Summer 09 and The Beginning of Canterbury Tales

My summer was amazing and it was soo great being home for those 6 1/2 weeks. I love going home to see my family and friends:-) I got home July 12th and then went to Ocean City July 14th with my family for 2 weeks. It was nice to see my Mom's side from the west coast and spend that time together. It's always sad when the beach vacation ends knowing it'll be another year until we're all together again:-( I'm crossing my fingers that they make it over here to visit me during my spring break though hint hint:-)

I dogsat for Sissy and Bunky which was fun and scary at the same time, ha. I love their house but I definately enjoy it more when there's a Thanksgiving dinner involved and my family:-) It was fun living there for the week though and Maddie was a great girl and very well behaved. I think she was anxious for me to leave though because she missed her mom and dad. We became very good friends and she also became very close with Ali as well since she helped me while I was there since I'm too scared to be there by myself, ha.

I went back to the beach for a week with my parents and we have visitors in and out for the week...Ali, Kelly, Lisa, John, Aunt Donna, and Anna. We spent some time at Aunt Lil's and Gregory read me a book which was very impressive:-) It was another perfect week at the beach and I couldn't have been luckier to go there so much this summer.

One of the best weekends I've had in a long time involved some crazy people from Denver. We had a Denver reunion in Baltimore a weekend in August and it was sooo fun and so great to catch up with everyone and spend the weekend together. It always amazes me because no matter how much time goes by, whenever we're all together it feels like nothing has changed and I just saw everyone yesterday. It was so fun and we all hung out and slept at Kelly's house downtown where she lives with her sisters. There were a lot of people in town and it's the second annual gathering so hopefully there will just continue to be more and more people every year!

I went to a Ravens game while I was home which was so fun as usual and they won!! Yayyy:-) I love them and will definately make everyone a fan that I live with here...except for the Americans here because they obviously have their own teams, ha.

I had such a good summer home and loved everything about it but two especially fun times were the family gatherings at good old Hunting Hills Swim Club:-) We were lucky enough to all find 2 dates that worked where we could all meet at the pool and hang out for the night. I love being with my family during the holidays but I also miss the pool cook outs we used to have so this was realllly nice:-) The first time we did burgers and amazing sides which I actually can't think about because it makes me mouth water. We had a splash contest and did some relays and I didn't participate in the contest the second time....for obvious reasons. The second time, we did chicken and great sides again and both times we had great desserts from Lisa Crocker:-) (like Betty Crocker). The second time we played keep it up with a ball in the pool and then used the ball and made games with it going off the diving boards and such. Overall, good times as usual:-) I can't wait to be home and play games with everyone at Christmas!

Congratulations to Michelle & Joey:-) Their wedding was beautiful and she was a gorgeous bride. I absolutely loooved her dress and hair and everything about the wedding and everyone looked so great and so happy! The reception was alot of fun and the food was amazing with a really good band that kept everyone entertained and my mom dancing, ha.

I can't think of anything else which probably means that I forgot something really important and I'm sorry...just remind me!

CANTERBURY

Alright, so where to start...?!
I am in a gorgeous town called Canterbury which is located Southeast of London, about 17 miles from the coast and about 45 minutes from Paris. I'm about 2 hrs or so from London now because of having to switch trains and the tube but they are currently building a line that will go right from Canterbury to London and take about 35 minutes! I don't know what that will be finished but that sounds alot better/easier than what it is now. There is alot of history here and it's a very historic/touristy town. There are constantly tour groups and people with cameras around everywhere taking pictures of everything. It's so pretty and I'm excited to do a tour and learn about everything. There are all kinds of monuments and memorials about WWII and things from history.

I'm living with 4 other people: Emma, Maddy, Chris, and Ed. They are all here doing what I'm doing for the most part. Maddy is doing lacrosse for the county of Kent but based here. She doesn't actually work at the school during the day so she's strictly lacrosse with me and Jill, who is the head coach and started 3 years ago by doing what I'm doing. We all have a good time together coaching together. Jill has the U15 team; I have the U14 (new to lax) and Maddy has the seniors. I have alot of work to do with my girls because most of them have never played before but it's nice to start from scratch and watch as they progress which I guarantee they will:-)

I love my roommates and we all get along so well...so far;-) Everyone has their own personality and it's nice that 4 of us are all new to the school and department, adjusting together to how everything works. We all hang out together in lessons during the day then have our after school sports and then go to dinner at the school and then we're back at the house to hang:-) Chris does Rugby; Emma does Field Hockey/Netball, and Ed is Rowing. We had family dinners when we first got here because the dining hall wasn't open and that was fun. We live right next door to the Jolly Sailor which is a pub and that's just dangerous, ha. It's really fun but soo loud living next door because there are always people there and it's just going to get worse. Canterbury is a university town because of Kent which is based right outside of it I guess? Or in it? I'm not completely sure but the owner of the pub told us that it gets really crowded/loud there and everywhere around here pretty much gets more fun when the students are all back. It should be fun and it's really nice having roommates. Our house is so amazing and huge! I have pictures on my facebook but it doesn't even do it justice...it's massive. I've been working on my room alot and making it homey and my own:-)

I love the school, the people we work with, the department, my head of house. I am assigned to Jervis House which is literally right down the street so I'll have a couple duties at that boarding house. My head of house is in charge of signing things for lax because they needed an academic person behind each sport so she understands that lax can take alot out of you so I won't have as many boarding house duties this year which will be really nice. The school is gorgeous and huge. I tried to take pictures but I didn't get all the buildings...I'll work on it:-)

Those are the basics and I could go on and on with details because it's me and I ramble but I'll try and just keep it simple so that it doesn't go on forever and ever, ha. I will try and write as things happen and keep it updated. If you can, keep an eye on facebook because I'll try to keep that updated with pictures and such.

Miss and love you all!! xxxx
DP

ps. sorry mom, it was way too long to proofread:-)