Dancing, Ponies

I been busy the past couple days. Not so busy that I was literally unable to keep you all updated, but busy (I do have some more pictures up, by the way).

I've been steadily working on homework, which is generally what I spend a lot of time Thursdays through Sundays doing, while Mondays through Wednesdays are classes. My general schedule is:

• Monday: Integral (Renaissance to Enlightenment) Lecture/ Colloquium (alternates every week)
• Tuesday: Russian Tutorial at 1, Shakespeare Seminar at 3
• Wednesday: Magic at 2
• Thursday: Homework
• Friday: Homework
• Saturday: Homework
• Sunday: Homework (usually writing my paper for Magic)

Of course, this is only my work schedule. Usually one of the homework days (though not Sunday), I don't spend doing work and just hang out/ go for a long walk/ read more for pleasure.

On, Tuesday, however, I tried a new thing and went out Scottish dancing with Tess and another girl in the program, Anna. It was right down the street in a church gym, there was about 25 people there and we danced for about 2 hours, but we had to leave to get work done and we tired, but it would have gone on until for another hour after we left. I had never been dancing like this, but it was lot of fun (but not at all like the picture on the right).

It was more like what I assume square dancing is kind of like; everyone has a partner, dancing in lines spinning around, following different steps. No jumping or kilts. Most of the people there were all pretty young friendly, though there were some serious dancers who I could see were getting frustrated with me tripping over myself and not knowing what to do in the more complicated dances.

But I'm pretty sure I'd go back.

Also, went to jujitsu again and there were a bunch of new people, so I wasn't the least experienced one in the group and I got picked to do demonstrations and I actually felt a little like I had been learning something. We practiced more strangle defense, punch and kick defense and breaking free from wrist grabs.

And then, yesterday, Tess and I went out after lunch to the Farmer's Market (Tess got some vegetables), we bought tickets to go see Medea tomorrow and I delivered some postcards. Then we decided to go on a short walk along the canal, which turned into a long walk, but it was totally worth it. We managed to stumble upon Port Meadow!

It was kind of an overcast, rainy-ish day, but it didn't even matter. In fact, it probably helped make Port Meadow even more beautiful. And there were ponies! Not tiny ones, but lots of big ponies. And of course, I didn't have my camera, but I think we might be going back tomorrow.

It was really unexpected to find it and the conversation leading up to the discovery went something like this:
"Do you want to go up these stairs?"
"Sure."
"Let's go right."
"No, I want to go see what's over here."
"Ok."
"Hey, look over there."
"PONIES!!!!!"

Port Meadow is this vast open field, with very gentle rolls in it and water that I think comes from the Thames, which run nearby and spills into the meadow. There were geese and ponies running around and the wind was blowing off the water and it was quiet (except for the geese and occasional train whistle). If you didn't look too far left or right, the place felt very anachronistic; just an empty wind-swept meadow in the English countryside.

Homework now, pictures soon, and updates less regularly than I always plan.