Day 17: Umbrella Man and Harry Potter (Get Sorted!)

Note Ben:

a) Warning: this blog post has some pictures of very photogenic people.

A phenomenal photo of fine photogenic folks at Blenheim Palace.

2) Regarding the bridge with locks on it that I mentioned in my last post, my Aunt Sharon tells me that the meaning behind the locks is very romantic:

Buy a lock and put your name or initial on it. Place it on the bridge or along a trail and throw away the key: your love will last forever!

Most excellent.

2) This blog post is going to have Something Different in it. Let me know if you find out what it is.

Oxford Strikes Back Day 17:
Umbrella Man and Harry Potter (Get Sorted!)

Stardate: Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Blenheim Palace, Brigands, and Umbrella Man

On Tuesday, I went to Blenheim Palace with Crystal, Erin, Hayley, and Laura. (Do you remember Blenheim Palace?)

We wandered around the gardens and toured the inside of the palace. (This was the second time I’ve gone inside).

Crystal started me on the open-umbrella pose back at the Botanic Garden. Then I took that pose and ran with it.

This might remind you of another time…

One year later, I’m still fighting off brigands.
One year later, I’m still shockingly handsome.
One year later, I have a beard.

"Once afraid, anticipating recoil. Now courageous. Confident of result." - Paul
"Beard ♥" - Alex

The Rose Garden at Blenheim

Roses are pink.

The ladies on a bridge.

“Stud! Muffin!” – Josh (“Captain Kirk”)
“I'm speechless...” – Brent
“Ever think about modeling as a career?” – Jodie
“I am going to steal that jacket off your back.” – Josh (“Iron Man”)

Harry Potter Night

I was really looking forward to this night, Harry Potter Night, because it meant that I got to dress up like Harry Potter. I packed my Gryffindor clothes for just such an occasion!

This also meant that I had to part ways with my beard. We had become such close friends.

But this was a night for the ages. And the beard will grow back...

Brasenose Hall decorated with the Hogwarts house colors.

The menu was as follows:

Smoked Nagini with a Light Gillyweed Salad
Rib-Eye of Hippogriff with a Butterbeer Sauce
The Death Eaters Rissole with the Polyjuice Potion (Vegetarian)
Muggles Potatoes and Mr. Weasley’s Vegetables

And for dessert:

The Fruit from the Mandrake Plant with Honeydrakes Chocolate Frogs

Nagini has a flavr. Nom nom nom.

Harry dines with the fine folks of Hogwarts.
Draco is hiding behind me.

The happy students of Hogwarts

After dinner, we had The Sorting.

Not Slytherin…not Slytherin…

Gryffindor!

Dylan and Christian are pleased. Hana looks surprised. Maybe she thought I was a Hufflepuff?

Brasenose New Quad hosts a post-dinner Bocce Ball match.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named threatens to crash the festivities.

John and Dylan amused the ladies with their stirring wit and indefatigable charm. And the fiftieth rendition of their now-famous London Bridge routine.

To finish the night, there was a grande fiesta at Gerties, the Brasenose Bar. We exchanged cute stories from our childhood. Told some Rom(antic) Com(edie)s.

Then Harry climbed back into his four-poster bed and fell asleep.