3-2!

For all of you hockey fans out there, the nation's capital team has advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs! That's right-we beat Tampa Bay, 2004's Stanley Cup winners! The winning score was 3-2 for the wonderful Senators. Hottie Martin Havlat and Wade Redden were the two Senators out of the CBC's 3 stars of the night. The other was Sean Burke, the goalie, or only reason the Lightning weren't slaughtered this evening! Such a good game! I stand and cheer for one more Canadian team making it into the playoffs!
Just thought I'd update:)

That I have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear

January 13 I entered the wardrobe by boarding a plane for the trip of a lifetime-not only was I going to England, but I was going to study at the world's top university...Oxford! After that I have read over 28 plays, about 16 of those being Shakespearean plays, I have attended classes at Regent's Park College, I have lived in an English village, I have walked MILES UPON MILES, I have seen millions of bicycles, I have seen over 8 plays, two of them by the Royal Shakespeare Company, I have gone on a whirlwind tour of 4 major cities in Europe plus two smaller ones, I have hugged Paddington Bear statue in Paddington Station, I have seen WHistle Down the Wind, I have missed a tube thus getting separated from my travelling partner in Paddington Station in London, I have unwillingly participated in an anti-war protest (I just wanted to go to Westminster Abbey...), I have ridden the London Eye, I have seen Piccadilly Circus (which is NOT a circus. for those who thought that, shame on you!), I have seen Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, I have seen Stonehenge, I have done so much more that I can't even think of. Thus as I end my time in Charlbury I cannot help but think that this has been but a dream, and that I have only slumbered here whilst visions of life changing events occured.
I have just been blessed emmensly for this opportunity that I will never have again. I know that this is not the last time in England, oh no Heather O'Brien will not be kept away from Europe for too long! I know that the events that occured here have helped shape me and have added to who I am to become. I know I have changed, whether people like that or not, but I know I have done what I could. I honestly can say that I did well whilst being here.
After I open my eyes from this dream, I will be stepping out of the wardrobe back into the reality of home. Yet, like Lucy, I will have been shaped by what has occured within the wardrobe in Narnia/Oxford. I have learned from the other people on the program, the members of the Charlbury community, from academic advisors, and from life itself. The time in Narnia will pass and I will come back to it completely changed, yet I know that I have made my mark on it. As I will stand on the Charlbury train platform one last time, and look back and see the little country village that became my home, I know the Puck speech will go through my head, that or the famous demetrius line "are you sure we are awake, it seems to me that yet we sleep we dream." Thus farewell friends, thus Heather leaves, adieu, adieu, adieu!

"For I will always be right there..."

Saturday April 1, I hopped on the train to London to see...WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND!! I had booked the tickets (amy and I went) earlier that week at a great price, 25 pounds off the best seat available. So instead of paying 45 pounds I spent 22, because 2 was the internet booking fee. After an uneventful train ride, we arrived in the capital of England. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, 16 degrees, just plain "loverly"! It took us a little while to figure out where the theatre was (we had turned the wrong way but I got some great shots of Trafalgar Square so I was okay) but once we saw this gorgeous sign I knew that life was good. We went into the boxoffice to get our tickets and when I got them my eyes bugged out. We sat in E8 and E9 in the...STALLS! We were five rows from the front!!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness for looking at lastminutetickets.com! Seeing as the musical wasn't starting for another hour we decided to find a spot to eat for supper. On our walk we found the Prince Edward Theatre where mary poppins is playing-I'm seeing it in a week:) Then it was show time....Wow! The singing was astronomical, the set was outstanding, and the two lead roles were so well done! I have heard the songs before but I had always wanted to see it performed! wonderful.
It was a tad uncomfortable at some points in the show, especially during the "snake revival meeting" where people decided to "test their faith" by playing with lethal snakes. very eerie! Yet, the title song "Whistle Down the Wind" was performed so well that I cried. The finale part where swallow sings it alone and then the man joins in...unreal, I had to control myself. I just wow! I thought about staying in my seat until the next performance, but then I'd miss the train home...ugh! 

Whistle Down the Wind

Here are the lyrics to my favourite song at the moment. It's absolutely amazing. and it's true for all of you-if you ever need me, I'll be there to hold you, I'll be there to stop the chills and all the weeping!

Whistle down the wind
Let your voices carry
Drown out all the rain
Light a patch of darkness
Treacherous and scary
Howl at the stars
Whisper when you're sleepy
I'll be there you hold you
I'll be there to stop
The chills and all the weeping
Make it clear and strong
So the whole night long
Every signal that you send
Until the very end
I will not abandon you my precious friend
So try and stand the tide
Then you'll raise a banner
Send a flare up in the sky
Try to burn a torch
And try to build a bonfire
Every signal that you send
Until the very endI'm there
So whistle down the wind
For I have always been
Right there