Happy July 4th!

While Independence Day isn't celebrated on this side of the pond (though I think one or two restaurants do have some sort of American themed festivity) and there will be Americans out and about cheering (all the college kids in town) it should be fairly low key. Myself and about 6 or 7 students remain in Jesus College with everyone else off this morning for Ireland. They had to get up and leave around 4:15 am but luckily for me they seem to have all made it and some I am sure did not go to sleep at all. It will be a long day for them.

For me, it was my first day off. I decided to head off to the Natural History Museum and the Pitts River Museum after running an errand for one of my students. I couldn't get their problem solved, but I did find out what it was and what needs to be done. She will have to handle it when she returns from Ireland on Tuesday. I am glad I headed to the Pitts River Museum because it is closing on the 7th of July until late next spring for renovations and to undo some 1960s "improvements" to return the museum back to its 19th century appearance and modernize it in other areas. I never made it to the Pitts River Museum last year, and I will have to go back next year when the changes are made (a whole level was closed). You know how they say that the Smithsonian is the "Nation's attic"? Well the Pitts River Museum is the nation's house of oddities and eccentricities. Look it up on the internet to find out what I mean, but I did manage to get three shots or so I posted to show you what it is like.

After that I wandered through the city, to some of the colleges that were open, down alleyways I never went down before, and tried to see new places from new angles...instead of crossing Christ Church Meadow from St. Aldgate to the High, I did it from the High and Rose Lane to St. Aldgates. It is such a beautiful day out and some of the pictures I am quite impressed with. The ones I see as the most fascinating, I am going to post in a bit. Let me know what you think.

Tomorrow I think it is just a quiet day, though I am going to London on Sunday with a number of the remaining students. I got train tickets already for myself and one other student I knew was going and we are leaving early Sunday morning, but it should be fun if we can all get there. I have to talk to the other students this evening to try and make sure we can all meet up at least.

Anyway, Happy 4th of July. Enjoy the pictures!



This is a shot out of my living room window onto the second quad.



My bed. There is another closed in fireplace in the room.




View of my bathroom. One of the few ensuite rooms in the college. Usually meant for tutors during the academic year. My room is on the second floor in the second quad which is in turn part of the second addition to the university built in the 17 th century.




The view outside my bedroom window to the Covered Market. The source of the morning noise!



This strange hook is in the 17th century beam in my ceiling. The maintenance men told me it was originally meant for an escape ladder to be attached to and thrown out the window in case of fire.
Either that, or to hang a student who was in trouble. I think they were kidding...



My bedroom. With a sink in addition to the one in the bathroom. To the left is my bed.



Part of the living room of the suite. My desk and computer station. You can see the closed in fireplace to the left rear of the picture.