After a voyage extended by every possible delay including the NYC transit strike and mysterious flight troubles, not to mention the obnoxiousness of the guy sitting next to me the whole way, I am home in rainy old Astoria. Yesterday I recouped by playing WoW and reading. I spent some time at the court house with Kari acting out mock trials to train new police officers, which was generally amusing. The whole time I sat in my room the wind and rain and thunder shook the house.

Today I helped Grandma make krumkake. By “helped” I mean I undercooked and loosely rolled the things, rendering them most probably inedible. I have a long road ahead of me if I ever want to be krumkake champion of the world. She fixed me a lovely lunch and then Mom and Kari and I set off for Portland where we shopped until we got too grouchy to spend money or communicate. We met up with Leslie and Sally at Bridgeport Village (I just made that up, but I think that’s what it’s called) and had dinner and exchanged Christmas presents.

The way home was exciting, because the rain kept pouring and pouring. There’s this spot just south of Seaside where the road goes right over a rather marshy area. Some guy cut the trees down to make a campground, so there isn’t much holding the marshiness together. Whenever it rains it tends to flood there first, and today was no exception. The entire campground was under water–very strange to see an unexpected lake. There were vehicles with flashing lights warning about the water, but we braved it. Luckily we were in the Acura, because my dad’s car never would have made it. Halfway through I realized there was a good chance the water would come in the doors and I pulled all my stuff up onto the seat next to me. I think the doors remained watertight, but the car floor was definitely below sea level.

Now I’m home and sleepy. I haven’t wrapped any presents yet, so that’s the first thing on tomorrow’s agenda. It’s still raining and I can hear cars hydroplaning outside my window. So good to be home.

I took my last exam today and twenty minutes after I returned to my room the professor had emailed me my score: 84. Not quite amazing, but hey. It was my last exam. I wash my hands of this semester. I’ll be more than angry if my grade falls below an A- for that miserable class, but at least it’s done with.

And I have so much cleaning to do! It’s good cleaning! It’s going home cleaning! Alex and I have similar flight patterns tomorrow, which is a good thing. It’ll be nice to have support in braving this absurd NYC transit strike. I’ve heard a rumor that Astoria has ceased to be “nice” and cold in favor of lukewarm and rainy, but that sounds just fine to me. I’ve had enough of winter, of half-melted re-frozen icy ruts that only offer enough traction to trip on, enough of ice pellet attacks and cold-too-fast tea and dead leaves. I am ready for Oregon evergreens.

I didn’t get to make cookies for anybody because somebody stole my brown sugar. Some people are so bad. Couldn’t they leave my sugar around for the cookie-spawning betterment of everybody? Sigh.

I’ve been working on my music essay intermittantly all day. Not a pleasant existence this incessant writing, let me tell you. When this one is over I will study for calculus and hopefully finish up on my essay on war mythology. I wish I could sit down and talk to somebody at length about that one, the problem seems to be that I have read too many books and my ideas are gaining tangental lives of their own. Focus, Anna, focus. Unfortunately my friends are too busy to let them throw my ridiculous essay topics at their heads, so I’ll have to sort it out on my own.

It’s frustrating because all I want to do is curl up under my poofy down blanket with a non-school book and a mug of hot tea.

Last night a silly thing happend. Erin, Aaron, Charmaine, Caite, and I went to see the Night Owls’ a cappella concert (which was lovely) and on our way home Erin and I dropped by Margaret’s room. Now we didn’t expect Margaret to be there (and she wasn’t) but we were trying to be good friends. Just then, my phone jingled its “you have a message” tone, and who should have left me a voice message but Margaret! She was in my room!! So we ran back to Noyes and had a lovely evening with Margaret.

So life isn’t all bad. Plus I keep taking study breaks to watch episodes of Six Feet Under, which the library has on DVD. It’s addictingly good episodic television. Since classes ended every day has felt like a weekend, and I get confused when Mom doesn’t call. Then I remember it’s Tuesday, and why would she call me? Sigh. I’ll be home in one week. One. Week.

Forget the pitiful melty icy chunky white sludge on the paths yesterday, this is really snow! It’s falling thick and has been for a while. Everybody outside my window is trudging through it. I’m going to wear my snow boots. I have so much work to do (pages and pages to write) but I should take a break to bake other depressed studiers warm cookies. That would improve my mood significantly.

Not that I’m in a bad mood, it’s so snowy! Maybe if Alex gets his pictures off my camera I will be able to document this white beautiful snowiness before it starts to melt and annoy me. Now off to class!

PS- My computer is making the worst sounds ever. It sounds like a lawn mower. Brendan says it’s the hard drive giving out. I don’t like that answer, but if my hard drive gives out I just don’t know what I’ll do…cry probably.