Chanukah Sameach!

Captain's Log, Stardate 2248.42... or whatever (marooned on Delta Vega):

8:40 am: Too cold to get out of bed.  Toes are frozen.  Can't feel them.  
8:45 am: Have to go to class.  But...so...cold...
8:50 am: That's it.  Getting up.  OH GOD IT'S SO COLD.
9:00 am: Wearing full Under Armour layer.  Still cold.
9:05 am: Outside.  Strangely, feels warmer than my room did.... oh wait, never mind.  Not with that wind, it doesn't.  Oh look-- snow!

This, my dear readers, has basically been the saga of the past several days.  We have hit an epic cold streak, which wouldn't be so bad (I do go to school in New England, after all), except for the fact that British houses (at least old Georgian ones) don't believe in being warm.  Also, we have had snow on the ground for several days (and sometimes it even comes from the sky! whoa....), which is beautiful and makes me smile, but because the English are so unused to it, they can't really deal with even an inch or two, and they go into a mass panic and things start shutting down.  It would be adorable, except that it gets rather inconvenient at times.

Along with the snow came a series of house-related disasters throughout the ASE properties.  My house was without internet for six days (the HORROR!!).  I didn't realize just how addicted I am to the internet until now.  It's sad.  But, in an early Chanukah miracle, it came back on Tuesday.  Over the weekend, the heating and hot water in Linley House went out, and they are still not back (I would take being without internet over that situation any day).  All of the houses are epically cold-- the heating simply isn't keeping up with the outside temperature.  My room is about 15 degrees colder than the common room, so I've practically moved in down there.  Oh, and then yesterday when I came home from class and was preparing to cook Chanukah/family dinner, the power in the kitchen was out.  Just the kitchen.  It took me about an hour to figure out how to fix it.  But I did-- just in time to start making Challah and latkes.  Another Chanukah miracle!  Two in two days-- let's see what the next six have in store.

Speaking of the next six days; a few days ago, I was bemoaning the fact that I have a four-day weekend and nowhere to go, because everyone already had plans.  But then Tom, who lives in my house, said that he was in the same situation.  Turns out, we both wanted to go to Paris.  So what did we do?  Booked a flight to Paris on Friday night.  I'M GOING TO PARIS!!!  AHHHH!!!

Ahem.  Sorry.  I'm a little bit excited.

Back to Chanukah (sorry to be so all over the place right now-- I have soooo much to get done before I leave, and it's affecting my concentration).  I spent most of yesterday baking challah and making latkes (and I made some chicken and green beans too, in an attempt to be healthy) for Sunday family dinner, which was postponed to Wednesday in honor of Chanukah.  This left the whole house smelling like fried potatoes and bread.  What could possibly be better?  Though I still can't get the latke smell out of my hair... but this happens every year.  Anyway, NO ONE in my house had ever had a latke before!!!  What a shonda!  So, since I had, of course, made enough latkes to feed the entire Macabbean army, I shared with the house.  Everyone loved them-- especially with applesauce.  Oh, and when the challah finally came out of the oven after dinner (a teensy bit of timing miscalculations on my part), and we were all "too full to eat another bite," we ate three-quarters of the challah.  It turned out perfectly (what a welcome change from last time!), and everyone (most of whom had never had challah either!), couldn't stop asking why it was so incredibly good.  I told them it was Jew power, but they misheard me and thought I said "Jew powder," which resulted in great hilarity.  From now on, that's what I'm attributing the deliciousness of Jewish food to-- Jew powder. 

I rounded out the celebration with my illegal menorah made of tea lights (we aren't allowed to light candles in the houses, but you know what?  This is important.  And I was really careful), and though I didn't have a dreidel, I did have gelt.  The gelt here, however, is referred to as "Christmas coins," and instead of being shaped like shekels or American coin, it is modeled on the pound coin, which I find hilariously funny. 

In other news: I have finished all of my papers, except for my dissertation, which I now have to finish double-quick, because I've lost my weekend.  My last Jane Austen class was really funny-- we discussed modern-day adaptations, ranging from "Twilight" to "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" to "Lost in Austen".  The book that I was assigned was "Mr. Darcy, Vampyre," which is basically what happens when you smush Twilight and Pride and Prejudice into one sequel.  It was terrible, but also incredibly funny because it was so ridiculous.  And my philosophy class on Wednesday morning (ie., the day of the first night of Chanukah) was all about the legitimacy of miracles.  Ironic, no?
Oh, and my dress for the Jane Austen Ball is coming tomorrow!!!  I promise to show you pictures.

Ok, so.... I have to do some serious work.  I have a lot to get done before I leave for Paris.  (OH MY GOODNESS I'M GOING TO PARIS.)  Right.  Hopefully, I'll bring the computer and be able to keep you updated whilst I'm there, but if not, I promise to tell you all about it soon afterward!

Happy Chanukah, my friends-- au revoir, until je vu vous dans le Paris!  (Oh dear, I really need to brush up on my French.)  A tout a l'heure!