So, 9th and 10th week are here. To quote our friend Mark, OMAG. Where, oh where, has the time gone? We're just having too much fun. I know, now you feel really sorry for us, right? So let's see, what have we been up to... besides working on my dissertation (yes, both of us are actually doing schoolwork whilst here), I went to an end of the year dinner for those of us who are 'going down' (i.e. leaving Linacre this year. funny phraseology, eh?) and then had to entertain myself for the weekend since Will went on a 'boys trip' (which I was assured involved no bachelor-party-esque hired entertainment) to Devon. Here is a picture of him with his boys below. My mind was at ease when I saw this one:
Yes, they are playing poker, in a hot-tub, on a homemade inflatable poker table. Boys, I think you may have discovered a void in the market for floating poker tables. So, whilst Will played golf and hot-tub poker with the dudes, I kept myself busy by rowing, punting, watching World Cup, clubbing with the crew at Kukui, managing to roll in nettles whilst in the lawn, covering myself with hydrocortisone to dull the pain, and having brunch with my girl Jeanne, not necessarily in that order. It was quite the weekend. Once Will was back, we spent each night doing fun Britishy activities. On Monday, we went to dinner and a movie with our friend Anna -- everytime Russell Brand spoke, I laughed til I peed.
On Tuesday, we went to a Rotary BBQ outside of Bicester with the whole Rotary Club of Bicester. Aside from embarrasing myself by eating my weight in cheese, biscuits, and pudding (a British, and less-fatty-sounding, way of saying 'dessert' ... actually, little sidenote on that terminology and how it thwarted my attempt to eat myself stupid: when I went up to the dessert table, and was trying to figure out which nine desserts I'd sample and strategically cram into my dessert bowl, I had a very 'who's on first?' moment with the host. 'Oh, is this pudding?' I said to my host, pointing to a liquid-looking substance. 'Yes, it's pudding', was the response, so I promptly decided that it would be choice #1 of 9 and scooped it into my bowl as the base layer. Then, however, after I had strategically piled 5 other desserts on top of it that I thought might compliment each other, and was eyeing something chocolately, I was like 'Wait, is this pudding?' and he was like, 'Yes, that's pudding.' And I was like, 'You mean, this is pudding.' And he was like 'Um, yes, that is pudding.' SO, long story short, they were all 'pudding.' They were British 'pudding' (i.e. dessert), but they were most definitely not American pudding (i.e. liquidy vanilla/chocolate goodness). Result: a base layer of key lime pie filling, and 8 desserts piled on top of it that were not meant to be served a la lime. Big limey eww.)
On Wednesday, we went into London. I conducted interviews with trainee solicitors at the London office of Freshfields' (a huge international law firm, 24,000 lawyers, 28 offices around the world) for my dissertation on legal education. It was incredibly interesting to see the enormous office in the middle of London's legal district. They set me up in a conference room with white glove catering service. (Literally, a cart pushed by someone wearing a tux-like uniform rolled by every 10 minutes with fresh coffee and cookies.) It was first-class all the way. All the people I interviewed (which I met through my lawyer friends in Miami, shockingly -- it's such a small world) were incredibly nice and made me feel so welcome. Don't get scared mom, but I could actually see myself working there. In addition to conducting interviews that day, we wandered around the city, checking out what it would be like to live there. It is just so huge, and there is just so much going on -- you could never be bored. We had a lovely Pho lunch with a couple that we know from Linacre, Sean and Anne, and had a fantastic homecooked Italian meal by another couple that we know from UCL, Mary and Fin. They made London feel like home. What a fantastic day.
On Thursday, we headed to the countryside for yet another fantastic dinner party and homecooked meal by my friend Jennifer who is on my course at Oxford. She lives in a 500 year-old house with an 81 year-old adorable landlady named Sally who had so much spunk and personality, and so many stories to share, that we spent the entire night gabbing and laughing with her. She didn't act a day older than me and fit right in with all of us 'kids.' I hope I'm just like Sally in my 80's! In addition to hearing Sally's stories about her time with Orlando Bloom (she basically knows everyone in the UK) and the ghosts that haunt the house, stuffing our faces with Jennifer's delicious mexican food and Guinness chocolate cake, line dancing, playing Sally's antique piano, and wandering around the beautiful gardens and house with endless staircases and hidden hallways, we just talked and laughed the night away. It was one of the most memorable nights we've had in Oxford. Thanks to Jennifer and Sally!
Dinner Party outside the house.
It literally looks like you walked into a Jane Austen novel.
Thought I was joking about line-dancing? Nope.
Jennifer made me wear my boots!
The field right outside her home.
I've never stood in grass that high - it literally reached my waist.
On Friday, in addition to watching World Cup and hitting the Bridge, we punted! Will, one of my best girlfriends, Jeanne, and our friend Andrew all headed to the New College punts to punt ourselves down the River Cherwell whilst sipping Pimm's that was clearly not mixed with the proper proportion of Sprite. It was quite an adventure. We had an absolute blast.
Will, the master puntsman.
Showing off my punt skillz.
Me and the J.
Snyders do punt.
We thought it made perfect sense to have a race after disembarking the punt. This could have had something to do with the strength of the Pimm's and dearth of Sprite.
And, that, in a tad more than a few words, was our week.
It was packed, it was awesome, it was Oxford.
Dear Time,
Slow the hell down.
Sincerely,
The Snyders
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