Blink of an eye

My best friend and her boyfriend came to visit me this weekend. All 8000 kilometers. My room is now so empty - the beds are put away; the sheets are washed and folded; the floor is vacuumed. Everything is where it should be and yet it feels too clean, too immaculate.

It was such a lovely weekend though.

I've always held that time passes in moments not minutes. So while they were only here from Friday through Monday (this morning), it felt longer - longer in the fullest way possible. I remember praying that morning before they arrived, praying for God to take care of this weekend, for Him to look after every detail and He being God, floored me beyond all expectation. I have yet to learn not to be scared to expect Him to provide the best because He really does that; he gives just so much. Nothing necessitates the reading of all that is below; it's more as a reminder for me, to put down all that happened, to be thankful and to smile at the memories as my fingers go 'tap tap tap' on the keys in this nearly empty room. But you are certainly more than welcome to join me :) Memories fill what's here.

Friday, 2 June 2006

11:00 a.m. Phone rings as I'm making the bed, preparing for their arrival; it's Desiree's voice on the other end!!! After 5 minutes of pure squeeling (I can barely believe that she's here!! in England!!) I find out that their plane has landed ahead of schedule and that they are now heading down to Victoria Cross station to try to take an earlier bus; pick up time on my end TBA. I nod and rush off to a quick lunch date with Visiting Professor.

12:45 p.m. In the middle of lunch phone rings again. Amused at the frustrated and yet so humourously familiar story of how pay phones work (or don't for that matter) in England; Desiree informs me of the intricate coordination required to work a pay phone!! 'Welcome to England!'

3:35 p.m. Drummer Bus Station - they're here!! they're here!! In complete disbelief as they exit the bus. First impressions: Kevin looks like he's grown a foot taller since I've last seen him and has filled out a bit too. Dez looks absolutely beeeoootiful :) Softer, prettier since I last saw her. Seriously - how can people look that fresh coming off a 7 hour flight + 2 hour bus ride?!

4:00 p.m. Finally manage to lug ourselves (and the luggage) up to my attic room on the fourth floor (hehe!) We relax and chat for a bit, organize the suitcases and unveil the goodies from Canada! Desiree's mom has graciously deep-freezed and sent with them ten over Alberta Beef tenderloin medallions _drrool I also receive two of my favorite yamato cakes (which I ate tonight after dinner - perfect way to end a meal btw)

4:30 p.m. Everything is arranged; we rest, talk, go over the schedule, shower and get dressed for dinner. We need to make a pit stop at St. John's College beforehand to pick up a jacket from my friend for Kevin :)

7:10 p.m. Pass by Isaac Newton's apple tree and enter through the gates of Trinity College, a college that has won more Nobel prizes than either France or Germany (hehe). Breathtaking view from the entrance looking out at the fountain in the centre of Great Court. We explore the college chapel, take a picture with Newton and Francis Bacon, look at Lord Tennyson's statue and go over to meet my friend Daniel on the steps leading up to the Great Hall.

7:30 p.m. Preprandials in the Senior Common room. A wonderful selection of Sherry; we each decide to try one and swap: Kev takes the dry, I the medium and Dez the wet (the dry is my personal favorite; Dez likes the wet and sweet one!) Daniel picks the dry as well.

8:00 p.m. Sit down to dinner (4 courses). Wonderful mythology across the table. Learning to never pass the port to your right.

9:00 p.m. College port in aforementioned room. Sweet and perfect!

9:30 p.m. Say goodnight to our wonderful host and decide to walk the streets of Cambridge. We end up wandering into Jesus College and exploring their grounds.

1:00 a.m. Sleep time!!

[. . . . ]

Saturday, 3 June 2006

9:45 a.m. Gracious allowance to sleep in ;)

10:15 a.m. Magdalene College (Pepys Library and the Monk's walk through to the Master's Garden - Dez loves the yellow roses)

10:30 a.m. St. John's College and the beautiful backs (including the neo-gothic New Court)

10:45 a.m. Trinity Wren Library

11:00 a.m. STARVING! Tattie's on Trinity Street for brunch; I order two turkey sandwhiches (sooo hungry); Kev orders a curry mayonaise sandwhich and Dez a garlic and mushroom jacket potato! Swap and eat!

12:15 p.m. Walk through Clare College; DNA picture at Memorial Court!

12:45 p.m. University Library (it's huge!) + Sidgewick site (home to various faculties)

1:00 p.m. Newnham College (Dez's favorite college ~ who wouldn't love the Princess room?)

1:15 p.m. Getting ready for walk through Granchester Meadows to the Orchard

2:30 p.m. The Orchard (pink blossoms have now given way to green trees in prep for apples)

2:45 p.m. Loooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggg line up but we make friends with those around us; Hayfever hits all three of us (I the worst and so I take drugs from our stranger friends - eep!)

3:00 p.m. Dez has her long awaited scone, clotted cream and tea! :D Sit, relax. Head back.

5:00 p.m. Stop for candy at the convience store on way back. My new love - Wine gums :) Dez gets her Polo and Kev and I learn that just as you can't break a polo in only one place, you can't break your hip in that same way.

5:30 p.m. Evensong at King's College Chapel

7:00 p.m. Caius College Library

7:30 p.m. Curry King with Audrey!!

9:00 p.m. Emmanuel College (Emma ducks!)

9:15 p.m. Dessert at Clown's with Audrey, Joyce and Kelvin

12:00 a.m. Home to bed!

[. . . . ]

Sunday, 4 June 2006

10:00 a.m. Church at Eden Baptist Chapel

12:00 p.m. Lunch at Cambridge Arms (Dez tries her first 'Bangers and Mash' - yuk! never again! Kev has fish and chips!)

1:00 p.m. Hotel Chocolat ~ sample some super yummy chocolate (I liked mine - 'light and something' can't remember; Dez's and my chocolate both belonged to that category; Kev selects a coffee one I think)

1:15 p.m. To the Market for cookies! We split my favorite gingerbread man!

2:00 p.m. Meet Kelvin at John's Cripps Court for Punt!

2:15 p.m. Punting!!! We all find our new calling. SO much fun.

4:15 p.m. Tired from punting, we buy a bottle of Apple and Elderflower from the grocer's and sit outside the side gate of St. John's relaxing. Oh look, there goes Stephen Hawking!

5:00 p.m. Back to room to wash up and get dressed for dinner: gown required ;)

6:00 p.m. Evensong at Caius

7:15 p.m. Drinks in the White Room

7:30 p.m. 2nd Hall in the Gallery

8:45 p.m. Go home and do laundry :) Yes, it really does take three people to do laundry!

10:00 p.m. Shower, relax, and play poker until bed time.

[. . . .]

9:15 a.m. Back where we began; Drummer Bus station & La Costa coffee

I love you Dez & Kev!!! Thank you for coming to Europe to play with me!

God is so good :)

Posted on June 5, 2006 at 06:45AM