My sense were confused yet happy.

If I closed my eyes I could smell and hear the sounds of home. My vacation to Newquay was needed and I loved every minute of it. Let's back up though and explain how important it was for me to go to the sea.

Last week of term: If I am doing supply next year I will not be working that week or I will be doing something better than the shit plan that was left for me. My smallest class was 28, it was the warmest room I have ever, ever been in, and the kids were rude, gross, and not interested in me: their SIXTH music teach in 4 months. Eff. Some threw guitars, some cursed at me, some tried to steal headphones... it was awful. I cut my leg on a trunk that they left in the middle of the room... in this trunk there as paint that ended up on chairs. No, I was not in a preschool because I wouldn't expect this from 5 year olds. I was with grades 7-9. I asked not to be sent to that school again as the support wasn't there from the staff and the kids were beyond horrible. (You should get control over your future Bristol...)

So needless to say I booked a trip to Newquay the "California of the United Kingdom". I arrived and had a pasty! Then I dropped off my stuff and found some supper! I went for some decent mexican food and read the thorn birds while I was surrounded by people on dates and attending large group birthday parties. Did I miss my friends? Always. Was I bothered I was on my own? Not at all. The Taratime was needed.

After supper I walked down the main street scoping out places to eat for tomorrow! I passed 3 beaches and decided to perch on the hill to watch the sunset over the ocean. I was so excited that I told this random lady that I was excited to watch the sunset and that I was from right across the ocean! She smiled at me and nodded. Turns out she was from Dresden and couldn't understand me. She understood Canada and hello. :) It was nice to stand there with her and watch it.By the time the sunset I was ready to head back to my little room. There was a tv and it was so nice to watch it!! I saw the end of A Perfect Storm and quickly fell asleep.

I forgot what it felt like to eat a proper breakfast. Oh my goodness... from now on I am making sure I eat well every morning. It fuels you up for a long day!! It was wonderful and I was stuffed until 1:30!!! I hopped on a little train that takes you around town and I went to the zoo for 2 hrs. It was a nice way to start the day and I got to hear a lion roar!! Worth the charge of getting in the zoo alone. Then I hopped on the train again and made my way to Fistal Beach. It is the big surfing beach of Newquay and I had lunch over looking the ocean! Excellent view and sandwich! Then I walked along the storefronts where I bought some handmade bracelets and postcards for loved ones.

I must have watched the surfers for 45 minutes trying to grab a picture or two of them! I got a few good ones and had to drag myself from them to explore the rest of the beach. I walked all the way up the hill and around the cliffs! I also found my self timer on my camera and played with that! I must say the beach did wonders for my hair! haha.

Once I made it back to the town centre I was pretty hunger and sleepy. I went for Indian food and it was fantastic!! Then the rain came down and I decided to go back and rest in my room and I watched tv!

The next morning greeted me with another amazing breakfast and I checked out of my room to catch my bus! I was ready to return home to Brenna and my fluffy pillows! On the way home I sat by a really nice Welsh man who now lives in Kenya! We exchanged info and hopefully I will hear from him again some day!

I also received good news from home! Papa had his surgery to remove one of his kidneys and it went very well! He will be in for about a week and then he can go home so fingers crossed for a full recovery.

I miss you all!!

xoxox

Coombs

This is a post for my followers... the 3 of you? haha

I miss you, I love you!

I'm happier than I was yesterday and I assume that will only continue.

Much love. xo

Your,

Coombs

Hold me to this thing, darling.

Sorry, I'm alive... and semi well. I have had a bad cold for a week and I have been off work and no play so there wasn't much to blog about. I didn't even blog about my adventures to London! Here I go:

Things are going well! I am making enough money to survive which is always a plus. I worry for August but I have to tell myself that this is my life and I am meant to enjoy it! So I will!

London: first time. It was great! I loved it! I think I would love it even more if I wasn't starting to feel sick so I am going to have my official first visit another time. I saw Big Ben and Westminster Abbey! Of course we spent most of our day at the Canada Day party which was on of the BEST celebrations of my country I have ever had. I ate a Boston Cream doughnut which was AMAZING. Drank (a bit too much) cider, ate poutine, danced around, met a man on the stairs from England, a wife and daughter from Africa and we started to have a chat with him! We told him we were from Canada then Nova Scotia. And he said "how funny! I lived in NS, in a small town called WOLFVILLE." No jokes. We talked about my lovely Wolfville for a bit and the rest of the Valley. I bonded with his young daughter and decided to give her one of my maple leaf pins that Papa gave me before I left. I had two so I thought it was best to pass on the love. She enjoyed it and I would like to think in 10 years she will come across it and wonder what ever happened to that young Canadian girl who gave her the maple leaf pin.

Then came Sarah Harmer time. I was right up front where I told Brenna days before even getting there that I would stand right up there by the stage and sing my heart out. I sang and then all of a sudden I started to cry. I think it was overwhelming to have my favorite Sarah Harmer there, Morgan by my side, Brenna by my side and on top of it all I was in London. That's enough to make a girl cry.

So now I am sick and trying to get better. I think I will be better by Monday and maybe get a full week of work! (Here's hoping). Not only am I sick-sick but I am campsick. I won't talk about it much because it breaks my heart. Mainly Concert Band camp which is next week. In all honesty I want them to miss me. Is that silly? I just want to feel like I contributed something to them. Silly.

Hope all is well!! Send me letters!!

PS: Julie! I finished the Book of Awesome this morning. It was awesome like you.

Holy Holst.

I went to Cheltenham yesterday! 7 pounds took me to his birth place and it was so so much fun! I listened to the AUWE play the First Suite and it was truly beautiful. When it got to F in the first movement I sat by the fountain with my feet in the water and had my first tears in the UK.

It was a great day.

Week Two

Week two is harder on my heart than I expected. I’ll get over it... I just have to look around and remind myself of what I am doing and who I am doing it for: me. I can’t help but think about things and people I shouldn’t be but then again why stop myself? They are just thoughts anyway and they will only cause me harm if I let them.

I finished a week of teaching and let’s just say “we aren’t in kanas anymore, Toto”. Holy! The one school I went to for the week was crazy... It did get better because I was there for 4 days and some of the kids started to get used to me but can you really have a handle on classroom management when the kids don’t even acknowledge you are there? Or when a fight breaks out on day two? All in all I made it through and not once did I feel scared or have thoughts “can I handle this?”. I know I can but it’s just sad that I probably won’t get much teaching done unless I am in a really good school or if they continue to put me in a math class haha... I would take the train to school everyday and that alone was worth the day. I think everyone else on the train took it for granted; the beauty and the man who came along saying “anything from the trolley?”. The country side is so beautiful and green (it makes you thankful for the rain for making it so picturesque) and everything reminds me of Harry Potter which excites me greatly. I didn’t work yesterday, I called and said I wasn’t feeling well which I wasn’t. I was so exhausted that I physically couldn’t get out of bed. Let’s hope for a full week to bring in the money so I can comfortably survive here. I will I just have to get back on my feet from not working for 2 months before coming here.

Last night I went to a local pub and watched the game with Brenna. I guess you can tie in football... who knew? So they didn’t win or lose last night but there was a lot of cursing haha and angry English folk! Next game is on Wednesday at 3 so I doubt I will get to see it but hopefully they win!

I think I am going to walk around and take pictures today. I haven’t taken any in a few days so I think it’s time to get out there! There was a place in the mall where you send the picture to this guy and he puts it on a canvas for you!! So I might do that with some of mine for my wall! Like my Stonehenge one and maybe some others!!

I think we are off to Cheltenham tomorrow aka Holst’s homeland! I will bring my ipod to listen to the First Suite and some Jupiter while I am there!

Much love,

Coombs

Dear roomie who is coming in September.

Don't let money freak you out.

Just be open to the whole thing and you can wake up to this every morning.

Happy heart, sore feet, little bits of nerves, and so much love for this place.

Library is closing soon so I will just post a picture and be on my way!

I saw Stonehenge yesterday and it was one of the most amazing sights I've ever, ever seen. I also saw Salisbury Cathedral which was breath taking!

Stay tuned for a longer post!

All the love in the world!

xo