Life Updates

Hello... is it me you're looking for? No? OK then..

 

I'm a terrible blogger bleeblaablooh. But because I haven't blogged for a while, I have lots of things to talk/bitch/rave about.

 

I'm officially a wizard (for anyone I haven't told, which is about 2 people, I got a first yaaaaaay first firsty first first). I had a lovely day, and it didn't rain, but I didn't realise how special the day would be until it was happening. Also, my English buddies all have surnames in the range of J-P, so we were sat in the same two rows! It really felt like a rite of passage; I wish I could express fully how it felt, but it was probably one of the best days of my life. I feel sad it was over so quickly, but I feel an immense sense of pride, not just for myself and my friends for being so clever, but for the support network around me who were there for the three years of my degree. I wish my grandparents could have come too, but graduation ceremony tickets are like gold dust so it wasn't possible.

 

Maxx and I outside Winchester Cathedral

 

Maxx and I didn't run the half marathon in the end. I won't justify anything, it was just that my motivation was all over the show. When we went to France, however, I did GO ON A 6 MILE BIKE RIDE. VOLUNTARILY. I decided that, as I was teaching Maxx to horse ride, I should also do something I'm scared of. My bottom hurt afterwards, and I still feel very wobbly, but it has inspired me to maaaybe try cycling at home. And I do love practising sports outside, especially now the weather has turned (Summer is not my favourite season).

I have been reading a LOT. To an unsociable level. However, this has been encouraged by my good goth friend Kat and my good French boyfriend Maxx. For my birthday, Kat bought me The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (which I reviewed here) and Dissolution, the first book in the Matthew Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom. I am hooked. I've since read The Angel's Game (CRZ) and am reading Dark Fire (CJS), which Maxx bought me for our anniversary last week. I'm so far through he bought me the third instalment today! I will post reviews imminently.

Finally, something which has upset me since I read about it. I love greyhounds, my family has (or is that have?) had greyhounds for over 10 years, and I fully intend to have greyhounds for the rest of my life. So when the latest newsletter came out from Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare, I was very angry/annoyed/upset to see that black greyhounds are still being discriminated against. Not only are the people at WGW finding it hard to rehome them, but trainers/owners are actually asking if they will even take them in. This is RIDICULOUS; if you want a dog, does his/her colour matter? Greyhounds are lovely whatever the colour, but what I particularly like about black hounds is how, as they age, they go grey and, in the case of my girl Princess, look like giant greyhound-shaped badgers. All I can say is that: a) adopt a greyhound because they are beautiful, affectionate, gentle pets, and b) don't be prejudice! Your perfect greyhound could be a lovely black hound. It's not about the colour, it's about the character. Our two black hounds are completely different, as all our hounds have been.

xxx