So, as you can judge from the above title, today was a day of pleasant surprises...
The greatest was finding out that my tutorial is suddenly finished much sooner than expected. Dr. Hurst had already set me another essay due this upcoming Saturday on international relations 1923-1930, but after finishing reading for my last essay at today's tutorial, he began setting me my grades for the term. After assuring me that he was satisfied with the number of essays I had written him already, I was able to sit back, relaxed, and comfortably take in his generous analysis or my performance as his pupil since June, earlier this summer. I won't go into details of all he said, but to give you a general idea, I walked out of his house afterwards and once out of sight, I literally jumped for joy. I have never felt so rewarded for all my hard work, and felt that his critique was one of the most fair grades I've ever received my whole academic career. Our last meeting remains scheduled on Saturday, but instead will be a casual discussion of all I have learned to bring my studies in full circle.
That's it then. After my tutorial Saturday, my time lies empty; I am no longer a slave to my day planner. Football finished. Rugby finished. Tutorial finished. My plans then are to do some light Christmas shopping, lots of personal reading (have not read a proper novel in months), and general enjoyment of Oxford before my attention is pulled away to play hostess for my family in two weeks. I have two bigger goals as well. First, I hope to make one last trip into London & spend time with family friends before Christmas preparations become overwhelming. Second, I think I will take some regular walking adventures around Oxford. I know the city center, my neighborhood, and the general area, but before I leave I want to really come to know Oxford. I will therefore venture beyond familiar areas, try new pubs, and continue to absorb every moment here. This will be truly exciting!
Another pleasant surprise occurred not just an hour ago. Caitlin and I just had to get out of the house for a short while, so we grabbed our books and strolled over to the Book-Binders Ale House, and little neighborhood pub that lies just around the corner, but in the opposite direction of our usual traffic route. It was a dim, cozy little establishment with a unique assortment of antiques and oddities lining the walls and ceilings. They even had board games stacked up in the corner for patrons to entertain themselves with. I didn't know what to expect, so we both enjoyed a good pint in our warm little corner and became lost in literature for an hour or so. It was truly a little charming place...I'll have to stop by there possibly with the family when they visit.
I guess not much else was a "pleasant surprise", but that was most of my day. Went to the farmer's morning market and bought some absolutely sumptuous Foccacia to eat with the gourmet olive oil I purchased in Florence less than two weeks ago...checked out "Life of Pi" at the city library as my first novel to start on this Christmas Break...returned all my research books back to New College...Now all my attention will turn to completing internship applications, personal reading, exercising/walking adventures, enjoying city life, and completing simple menial tasks or errands that I honestly do find enjoyable. From now on I am embracing the simplicities I can enjoy in day-to-day life before classes begin to loom ahead in January.
Cheers!
Lindsay