Free At Last! (At least for the time-being!)

Sorry it has been so long since my last entry!  I've been a little busy these last few weeks with dissertating, traveling home, and re-adjusting to American life (however temporarily)!

For the last month I have been buried under my dissertation, holed-up in the library, and living in the sixteenth century.  I thought the end would NEVER come! But with the help of Lisa (my moral support and fellow dissertator), Amber and Andy (my vigilant, and somewhat guilt-tripped proof-readers), and Michael Phelps (my inspiring motivator), I have finally finished my MLitt dissertation on The Gude and Godlie Ballatis.  All 14225 words have been bound and handed in for a week now, and my academic fate now rests solely in the hands of Professor Roger Mason and Dr. Steve Murdoch. (Gulp.)

Once I completed my dissertation I couldn't bring myself to even LOOK at my computer for a whole week, let alone WRITE anything on it!  It also took me a couple of days to be able to pick up a book again.  Even to read for FUN!  I tried, in vain, to read a book on my trans-Atlantic plane ride.  But the thought of reading for ANOTHER seven hours drove me to distraction, and I opted to watch some mind-numbing in-flight movies instead. But I am happy to announce that my desire to read has finally returned to me, and I have plowed through two novels (oh, glorious fiction) in the past week, and am even managing to enjoy reading an academic book written by my undergraduate advisor.

I'm home in Maryland for the month of September on a much needed holiday.  I've been going full-tilt for the last 11 months, and my mind was on the verge of a melt-down.  But as I write this, I'm sitting at the Lake, listening to the rain fall on the trees, watching the clouds roll across the water, and surrounded by my family.  And life is good.

I keep forgetting that we are now in September. I guess that is because I didn't really get an August.  When I wake up the mornings I have to remind myself where I am. Not just physically, but also in time!  I know my visit home is going to fly by, and I don't want to miss anything!

Its just so good to be back in Maryland. I've missed my family like CRAZY these last few months! But don't get me wrong, I LOVE St. Andrews too.  I'm kind of torn between these two places I call "home."  Its a bit surreal to be here and missing there, knowing that while I was there I was missing here!

But because I know that I'm going back in October (to FINALLY and OFFICIALLY start my PhD) I can enjoy my visit home to the utmost!  And that's just what I intend to do!

Here are some pictures of my last few days in St. Andrews and my first few days at home!