Hi! Sorry I've taken so long to reply to your letter -- in fact I have only written one or two letters since Easter -- I've been hard put to get through all the work -- I had very little time for anything else -- and in spite of all that, I still managed to fail one of my courses -- an art history course where the assessment was completely based one exam -- can you imagine it? 6 months work all for a three hour examination? It's ridiculous -- apart from which I'm useless in exams -- I write down the most stupid things which I'd normally know were wrong, but I just go to pieces in an exam. So, I've failed. And it's a university accessed course, which means I have one chance to pass the re-take, and if I fail that, then they'll ask me to withdraw from college -- kick me out in other words! So, my re-take is in early September, so once again I'm studying like mad -- I refused to give in now! Ugh, do I make problems for myself!
Well I guess you're wondering why I'm still here in England when I am supposed to be over there in the US. Well, I'm afraid I failed there too -- I seem to be doing really well right now.
I got to know during the Easter vacation I wasn't going -- just a simple note saying they had a record number of applicants and they were very sorry but....etc. So I'm afraid I wasn't fit to speak to anyone for a while after tht -- after I'd been going round telling everyone I was going to America in the summer -- it's not fair. Somebody up there doesn't like me -- I'm sure!
Anyway I'm finally acting like a human being again (or as near as I can get!) and catching up on all my letters -- writing more apologies than then you've had hot dinners!
Woody has written (finally!) too by the way -- I guess he still thinks I'm somewhere over there too! Well, as soon as I've written yours-- I'll write to him -- I really have been rather unsociable just lately. someday I will get there though -- that's a promise (and a threat ☺).
Many thanks for the beermats -- how did you know I collect them? I'll search through mine before I send this off -- I should have a load of spares somewhere!
Well, as part of this art history course (that I've just failed ☹) we spent the final four days of term in London, looking 'round the main art galleries there. It's the very first time I'd ever been to our capitol city -- and wow! What an experience!
We saw the Queen, The Duke of Edinburg (It's Jubilee year so they were touring a little) and one man who is quite popular on TV over here -- Willie Rushton. I could have spent millions on some of the clothes there -- I spent far too much as it was -- I must've drunk gallons of Coke -- it was so hot!
The art galleries were out-of-this-world. I've never seen such fabulous paintings -- and on such a vast scale -- round about 10' by 15'. I should think -- I've never seen anything like it!
Well, we now have about 11 weeks of vacation before term begins again. I'm bored at home -- and I've already had 3 full-scale rows with my parents and I've only been home one week!
I'd much rather be where you are than where I am, but I've got plenty of work to keep me occupied. I've gotta pass this re0sit -- keep your fingers crossed for me, huh? I'm gonna need all the luck I can get!
Well, once again, very sorry for not writing for so long -- and if you don't hear from me again it probably means I failed the re-sit too!!!
No, I don't mean it -- I'm just feeling sorry for myself (all together now -- aaaah!!!) Right, I'll go and dig up some beer mats for you.
Keep well, wishing you sunshine,
Love,
Ali
Note: I barely remember Alison. I came across some of her other letters but I may have tossed them. I don't think she ever did get to the states -- at least back at the time. Woody was a friend of mine and I connected Alison and Woody. Woody was head over heels in love with her -- not unusual for him. I have a photo of Alison around somewhere.
I just looked up her address -- the house is still called "Lyndale" and is considered one of the better properties in the area. Pretty fancy, from what I can tell.
