Bayne Street

Bayne Street

Stirling 

FK8 1PG

My new address!! The other day I received a letter from the University of Stirling telling me where I would be living. Although I had wanted to be on campus when I first applied, I was having second thoughts about a third year of dorms. I was thrilled to learn that I will be with four other girls in a "flat" about two miles off campus. In close proximity of me is both Stirling's "Old Bridge" and the castle. Can't wait!

Florida

Yesterday was our first day back from Florida. I am missing Cammy and Grady, but definitely not the humidity. Our family went down there for my mom's conference, a yearly occurrence for us. While I am too old to actually be a student there, I thoroughly enjoyed my "guest pass." The highlights included the fancy dinner, or "gala," where I was able to dress up; that night's entertainer- comedian/magician Tim Gabrielson; and hearing Erin Gruwell (the teacher that inspired "Freedom Writers"). She was awesome. After the conference, the four of us and my friends from Minnesota headed down to Key West for a few days. While there, we went jet skiing. I thought it would be a smart move to go with Grady, since he was the only one who had ridden one before. However, I had been forgetting though that he is a 17 year old boy. Needless to say, I spent the next hour screaming into his ear to "slow down" and that I was "slippery". He threw me five times, which is pretty impressive considering how hard I was holding on to him. Anyway, I left Florida thoroughly depressed that Minnesota is so far away from California and that plane tickets are so expensive. However, I did get about 1/3 the way through my Scottish history book with all the traveling I did, which was a major achievement.

Since coming back, I have been moderately productive, at least by summer standards. I have started to go through Galatians with my dad, started sewing my sock monkey again, and booked my flight to Switzerland. Tonight I am taking the next step to total geek status and going to see Harry Potter for the third time. Yikes. 

Yosemite

Yesterday our family got back from a night in Yosemite. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but it was way more than I was expecting. Our trip was definitely Hitch-style: stayed in a nice hotel, star-gazed on the hotel lawn as people watched, and drove (never hike!!) to our destinations. The highlights included:

1. Seeing the Wawona Hotel- It was built in the late 1800s and was soo pretty. Bailey and I found great amusement in the name 'Wawona,' as it sounds like 6 year old me struggling and failing to say my r's. 

2. Discovering that my mom thought that fanny packs were still an acceptable piece of f ashion. She was blown away when we told her that that was not the case. Yikes. 

3. Driving to Glacier Point- For all of you who know my driving skills, you can probably imagine how much I hated it. Windy streets, driving on the edge of a cliff, smoke from fires limiting my view. Fun fun. There was even a point where I screamed in the car. Needless to say, Bailey drove back. The view from the point was definitely worth it though. You could see Half Dome, waterfalls, and the Valley. 

All in all, the trip was short but fun. Happy Fourth of July!!