Fabulous Friends

As I'm sure I've said before, it's been a rough year for me.  But one thing has been very, very good this year:  my friends.  Some of them have been here for a while with me, and we just hung out more this year.  Others of them are new to Aberdeen, but it feels like I've known them forever-- in a good way.  ;)  I am so blessed to have good friends here, who have loved me even when I've felt miserable and unlovable.  Here is just a taste of some of what I've done with them this spring and summer:

The Beckers (Carrie, Scot, Matthew and Adam) have been family for me-- literally.  One night a week, I go over to their flat for dinner and just hanging out.  Homemade soup and bread (Carrie is a fabulous cook), and games and conversation.   I just make myself at home, and it's been so great to have a family here again where I can just pop by anytime and who treat me like family.  I've missed that a lot since the Cornells left, and it's been so good to have that again this year.  Even if they live on the other side of town and I have to take the bus.  Which is another post in itself...

I have also done more fun stuff with the Beckers than just eat.  I've celebrated birthdays with them, gone swimming with Carrie and the boys (which was so fun, but so exhausting!  Adam is totally fearless, in or out of the water.), and attended a Mad Hatter Tea Party at Matthew's school (it was a fundraiser, and I bought a wee mint plant.).  The 'hats' in the photo below were made by Adam at the party.  Seriously, these guys have been great to me.  It's been just what I've needed this year.  Thank you, Beckers.  I love y'all.  =)

There is also, for the first time ever since I've been in Aberdeen, a group of single girls.  Yes, you read that right-- I'm no longer the lone singleton!  Okay, so there have been a few others here and there, but this past year there is a veritable gang of us.  Liz, Paige, Kristianna, Rebekah, Alisa, Aleithia... it's a miracle.  And worth the four year wait for it to happen.  I am a bit of a social butterfly again, going out for coffee or films or food... hanging out at other people's flats ordering in curry or fish 'n chips and watching dvds... helping my British friend get over her Subway phobias by walking her through the ordering process and enjoying the free refills.  Once a week, we students meet for coffee on campus in Zeste, which is known for it's lack of hospitality and random pricing changes and loads of loud undergrads and hit-or-miss coffees.  It's always an adventure.  Also fairly often, we would gather at Paige and Kristianna/Rebekah's flat to order in the best curry in Aberdeen-- Khyber Pass.  Sometimes we'd just eat and chat;  other times we played games (see the photo below of our cut-throat game of Apples to Apples.).  Mostly I just enjoyed being with the girls.  Liz, Pagie, RitaBekah, Kristianna-- thanks.  I love y'all, too.  =D

My friend Alisa had a car for a while... I helped her practice her right-hand driving and manual shifting, and named the car: an old red Escort, named Wheezy (after Ron Weasley, of course).  Sadly, Wheezy has now passed on... but on our first outing we drove to Banchory and ate at the Falls of Feugh restaurant.  I had Lettuce Soup, which sounds terrible but was actually quite delicious.  We also have had a lot of rain this year, so when we were there, the falls were really something to behold (see the video at the end, if you want a taste of their power that day). 

We also got a group together to go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on opening day.  Inca John came along, as well, and took advantage of the photo opportunity to document our outing.  Most of you who know me will know that I am not a huge fan of the films (which is putting it mildly).  Still, it was fun to go with friends, even if I hated the film.  Okay, to be fair, I hated this one less than I have three through five... but I think it's only because my expectations could not have possibly gotten any lower than they were.  That doesn't bode well for films 7A and 7B, though, because now my expectations will have been slightly raised again.  *sigh*  The book is always better.  I should just get used to that, but I can't give up my hope that one day a film will get it right.  At least my friends enjoyed it.  =) 

And finally, because a picture really is worth more than all my rambling, here are some of my friends and the fun we've had together.