Christmas in Lakewood!

Christmas has been going on for the past few weeks here. Parties every day, visiting friends, singing caroles and lots of snow! It was a very international Christmas here this year. We had representation from Germany, Australia and of course, England. I spent Christmas day with Zac, his parents Betsy and David, his aunt Julie and uncle Henry, his brother Toby and Toby's friends, Chris and Dan. It was a full house. We had a big Christmas breakfast, followed by a Christmas programme where everyone had to share a story, poem or experience about Christmas. I downloaded the Queen's Christmas speech and made everyone listen. After that was a never ending present opening session. In the afternoon I spoke to my mum, David and the girls which was lovely but made me feel a bit home sick!

A Christmas turkey dinner was the evening's main event which was at Julie and Henry's house. The food was great and my traditional Christmas pudding was a hit! After dinner we went to celebrate with the Idzicks, who live over the road, and then we headed out to a bar in Jamestown for a few vodka redbulls and some crazy dancing!

Let's go Buffalo!

Last Sunday the Buffalo Bills played the New York Giants at the Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York. This was my first American football game and it certainly was one to remember. The weather was absolutely wild with torrential rain, snow and high winds. We wrapped up well and had such fun! Zac, Toby, Chris, Dan, Gerrard, Gretchen, Jay and I struggled to leave Lakewood early in the morning following a big night out which involved too much beer! The drive there was hard work, fighting the rain and the winds and by the time we got there the car parks were already full of very wet fans with beers and barbecues. This part of the game is called tail-gating. Everyone opens up the boots of their cars, lights a fire and cooks burgers and sausages. The greatest part of all of this was the fact that all fans (regardless of which team they were supporting) partied together.

The game was amazing. The atmosphere, all the noise, the wild weather and dancing on seats! I must admit I did not follow the game too easily. I understood which general direction the teams were moving but most of the game I had to ask Zac for explanations. It is not the easiest of games to understand.

We stood in the rain watching the game for a few hours and the end score was the Giants 38, Bills 21. A disappointing result (so i am told!)

It was definitely a cultural experience, I loved it!

Merry Christmas from far away!

Hello everyone! I wanted to say "Merry Christmas" to everyone who I will not be able to spend Christmas with this year. I know for my family and friends at home this is the third Christmas when I have been far away from home. I am missing you all very much and I would love to have spent this festive season at home with you. Zac and his family are looking after me very well and we are trying out some English Christmas traditions. I hope you all have a lovely time and I am sure I will talk to you all soon. So from both Zac and I "Have a great Christmas!" Lots of love Sarah XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chicago, the windy city!

Zac, Toby and I went to visit Amy in Chicago for a long weekend and we had such good fun! It is a good eight hour drive from Lakewood to Chicago and my back is now suffering. It was great to spend time with Amy, see where she lives and works and meet her friends. She looked after us very well and we had a party every night we were there! We had time to walk round the city and explore Millennium park. We also took part in a bad Christmas jumper pub crawl which was hilarious. The whole weekend put me in the Christmas mood!

Slippers and snow!

Laura, Toby's girlfriend, came to visit us in Lakewood. We had a fun weekend cooking, walking, bowling and drinking local beer. Laura's Aunt knitted all of us colourful slippers which are great in this extremely cold weather. The snow began to fall heavily as Laura left for Boston.

The lake is now frozen, the snow has settled and it keeps getting colder! I am not sure I am ready for this winter weather. It is one extreme climate to another!