2013: Week 6

This week, I pretty much spent the entire week being excited about going home at the weekend. I had the usual load of work to do, and I had a load of fun at Glee, but all I could think about was seeing my family again. I did get to use my new knife set though. It's better than my old knife, which is surprising as they only cost 10p. But they are so pretty!

I like colourful things. That's the only picture this week unfortunately. I'm really not good at remembering to take them.

Anyway, Friday finally came around, and I got to go home. I had to stand around waiting for a bus for an hour, because three didn't come when they said they would, and then I was waiting for another half hour for the train, so by the time I got on the train I was pretty freezing and worn out. But the train was warm, and only an hours ride to Stafford where Apollo was waiting to pick me up.

When I got home, there were lots of hugs waiting for me, which made me very happy. I had a bit of a sing song with my sister, and performed Skyfall for my mum and Apollo because they wanted to hear it after I told them about singing it at Glee. Then me, Apollo and my sister all watched Dark Shadows to end the evening.

Saturday was basically spent singing with my sister. We worked our way through three High School Musical piano books (yes, we are that cool), Wicked, Disney and, of course, our favourite I Dreamed a Dream. Which reminds me, I may only have one picture, but I have a video I can show you!



The most exciting thing about the weekend though, and the main reason I chose this weekend for a visit, was because Les Miserables was playing at the local cinema. I have been wanting to see this film ever since Apollo told me about the trailer the first time he saw it. I had no idea what it was actually about, but I knew it would be amazing. It had three very important things going for it for starters.

1) It has I Dreamed a Dream in it, which, as I said before, is a song that I very much love because I sing it all the time with my sister.

2) It has Anne Hathaway in it. If you hadn't noticed that I am basically in love with her by now, then I worry for you. I'm not very subtle about it.

3) It has Anne Hathaway singing I Dreamed a Dream in it. Everything I could ever ask for!

I was under no illusions that this film would be a happy film. It's called Les Miserables for starters... But I was still so excited to see it.

I was not let down. It was honestly amazing. I cried, like, three times and got goosebumps during some of the bigger songs. Oh it was good! Even Sacha Baron Cohen wasn't annoying in it, and I really don't like him normally. It is playing again on 18th March, and I have pretty much already decided that I'm going to go see it again.

The rest of the weekend was spent just slobbing around watching House with Apollo, trying to do a bit of work, recording the piano for a song to sing in Glee on Tuesday, and filming the video above.

When it got to the time for me to leave, it still wasn't any easier than the first time. I don't know why, but I still cry every time. I mean, I'm halfway through my second term now, and I still cry at the thought of leaving my mum or Apollo. It just makes everything that much harder, and makes me feel really weak and like I can't do anything. It's really annoying because it eats into the time I do spend with them, as I'm just moping around at the thought of having to leave later. I'm trying to remind myself that it's only two weeks until Apollo comes to visit again though. Hopefully the time won't go too slowly.

Home

I  knew being back at Uni was going to be tough for me. I won't say I have trouble settling in as such. The people I live with are lovely, I have friends who are also lovely, and I enjoy going to my lectures. My biggest problem is that I get really homesick.

My family is probably the biggest part of my life, and I don't just mean the size of it! To sum up (maths pun alert!) what family is like for me, let me tell you a story.

Over holidays, I was trying to see what my younger sister, Addy, thought about Christmas. Now most little kids are really excited about presents, but when I asked Addy what she thought was the most important thing about Christmas, she said Christmas dinner. We then asked mum, who was also sat with us at the time, what she thought was the most important thing about Christmas. Mum said family. Addy then basically shouted at mum, saying "that's not the most important thing about Christmas! That's the most important thing EVERY day." For a 4 year old, she is pretty wise. But that is what family is like for me.

Don't get me wrong, my family is far from perfect. We have our ups and downs like everyone. In fact I've pretty much all but lost my relationship with one of my sisters. But I'm hopefully that we will get it back, and I look forward to the day we do.

I'm not sure why this year particularly, but I've also grown a lot closer to Apollo's family. So much so that I didn't even think twice about spending Christmas day away from my mum for the most part, which is something that I've never done before. I love having them as my second family, or rather an extension of my first family.

When I'm at Uni, I miss my family like crazy. I miss singing Wicked with my sister. I miss the balls of hysteria we become when I play Bubble Bobble with my mum. I miss Addy coming up to me, tapping me on the shoulder and then pretending it wasn't her. I miss my little brother riding into the room on an upside down ironing board horse. I miss my Step-dad making enchiladas for a family dinner. I miss having Apollo just there to enjoy these things with me.

But now that I've finished the exam I've been worrying and stressing about and revising for for the last few  days, I think I'm ready to be able to enjoy surviving without them for a little while. I know that I'm never really without them. They are always there to support me. But I don't want to have to always depend on them for every thing.

That said, I still think, in the words of Laura Ingalls from the Little House on the Prairie...

Home is the nicest word there is.