Bad Test/Good Weather

Not sure where exactly I went wrong but my test today did not go as I would have hoped... I went through all the slides for lecture a couple of times, I read the chapters of the main book that go along with the things we have covered thus far and I also skimmed a couple of the other books that were on an extended reading list we were given. The professor had said the questions would be straight forward and they weren't...most of them were really quite difficult. Wouldn't have been so much of a problem but it was a timed test with only 30 minutes for 40 questions...I didn't even make it through every question! :( My score sucks...I'm not going to announce it on here but I'm really going to need to get my points for this class somewhere else because this test did NOT help my grade.

I'm used to doing really well in my classes so this really put a downer on my day. I came home and got in bed and stared at my computer while first Pinocchio played and then Fantasia played (three on the classics list down, next up is Dumbo then Bambi, I'm excited...haven't seen those in forever!)...also took a bit of a nap because I had a terrible headache. When I woke up from my nap I figured I'd done enough moping and decided to not waste the beautiful day it was. Today was our first bit of sunshine that we've had for awhile! I have realized that, although I have posted many pictures, I haven't actually posted any for you all to see where I am living.

I had mentioned in a much earlier blog how they have very cute houses here so I also took some pictures to show you those.

I took a walk down to the park across the street from campus and took some lovely pictures! It was a bit chilly but the fresh air made me feel a bit better and the walk helped me clear my head. The views of my town are breathtaking and I've realized again just how incredibly lucky I am to be having this experience. It is one I will never take for granted and never EVER forget. Other than classes I feel completely free here.

I wasn't out too awfully long because it was later in the day that I went out and the sun started going down on me. It is already cold in the day...night is obviously colder but I stayed late enough to get a picture of the sunset. Had to...not sure how many clear days we'll have the farther into fall and winter it gets. On my walk back I saw a very cute group of dogs! I'm not a dog person by any stretch...but how can you not think five little chihuahuas together is cute!

Now that I'm back in my room I reheated myself with a cup of tea (of course) and did some revising on the list of things that my parents and I are going to do while they are here. I edited our itinerary to spend less time in Dublin (not that much I want to take them to do there anyway) and added in an extra day up by Liverpool...well a little ways from Liverpool but up higher north before heading down to London. I want to go over to Leeds and Bradford. My mom is very into Castles and I know there is a good castle in Leeds and then I really want to go to Bradford. I watched a television series of restaurants in the UK and one of the restaurants was Prashad, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Bradford. I know...sounds like a strange place to want to go but the restaurant was the one in the show that really intrigued me and if I'm already over here then why not!?

It's getting late. Robert gets off work in half an hour and I feel like skyping tonight so I'm just hanging out waiting. Listening to some Norah Jones and eating a snack (apple slices with peanut butter...amazing). Two more days and two more classes and then it's Halloween weekend! My plans so far are Saturday night - ghost bus tour with Ally, Sunday night - pumpkin carving with Jessi and Rachel and Monday night - Derry trip for Halloween celebrations. Day time will be study time as I have my first Sociology exam on Monday. This one will be better because it is an essay style exam and we know the questions that will be asked so I can prepare completely. I've been craving ice cream since ten...I know the exact time because I looked at the clock and realized the student village store had JUST closed...of course. My apple and peanut butter will suffice for tonight.