November | 2014 | Woolgathering

Hello again. My apologies for the lack of writing the last month. The hiatus was due to a hectic period of school work and very important social engagements. But now my crappy time of school has past (for a few weeks) and I can begin to use my limited brain resources to more pleasurable endeavors like writing this blog on a Sunday night. I’m not sure if I my brain is getting worse at balancing a lot of different things or if I am just demanding more of it than ever. I do keep mentally picturing that I’m turning the proverbial screw just a bit tighter every time I decide to take on a new activity or responsibility. That’s likely not a good sign. Why do I think this is a good idea when I’m mentally unstable as it is? Yet, somehow it keeps me in better spirits than when I’m left with nothing to do. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop for me I reckon.

This past month has been fun and gone by very quickly. I’ve had an assignment due every week for 5 weeks straight. Not that they’ve all been arduous, but just knowing you have an essay due every week is annoying and grating. Reminds me of my MSc 2nd semester which just about drove me to the nut house. Every word I wrote was torture. Luckily I’ve been leaving my essays so late that my only mental option is to have laser like focus on the topic and I just sit down and write it. It’s pretty amazing really. But besides the homework I have been playing some tennis (including today), drinking copious amounts of alcohol sporadically and dressing up as Peter Pan.

Drinking around the Olympic Park. Possibly with a stolen pint glass from a pub, which I left at another pub.

Canal life on the pub crawl.

Actually Halloween was just a perfect day. It was really warm for October 31st. I got to cycle into work in shorts and a T-shirt. I really enjoyed my work that day and got to lunch in a new part of Hampstead Heath that I had never been to before and it was spectacular. It is over in the West Heath area and called the Hampstead Pergola. You come to see me, I will take you there for a wander.

Hampstead Pergola

Pergola. Such a great day and a great place to lunch!

I was Peter Pan for Halloween this year and I spent every week night two weeks ago with needle and thread creating my costume. It ended up coming out quite well considering I didn’t finish making the skirt (My belt held up the bit of fabric which was my skirt.) I’m particularly proud of my shoes covers which took about 4-5 hours to make. So yeah, after a good day at work I got to dress up like Peter Pan and drink Pumpkin beer. What else could you want out of a Friday? One for the books.

So I realized today that 8 weeks from right now I will be on a plane to Lusaka, Zambia! Just nearly about to land as well. Still, we have no itinerary for what we’ll be doing nor where for sure we’ll be staying. What could possibly go wrong with showing up in Africa with no itinerary for 3 weeks? Nothing. Nope, i can’t see anything going wrong. But seriously folks, we’ll get some stuff booked in the next couple weeks, but not much. Part of the fun will be seeing what happens when we open ourselves up to the travel God’s whims. From my experience, those are the best experiences I’ve ever had. Some unpredictability in my mostly predictable life will be absolutely excellent. The bad and the good. I can not wait. I think we will be reasonably well prepared in case we are stuck somewhere (I’m bringing a tent) so I think we will be fine. It’s gonna be an absolute laugh as well because my friend Carrie-Ann and I are super obnoxious about pretty much everything. I’m not sure how we haven’t been separated at work yet, but I think it’s because everyone is secretly entertained. At least that’s what we like to think.

Any ways, please enjoy the rest of the photos. And keep in touch friends and family. Let me know what’s happening in your life. Peace.