Rocking the Lobster Look

Oh gosh, it is Friday, and I am sat in front of a computer. I have been for most of the day, and as the Senate House Library database has crashed *panic and sob all at once* I am taking a break from the studying. To the blog I say!

This week has been a little full on, as I've begun working three days a week for an internship. The other days I'm attempting to complete second year Uni things...and maybe have a social life! As if. Fortunately lots of people are in the middle of exam season and aren't off doing too many fun things without me. (Some friends did go see QI being recorded this week which I definitely thought was a great idea!)

One of my favourite things this week has been the sunshine. It's been glorious. For someone that lived her life at the beach, splashing in the sea and soaking up the sun, summer quickly became my favourite time of year. It's been so many long, cold, damp months of winter, but fiiinally, the bright, glorious sun has got his hat on and has come out to play. 

And I got burnt. 

In April. 

I am now rocking the lobster look (stupid vampire skin of mine!)

Anyway, disregarding my current tomato impression, I love the first few weeks of spring because of the change it brings in everyone. The whole of London has been outside, basking in the warmth, getting out the flip flops and donning sunglasses and big smiles. There's something about change that just gets everyone excited. This week it's felt like the whole city is buzzing with expectation, and I love it. 

On Tuesday, I did a ton of shopping. All the things that I've been in need of for ages. Like a mirror...Yes that's right, I've not had a mirror since I moved into my house in September. I think it's a miracle I've not left the house in rainbow colours and pyjamas every day really. I also bought a rug to brighten up my oh-so-white bedroom, and lots of new make up. My favourite thing is my new lipstick, which is called 'Summer Pink' which I felt was rather fitting. It looks kind of like this... 

Tuesday also involved an afternoon of gardening! Apparently, I've inherited the family love of planting things, and had the most domestic, green-fingered day, digging up weeds, turning over the soil and planting new seeds. I am incredibly excited to see things grow. Nature is a bit crazy, and I am still trying to get my head around the idea that some teeny, tiny, dots of brown might grow into beautiful flowers. 

This week I spent rather a lot of time on the Southbank. Thursday in particular, was rather glorious. After finishing work, I headed to meet my lovely friend Suzie and succeeded in distracting her from revision, for the sake of chats and discussions. Hurrah. We decided to wander along the river, getting distracted by the book market that lives outside the BFI and then walking all the way up to St Paul's to get home. I kept crossing bridges, and being blown away by the way the city sprawls so invitingly, defined by its' skyline; the financial district to the East, Westminster (funnily enough) to the West, and all sorts of arts and cultural things right in the middle. St Paul's was looking particularly majestic in the early evening light...

This week has been a week to be thankful, of some great friends and numerous other blessings. No, life isn't easy, but there are moments of outstanding beauty if you know Whose eyes to look through. 

So it may be Friday, and I may be scribbling away on a dissertation proposal (yes that is a year in advance you crazy uni!) but I am also aware that there is much, much to be joyful about.

Visits and Things

London has apparently jumped with both feet into the season that is a hybrid of autumn and winter. Something like autunter. There are piles of leaves outside my door, perfect for running through, and yet it's freezing cold, and I'm still wearing winter gloves whilst on the tube. Funnily enough, I'm actually kind of loving it.

This weekend saw friends visiting from all over the place. The beauties I went to school with were about, and considering I've not seen one of them since June, it was a mighty good chance to catch up. This essentially meant doing what we do best; eating and chatting. Friday night we made a Moroccan concoction, and spent the night discussing the past few months. We might also have watched a lot of David Attenborough on youtube. I feel his voice helped us sleep, despite our excitement at being reunited.

Saturday we visited the coolest exhibition, by someone called Mr Brainwash. Kinda bold, slightly garish, and very, very uplifting. Oh, and it's free. Yes, that's why I love the city. We got to go and have our photos taken with a gorilla made of tyres, and then got free posters. It was a pretty sweet afternoon, made even more so by the wonders of the Fleet River Bakery. This cafe has to be one of my favourite spots in the city. It serves Monmouth coffee and is hidden down an alley not far from Covent Garden. I might have been there twice in the last three days.

And then this morning, some of my closest friends from Citygate in Bournemouth, who've been in London for some things, had a spare couple of hours to catch up. Again, friends I love seeing nearly every day when at home, I've not seen in months, so there was lots to talk about.

My day was completed with Church activities. It was a little bit of a special afternoon, with some training time and another epic Sunday at Christchurch. It seems to be a real time for challenge and change and growth and I'm really loving being surprised by what God does each time.

For the sake of the world burn like a fire in me. Light a flame in my soul for every eye to see. 

The musings of Magpie

In England it is the 'summer bank holiday', according to my diary. Now, why we get a summer bank holiday and not a winter one, I really don't understand. Anyway, bank holidays are normally that typical English let down on the sun front. It tends to drizzle, turn grey and cause everyone to hibernate in ancticipation of winter. Not so this weekend, it's been sunny and people have been out and about.


The reason for that introduction is because it gives a little bit of background to my fuzzy lovey feeling that I currently have. This weekend I have once again been struck by the amazingness of my friends. Whether Christian or not, there are aspects and qualities that bless me, reduce me to unreasonably undignified laughter and shape me to be someone different, and hopefully better.

I look back at seasons in my life, at things I've been through that perhaps no one knew about and I'm amazed at where I stand. Like I said, generally feeling all fuzzy-wuzzy inside. Love and friendship does that to you. I'm pleased I'm not the person that I would be on my own, that God didn't abandon me to keep walking those paths that led to destruction and nothing but pride, and I'm seriously pleased that I've been given so many friends that I love spending time with.

In other news, I went to see this film




which made my head go a little woozy and has made me see things with a cartoon 'POW' or 'BOOM' above them for the rest of the day. Didn't quite know what to make of it. Go see it and tell me it doesn't make you feel like you're on drugs. I may give you a prize.


Peace and love
xoxox




PS Magpie appears to be a new name, based on what my name looks like in Elvish. I know, I know, I get cooler and cooler everyday. x