write leisurely and not at an eight hours a day 40 hours a week type job, a dream where I am surrounded by green hills, fields lined with daffodils, where I can stand on a cliff at Tintagel or Tennyson Downs and lean into the wind and feel at home. Is it weird that there is something about England that feels like home? That feels like being here for only one year is not enough time that even a lifetime wouldn't be enough? Maybe that is weird considering I come from Utah and certainly this dream I have would be filled with people, I can't stand being by myself, and I haven't yet met that many people, not that are going to stick around here. Anyway. being in the countryside was lovely and just made me wish I could stay longer even though I am still going to be living here for at least another 8 months and shouldn't even be thinking about going home yet.<br /><br />A few pictures from my weekend: <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3nqOq2_OzQU/T2Y-VsV04DI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/Rr-nd1XrrmQ/s1600/IMG_0710.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3nqOq2_OzQU/T2Y-VsV04DI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/Rr-nd1XrrmQ/s200/IMG_0710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721328919021674546" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6umAnttc8A/T2Y-VOrlAGI/AAAAAAAAAME/FngJ53Zo4zA/s1600/IMG_0645.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6umAnttc8A/T2Y-VOrlAGI/AAAAAAAAAME/FngJ53Zo4zA/s200/IMG_0645.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721328911059845218" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u22ARzr6OoU/T2Y-UyJCePI/AAAAAAAAAL4/3p2WO4tJFSk/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u22ARzr6OoU/T2Y-UyJCePI/AAAAAAAAAL4/3p2WO4tJFSk/s200/IMG_0633.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721328903398783218" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9H5qpj-sTU/T2Y-V_ZHtTI/AAAAAAAAAMY/77OIwtNVWyE/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9H5qpj-sTU/T2Y-V_ZHtTI/AAAAAAAAAMY/77OIwtNVWyE/s200/IMG_0651.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721328924135765298" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-82000190756450151332012-02-11T14:17:00.003-07:002012-02-11T14:27:10.360-07:00Sporatic at best. That is my motto.Remember when I posted last month and said I would be better at posting that month? Yeah, that didn't happen. I was also going to catch everyone up with my life and that didn't happen either. I have decided that I am terrible at blogging. But that's okay, I guess. It's not like I am writing loads in my life right now. <br /><br />Since I can't possible write about everything that was missed just know that I finished my 90,000 word novel and turned that in and we are currently reading each student's novel in class so hopefully I will get a lot of feedback. I also finished and turned in my 4 final papers for last term's classes. Someday I might even get a grade and feedback on each of those. <br /><br />I am currently taking two classes on writing fantasy and science fiction, novels and short stories. Speaking of short stories, one we had to read was called "The Care and Feeding of Your Killer Baby Unicorn." The world is like Buffy but with unicorns. Awesome. <br /><br />Other things of note. I am learning how to play cribbage. I eat British food. I travel in to uni and to church on a train and it takes 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours of travel time each way. But I have discovered that I can read on trains! So helpful. In the past I haven't been able to read in cars or on planes so I didn't expect to be able to do so on a train. Thankfully I don't have to feel my travel time is wasted.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-36711815713337148502012-01-15T11:59:00.003-07:002012-01-15T15:37:44.016-07:00Catch Up part 1: ChristmasOkay. So like everything else in my life, I put blogging on hold over the month of Christmas break. For one thing I took off for Germany, then I had Christmas and then I had to finish a 90,000 word novel and write 3 assessments (final papers) for 3 of my masters classes each 2,500 words, which doesn't seem like a lot, but since each paper is worth 100% of my grade I kind of needed to make sure they were good. I have one more due this Tuesday that I have been working on. I'll be glad when it is done. <br /><br />I know it has been 3 weeks since Christmas, but I still need to recap it. It was amazing. Saturday, day of Christmas Eve, Gloria and David planned an all day FHE which was from 11 to 9 of fun. We sang hymns, read scriptures, played games, went to the woods for a walk where D and G took care of Sqweaky while Matt and I ran about like children chasing each other. Every day over the weekend we took a walk through the woods and inevitably I ended up getting flipped gently to the ground. Serves me right for attacking someone with police training. We also had treasure hunts around the house and planned games and then ended the evening watching Downton Abbey and eating Indian food. Yum. Perfect Christmas eve. <br /><br />Christmas day the Lloyds went all out on me. I went into the living room with a mound of presents for me. In my family everyone just opens everything as they go but with them each person takes a turn unwrapping a present while the others watch. It was weird to have everyone watching me as I opened my presents to find various dragons! and thermals b/c I am always cold it seems and an electric blanket for my bed (I have it on every night) and pjs to also keep me warm. I got jewelry and chocolate and sweets, candles and bubble bath, a notebook, socks, drawing pencils, etc. Not that presents are the important part, but it just goes to show how awesome the Lloyds are. I had planned to move to England, live on my own and have a small Christmas by myself. Ha! The lord landed me with the most perfectly weird and wonderful family I could imagine living with in England. <br /><br />Life is good.<br /><br />Okay. I will be better with blogging this month, this year. Maybe even this week. So check back more often to read up on my life.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-16480059244503471152011-12-29T07:24:00.011-07:002011-12-29T07:56:38.409-07:00Germany Christmas MarketsThe weekend before Christmas, Gloria and I headed out to Germany for the Christmas Markets. We arrived in Koblenz and boarded a river cruise ship that took off up the Rhine the next morning. We saw castles and lovely old buildings as we went along. Saw the Lorelei rock and statue though I didn't get pictures. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e1KH3px37vo/Tvx56JRWX6I/AAAAAAAAAHo/mpVUWgIX5Qo/s1600/IMG_0425.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e1KH3px37vo/Tvx56JRWX6I/AAAAAAAAAHo/mpVUWgIX5Qo/s200/IMG_0425.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691558068917526434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZykabFP5pVo/Tvx55YUFmrI/AAAAAAAAAHg/piJ3G5DyF2U/s1600/IMG_0422.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZykabFP5pVo/Tvx55YUFmrI/AAAAAAAAAHg/piJ3G5DyF2U/s200/IMG_0422.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691558055775673010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dTHTcPkvbxE/Tvx55OZjd5I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/OpLaoWeLyFw/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dTHTcPkvbxE/Tvx55OZjd5I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/OpLaoWeLyFw/s200/IMG_0417.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691558053114247058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2pxZT1H784/Tvx56IajoYI/AAAAAAAAAH4/R4t7UlNhQqM/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2pxZT1H784/Tvx56IajoYI/AAAAAAAAAH4/R4t7UlNhQqM/s200/IMG_0428.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691558068687708546" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AvrZJ6LaU4U/Tvx4VPA0ccI/AAAAAAAAAHE/E7n-nIJZUBc/s1600/IMG_0415.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AvrZJ6LaU4U/Tvx4VPA0ccI/AAAAAAAAAHE/E7n-nIJZUBc/s200/IMG_0415.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691556335292019138" /></a><br /><br />We arrived in Rudesheim and headed off to the drosselgasse and wandered around the markets and shops. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmIcwywzOr8/Tvx624fHMRI/AAAAAAAAAIA/bh2sESw2drI/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmIcwywzOr8/Tvx624fHMRI/AAAAAAAAAIA/bh2sESw2drI/s200/IMG_0436.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691559112383869202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ne1P4SsYVwQ/Tvx63QvrPEI/AAAAAAAAAIM/-NH_Gfp4H04/s1600/IMG_0439.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ne1P4SsYVwQ/Tvx63QvrPEI/AAAAAAAAAIM/-NH_Gfp4H04/s200/IMG_0439.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691559118895791170" /></a><br /><br />We had tasty treats and decided to take a gondola lift up the hill.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iH5aSbS0uU/Tvx7oDvS-1I/AAAAAAAAAIk/pnTjNHfI8Ws/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iH5aSbS0uU/Tvx7oDvS-1I/AAAAAAAAAIk/pnTjNHfI8Ws/s200/IMG_0448.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691559957218130770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJjsFpCfBCg/Tvx7n-KyZwI/AAAAAAAAAIY/7gTeCZoJmrE/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJjsFpCfBCg/Tvx7n-KyZwI/AAAAAAAAAIY/7gTeCZoJmrE/s200/IMG_0444.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691559955722823426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-45TmmRwu1kg/Tvx7ojEneBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/e1SjZ3vmdTk/s1600/IMG_0450.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-45TmmRwu1kg/Tvx7ojEneBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/e1SjZ3vmdTk/s200/IMG_0450.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691559965629052946" /></a><br /><br />Once we got to the top we wandered around and had races.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qB3ZXkwNzjo/Tvx8pvwYKUI/AAAAAAAAAJg/TtU6gFq0-Y0/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qB3ZXkwNzjo/Tvx8pvwYKUI/AAAAAAAAAJg/TtU6gFq0-Y0/s200/IMG_0466.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561085725321538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R4qy7JInZoM/Tvx8o156qbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ks-pTW686jA/s1600/IMG_0462.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R4qy7JInZoM/Tvx8o156qbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ks-pTW686jA/s200/IMG_0462.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561070196074930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnELLmp2E68/Tvx8oFzMZbI/AAAAAAAAAJM/UM2o2qp9tCI/s1600/IMG_0460.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rnELLmp2E68/Tvx8oFzMZbI/AAAAAAAAAJM/UM2o2qp9tCI/s200/IMG_0460.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561057282975154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEepu4NoapA/Tvx8nylGbMI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Oro4aTXRRr4/s1600/IMG_0453.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEepu4NoapA/Tvx8nylGbMI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Oro4aTXRRr4/s200/IMG_0453.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561052123589826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F98bwSRxvVA/Tvx8qaM0QaI/AAAAAAAAAJw/0UwgYTIV39E/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F98bwSRxvVA/Tvx8qaM0QaI/AAAAAAAAAJw/0UwgYTIV39E/s200/IMG_0467.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561097118892450" /></a><br /><br />On the way down we saw Santa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yK5hsYFuZFs/Tvx89XSK88I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wJKd8atXMZU/s1600/IMG_0476.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yK5hsYFuZFs/Tvx89XSK88I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wJKd8atXMZU/s200/IMG_0476.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691561422753559490" /></a><br /><br />And then the market with lights.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o6gD-RAAP6o/Tvx9jCWG8aI/AAAAAAAAAKY/bWRG2gqKkGw/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o6gD-RAAP6o/Tvx9jCWG8aI/AAAAAAAAAKY/bWRG2gqKkGw/s200/IMG_0483.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562069967958434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ADPVJiJFvM0/Tvx9i94hxxI/AAAAAAAAAKI/elP4M0Va7ok/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ADPVJiJFvM0/Tvx9i94hxxI/AAAAAAAAAKI/elP4M0Va7ok/s200/IMG_0482.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562068770146066" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp6346s2cfM/Tvx9j2E9OxI/AAAAAAAAAKg/nzWIIgAJW0Y/s1600/IMG_0497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp6346s2cfM/Tvx9j2E9OxI/AAAAAAAAAKg/nzWIIgAJW0Y/s200/IMG_0497.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562083854662418" /></a><br /><br />The next day we spent in Cologne. Saw the Cathedral first.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQOL3UgbrJI/Tvx-XIP4ahI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cZLyC-q7_UY/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQOL3UgbrJI/Tvx-XIP4ahI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cZLyC-q7_UY/s200/IMG_0503.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562964905650706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mkTGIBirKDc/Tvx-W7x7GMI/AAAAAAAAAKs/GUhCzFKR4zU/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mkTGIBirKDc/Tvx-W7x7GMI/AAAAAAAAAKs/GUhCzFKR4zU/s200/IMG_0501.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562961558771906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdrREM5hlQw/Tvx-XkioT5I/AAAAAAAAALA/mlxchkKBRIU/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdrREM5hlQw/Tvx-XkioT5I/AAAAAAAAALA/mlxchkKBRIU/s200/IMG_0517.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691562972500479890" /></a><br /><br />Then the markets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNhGOL2JuTE/Tvx_Wh9WL7I/AAAAAAAAALo/w2Sjr7TEbV8/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNhGOL2JuTE/Tvx_Wh9WL7I/AAAAAAAAALo/w2Sjr7TEbV8/s200/IMG_0546.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691564054138990514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TiawQk3QEJs/Tvx_Ah__p5I/AAAAAAAAALQ/MO4zPFOKvYg/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TiawQk3QEJs/Tvx_Ah__p5I/AAAAAAAAALQ/MO4zPFOKvYg/s200/IMG_0540.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691563676192974738" /></a><br /><br />It was a very relaxing and fun weekend.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-70640520041535531532011-12-15T03:30:00.003-07:002011-12-15T05:16:05.671-07:00Novels I Read for My MAIn no particular order:<br />The Owl Service<br />The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie<br />I am Legend<br />World War Z<br />Clockwork Orange<br />Virgin Suicides<br />Behind the Scenes at the Museum<br />Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day<br />Wicked<br />Moll Flanders<br />Going Postal<br />The High Way Men<br />New Moon's Arms<br />A Pack of Liars<br />The Warden<br /><br />This list does not include all the short stories and the non-novel books I had to read (Or the ones I will still have to read-that were on the list for supplemental reading and will be good for my thesis but I never got around to reading this term.)<br /><br />My favorites were:<br />Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day<br />Behind the Scenes at the Museum<br />A Pack of Liars<br />High Way Men<br /><br />And I actually liked I am Legend better than the movie. It was slow in the middle but the ending is loads better than the movie. It was surprising that I liked it better. I also liked New Moon's Arms for the most part. There were just a few bits that were hard to handle: the main character's homophobic tendencies which were a reaction to being rejected by her gay best friend who she was totally in love with. I had to set the book down and walk away during those moments when she was flipping out and saying horrible things. <br /><br />But classes ended Tuesday night and I don't have to go back to Uni until Jan. 9th! Yay! I am heading to Germany this weekend for the Christmas Markets then I am coming back here to spend Christmas with the Lloyds and will post more then!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-17360724803249559002011-12-03T08:12:00.000-07:002011-12-03T08:15:15.195-07:00Sqweaky<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocl7l0w5ZrE/Tto88cMKRqI/AAAAAAAAAGo/VYAI04NV7VE/s1600/IMG_0286.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocl7l0w5ZrE/Tto88cMKRqI/AAAAAAAAAGo/VYAI04NV7VE/s200/IMG_0286.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681920888938317474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wZiG3bc9f38/Tto87XvOuMI/AAAAAAAAAGg/R-ayoe1pj_M/s1600/IMG_0283.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wZiG3bc9f38/Tto87XvOuMI/AAAAAAAAAGg/R-ayoe1pj_M/s200/IMG_0283.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681920870563363010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo8upaJvtpk/Tto87OjuOyI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/A8A3oB2gg_w/s1600/IMG_0271.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bo8upaJvtpk/Tto87OjuOyI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/A8A3oB2gg_w/s200/IMG_0271.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681920868099177250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Msr-SiDCvpU/Tto88sWl3nI/AAAAAAAAAG0/cCAd0KSjeHk/s1600/IMG_0288.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Msr-SiDCvpU/Tto88sWl3nI/AAAAAAAAAG0/cCAd0KSjeHk/s200/IMG_0288.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681920893277036146" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-34338148111239757852011-11-21T07:16:00.003-07:002011-11-21T07:23:24.017-07:00Freedom!I have moved out of the crazy lady's house! I am in a wonderful bungalow in a nice big room with lots of space and which I hope to soon decorate! I still live with David and Gloria and Sqweaky so good times there. The only bad thing is there is a problem with setting up the internet which means I am at uni right now doing homework and I thought I would quickly post an update. I probably won't have internet for another week or two but I hope to come into uni and do more detailed posts now that things are settling down. <br /><br />For those who want my address: <br />171 Station Road<br />Lower Stondon<br />Henlow<br />Beds SG16 6JQ<br />UK<br /><br />Mail is always fun if anyone wants to send me letters. Or A&W rootbeer. That would be nice too. Though I am not sure how that works or if it would burst in the mail? Hmmm. <br /><br />Anyway. I am celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday with David, Gloria, and Sqweaky, and D and G's son Matt, who will be up for the weekend. We always have fun joking around so that will be nice and then we are going to set up the Christmas tree. Yay!<br /><br />Sorry for the lame update but I need to get back to homework.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-52725540843108125502011-11-02T09:13:00.003-06:002011-11-02T09:31:10.537-06:00ThwartedMy plans for posting more often have been thwarted by one of the topics I wanted to post about, listed in my last entry. No, not fish pie, and not Sqweaky. Nan, the once-upon-a-time-sweet-grandmothery lady who'd welcomed me into her home who is now the wolf-in-grandmother's-nightgown. She has succumbed to the madness, going from calling me by name to 'that girl' to 'that woman' to now 'the lodger'. She used to have a gambling problem years ago but has been good. Unfortunately her eldest daughter took her a few weeks ago and it has been a downward spiral since. She has lost close to 3,000 pounds in 3 weeks which is close to $4,500. She will be sweet one moment and then the next she is screaming about anything and everything. One of her favorite topics is now me: the lodger who is using her bathroom, using up her electricity. She "don't want no lodgers in my house. It's disgusting. I won't have it." Then she will go to her room and watch telly and cackle hysterical laughter for hours. I am hoping the new medication will stabilize her soon. I am also hoping that my housing options will stop falling through. I was all packed up to move out on Saturday and then my option fell through, and then my backup fell through. Then David and Gloria had another idea of where I could go and that fell through. For some strange and odd reason I don't think I am supposed to move out yet. Actually the situation with Nan is similar to what I went through when I lived with my grandparents for 2 years when I was 11 and 12 so I have had some good advice for David and Gloria that they say have helped them get through this. But I think we are ready to be done getting through it, we want to be on the other side of it. Not really helpful to go through when both Gloria and I are trying to do our Masters right now.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-48120441470317915542011-10-27T10:36:00.003-06:002011-10-27T10:55:09.572-06:00Taken for GrantedI know I haven't written in a week and there is a bunch of stuff I should write about but for now: a rundown of my past Sunday.<br /><br />Left my house at 10 to noon and got a bus from by my house to the tube station. Then took the tube from Hendon Central Station down the northern line, switched to the district line and arrived at Victoria station at 1:20 to then go up top and catch the overground train at 1:38 to the Wandsworth Chapel where we were having Stake Conference. Got off the train and walked a few blocks and found the chapel. Got seated at 1:55, five minutes to spare before it started. I remember the days not so distant when I could sleep through my alarm and roll out of bed at 10 to 9am and still make it to church at 9. The good old days when it didn't take 2 hours to get to church. After conference got out at 4, it took us 2 hours to get to the Bishop's house where a bunch of us newbies to the ward had dinner. Awesome family. He's from Provo, she's from India, they have three very fun kids. They made us Mexican food! Yay! I wasn't sure I'd have that anytime soon. Then I left at 8:30 and got home at 10. What a long day. Going to church used to be so much easier. Especially when I had my own car. Though I would be crazy to try and drive in London. <br /><br />Other things I will try to post about the next few times:<br />~Nan, or the mother of the couple I am staying with needing her mental illness medication adjusted, hopefully this will stop the fits of shouting or her referring to me as 'that girl' when she doesn't think I can hear. Hopefully I will be moving out real soon.<br />~List of books I've had to read for my course. Many of them are weird.<br />~Pictures. I really should post some. Though most are of the dog Sqweaky.<br />~Fish pie <br />~and other assorted British food I've eaten. Really the fish pie was quite tasty; don't judge it by its name.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-46014447597524434852011-10-19T06:41:00.002-06:002011-10-19T06:54:32.731-06:00OopsOkay. Can we talk American for a minute? Because when you said, with your lisp and lovely British accent, 19,000 words, and I repeated back to you with a question mark 19,000? in my American accent to your hearing aid and you then repeated back to me 19,000 with a serious nod, I wondered why everyone suddenly felt the need to go to the pub after class and drink their stress away. In my mind I rounded it up to 20,000 and thought I could write that in a couple of weeks while still doing the rest of my work for school and working on my novel on the side. Piece of cake. <br /><br />My cake has suddenly gone dry and stale as I realized last night my teacher had said 90,000 words. I have to write 90,000 words before January. That is, to put it mildly, not the same thing as 19,000. I heard 90,000 this time and thought, maybe I should have gone to the pub with the other students. I could pick up drinking; I may need to. 90,000 words is about 300 pages of a published novel. It is basically a full novel, albeit a bit short for the fantasy genre. When am I going to have time to finish the novel I am currently working on? But I am on track. I have already written over 7,000 words in the last week. I can totally do this! Bring it on! <br /><br />BRING IT! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-28495392141881609732011-10-17T04:08:00.002-06:002011-10-17T04:12:40.079-06:00My First Voice Assignment“You’s crazy, that’s what you is,” Sneaks repeated. “He don’t take our kind. What’s more, you gonna break up this band, and we need you. How you gonna feel knowing little Runt here is crying after you when you leave? You brought us him, trained him up and now you gonna abandon him? All of us? You’s our Lucks, see?”<br /> <br />“I gotta try, Sneaks. They say he’ll train anybody.” Lucks opened his fist and the air around his fingers gathered into a miniature whirlwind. <br /> <br />Sneaks jerked Lucks’ hand down, extinguishing the magic. “Thems that say so don’t think you or me as anybody. Our kind,” he emphasized again, “says he gots a temper and will sooner play with his food before he kills it. We’ll be eating your leftovers soon enough in the streets. ‘He was our Lucks, see, before he gone crazy. Taste good, yeah?’ That’s what we’ll say, all while little Runt is a crying.”<br /> <br />Lucks peered over the stone wall that encircled the citadel and gazed up at the stark white stone stretching skyward. “What else they say?”<br /> <br />Sensing the hesitation, Sneaks pounced. “He knows your head, yeah, know you’s lying. Make you clean up. Disgusting that is.”<br /> <br />“Water don’t scare me.” <br /><br />“Water and you is all right. But it don’t take to me.”<br /><br />The sun was almost above the top which meant time was running out. He crouched down again and gripped Sneaks on the shoulder.<br /> <br />“Take care of him, yeah? He’ll sort out right. I gotta off. If’n I don’t make out, I’ll find you.”<br /> <br />Sneaks spit in the dirt. “I’ll not know you after this. You’s gonna be dead or proper and I don’t take to either.”<br /> # <br /> At the opposite end an old man sat in the throne, robbed in white, with long hair and a beard.<br /> <br />“I’s Lucks. Here to be trained up.”<br /><br /> “Demonstrate your magic . . . Lucks.”<br /><br /> He dropped to one knee and extended his arms outward to either side of his body. Air rushed from his hands until the ends of the tapestries brushing the floor shot away from the wall and floated in the air. That was enough for now. Lucks let the cloth drop and stood again. He’d keep some surprises for later. <br /> <br />“You are gifted.” The Scholar stood from his throne and descended to stand in front of Lucks. “If you agree to my rules, you are welcome to train here, Terian.”<br /> <br />Lucks gasped. “Ain’t been called that since I come heres.” <br /><br /> “It is not a matter of what you are called but of what you are.”<br /> <br />“Right, I’s lucky.”<br /> <br />“From now on you will rely on your skill, your training, not your luck. You will be Terian, the master of air and of your other ability, water.”<br /> <br />Lucks gaped. <br /> <br />“Very little gets past me. You will have to accustom yourself to not lying anymore, at least not to me.”<br /> <br />“Is that one of them rules you’s talking about?” Lucks sighed at the Scholar’s nod. “Let’s hear them.”Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-89686073632216527232011-10-13T15:10:00.002-06:002011-10-13T15:43:15.189-06:00MiddlesexNo, I am not confused about my sexual orientation. I am not wavering in between two choices. That is the name of my uni (university) here in London, technically Hendon. I first saw my campus the day after I arrived in London, which was Wednesday, Sept. 28th. Matt, the son of the people I am staying with, took me to campus to show me around. <br /><br />Speaking of which, I know I have told this story to a bunch of people already, but I don't remember who has and has not heard it and it is worth telling, so funny story:<br />I wasn't sure where exactly we were going when we were walking on campus and he was on my left and moved right and I was not paying attention and moved left so I totally rubbed my leg up against his. He then said something like (and in a fantastic British accent) "I just barely met you and you're trying to rub legs with me." I immediately thought in my head, "I think I might bump into you" from the Holiday when Jude Law shows up drunk and I started to say it and then remembered that I always quote it in a British accent, of course, and then I thought I would just sound like an idiot trying to speak in an accent so I had to say something and finished lamely. But it was hilarious! <br /><br />OK. Campus is tiny. I am used to huge BYU campus and most of all enormous library. I miss that library. But Middlesex actually has several campuses spread around London and students go to a specific one based on what they are studying. I have classes on Monday and Tuesday nights from 6-9. I don't remember if I mentioned this before but my teacher for Monday nights has Harry Potter classes and a really fun personality. It is a class about voice, not only the voice the character will have in a book, but the voice of the narrator and what purpose the author will have in choosing that particular way of speaking or saying something. yay!<br /><br />Tuesday nights is my class on Character. I was nervous about how this teacher would be since she assigned a lot of reading to get done even before class started and the books were not all easy to find and my uni doesn't have a bookstore on campus. I had to order all of my books thru amazon.com.uk And I did not like several of the books. Anyway. This lady is short with red hair, a slight lisp, a hearing aid, and she has an awesome personality. I liked her immediately. Whew.<br /><br />Though for a moment I liked her a little less when she told all of us doing novel writing for fantasy and sci fi that she wanted us to write 20,000 words of a new novel we haven't previously worked on and to have that done by January when we start the novel writing class. This means I will end up writing close to 40,000 words before January probably. The shock only lasted for a moment and then I liked her again when I remembered that in Brandon Sanderson's class I think we wrote 10,000 words a week which means once I get back into the habit, 40,000 words will be a piece of cake to do in over 2 months! Whew again. Granted I have I think 15 books to read in just this month alone, but I can manage to do it all!<br /><br />After class on Tuesday I went home and plotted what I was going to write for my 20,000 words and between yesterday and today and all my homework I wrote 1,500 words.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-12335432635453510022011-10-10T04:33:00.002-06:002011-10-10T05:00:08.863-06:00HousingI can't believe I have been in London for almost 2 weeks! Time has flown by. Things have not turned out the way I'd planned or even hoped they'd turn out. I got in on Sept. 27th and had scheduled to look at 4 potential places to live during the week. The plan was then changed to looking at places on Saturday. Before Saturday 2 of my options had disappeared b/c of last minute family issues, no fault of the people who'd offered me a place to live, but I was suddenly down 2 options. That was okay though, because on Saturday I had two more places to look at. <br /><br />Matt, the son of the people I am staying with, took me to the places on Saturday, Oct. 1st. I arrived at the first place and the lady told me she decided to raise the price by 100 pounds. Immediately I think anyone who does that in the last minute is lame. Then she showed me the room: a closet with no windows and room only for a bed and then a slice of space to walk out of the room. As much as I love Harry Potter, I do not wish to live in his cupboard! Especially since I know there is no Hagrid coming along to give me a wand and an invite to a school of magic. What she was offering was ridiculous for the price. But most importantly, I am a writer, I came here to write. I need space for a desk and to be able to write since I will be doing that more than anything else. <br /><br />Went to the last option and as we sat there talking, the lady gave excuse after excuse for why her room would not work for me on a permanent basis. Hmm. Too bad, I loved her personality: beautiful, loud Kenya woman. She would have been fun to live with, but I could tell she was rethinking her offer. Since 3 people backed out and I don't feel a cupboard is a valid offer, I suddenly went from 4 options to no options! Matt drove away from the house with me in the passenger side fighting the panicking feeling that gripped my heart and ability to breathe.<br /><br />Matt took me to lunch and the lovely, greasy Chinese food helped settle my stomach a bit. Then he took me miniature golfing, or "crazy golf" as he called it. That was fun and took my mind off of my homelessness completely. I relaxed, forgot about the housing issue and was more myself, loud, competitive me. I beat Matt by one point, though I wonder if he 'flubbed' as he called it, one of the holes for my benefit. But I did get several spectacular holes in one.<br /><br />This past week has been stressful, with me worrying about where to live. The people I am staying with said it would be no problem for me to stay for a few weeks while I figure out my life: that was on the Sunday after I lost all of my options. Then this past week they told me they had decided to move and thought they could get a two bedroom house and I could share with them since, Gloria, the mum, is also going to my uni! Ta da! I'm back in the game! I have options again. I love it. Gloria and David are amazing and fun and I am very comfortable with them. I would love living with them. <br /><br />I shall see what will happen, but for now I am not on the streets, I have a room with a desk and a window (I never realized how much I took for granted having a window!) and I get to start my classes tonight. I am so happy to be in London. I swear I walk around grinning like an idiot-though part of that is listening to the wonderful accents around me.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-57671649589876005372011-09-28T05:55:00.002-06:002011-09-28T06:35:32.669-06:00London CallingI am in London! I flew out of Salt Lake City on Monday at 11:20 (flight was supposed to leave at 11:20 but a ground stop in Chicago delayed us an hour.) I have been stuck in Chicago twice on other trips so I was nervous when the news of the ground stop came while we were on the plane waiting to leave. But I had made sure to have a 3 hour layover in case of problems. I arrived in Chicago and only had an hour before boarding my next flight. I had plenty of time, but then the Chicago flight was delayed an hour getting off, which made me a bit nervous, but I didn't care as much about getting London late, so much as I got there period. <br /><br />The flight got off finally and I sat on the right aisle seat in the middle section of 5 seats. The only other seat taken in that row was the left aisle seat, leaving 3 seats in between us empty. After dinner I lay down curled over two seats and was the most comfortable I have ever been on a plane! I still didn't sleep, but I was able to turn on some music and rest for hours and not arrive completely exhausted. <br /><br />At London Heathrow going thru customs was a breeze! I didn't even need all the paperwork I had been told to have on hand. Whew! The trip so far has been smooth sailing! I got my luggage almost immediately, exchanged my cash dollars for pounds and headed for a cash machine to withdraw some more. Wah wah. I tried I think 7 different cash machines all of which rejected my request for money. I had some cash so I wasn't completely out of luck but it was making me nervous. I don't get my loans for another week or so and if my card ended up not working that would be a huge problem. I headed for the underground to take me into central London where I was going to meet up with the son of the lady I am staying with a couple of days. Just before the entrance of the underground was another cash machine, a different brand than some of the others I tried and finally it worked! I love money. It buys me stuff and gets me places. <br /><br />I rode into King's Cross Station and headed to a coffee shop where I would meet Matt. he was standing outside and asked if I was Rachel. Turns out he'd already asked a couple girls with bags if they were Rachel and one said yes, and how did he know her name? But she replied in a British accent so he knew it wasn't me. (and can I just say it is taking all of my energy to not say anything in a British accent! I really really want to and the weeks before I left everyone was talking to me in fake British accents. The real thing makes me ridiculously happy.) We loaded up my luggage into his car, which he was leaving for his parents who were coming in on a later train to the same station. He took care of me for an hour before he had to leave for rehearsal, then I sat in a coffee shop eating a muffin and reading my Kindle and thinking "I'm in London baby!" An hour and a half later Gloria and her husband David arrived and took me to their house, got me settled in and fed. I was exhausted by 5 or 6 but I managed to keep myself awake until 9:30 even though I'd only had 3 hours of sleep in 2 days. Whew. Slept so well and laid in bed long after I had woken up. <br /><br />I was really nervous to leave home after my Dad's heart attack and stroke a week ago; I'd considered cancelling the whole thing and staying home, but I am so glad I am here! It is going to take a great deal of adjusting though.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-24186359971630811452011-07-18T10:33:00.001-06:002011-07-18T10:33:47.383-06:00Harry Potter!Sigh. What can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? It was wonderful and the culmination of 10 years of my life of reading, rereading, watching, waiting, dressing up, visiting England and the riddle stairs and other places, years of speculations, discussions, of characters so real they are like family and friends. It was 10 years of inspiration, and though the movies and books have ended, the relationships never will. That's the kind of book I want to write, one with characters that will last, that will always draw you into their world. That is what I hope to do for the next year while I am doing grad school in London. I have my funding, my visa will soon be approved (there's no reason why I wouldn't get approved) and then I off to spend a year doing nothing but creating. Yay!<br /><br />But back to Harry Potter. The movie was awesome. I went at midnight opening night and of course dressed, I almost always have. Since I think the 3rd movie. Though the last two movies I decided dressing up as Hermione was overdone and not as much fun as dressing up as Bellatrix. I wore my Abby Scuito goth boots, my bavmorda cloak, wore a black shirt and skirt, curled, braided and ratted my hair, darkened my eyes and wore hooker red lipstick. I looked amazing. I even had a flashlight that I held in my hand with my wand, so I could press a button and display the dark mark. <br /><br />The movie jumped into the action and didn't stop. The music was beautiful, the scenery beckoned to me, telling me to return to England (which I will), and the action was great and the characters were true to themselves. Most of the best parts of the book were there with a few added in that were amazing and compelling. I loved what they did with Snape and Lily and the flashbacks. I loved Snape and Neville and was happy that Molly Weasley got her moment. <br /><br />my own tears were a bit staved off by the girl in front of me that sobbed when the characters that were going to die came on the screen-before they died she started sobbing and cried for the last half hour of the movie. I couldn't help but giggle a bit, the morbidity in me, I suppose, to laugh at someone so emotional. <br /><br />My work had a Harry Potter showing for us, paid for. So I got to return on Saturday and see the movie for a second time and drink butterbeer while enjoying it again. It was a great weekend.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-68843558069024758282011-05-04T18:52:00.002-06:002011-05-04T19:09:23.423-06:00Cross Your FingersMarch and April were a whirlwind and I doubt May will be any different. In March while I was bored and surfing the net, I came across several Masters Programs that focused on how to write science fiction and fantasy, which is rare. 3 of them. All in Great Britain. It made complete sense, I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before-why wouldn't England be more open to writing fantasy!? I was shocked and delighted and spur of the moment I jumped in and applied. The application process actually took weeks since I had to get letters of recommendations, but without even thinking about it I gathered together all my college and job info, a writing sample, etc, and did everything else the schools wanted. I got my applications in the first week of April. Then the researching and planning started, looking up the information on cost of living, where I could live, what I would need, the seemingly endless lists of pros and cons about each of the schools I applied to, the lists of what I could take with me, what I would need before I left, what I would need once I got to England. Then mid-April was the interviews. Then the end of April was two letters, both acceptances/offers to complete a Masters in Creative Writing. One in Oxford and one in London!<br /><br />Now May will be the whirlwind of applying for funding since I don't have that kind of money. Once I find out about funding I can apply for a visa and finalize housing and figure out how I will spent October 2011 through October of 2012 in England finishing my novel and trying to get it published all while living in a green and pleasant land. So cross your fingers and wish me luck that I will get the funding I need!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-8304093680035648272011-03-16T13:17:00.004-06:002011-03-16T13:28:09.171-06:00Oops, I forgotI'm not normally a forgetful person. I remember what people say and do, even when they argue it didn't happen that way, and I usually have witnesses to back me up. I remember what I am supposed to do, especially when I have a set schedule. But last night I completely forgot to go to institute. I have been going to this class every Tuesday since January and last night I didn't go. <br /><br />I went to the library to get some books, obviously, and rushed home to read. At 7:35 I looked up from the pages of a lost world, saw the time, and thought to myself, "Am I missing or forgetting something? Don't I normally have something to do on Tuesday nights at this time?" I mentally checked off NCIS, my show that I gave up months ago for institute and to give me more time to write, and then I couldn't think of anything else I needed to do. <br /><br />At 10 pm I finished my book and went down stairs. My roommates immediately asked why I didn't go to institute, since they know I go every Tuesday like clockwork. I stopped in shock and they thought I was joking when I gasped, "Institute was tonight!?"<br /><br />I was on a roll this week. Sunday I forgot it was daylight savings and missed the first hour of church. Tuesday I forgot institute. This does not bode well for my Relief Society Lesson on this coming Sunday!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-17056178667836432442011-03-14T17:40:00.002-06:002011-03-14T18:11:17.837-06:00Weekend at the CabinMy roommates go up to their parents' cabin out beyond Heber at least once a month. They invite me up all the time, but I always seem to be busy. I went once last fall before winter set in and we had a lot of fun, playing games, eating, putting puzzles together, letting the dogs run through the trees and around the cabin.<br /><br />Well, this weekend I actually was free. Jayme and Angie went up Saturday and spent the night with their family. Sunday I decided to go up after church with Heather, our other roommate, and have dinner and games with the family. I'd never been up there during winter and didn't know what to expect. I asked Heather if I would need snow pants because during winter the roads aren't clear enough to drive to the cabin. Heather told me no, they would drive me in on the snowcat. I figured that would be great. We were only going to spent a few hours there. I did decide to change out of my cotton socks and into wool ones, stuff a hat (one with fur and ewok ears and two tassels hanging down), gloves, and scarf into my bag, and bring my heavy coat.<br /><br />An hour later we get to winter parking and discover the family snowcat isn't there. And nobody up at the cabin is answering our calls or texts. We get to hike to the cabin instead. Me in my jeans, Heather in her snowpants, Corbin (golden retriever) in his booties since he doesn't walk in the snow very well, and Kira, (husky), running around while pulling a sled. <br /><br />Things are going fine, not too cold, and Heather suggests I try out the sled now that we reached a downhill portion. Kira pulled me down two different hills without incident. Then we get to the curving hill, the one I've seen in the videos of Angie and Heather at the cabin, the one where they always biff it. Heather thinks it will be brilliant to get me to sled down the hill, give me her gloves "to steer with" and sends me off.<br /><br />I'm fine until we round a corner and there are two paths-which one am I supposed to steer to? Kira apparently didn't know either and just ran between them, jumping into an embankment, sending me and the sled into a bush. (I was grateful for the bush; otherwise I might have gone over the snow and down a steep hill.)Behind me I heard Heather laughing hysterically which only increased as I rolled out of the sled and into snow up to my knees. My tassel on my ewok hat got caught in the sled rope and yanked off my hat when Kira pulled away with ease, while I sunk further into the snow. I crawl to the road, thinking this is Kira's revenge for all the times I've teased her; Kira and Heather's plot to leave me buried in the snow until Spring. Heather walks up, laughing, while Corbin pads over to me, tail wagging, tongue out and panting in my face. <br /><br />I decided I probably shouldn't have trusted Heather, yet when we hiked out at 9 pm, me in borrowed snow pants, I still got on the sled with her for another ride down a hill. Heather put me in front of course, where I got the brunt of the snow and ice flying into my face instead of hers, until we biffed it at the end and we both got planted into the snow.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-72168057751070932902011-03-02T10:27:00.002-07:002011-03-02T10:38:03.091-07:00What I Love About Working From Home1. I get to sleep in. Literally I can roll out of bed at 8:50 and start work at 9.<br />2. I don't have to wear business clothes. I could work in my pajamas if I wanted, though I usually don't. I prefer wearing jeans. Every day I get to throw on jeans and a tee and I am good to go.<br />3. I can actually cook myself lunch. At work your only options were buy food, bring precooked or cold food or use the microwave. It limits your options, is more expensive and usually less healthy. But working from home I have an oven and can choose what I want in that moment.<br />4. I don't have to deal with office politics as much. People sitting around and gossiping and complaining about work. Granted my roommmate and I work in the same department and both from home in the office of our house so we complain to each other, but that is different.<br />5. I save on gas. <br />6. No traffic.<br />7. I can jump on the elliptical for my breaks from work if I wanted. I don't all that often, but knowing the option is there is great.<br />8. People can't complain about me being too loud because they can't hear me!<br />9. When the power goes out, it stays out. Yay for no generators. Ok. That only happened once and I used PTO and played games with my roommates, which my manager knew about so I wasn't cheating. <br />10. My roommate and I can play music in between phone calls.<br /><br />Just a few things about why I love working from home.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-5123529066854885132010-11-21T19:39:00.003-07:002010-11-21T19:51:40.211-07:00Whoops, 3 months?Well, time does fly when you are having fun. It has been three months since I've written, lots of stuff has happened, but not not even sure anyone but me would find it interesting. <br />Catch up: (I have to do this with my journal all the time, weeks worth of catchup. This time it is months worth.)<br />*I love living with my new roommates. We have a lot of fun. We travel together: Lake Powell, Havasupai, Vegas. We play games together: Harry Potter clue, Munchkin, Cities of Catan. We eat together sometimes: cookies, indian food, Thai food. We just don't clean together. They are more relaxed with their idea of cleanliness and order. But, if that is the only thing, then I can live with that. My room and bathroom are clean and organized so I can deal with the rest. <br />*I have been writing, just not on my blog. But my book is coming along. I just get frustrated when I can't get everything that is in my head, out of of my head fast enough. It gets jumbled as it comes out and I'm not sure how to say it. <br />*I went to Vegas for my birthday and saw Ka, Cirque du Soleil. AMAZING! I can't believe the darning of the acrobats. It was unlike any show I have ever seen and would recommend it to everyone. <br />* Harry Potter 7 part 1 was fantastic. I decided that I always dress up as Hermione so this year I would dress up as Bellatrix. Yup. Black makeup, dress, fishnets, boots, robe with skulls. Wand waving the dark mark. Really, I was waving the darkmark.<br />* I am excited for Thanksgiving. EXCITED!!! I can't wait to go home and spend time with my family. I haven't visited them for 3 months and that is unusual for me. I normally go home once a month. <br />That was the quickest, least detailed report I have ever done, but hopefully it will get me started on blogging again. Who knows.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-91187370967890332982010-08-24T09:17:00.002-06:002010-08-24T10:05:20.216-06:00Moving is LameI finally get organized, everything finally has a spot, out of the way where I know where to find it and then put it back when I am done (a fancy new adult idea), the walls are decorated with posters and cut outs and calendars, (yes more than one calendar and yes 90 % of all of that is Harry Potter). With everything in its place I finally had a system down, methods to my madnesses. It only took me a year. <br /><br />Then I decide to move. Last night I finished getting all of my stuff-and when I move I am reminded just how much stuff I really have once it's all been removed from its place, out of sight, out of mind-got it all into my new room, finished cleaning my old apartment and turned on Criminal Minds to watch while I put my new room to rights. Problem is, I didn't get done and to my new place until 11 pm, my bedtime, though I rarely make it to bed that early. I figured I could at least go to bed at 12. Nope. Too much stuff. I was decently organized during this move, but last night I was sick of it all and just stuff whatever I could wherever I could. Which meant I couldn't find my phone charger. I was too tired to continue once I found my charger and just got out the next day's necessities, then went to bed. Now I am at work thinking of all the boxes I have to go through, all my stuff I have to organize, where I need to put it all, what I need to buy to get organized. I wish I had enough money to get my own place, because I would definitely be able to fill it all up with my stuff. But then I would have to move again and I would rather not move for a while. <br /><br />Yesterday I worked from 9-5, then stood in line at Comcast until 6:15 to return the internet modem, packed and moved stuff from 6:30-7:30, went to the gym until 8:30, then packed and cleaned and moved until 1 am. I would write more, but I am too tired, and I must save my energy to talk to doctors on the phone.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-19435380219095197262010-08-09T11:06:00.003-06:002010-08-09T11:28:19.499-06:00Chapter One: Dyes and KnivesHey! Please give me feedback on what you think of this potential first chapter to my novel. I want to know if it is interesting or clear or if the dye part is too boring and detailed. Tell me what you do and don't like.<br /><br />CHAPTER 1<br /><br />The grind of the pestle stopped in the adjacent room, followed by the tap tap of dislodging powder residue from the end. Rish started out of her stupor to stir the bubbling red liquid in the vat she watched over. Only when the grinding resumed did she relax again. <br /><br />For the most part Rish enjoyed her job but maintaining the vats was beyond dull. The simmering dyes had to soak into the cloth for hours before the colors would take. This particular color, sunset red, needed to soak for six hours, and it was one of the faster colors to take to the root weave; probably why it was the most commonly used. It had to be stirred more often though. <br /><br />Rish settled into the cushions she’d propped against the wall below the window. The harvest heat was still strong outside, but cooler than the boiling room, and the bit of air that drifted down to her was a welcome respite. In another notch burning of the candle she’d make her rounds to the other vats, to stir, swirl, and add either more color or more water to even out the orange of the piculo fruit, the bright red of the piculo flowers, the deeper red of the Lastanae root’s berries, or the dark brown and black of the root itself. In the other room Naria was, no doubt, crushing the piculo flowers the two of them dried every spring. With one last dose of the powder, the sunset red would be done, cloth rung of water, then hung to dry while Rish emptied the vat and cleaned it out. <br /><br />The end result was worth the effort, when the cloth was dry and displayed for potential buyers. She liked to arrange the colors, vivid red or burning orange against a black background, various browns draped together and the occasional swash of calming colors, as Naria called them. Rish’s gaze drifted to the trunk in the corner of the room. Inside were the dyes they rarely used, the colors that just couldn’t overcome the black and brown lastanae root which made their cloth. The root hairs were combed, soaked, beaten, combed again, before being spun and woven, yet with all the abuse their color would not fade. <br /><br />The grinding stopped again. She looked over at the candle; time to make the rounds. Rish sprang up from her cushions, back crackling as she stretched and shook her limbs. Her rounds were quick. She’d been working under Naria for seven years and knew the art of dyeing almost as well as Naria herself. <br /><br />Naria came in, bowl of powder in one hand, pestle in the other, draped in more cloth than necessary, especially in the heat of harvest time, leggings of near black, berry red cloth tied over one shoulder and falling past mid thigh, wrapped about the waist with a brown twist of leather. From each of her upper arms hung, like miniature capes, the jagged ends brushing past her elbows, two cloths of sunset red. At her wrists were straps of cloth of every color Naria could produce. The straps, with metal and bone ornaments clacking, never changed from day to day, though the outfits did, ensembles to display the possibilities in colors. <br /><br />Her hair was hardly different in its cry for attention. Three weeks ago it had been red and black streaks. Now it was a deep brunette, save for the tied-off streak that was blue, the one thing that never changed. It too was tied with leather, metal, and bone. <br /><br />“How are the dyes?” Naria asked.<br /><br />Rish gestured to the vat she’d been watching for hours. “Sunset’s ready for another dosing, as well as the path brown.”<br /><br />Naria nodded her satisfaction. With quick, efficient moves, the dye master had stirred in the last measure of the red, topped it with a lid to let simmer, and proceeded to assist Rish finish her rounds. Once done they doused the fires for the night.<br /><br />“I can stay and help with the sunset in an hour,” Rish offered.<br />“I’ll finish up. You have your Naming tonight; I imagine you’ll want to get home and clean the dye off your hands.”<br />Rish looked down at her stain tipped fingers. She doubted the colors would come off any time soon. <br />“Unless you think someone Naming what your future will be is a waste of time. In that case you can stay and I’ll dye your hair blue.”<br />“How can you say that? The Naming is sacred.”<br />“So’s my blue. You’d look good in blue. I keep telling you, your hair is too boring.”<br />“I get enough attention as it is; I don’t need to draw more with abnormally colored hair.” Rish bit her lip, but couldn’t help herself. “How can you be negative toward the rituals when your mother . . .?”<br /><br />“What? Was the seer before she died?” Naria wiped her hands on a rag which she then tossed aside. “Let me tell you something. You can make your own life what it is. Look at this shop.” She gestured wide, bone and metal clicking together. “Erusa Named my brother heir to the dyeing business. He tried to run away, slipped down the hills and died just about the time your parents returned to the village with you. The seer sees possibilities not inevitabilities. My mother wanted me to lead the village by becoming a sentinel. She was too blinded by what she wanted to realize I knew dyeing better than my brother and always did. She may have been seer, but she was still human.”<br />“Your life isn’t over yet,” Rish said.<br />“I hope not,” Naria replied.<br />“I just meant that you could become a sentinel before you died, which would mean your mother was right.”<br />“Hah. I lack the aptitude to become a narrow-minded, doddering old fool of a sentinel. Except Marcun; he’s smart, I’ll give you that.” Naria put her hands on Rish’s shoulders. “I know you are nervous about what you’ll be Named. I only want you to take the words tonight with a healthy dose of skepticism.”<br />“I’ll try.” Rish said.<br />“Good,” Naria chuckled. “I know that’s a lot coming from you. All that time you spent with my mother she practically was yours too, after your parents died. I’m not trying to speak ill of her, merely point out that she was limited like everyone else.”<br /><br />That was the end of that. They had often argued about the village traditions, often agreeing about the villagers and their narrow views, but while Rish loved the rituals and festivals and everything about the seer, Naria did not. Though they could say more about the matter, neither was likely to change their stance.<br /><br />“Before you’re off . . . .” Naria reached into her trunk where she stored the rare colors and expensive cloths she had to purchase that would take the greens and purples, the yellows and whites, and grays, and . . . the blues. Naria pulled out a long tunic of vivid blue.<br /><br />“Oh, that’s beautiful, Naria.”<br />“Traditionally parents present their child with an outfit to wear to their Naming. I would be honored if you accept mine.”<br />Rish’s eyes widened. “For me? But your sacred blue and where did you get the cloth?” Rish fingered the soft, light fabric. The root weave was much coarser. <br />“I got the cloth when the spring trade caravan came through.” She stopped Rish’s protest. “Specifically for you. Take a look.”<br /><br />The initial shock wearing off, Rish took the tunic, letting the cloth fall free of its folds. White cloth trimmed the top with two bands to wrap around the neck and tie instead of the usual root collar. A white strip cinched the waist as well. White was the most difficult dye to work with and therefore almost never used. It was also impractical since it quickly dirtied and discolored.<br /><br />“It’s beautiful,” she repeated. “Thank you.” Rarely did they address each other formally, yet Rish was touched by Naria’s gesture. She bowed. “Thank you, Master Nariakii.” <br /><br />Rish stepped into the evening air. It cooled the sweat against her bare shoulders before it could trickle down her back or chest. <br /><br />She straightened her red tunic, a mixture of berry and sunset, which wrapped around her chest and under her armpits and fell to mid thigh over brown leggings. Her tunic was held up by the root collar attached to the middle of her tunic by root hairs woven into the cloth. The thick body of the root stretched up from her tunic and wrapped around her neck, ending on the other side just above her collar bone. Sprouting from the sides of the root were its wispy hairs which brushed against her skin with the breeze.<br /><br />She hugged her new tunic to her chest. It was the best present she’d ever gotten. Tonight she wouldn’t have to use the hook root as a collar for her tunic, a clear sign that she did not have even a shred of Sai Sing ability. Though men were the Singers, who could manipulate the roots into whichever desired shape they wanted, house or bed or chair, the women were still allowed their ‘hearth tricks’ such as singing to the roots attached to their clothing, or to open the root pods holding grains, spices, and fruit strung across their kitchens. Rish was unable to perform even the hearth singing and therefore had to rely on others.<br /><br />Braxton always offered to Sai Sing for her, but it was too embarrassing to have her little brother, younger by nine years, help her dress. She would rather stick with the hook root collar. Not tonight though. She had a beautiful and unique tunic, blue and white. White cloth to wrap around her neck instead of the roots. <br /> <br />The festival tonight was going to be wonderful. So was her Naming. Things were going well; there was no way the seer would doom her to a life stuck in the village until she died. Ojuic was not exciting.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-69794419189668938072010-08-03T13:00:00.003-06:002010-08-03T16:18:06.689-06:00Well, I'll BeFunny about how as kids you don’t really think about which parent you are more like. I grew up hearing that I looked like my mom, but I also was always told how messy and disorganized I was like my dad, who had also taught me to be the avid reader that I am-losing myself to the world around so I wouldn’t even hear someone talking directly to me. <br /><br />As kids it was like this: my brother Davy and I were the most alike. We looked like our mom but we were probably more like my dad and his side of the family. We were FREAKISHLY energetic, all over the place and going going going, loudly and obnoxiously. We were impulsive and social and had lots of friends but definitely had a lot of people who didn’t like us b/c we were so social and therefore they would try to bully us. My brother and I were messy and disorganized and didn’t think things through. We were always in the moment.<br /><br />My sister Jeanne and my oldest brother Jerry Ray were alike. They looked like my dad, but were like my mom, organized and responsible. They were quieter and focused on keeping things in place and organized. They took care of everyone else and were the nurturers. They protected the younger siblings. They didn’t have as many friends, but they were respected and well liked and had very few problems with people. <br /><br />My middle brother Art wasn’t like anyone else. <br /><br />Suddenly as an adult I am finding the pairings we had as children no longer fit. I am more apt to think things through before speaking, I am less inclined to be social and energetic until I have assessed the situation first. I still have bounds of energy when I am comfortable and with people I know, otherwise I have to reel it in. I am also becoming more organized and clean. I still love the clutter in my work area, the chaos and noise it brings to my surroundings calms my ever-going brain, but I am not dirty and I do not like dirty, I want things organized and efficient. I visited a friend's home and it was messy and all I could think about was wanting to clean and reorganize it because it was not set up efficiently. Obviously I couldn’t do that so I went home and deep cleaned my entire bathroom and organized my room. Who does that? My mother and my sister when she was younger and Monica Geller. I think things through, more so than is ever necessary. I plan every little detail and think of all the possibilities so I can plan for them. I am not so impulsive any more. I want to be able to rely on something, to know I can count on it and not be so whimsical. I am calm and rational and more like my oldest brother now. My oldest brother is 8 years older than me and I used to not know so much what to say to him. Now we get along really well. The rest of the siblings come to us for advice. When did I become my mother? That’s not insulting; she is an amazing woman, but it is very surprising.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933899740454932131.post-43615363755516163492010-06-18T16:57:00.005-06:002010-06-18T17:36:09.015-06:00Grand CanyonAt the last minute Thursday of last week I decided to go with my friend to her family reunion in Kanab. I scrambled to get the sacrament program done and sent to someone to print and hand out since I would be gone. I rearranged my plans for the weekend and made sure work was taken care of so I could skip out on Friday. I've been to St. George but never to Kanab or Arizona, Lake Powell or the Grand Canyon. I'm not sure why I had the expectation of red, hot, dry, and more dusty american desert (vs sandy african deserts), but when we went from Utah to Arizona, the land changed from dry and sparse to forest wilderness, more reminisce of Washington and Oregon than Utah. Forest stretched into the distance on either side of the road, bark a beautiful red, meadows lining parts of the road, glimpses of deer amidst the trees. The noise and clutter of my mind stilled while I gazed as far as I could into the forest, music and talk settled into a background murmur. We drove by at 60 MPH, but it felt like the world had slowed to that moment, the peace of nature welcoming me home. Before I knew it the grand canyon had come up on my right and I didn't even notice. I turned to look and through the trees I could see a tremendous gap in the earth of red rock and dirt, more what I had expected than a wilderness paradise. <br /><br />At the grand canyon, the line of trees ended and 10 feet later the cliff sides dropped into the earth's crevice. Despite my fear of heights, I went out onto long, thin walkways, sheer drops on either side of the path. <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBv-jG_ad6I/AAAAAAAAAFc/x-MjkOZ6sks/s1600/Bridge.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBv-jG_ad6I/AAAAAAAAAFc/x-MjkOZ6sks/s320/Bridge.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484256850379175842" /></a><br />The view was beautiful and if I didn't think about falling down the chasm I was fine. Early afternoon the weather really started to turn, raining first and lowering to mid-forties. I'd brought my wool sweater, but not any rain gear, thinking it would be hot and dry in June. We saw lightning streak across the sky above the canyon, which was awe-some and I wished I'd gotten a picture of it. <br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAclgs_1I/AAAAAAAAAFk/7kY0PMUfWcA/s1600/Grand+Canyon+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAclgs_1I/AAAAAAAAAFk/7kY0PMUfWcA/s200/Grand+Canyon+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484258937336037202" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAdhr89aI/AAAAAAAAAF0/3uQfiSRigOc/s1600/Tree+at+Grand+Canyon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAdhr89aI/AAAAAAAAAF0/3uQfiSRigOc/s200/Tree+at+Grand+Canyon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484258953489348002" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAdVZg1QI/AAAAAAAAAFs/PjrZH5wOHNE/s1600/Grand+Canyon.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ozFy26LknDk/TBwAdVZg1QI/AAAAAAAAAFs/PjrZH5wOHNE/s200/Grand+Canyon.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484258950190781698" /></a><br />Then the rain cleared up a bit and we decided to go for a walk along one of the trails. Just as we started back to the car and had only a mile or less to go it started to snow. In June!? The temp dropped to thirty-two degrees and quickly we were all soaked. On the way back to Kanab the snow fell so hard it was a world of white around us, no wilderness, no meadows, no trees, merely snow. Not what I had expected at all. Still beautiful and peaceful though. <br /><br />That was on Saturday. Friday was Lake Powell and Sunday was Horseshoe Bend overlook and the Cathedral Wash hike in Arizona. At Horseshoe Bend I got as close as I could bear to the edge, which wasn't that close and looked down on a beautiful river. The dogs found a lizard about that and chased it until it dropped off its tail to save its life. It worked too. We were all too fascinated with the severed yet still wiggling tail. We watched until it stopped moving. <br /><br />This area was the Arizona I had pictured. We hiked through Cathedral Wash, going deeper and deeper into the dry river bed, watching as the rock looked more and more like strange red skeletons of what once was there, pocks and openings everywhere. <br /><br />On the way home, Utah was the most green and beautiful I'd seen it, especially for the lower half.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970853838783822876noreply@blogger.com1