sussex & brighton.

Ah, the countryside.

Sussex was beautiful. We left London early Saturday afternoon and got there around 4. We watched TV for a while since none of us had even seen a TV since we were in the States. The houses were quaint and cozy. I say houses because they have more than one. They also have cows, a hay barn, tons of green houses, a farm, a pond, a gazebo, a fountain, an indoor pool and their milk delivered in glass bottles by the milkman.

At night, we went out for dinner at this fancy restaurant. We drank soup out of tall skinny glasses and ate small course after small course. I tried duck liver and venison, but I was so glad that I ordered chicken for my meal. We spent hours at this restaurant, picking off each others plates, drinking wine, telling stories and laughing contagiously. It was lovely.

The next day we went down to Brighton, the city by the sea. We walked along the Pier, which smelled of fried dough and hot chocolate. Their were carnival rides and cotton candy stands and all of a sudden, it started snowing. The pretty kind of snow, big flakes and really fast.

When we got back to Sussex, Jules mum had cooked us a Sunday lunch. It was a delicious... roast beef with vegetables and potatoes and something called Yorkshire pudding. For dessert we had raspberry and apple crumble. The raspberries were picked from the garden over the summer and frozen for a special occasion. This was the first time they had more than one American guest sitting at their dinner table. A special occasion, I guess. After dessert we spend a bunch more time talking about the difference between Americans and the British. We drank espresso and ate cheese.

We headed back to London around 7 but didn't get home until almost 10 because the snow followed us. It was actually snowing in London for the first time since 1996. People didn't know what to do. It's accumulated 3 inches, maybe 4, and all sorts of records are being shattered.

We did make it back just in time for the Super Bowl, though. We watched it in the common room with people from all over the world. Half rooting for the Steelers and half for the Cardinals. There were 4 big flat screen TVs all showing the game. There were probably about 40 boxes of pizza all empty in under 10 minutes. The room vibrated after that 100 yard touchdown. And I was shocked to see people from South Africa singing all the words to Glory Days. It was brillant.

I walked back to my flat after that. It was still snowing, the pretty kind of snow. It was just cold enough to still be enjoyable and I caught atleast 10 snowflakes perfectly on my tongue. The world seemed eliminated because of the moonlight reflecting off the ground, and the houses, and the trees... Someone had made a little snowman at the foot of our steps. I wish you all could see how stunning Queens Road looks when it snows. I wish you all were here and could experience this sense of contentment that I feel.

It's 3:30 in the morning, but I can't sleep, the smile won't leave my face. I skyped with so many people who I love tonight. If it was possible to sprout wings and flutter around from happiness I think that would happen to me right now.

<3
Rd