Happy February! January’s finally over. Thank God. How are you doing back home? My trip into London on Saturday went well. When I got in, it was around 11 AM, and I was so tired I detoured to buy an expensive bagel and tiny coffee. The library I went to is called the Senate House Library. It’s right next to the British Museum, and it’s a giant Art Deco behemoth that came straight out of Metropolis. There was a severed bird’s leg outside the door. Apparently the library is different from the Institute of Classical Studies, where the books I was looking for actually were, so that was confusing. I then took 500 photos through google translate (the books were in French and Greek respectively), realized my phone was extremely low on battery, and skedaddled. I bought another expensive bagel, train-ed back to school, and got home on 4% (I know the way back fine, but I need my phone alive to scan the train ticket). Very successful day. The bagels were good. I enjoy the ritual of going into London and buying expensive coffees. I also enjoy the tube (subway) now that I sorta know how it works. Although I hear that people get stabbed down there. Makes sense: going underground down an escalator that long, you’d think that normal-world consequences couldn’t see you.
On Wednesday I went with a friend to Strawberry Hill House. If you’ve actually been reading these, you might remember that I went there in June of 2024 since I based my novel’s setting on that house. The friend didn’t know this when she invited me, weirdly enough. It was nice to walk around already knowing what’s going on in every room. I could’ve gotten another expensive museum-cafe coffee, but not this time. It’s nicer in the summer, though. You can walk around the grounds.
The rest of the week has been studying. Now I actually have to work on stuff that is due this term (and not my undergrad paper). So much writing. Mom said it’s a lot of writing, so I can complain about it. Also, very good news, they added a ‘large’ size to the campus coffee shop. It’s roughly a Starbucks grande. Because British portion sizes are very sad. But yeah, it’s been a very coffee-oriented week. I’ve been trying to get up earlier to work like a morning person, but the results are mixed.
Anyway. I have to get to class soon. I’m going to go drink some more coffee in my fridge. I love you. I carry the thought of you with me on all these damn trains.
With love,
Alice