Reflection 21st June

HAPPY MIDSUMMER!
It is the longest day of the year, so I'm going to pay extra attention to what time it stays light until tonight. I wish I could have gone to Stonehenge for the summer solstice ritual this morning. This "Celtic fire festival" is supposed to be incredible. So I'm thinking of the Celts and the Druids especially and their ancient history here in Scotland.

Paul has purchased his roundtrip tickets to the UK for August. We have been planning a trip for a long time now to coincide with the end of my internship and the beginning of my family's holiday plan which is starting in London. I really need to just purchase my tickets, but they are so expensive right now. For a flight to Edinburgh to Dublin and then Dublin to London, it's going to be about $250. Each flight is less than two hours! I'm going to wait until next week, but I've been checking every day and I doubt they're going to change in prices significantly in my favor. In addition, I also have to figure out what to do with my big bag, the one I'll be living out of for the next 2.5 months. Should I mail it home? Lock it up in the Edinburgh airport somewhere until my family flies home from there on the 27th? I really don't know. There is so much more research to do!

Today after work I went over to a bookstore/coffee shop in town that I have been meaning to go to. The daughter of the family I'm living with works there, so I told her I would pop in and say hi! So as I am wandering around, kind of thinking about the weekend and what to do on my free day tomorrow, I suddenly find myself staring into the face of temptation. This particular version of temptation can otherwise be identified as Neil Gaiman's new book, "The Ocean At The End Of The Lane." I failed all attempts of resistance.

In what is the next logical step in this series of events, I ordered myself a latte, picked out a particularly cozy looking table and began to read. I'm only about 50 pages in, and I already caught myself with goosebumps multiple times and wondering whether Neil actually wrote this story specifically for me. His stories just have a way of calling out to little pieces of you that you've forgotten...this one in particular is going to be that way I think. So far we have a young neglected boy looking for more in the world that what meets the eye, mean kids, blurred lines of dreams and reality, unfortunate events, dark creatures, mystery... Fencing fighting, torture, revenge, giants, true love, miracles! Ok well, maybe not that bit (or at least not in the first 50 pages, but I couldn't resist the Princes Bride reference). Anyway, in the first chapter, the protagonist talks about cats, shillings and his love for Batman. So I have high hopes for the rest of the novel. Maybe I'll read outside tonight, and see if I really can read by the 10:30pm light! 


Then today when I got home, I found this was delivered from my wonderful friend Jessie! I was so excited! I love mail! I am really appreciative of it too. It's nice to hear from friends back home. I really do have a wonderful support system, and I'm thankful for those who take the time out of their day to make the effort. As much as I find it amazing here, I do feel the sting of loneliness now and again. As long as that does not become disabling, I think that is ok.

So I have just decided this moment what my plan is for my free day tomorrow. I think I'm going to go to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. They are apparently having something special going on with dinosaurs and dressing up in traditional Scottish clothes? Interesting combination of events but I'll be happy to see both. As all the museums in the city are free, my whole day (minus the cost of coffee and food) should be 6pounds, or just about $10. I'll try to go early and plan to be back by Tea Time. Apparently there is guest coming over, who may be renting my room after me. So I'm to meet him and give my input too! Then the plan for Sunday is to go to the Royal Yacht! Hopefully I'll have some fun things to share here soon!