Everybody who was here and affiliated with the U has left/been fired.  We now have “guards” all over the place.  Not sure where they come from or who they are.  Prof Weber said to leave them alone and we won’t get hurt?  What?  Just Dr Weber, Anne and I are left other than the field school team of English students.  Our access to internet is almost non existent, I have to be quick.  I overheard the professor arguing with someone on the sat phone about funding.  Apparently, it is coming from a “private source.”  We have our diagnostic artifact!  We found a scroll with something mentioning Æthelred II or the Unready which confirms what we knew from the coinage.  It was super cool (other than Dr W freaking out).  He took the scroll to this old castle like building which has been converted into a shed and wouldn’t let us near it.  Anne and I aren't allowed to go off site.  The weird is getting eldritch.  

                The digging has been going great.  In fact we have gotten into some really amazing finds.  We found some awesome pottery, a few are intact, and even a few weapons.  It smells of something bigger coming.  The coolest thing we found was an old map that mentioned something important being buried about a km away.  So, we are adding a second dig site over in a place called the Far Forest in Worcestershire.
                This new site is mentioned quite specifically in this ancient map (it is well over 1k years old).  The site is very remote and I thought, great this is going to take a year or two!  Not!
                 When Anne, JJ and I went over there we found out it has already been cleared and set up?  It is near Dowles Brook and is quite a raw area, so who did the grid and digging so far?  Not sure.  JJ, who has been here the longest said that he believes several teams of doctoral students and post-docs have already come and left, fired by the apparently mad as a hatter Dr. Weber.
 
              Another weird thing is a strange letter came to Professor Weber yesterday.  JJ thought it had something to do with him being fired from the U?  Dr Stoddard, the visiting prof lady, left in a huff as well.  I think she is from the University of Birmingham and I overheard that she has been asking Dr Weber about procedural questions?  Like maybe he hasn't been in doing things by the book here.
                Tiffany, or anyone have you heard anything about Dr Weber?  I know you aren't there anymore Tiffany (sorry, once I get done with my post-doc project and get a real job, I want to help out with tuition).  It makes us all wonder where in the heck all this funding is coming from?  Apparently not the U or a grant.  JJ is going to confront Dr Weber about it soon.  I was going to call you guys but it is eight hours difference and is tough to get access to the sat. phone. 
10/31/12   
                   Anne and I moved to this new site today.  The camp site is pretty good, nice and sheltered and we really think we found some of the landmarks mentioned in the map.  We stopped at a nice pub, the Plough Inn and had lunch.  Prof Weber told us to stock up as we wouldn't be leaving for awhile.  I guess he expects to find something good there-with as much prep work that has been done, if there is anything there, we will find it soon!
  On a side note, I have to give a shout out to my Giants!!!  On Sunday (28th) they won the World Series!!!! :)  Can't believe I missed it:(  Hopefully this doesn't mean the team will ask me to fly out of country if they make the world series again:)
 "Cheers" as they say here, Hunter

Sorry about the lag in posts.  We are digging now, the other guys have a ton of work done.  JJ says hi to everyone.  Apparently he is in the dog house with Dr Weber (he took JJ's wireless USB from him).    Where we are digging is not playing card shape and not roman, we found some pieces probably dating from the 1300's CE, mood is tense and Dr W has us all freaked out.  I think he is mad because he is such a Roman history freak.
       Anyway, the awesome news is my beloved SF Giants beat Detroit in the World series 2-0 to take a 2-0 game lead (that has to be auspicious right?).  I can't believe that as soon as I leave the country he Giants get super hot!