Bug Unit

Well, once again we are bad bloggers who have not fulfilled thier civic duty. I am getting over it. I am generally tired a lot of the time. During the week I can eat, sleep and travel on the bus. There isn’t really room for much else. Although I am aware that it is not necessarily a good policy, I seem to be living for the weekends at the moment. Luckily we have had three good ones.
3 weekends ago- Heather, Kyle and myself went up to the beautiful Isle of Skye. It is just desolate with these puffy cobbled hills and endless water, and the sky curves differently, as though it were actually about to reach an end. We drove through loads of rain and storms, but the mountains of Glencoe and Skye are well worth it, as is the thrill of coming around the corner in some deserted mountain area and seeing a busker in full tartan standing on the side of the road, piping to the glens, and to whoever else happens to be listening. Going to Skye has made me even more eager to go further and further north, to try and find mroe desolate places with larger tracts of diminishing sky.

2 weekends ago- Isje, Jack, Kyle and I went down in England to the lake district. We had a brilliant time, notwithstanding torrential rains, Kyle and myself sleeping on a sliding downhill slope, Isje and Jack sleeping on nothing at all, since they left their mattress at home, and eating more sausages than is healthy for an average human being. We also had the best meaty meal I have had since arriving in the UK (if you are ever in Paterson, go to the White Lion Inn. The food is all amazing, but we had the lamb shank, which was a steal at £10). On Saturday we went on a meandering drive through the mountains to Windemere, taking in all the waterfalls, hills and scree slopes that the lake district is blessed with. We also took in some amazing ice cream at Some Like It Hot (try it if you are ever in Windemere). I came to a conclusion: I am passionately, madly, deeply in love with…flower boxes. What? Those little boxes or baskets of flowers that the British hang everywhere in summer, brightening up even the dullest street. Paired with the black and white of the Tudor-esque houses, a flower box or two can make anyone’s day. Just a thought- use it, don’t use it.
On Sunday, Jack bullied us all up a mountain. A big mountain. And me not having done a spot of exercise in around 2 1/2 months. I was puffing, sweating, red faced and generally pretty grim. I cursed, but to no avail. I swear I only climbed to the top because I wanted to push Jack off the summit, with his cheerful grin and his un-puffed face. Fortunately, once at the top, I was given some chocolate to assuage my homicidal feelings, so the boy had a lucky escape this time.

This weekend- Kyle and I agreed that we needed to ‘bumph’. If you have never bumphed before, here is a howto:
1. Find your most comfy clothes- tracksuit pants, jerseys and warm socks will do. Make sure you have a puffy duvet handy.
2. Get some comforting food going. Spaghetti bolognaise or other warm starchy meals will do (stew!….), also, biscuits, esp. chocolate, and lots of sweets (Magnums and chocolate milkshakes were our food of choice).
3. Build a nest. Our nest was an inflatable mattress on the floor of the lounge. Make sure it is at the right angle so you don’t even have to move to see the tv.
4. Every tv programme or movie you have meant to watch but haven’t had the time to.
5. Lie back, and enjoy.
6. Repeat for best results.