Lots of walking, walking, walking

   Sooo starting with last Saturday--went to Hampstead Heath. Well, first I wandered around the area and was struck with how it reminded me of home a bit because there were like two random shops that made me think of downtown Kalamazoo with their designer knick-knacks. I was really tempted to buy temporary tattoos and/or face crayons...but I held back and just bought a little something for my mumsy. Then I went to the Heath, up to Parliament Hill, which is northwest London and literally looks out over the whole city. It was awesome. I could see the gherkin and other buildings, even the black and white building all the way in Elephant and Castle which is like ten minutes from my flat and you can see it from our kitchen. The lawns were nice and there was one that reminded me of the tennis courts at Western. Walked around a little more before going up and down Hampstead High Street and then walked all the way to Camden from there. What a walk, but it was nice. Ate at the Blues Kitchen and then caught a bus home.

   Michelle came over and we chit-chatted until Niko called under false premises (we did have plans to hang) and we discovered what an incredibly awful liar he is. Long story short, we saved his ass with a phone call about another toilet bowl cracking...and then we hung out until like two in the morning, just talking and stuff. Ate the leftover homemade sausage gravy at like midnight and I burnt the roof of my my mouth so hard. Said something that upset Niko at like quarter to two so I left in a huff and it was a little awks but eventually things straightened themselves out. Sunday was totally blah in comparison, just homework and skyping.

   On Monday I had class and then Michelle and I went to the library. It's been quite sunny here this week, which has been nice, so we were strolling and then she got sausage rolls (YUM) and let me have two bites. Then I went home and did hw until she texted me to do laundry so we did that. Niko texted and wanted to hang, so we arranged that. I tried to get an article for school and was generally super stressed. My laundry was hung around my room on every available surface because even though we split up our stuff in three dryers for 50 min each, everything but jeans were basically damp as hell. Niko was almost an hour late, but that's when we both apologized and everything was good. I ate my dinner then we went to Michelle's and they ate. Basically I had intended to only hang out for like two hours, but of course we ended up being in Michelle's til midnight. And I didn't shower at night again, feeling nast.

   Tues I went to Senate House and was productive, doing some research on Cheapside for my presentation on Friday. (Cheapside is an area in London, a street now, but back in Shakespeare's time it was THE marketplace and being so open, was the stage to coronation processions and other spectacles like pageants and public punishments.) Then I had class and came home to do more hw and was in the kitchen talking to Charli and stuff. Hadn't talked to T in like a week so I caught up with him. My nights have been quite blah.

   Yesterday I went shopping at Big Tesco and then successfully texted with one hand while holding my like 20lb shopping in the other and walking. Took the tube to Westminster and walked around St. James Park. The sun kept coming and going. Every time it's sunny here it's always windy as hell to take away the warmer temperature. Meant to walk up Whitehall, cus we also covered that in Shakespeare, but got lost and ended up in Trafalgar Square for a bit, then ate at Wagamama in Covent Garden before stopping at Waterstone's and oooing over sudoku books and cookbooks. Then did walk down Whitehall...quite anticlimactic after what we learned in class. Came up to Westminster then walked along the Embankment until hit Waterloo Bridge and crossed that then walked along the Thames diversion pathway all the way home. If you don't called that traversing half of London I don't know what is. I was basically dead once I got home and finally sat down. Did my Cheapside research and then watched Waterloo Road with the flat. SO MUCH SHIT HAPPENS ON THAT SHOW IT'S RIDIC. I nearly fell asleep during it. Also, I bought so many dark chocolate digestives I ate like seven and then around 11 when I went to the kitchen to fill my water bottle, Alison had made pancakes cus yesterday was Pancake Day (Fat Tuesday). So I had three crepes. Whenever I eat that late at night I always end up waking up in the wee hours hungry. Weird and not ok. So I was up, tossing and turning from 4:15-6:15, when I got out of bed and ate a small bowl of cereal so I could sleep again. I feel not rested and self-conscious. All my pants are too big for me. Some shirts are too short, some stained before I am messy. I feel hairy and everything is chapped because of the dryness? My hands are digusting, so I had to buy hand balm/extreme lotion to soothe them. My nails keeps cracking. We'll see.