A Happy New Year's and Updates

I've been a little busy the past week I've been home. So, I'm sorry that I haven't been posting often.

I had a...pretty good new year's eve. My friend hosted a party and I went. It was the first new year's party I had been to where I was legally aloud to drink. Did I feel grown up? Kinda. I mean, it was nice to go out and buy my own alcohol and then go and drink the alcohol and a party. It did end a little sooner than expected, but wasn't and overall bad night. Well, it wasn't the best night I had ever had either, but that had very little to do with the party or Friends or other stuff like that.

Anyway, my brother came in for a visit on the 2nd and then just left yesterday morning. It was good to see him again and good to have family. I wish I had taken pictures of his visit, but it would have been of food he taught me to make since we really didn't travel. The next time he comes for a visit I'm hoping that we won't both have exams to study for and I'll have found out how to get buses to fun places here. I'm thinking next time he comes we'll go to Loch Ness. I haven't been there yet so it seems like a good place to go. Anyway, I really enjoyed his visit. He made me feel better and he brought me Swedish chocolate. Both are always appreciated.

Now it's on to studying for exams and forgetting. Well, not forgetting but...oh what's the word? Well, I don't know the exact word or phrase. But, it's a new year and everything will be better. Hope you all had a great new year's and have all of your resolutions put together. I've got mine. *smile*

A Visitor

Our flat doesn't allow pets which does make me sad a little. But, I know that getting a pet right now when I'm out of the house a lot wouldn't be good for me or the pet...unless it was a fish.

Even though our flat doesn't allow pets some of the flats around us do have pets. Next door there are two dogs that greet me whenever I walk into the backyard. They're quite friendly. I was told by my flatmate that there was a one-eyed cat wandering around our neighbourhood. I hadn't met him until a few days ago, but when I did meet him I fell in love with him. I call him "One-Eye Jack". 

The other day I was hanging laundry outside and "One-Eye Jack" came over to me and started playing with me and rubbing up against me and being a real cat. So what did I do? Of course I sat and played with him for about an hour. I was a happy Erin.  

One-Eye Jack standing in our doorway yawning.

One-Eye Jack begging to come in.

Ryan's Visit

Well, Ryan left yesterday morning to go to Kent before heading back across the pond. He has friends in Kent and wanted to visit them seeing as he doesn't make it to this side of the globe that often. I didn't like seeing him go, but I understood. He's gotta get back to work and back to his friends at home. Gotta make the monies.

Anyway, I really loved seeing him and I think it's the sweetest thing anyone has every done for me. I mean, he came all the way to Scotland just to see me. And he bought me flowers while he was here. That was nice. Yellow roses...my favourite flower by the way.

What did we do while he was here. Well, we explored mostly. I don't have any close friends yet, I do have friends though, but no one to go out to a pub or walk around with or any of that stuff. So we tried out a new pub which I quite enjoy and walked around the city centre and we even went to the local theme park.

Yes, Aberdeen has a theme park. It's small and old, but it's pretty cheap and pretty fun. Ryan is a bit of a theme park nerd. he's ridden...380 roller coasters I believe. Maybe 390...I know it's a rounded number like that and that it's in the 300's but I can't remember if it's 80 or 90. Anyway, he was like a kid at a candy store when we went to the park. And there were bumper cars! Not the stupid bumper cars we have in the states that are all concerned with safety and all that. The past few bumper car rides I have ridden have only been around in a circle and there was a sign above the parking place for the cars that said "No Bumping". These were dangerous bumper cars and the kids there were quite ruthless. I don't generally like ramming into 8 year olds but they started it so I can't help it. And they thought it was the most fun thing ever, so I don't feel any sympathy for them especially since I got a bruise or two.

I do have pictures but I don't really feel like posting them right now so I might post them in segments.

Again, I was sad to see him go and I have no idea what I'm going to do tomorrow alone, but I couldn't be happier that he came to see me.