Captain Bubbles End of Year Post!

Captain Bubbles again to update my avid readers!

Sorry it's been so long Folks! I've been struggling through some end of the year stuffs. Things like Exams, studying, getting ready for my trip, distributing my time during my trip, etc. So in first news, I had an english exam about two weeks ago. It went well: Three essays, one right after another, three hours total. One on Drama, 'A Streetcar Named Desire', One on Poetry, on the Theme of Identity, and One on Thomas Hardy's, 'The Return of the Native'. The one on poetry was my strongest essay; I actually enjoyed it, but I ran out of time so the essay was incomplete.

In my science class, I have gotten numerous A* (or A+ for Americans) and my teachers predict that I am going to pass the class with an A. Next year I'm going to be taking A-level Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, and Maths. I have one exam to go, in science. It's coming up on the 23rd. I've been studying for that. The day afterwards I embark on en epic journey! I'm going home, to visit my family and relax for the summer. It'll be fun; time for everyone to see an older version of me.

It's rather hard to update you all, when like I don't know what you want to know! It's not like my life is a bundle of amazement's! So, blah-dy blah blah. OH! So like, there's this boy... His name is David. He is extremely cute! Blonde hair, broad shoulders, and, get this! The other day (while my friends were going through a phase of throwing me into bushes for fun) David threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and then carried me across the patio and placed me down gracefully in front of the bush, made sure I was okay, then pushed me in the bush, very ungracefully I might add.

My friends are quite strange. On Monday you sure missed out on a very amusing sight. My friend Victoria and I are both in a photography class, and currently we have been looking at some of the photographic work of Gregor Schneider, who did a segment on photos containing people in body bags. So as a result, Vicky and I did a teenage spoof response where I was in a garbage bag (body bags for poor people) and we had people come up and hug me, the walking body. Also we did a video of the walking body's story of her visit to Africa. It was great fun and highly embarrassing because I was the bag, and was laughed at.

So yea, I don't have too much else to say. Anything you guys want to know? I'm curious to know, and I also would love to actually have something to write about!

Love you all!
Ashley

I have pictures for you all, but Stephen's away and I can't get on to the site to upload them. Sorry guys! If you want to see some of them go to www.redpaperflower.deviantart.com

The Grand Ol' Potty...

Kelli sent me the most wonderful gift... video. And they are just so cute that I want to share them with you. Kelli, THANK YOU for the videos. Each one feels a little more like I'm involved in their lives. I can't wait to spend time with them in the summer.

Kiera talks to Mamie... (that's me!)

Katy reads "Goodnight Moon" to Mamie...

On a completely different note, This Sunday last was Mother's Day here in the UK. No, don't worry, you didn't miss it in the US. That day comes in May. So I officially get 2 days in 1 year to commemorate being a mother... and let me just say that I worked hard enough for it, thank you!

Dan the Man, in case any of you are wondering, will be in London in a little under 3 weeks. He will be the first person that I will see from home. I keep wondering if I should ask him to smuggle things in for me... a big pack of paper-stick Q-tips, perhaps, or a box of malt-o-meal. Or corn masa preparada. Or green chile. Or anything. But it is rude to just ask randomly. I'll be sending treats home with him. I am already hording things to send back with him . (teateateateatea) The goal is to convince him that he and Christie need NEED NEED to move here. And soon too.

What else, what else... I haven't done laundry in 2 weeks, but my lesson plans and all my grading are caught up. Complements on my behaviour management at school today (I was so disappointed; they were terrible. But apparantly terrible is better than they behave with their EVERYDAY teacher. Yay, me!) but those don't make me stop wishing that I were done. I don't like this school. I have been thinking a lot about that, actually... as much as I disagree with the concept of a private school, I am not sure that I am going to be able (or want to) teach the way the schools want. It is all to the tests. So maybe I need to keep an open mind about teaching in a private school. I have hooked myself up with some addresses. Perhaps I'll fill you in on /that/ story another time.

Stephen is happy at his job. He is SO busy all the time. People to help, model airplanes to test drive. Last week I went to his work with the intention of less distractions to get more done. What actually occured was lots of watching British TV commercials, and led directly into the last blog. Did Amy get stuff done? I don't think so.

Ash is doing much better in school. Her science GCSE classes are going fabulously. She has been getting A's and B's in her mock tests, and today she came home with an A* (absolutely highest score) in her mock exam. Wednesday is the next set of REAL tests, and I think she is ready. Every good mark boosts her confidence. Good prep for her A levels. She has tentatively decided to take an A level in Biology (and Stephen-the-Biologist is so proud.) and possibly another A level in Geography or something else. She just needed time to adjust.