Pudding

Well I've just had one of the most amazing weeks of my life.  It was beyond words.  I shall now describe it in words.

Actually, one word: Pudding.

Pudding is a word I have yet to solidly define.  Most of the readers of this blog will use this word to refer to a specific type of noxiously sweet dessert that has a consistency similar to that of yogurt, usually comes in vanilla or chocolate flavors, and is popular with children.  However, in my brave new world of Oxford, England, the word seems to mean a variety of things: It can be a general word to describe any dessert, or it can be a certain kind of sweetish bread (NOT to be confused with "sweet bread" under any circumstances), or it can be a gooey, spongey, cakey thing.  I am still unearthing further meanings and will keep you updated.  In the meantime, I would like to tell you about my amazing week, organized into vignettes named after the particular pudding that accompanied the adventures.

THE ULTIMATE BROWNIE
On Monday I went to dinner with one of the most fun groups of people I have ever had the pleasure of dining with.  Three delightful business colleagues of my dad's took me out to Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant for a very nice dinner.  We were joined by (I'm not kidding) the world's leading C.S. Lewis scholar, who goes by the nickname -- wait for it -- Spud.  Yep.  We discussed Lewis's work, debated the great music of the Western tradition, analyzed European and American cultures, speculated about the end of modern society, and made underwear jokes.  The best meal (by far) that I'd had in over a week concluded with a seriously good brownie.

COOKIES/BISCUITS
On Tuesday I spent an exhausting day with my department.  I can't tell you how excited I am to work with both of the composition professors here, as well as with my new peers in the music department.  It felt so good to be drowning in musicians again.  I learned that my schedule will consist mostly of independent work.  I mentioned my secret Beethoven project idea, just to test the waters with the faculty, and received an encouraging reply.  I can't wait to start.  Another highlight of the day was touring the Bates Collection of ancient and world instruments.  I got to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on a Beethoven-era piano--with the pedal held down for the entire piece, of course!  At the end of this whirlwind day, new and returning music students gathered in a music hall for drinks and cookies.  Sorry, biscuits.

SCONES
Scones, people.  It's ALL about the scones.

Wednesday was my college's version of Tuesday.  Events, explanations, registrations, and tours dominated the day.  Another exhausting day, but a lot was accomplished, and I did get to spend the better part of the afternoon and evening with three seriously fun people from my college.  We had tea and scones* in the Hall, then went downstairs and did battle with the communal TV/projector/DVD player arrangement for a few hours, then went to a pub for a very satisfying meal, then returned to the college to watch Amadeus on my laptop.  One of my best evenings so far.

*Scones are what would happen if Jesus decided to bake something.  Forget whatever you've eaten in America that bears that name.  This is so much better.  It's a sort of shortbready cookie of awesome topped with jam (not jelly, which here means jell-o; try asking someone in England how they feel about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  You'll get a pretty good expression in response.) and clotted cream, which is basically thick whipped butter carefully designed to clot and stop your heart.  Scones.  Eat them.

MACINTOSH APPLE
On Thursday I went to the Freshers' Fair and signed my life away to about fifty different groups and clubs, including auditions for a number of choirs, the German club, a few churches, the Oxford equestrian team, and the polo team.  Polo is probably not actually going to happen, since lessons are £40 each, but until I turn down the first lesson, I figure I'm on the Oxford polo team, right?  Probably yes.

I caught the train in the evening to Paddington Station in London to meet my dad, who had just come from a business trip in Paris.  We spent the evening wandering the streets of London, and passed by the tribute to Steve Jobs that was laid out on the sidewalk outside the Apple Store.  People had left flowers and candles, and the windowsill of the store was lined with apples with one bite out of each of them.  It was a touching and creative response to the death of a very creative man.

APPLE AND BLACKBERRY TRIFLE
Friday was spent entirely in London.  We had lunch with a variation on Monday night's group at a super-swanky restaurant, where I had a glorious dessert made of layers of fruit, custard, cream, and other stuff, at least one of which is probably called pudding.  Dinner with another of Dad's friends was also quite snazzy.

I like Dad's and my approach to London.  We walk and we eat.  We get up and eat.  Then we walk and walk and walk and look at stuff.  Then we stop and eat so we can walk some more.  Then we walk and walk and stop for tea.  Then we walk.  Then we eat dinner, and afterwards we walk until we're ready to collapse into bed.  Good times.

FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT
This morning we got up in London and took the train to Oxford.  We had a wonderful day of exploring the city.  I got my sub fusc (read the post I write shortly after October 15 to find out what that is) and a wool St Cross College scarf, which I shall treasure.  I showed Dad everything I could think of.  His reaction to the Bodleian Libraries was particularly enjoyable:

Dinner with Spud was the perfect bookend to my amazing week.  The rest of the day can be described better with pictures and videos than it can with words.  I'll include a few highlights here, and the complete album can be viewed on Facebook.  Don't miss the two videos at the end of dancing street performers!

inside St Cross College