five weeks exactly and trying not to count...

As much as I said I wouldn't start a countdown, I can't help but notice how many weeks when I am looking at my assignments and exams over the next while...

The last weekend has been pretty exciting. Megan came to visit from Nantes, France and we had a great weekend. Brandon's play went well on Saturday night and we showed Megan some of Notts on a Saturday night. With tickets from the play we had free entrance to a rather posh club (saved ourselves 12 pounds) so after we showed Megan a few other of our favorite pubs and bars, we headed to Geisha for the rest of the evening and relaxed as we chatted, met Brandon's friends from the play and listened to live music. We were out quite late, so early the next morning I was sound asleep when a rude noise awoke me... it was my phone vibrating on my desk. While struggling to wake up and wondering who in their right mind would call me in England before 9am, I realized that it was Molly calling (the one studying in Ireland). Much to my surprise, when I called her back, she was in East Midlands airport with Keeley. I was very confused and basically still asleep... so I told them which bus to get on and I made my way to city centre, found one of the four Starbucks in Notts, and waited for them to arrive. It was wonderful to see them. It turns out that at the beginning of their travels (yes, NUI in Galway is done with school... I am VERY jealous) they flew from Dublin to EMA and were supposed to go onto Prague later the same day. Unfortunately, well fortunately for me, their first flight was late so they missed the connection. Molly and Keeley were able to have the flight switched to the next day, so we had exactly 24 hours to spend together. It was so much fun to show them where I live, some of our favorite places, and downtown Nottingham. We went to Brandon's Evensong (another excellent performance...) and walked around the city centre for a bit before coming home with take away fish and chips and cider. We sat around the dinner table, ate, drank, and talked for hours. It was wonderful... Megan, Molly, Keeley and my flatmates... it felt like Luther again. Somehow the time slipped by us and we went to bed late... at 6:15 the next morning I walked out the door with Keeley and Molly to take them to the tram so they could catch their flight. It was fast, but it was good. Now that I think of it, when Kim came in September, she was actually only in Nottingham for 25 hours total, but it was better than nothing. Every hour counts. Here are a few pics as we left to go to the tram early that morning.

We had a great time and the last day with Megan was a good one as well. This morning I walked to the tram with her and Kev (at least it was after 8am) and said goodbye to another Luther friend. Megan flies home on the 18th of May, Molly and Keeley fly home on May 20. Strange. Time is flying by.

Oh, and when we arrived home from break, this is the sight that greeted us...

...it was a much appreciated welcome home.

And the weather has been beautiful here, so Park Campus, which is always pretty, required some photographic documentation last week...

Well, I'm off to three hours of lectures and then home to write essays, study and dream of sleeping for more than five hours of sleep at a time. Happy Tuesday :)