Back Home!

Well, I made it back home safe and sound. On Monday morning, I returned the rental car and picked up mine from the MOT testing/repair shop. Then Jane G., one of the other teachers, picked me up and we drove to Bradford upon Avon. We met up with another teacher from school, Jayne M., who grew up there. She was a brilliant tour guide. We walked through the medieval tithe barn, along the canal that was reopened after restoration by the queen, did loads of fun window shopping, and then went to lunch on a Sally Long Boat on the canal. Yum!! We ended the day walking through St. Laurence's Church, which they think might have been built in 709, but know it was in existence in 1001. Then we walked up to this thatched cottage known as the Witch's Cottage by the locals. Very cool town! The next day, Miri took me to Reading (red-ing) to meet up with her daughter, Becky, for lunch and go shopping in this massive mall. The mall had this canal going between the 2 parts of it...very pretty, and the shopping was great! I got a lot of Christmas presents there...including chocolates from Hotel Chocolate! American chocolate doesn't even come close! We tried to find pumpkins on the way home for maths the next day, but they were nowhere to be seen...pumpkin shortage due to flooding. The next day was Halloween...sadly, we had to go back to school. Worse yet, I woke up at 3am with food poisoning! Yikes! I'm pretty sure it was with some pasta I made at home. I tried to go to school, but they sent me home. After 2 days curled up on the couch, I was better and made it back to school. Yippee! So good to feel healthy again!