Love La Roux!

This week, I've been listening to a lot of La Roux. I bought her album for Dad for Father's Day (he's predisposed to like anyone and anything from England, but particularly liked her), and put a copy on my ipod. I quickly became addicted to her music, especially her songs Tigerlily, Cover My Eyes and As If By Magic. I often think that finding an album that you truly love is as satisfying as a good book, and almost as good an escape from a stressful day.

Well, I'm on holidays for a whole week (ha) from uni. This week has been a crazy race against time to get all my assignments finished before their due dates, but I managed, and it's over for a whole seven days...

I'm looking forward to having a few lazy days reading and watching DVD (Gossip Girl and Alias and Big Bang Theory) sets before throwing myself into the last few weeks before the exam period. I have a growing collection of books I can't wait to get through, including the first in the Percy Jackson series, the new Marian Keyes book, Blood Promise (I made myself wait for this one, I've absolutely fallen in love with Vampire Academy) and rereading Catching Fire. Yes, I am going to indulge in young adult stuff over the break, it's awesome. :D You won't be surprised to know that I have had a cold again over the past week. All my enegery dissolved, which made pushing through those final exams a bit of a chore, and all my joints and limbs ached with the fever, which made me feel like I was constantly walking through mud. After I handed in my final group assignment, I crashed, and it was such a relief to just be able to lie in bed for a while and watch TV! Szilveszter kept me supplied in Ease A Cold and cups of tea, so I feel much better now!

Speaking of walking through mud, however, all of Brisbane this week was ensconced in a sepia haze of dust, the result of dust storms that had blown up from Sydney. It was very eerie! I was in the uni library when it really hit; I'd been there since about 8.30am, and so I didn't see it start, and all of a sudden all the library windows had this strange, peachy tint. Uni itself was very strange to be at; the sandstone buildings, intimidatingly academic at the best of times, almost looked haunted. Strange.

What was less supernatural, however, was the resulting dryness, and the dust that dirtied anything and everything it landed on. Sigh.

I'm already looking forward to Christmas, on a slightly more festive note! Christmas means lots of listmaking for me: lists of decorations, presents, things to do and buy; extended trade means being a part of the Westfield Christmas period almost non-stop, not that I'm complaining (yet), and numerous Christmas parties and celebrations. I can't wait! We're having some visitors from overseas this Christmas, including my dad's closest friend Dirk, from Germany. It's going to be a big affair at my house! Expect photos of all the animals dressed in Christmas outfits. My mum insists upon it, and if grumpy old Begby could manage his Christmas bow, I'm sure bouncy Daisy and friendly Rosie will manage their outfits... sigh for the puppies!!

claire.xx