Wimbledon

The majority of our class agreed that this weekend should be exclusively devoted to frolicking before we settle in to a delightful summer of thesis writing.

Hence, I spent most of yesterday trying to get into Wimbledon to watch some world class tennis. I also spent a small portion of yesterday actually at Wimbledon watching some world class tennis.

Imagine our delight when we walked out of the Tube station and found that there were free bicycle taxis shuffling eager tennis fans from the train to the grounds.

Mac and I in our taxi. I am holding a Starbucks in my hand. I am happy. Mac just bought second-hand sunglasses. His fiance told him that he looked like a dreamy character from "Top Gun." He is also happy.

When we got to the grounds we were all given a number which determined our place in line. My number was 12, 476. We were told that there was 4,000 people in line in front of us. This is a true story.

This information didn't dampen our spirits, however. We were avoiding writing our theses! Waiting in line for four hours to watch tennis seemed like the perfect excuse! We had a proper good time in the line up thanks to the strategically placed pizza and ice cream stands.

This is Ashli when, at about hour 3.5, we were getting close enough to the grounds that we actually began to see signs that said things like, "Wimbledon." She is happy! We are getting close!

At last we made it inside the grounds! There were petunias everywhere and it smelled like my home town. Roger Federer is sitting up on that balcony. There was a large crowd of ardent fans standing below calling out his name and taking pictures of his elbow, which was basically all we could see. I guess he is a big deal in the world of tennis. I wouldn't know.

Through an advantageous turn of events, we got inside one of the big courts to watch mixed doubles. As it turns out, watching tennis is actually quite enjoyable. I like how everyone watches so politely when the players are wacking the ball around, and then how everyone yells little, dignified nuggets of encouragement when there is a pause in the action. i.e. "Come along now, Jonny! You can do it, old boy!".

Here we are politely watching tennis, as though we have a clue as to what is going one. One of us had actually played tennis in real life. One of us played tennis on Wii. One of us was actually a fan and even knew some of the names of the players.

This is Florence. She is the tennis fan. I sat next to her and clapped whenever she did.

Canterbury

My class headed to Canterbury for two days after the end of exams.

We really are a lovely bunch. It's been a pleasure and a privilege to study with such brilliant people this last year. I'm so glad that we got to spend a last bit of time together before we disperse to the four corners of the earth (literally).

Hurray for friends, yummy food, slightly disorganized cricket matches, and loads of public health related jokes that we alone are likely to find funny.

On our way to a party...

She says it better than I can...

I wish I could write poetry because I love it. But, in the absence of such a skill, I am thankful for others who can express so beautifully the things I have trouble putting words to.

I write my last final tomorrow which means that I am quite close to being done grad school. Which means that change is coming, which means that I have decisions to make, which means that there is another adventure in the wind. I'm certain of it.

And I am certain that there is goodness in store that will come wearing a thousand different faces. And so I love this poem, because I can see the light spilling too, and I plan to be there soon.

Walking to Oak-Head Pond, and Thinking of the Ponds

I Will Visit in the Next Days and Weeks

What is so utterly invisible

as tomorrow?

Not love,

not the wind,

not the inside of a stone.

Not anything.

And yet, how often I am fooled-

I'm wading along

in the sunlight-

and I'm sure I can see the fields and the ponds shining

days ahead-

I can see the light spilling

like a shower of meteors

into next week's trees,

and I plan to be there soon-

and, so far, I am

just that lucky,

my legs splashing

over the edge of darkness,

my heart on fire.

I don't know where

such certainty comes from-

the brave flesh

or the theater of the mind-

but if I had to guess

I would say that only

what the soul is supposed to be

could send us forth

with such cheer

as even the leaf must wear

as it unfurls

its fragrant body, and shines

against the hard possibility of stoppage

which, day after day,

before such brisk, corpuscular belief,

shudders, and gives way.

-Mary Oliver-

Who do you see...

...curiously etched into this ancient artifact currently housed in the British Museum?

(Hint: Leads a world super power)

Reasons I have not blogged...

First, Gemma and I started slipcovering all of our living room furniture. We are still slipcovering our living room furniture. Well...actually, we're kind of on a hiatus. We both have degrees to finish!

My room became filled with a terrible odor which turned out to be mold or something growing on my damp, London window sill and I was busy lighting candles every evening to try and decrease the stench: success!

I bought a little, yellow ukulele and I play it an awful lot. Most often late at night. Thankfully my nearest house mate is also a bit of a night owl and doesn't mind my nocturnal jam sessions.

I spent the month of April in Uganda doing a research project for my graduate degree. It was a study examining how women are affected by inadequate sanitation in urban slums. April was an almost perfect month.

I've also been busy playing with my friends.

We did have a long weekend, during which I could have blogged, but I went canoeing/camping instead!

House mate Mary got engaged and former house mate Laura came back from Madagascar for a visit. Here are the ladies of 63 Manor Park Road up late making invitations!

Then two of our chickens got sick and required quite a bit of loving attention. Here is Annabel in the tub. I think she hated it.