Alex Jones's Page

So moving out of the old house was a chore and a half.  My room was full of crafty things and fabric for sewing and arty things and clothes. I was strict and threw out lots and gave alot to charity. Thanks to Dad being a Pickfords Man, I had plenty of lovely cardboard boxes to put everything in. Doc boxes come with  lids and handles so they were easy to carry. The landlady at the new house couldn't believe the amount of stuff I had brought with me! But unboxed, it seems hardly anything. I'm currently typing this from under the canopy of the four poster bed that graces my room. It's all so lovely I can't quite believe it.

Anyway back to moving. The four of us must have spent about 30 hours cleaning that place. Yes you read that right. The four of us. Somehow the other female housemate managed to be conveniently unable to be there at the big clean. Something about starting a new job the next day. Cecil managed to get on a train after finishing work on the Friday, and get back on the Sunday for work on Monday. He must be superman or something. She said she was going to clean the bathroom, but it took Cecil and Matt at least 2 hours to get the scum and limescale off the toilets and the plugholes. Anyway. The point is we cleaned it. And cleaned it. And burnt stuff, and threw stuff out, and had dinner out so as not to soil the kitchen, and tried not to go to the loo so as not to soil the bathrooms. The killer was waiting for someone from the agency to come and inspect it. We waited for two hours. Students of Southampton be warned, avoid AAJ's Accomodation. Shoddy houses that look ok on the surface, but come with a lack of storage space, non - English speaking builders barging into your house without so much as ringing your doorbell, and a complete lack of communication. I'll be surprised if they are organised enough to send our deposits back.

Moving to the new house was a dream, except for the washing machine that spins itself across the room, but we're working on that. I've got a bike now, and I'm loving flying across the Common. The Common is an awesome patch of common land in Southampton. It was landscaped in Victorian times, and has some foresty bits, a couple of ponds, an old cemetary, and some big wide open grass space. When you're in the middle you can't hear any noise, which is lovely in a city. I need to get a map of it though as I keep getting lost!

"You've been a really good friend to me."

"You've been a really good friend to me too."

After that it was the desperate little rush of words you use when you are to prolong the goodbye because you don't want to accept that this is potentially the last time you might see this person. The "Take cares" and "Enjoy your selves."

Four goodbyes today, Flic, Simon, Jess and Mel. Now most of these I'll see about the place, and the latter two I will see at Jess' party later in the month. But today was the last day of hanging about in the chaplaincy. Simon came downstairs and talked with the hangabouts, and it was like the first time I remember meeting Mel. Sat about with tea made by Andy, talking rubbish, flitting from subject to subject. 

I'm rubbish at goodbyes. There's always something more I want to say. Maybe I'll write an email or a letter explaining. I just didn't want to cry too much. 

It's going to be scary moving on into this big world of work without the giant therapy sessions that were afternoons mooching about in Chaplaincy. And I'll miss them so.

I had a lovely weekend at home with my family, plus four friends and one of their sons, in which there was much crafting, trampolining and sleeping in wendy houses.

So today, Jess and I decided to go to a Pick Your Own farm and then to the beach. We took the Andy, and boy, the strawberries were lovely. So, so, so lovely. Sweet and not watery like super market berries. If you're in the New Forest near Lymington, go to Goodalls. Highly recommended.

The beach was also great. Highcliffe at Christchurch has the perfect mix of gravel and sand. It was windy, like many british beach, but the water was warm.

What a day! Pictures from Jess, because her camera is so awesome! Jess is also very awesome. I've got to know her a lot better in the last few weeks. She is kind, funny, sharp and great fun to hang around with. Jess, I am going to miss you when you move home.

I GOT A FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all.

Well actually that is not all.

On results day, I woke up feeling fearfully sick.It was an overcast day. I had not slept, and my remaining housemates and I trembled round the house working out our averages as we tried to eat breakfast. I was glad for the company as we walked to Avenue Campus together. We were early, which didn't help. We waited and then queued. I apologise to the chap who I cut up in the queue in my haste to get the fateful envelope. I did not hide behind a bush, like I did when I opened my GCSE and A - Level results. I ripped it open whilst walking out to meet the other history students. Upon first reading I saw only that I had passed. I had to look again to find the result. There it was. Recommended to the University Senate that I be awarded a B.A. (Hons) First Class.

Thanks to my friends, family and lecturers for supporting me through this. I've never been so proud.

Well now,

I got an 80 on my dissertation. I am incredibly proud. All the hard work payed off. Now I am waiting for Friday, as that is when I will get my overall mark back. I hope hope hope I have done enough to pass and pass well!

Having free time is a novel thing. Unfortunately I cannot use the library as finalist have to have nothing owing on their account in order to graduate. So I am crafting and tidying and getting ready to move. No knitting as I am far too warm. Instead I am embroidering a sampler for my friend's wedding. I have pixelated a photograph of the church and I am rendering that in counted cross stitch, then I will free hand embroider the other details. Their colours are cream and blue and gold, and I'm having a lovely time finding patterns for the border.

I have also been busy going to interviews, and as of the 14th July, I have a job! I will be doing customer support for a web design company that provides simple and easy to use websites for small businesses. It is in the city centre so I will be able to cycle or get the bus to work from my new house in Shirley.

The grad ball was excellent. Whilst I felt hideous in my dress having not lost enough weight, the whole day was so good that by the end I just didn't care. The girls and I went to get our nails done, then met up with the boys for a chinese buffet lunch, and the afternoon was devoted to rescuing my housemate's hair disaster and getting ready. I can't wait to share the photographs of my hairdressing triumphs, as in the evening we all got ready together and my skills were required.  The ball was circus themed, and there were mimes and firestaffers to entertain us whilst we queued to get in. There were also gymnasts and an Aerial Silks  performer. Kash Nash was apparently ill and so the main act was Chesney Hawks, which was so much better! He performed his only hit, 'I Am the One and Only" and lots of excellent covers. After much dancing and merriment we went back to the HYC to get our belongings and ate cheese on toast and drank tea very merrily. 

Today I have mainly been being familial with the family, attending my godmother's 50th birthday meal. Which was nice, but by gosh do I like being independent. Sat in the car being beaten up inadvertantly by sisters is something I do not miss!

edit: pics from jess