THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO GAIL SHARP

If any of you watch Game of Thrones, you know that Winter is coming. Thankfully, in Durham, after six months and a few White Walker sightings (aka students trying not to freeze to death and still write papers), Winter has come and gone, and Spring has finally arrived. It brings with it an array of flowers, abundant sunshine, and temperatures reaching a scorching 68 degrees! (Break out your bathing suits folks). Unfortunately, it also brings exams and the start of the main reason I came to England in the first place: MY DISSERTATION (insert DOOM music). For the few of you I haven't already bothered with this and the fewer of you that actually care, I am writing on portraiture of Livia, the first empress of Rome. In simplest terms, I'll be examining her portraiture that incorporates divine/mythological themes to communicate ideas of maternal qualities in Augustus' wife. Good news: I'm already at 2000 words after working for just one week. Bad news, I have 18,000 more to go. Good thing I'm a nerd!

Looking back at the last couple months, it has been quite a roller coaster. Lots of work stress has taken a toll, but things are looking up. This was helped, enormously, by a visit from my two favorite people in the entire world! My parents came and spent about a week and a half with me in England, exploring Durham and taking me and Belinda to York! We had a wonderful time seeing the sights, but more than anything it was great to see them after six months. Our reunion in the train station was teary, and as is customary for Americans, loud and in the way of everyone else. USA! USA! Their visit went by far too quickly, and while I'm excited for all that I still have to accomplish and see before I leave here, I can't wait to be home with them again. 

Dalek cake and Roman ruins. Doesn't get any better than that. 

Belinda and I also took a trip to London together over Spring Break. It was my first time to England's major city, besides flying into Heathrow which I definitely don't count. We had some nice weather and some not so nice weather, but overall it was a lovely trip. Highlight for me was, of course, the British Museum. No one else really wanted to go, so I went by myself. Honestly, it was fantastic. I basically ran up the steps into the museum (which is free. Take a hint America!!!) and spent the better portion of the day there. Even so, I barely saw anything. Naturally, I spent all of my time in the ancient history section, marveling at the works that I have only been able thus far to see in my textbooks. PURE NERD MAGIC.

Piccadilly Circus

British Museum. What a dork. 

221 B. Baker Street

Other stuff hmmmmmmm....I went to a formal dinner and got to dress up all fancy. That was cool. 

I went to a Masquerade Ball. I can check that off the bucket list!

I also went on a field trip (my first one here) to a Roman fort and an old Anglo-Saxon church. 

Oh, and Lucas and I went out for a lovely dinner in Newcastle Upon Tyne (thanks for the $$$ Mom and Dad!) 

      

 Me and Lucas in Newcastle

(Look how cute he is)

I think that's pretty much it for exiting things in my life lately. From now on it will mostly be reading and writing until the end, but hopefully there will be a few more entertaining shenanigans to report before I turn in my dissertation. Fingers crossed!!!