Becoming Campbell

Hairstylings

2012-02-13T09:21:00.002Z

Ross and I are creatures of habit and like most people we tend to sit in the same row every Sunday (unless we happen to be on the welcome rota).

Recently a very cute and very well behaved toddler (and her parents, who are apparently also creatures of habit) has taken to sitting in the row directly in front of us in church. She sits quietly with her parents throughout the service and occasionally flashes a sweet smile at the people nearby.

Last Sunday our toddler friend staged the scene for our most recent cultural miscommunication. As she was taking her seat Ross turned to me and pointed out that the 'quiet tiny one' was back and that she had 'bunches'. I was immediately surprised because, while I had no idea what 'bunches' were, it sounded to me like some horrible disease (think- measles or chicken pox). However, the little girl looked perfectly healthy, so I asked Ross to explain.

His very helpful explanation was, 'She has bunches in her hair.'

'In her hair?...You mean pigtails?'

'No, bunches. Little girls wear bunches and plaits.' (Translation: pigtails and braids.)

Bunches and plaits- two more words to add into my growing Scottish vocabulary.

The phases of freezing

2012-01-26T08:40:00.005Z

I got to work early this morning and thought I would use my extra 30-40 minutes to write. Unfortunately I can already tell that this is not going to be a very good post because I've been trying to write for about ten minutes now and all I can think about is the cold.

It is a nice balmy 0 degrees Celsius outside today and my office is not much warmer. Apparently they've taken to switching the central heating off over night, so that we can all start our day in rooms that feel more like meat lockers than offices or classrooms. So I sit here freezing, huddled over the space heater bequeathed to me by the other ladies in the office (who took pity on me after seeing me typing at my desk with my coat and mittens on).

Despite the little space heater working it's hardest, I have moved onto phase 2 of freezing, where I start abusing the electric kettle and its magical boiling powers. I'm not looking for a cup of tea or coffee; I just want to defrost my frozen purple fingers in the hot steam... I know, it's sad.

During Phase 3 I become delusional and start obsessively searching for the open window that I'm convinced is responsible for the cold draft in my office. It will usually take 20 minutes before I give up and concede that the windows are just thin.

They say that after you live in a place for a while you get used to the climate. It's been two and a half years and I don't know what 'getting used to the climate' entails, but I don't think it has happened for me. The only thing left to do is take another trip to kettle and put the coat, scarf and mittens back on until the heating clicks on.

Train surfing

2012-01-12T15:06:00.003Z

Technically train surfing involves riding or climbing on the outside of a moving train, but any city commuter using public transport will probably have experienced a different kind of train surfing- the it-is-rush-hour-and-there-is-no-space-left-on-this-train-much-less-a-free-hand-hold kind of train surfing.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it is likely that you spend your commute in a properly air conditioned (or at least ventilated) car, rather than packing yourself tight as a sardine into a train/subway carriage, where you have to stand with your face in some one else's armpit for the journey home. Or, more likely, you are from California and the only train or subway you've experienced is in an airport or movie.

Yesterday, I had to leave work on time (5pm) so that I had time to buy, make and eat dinner before heading off to our bible study. When I left a few minutes after 5pm, because I just couldn't tear myself away from that last email, the race was on. I ran to the nearest grocery store, only to find that they didn't have any of the things I planned on buying, and with lines forming at the tills, I quickly opted to ditch our dinner plans for Plan B (take out from the new burrito place, which is mercifully located on the way to the train station). Grabbing our burritos and salsa, I ran and arrived at the train station sweating, glanced at the departure board out of the corner of my eye and hurried my way to the platform for my train, which was set to leave in just 30 secs. Since I rarely catch the train home so early, I had forgotten the crowd of people that awaited me, all just as eager to get home as I was.

I barrelled my way through the station, swerving to avoid umbrellas, strollers and loitering packs of teenagers (you may think I'm being sarcastic here, but seriously the train station is apparently the place to be if you are 17 or under). I just made it as the doors started closing and realised that my only option was to somehow squeeze myself into the masses of people already packed onto the train. Then as the train took off, smashed between Girl-with-extremely-large-bag and Man-with-kindle, I realised there was not a hand hold within arms reach (or at least not one that wasn't going to require extreme 'twister-like' skills to use). I was going to have to train surf my way home.

My version of train surfing means maintaining your balance on a moving train, while holding all your belongings and obeying the complexities of train etiquette, which prohibits the touching of other passengers and requires that everyone mind their own business and try as hard as possible to stay equal distances apart. Man-with-kindle clearly hadn't mastered train surfing, because he was so engrossing in his book, that he kept drifting my direction and jamming his elbow in my back. I tried to adjust my position to avoid him, but Girl-with-extremely-large-bag was taking up the space of at least 2 people and I wasn't left with much room to maneuver. There were two strollers filled with crying babies behind me (along with a dozen other train surfers), people opening newspapers up into other passengers' faces, and the sheer volume of screaming and loud iPod music made my head ache, only I couldn't raise my arms enough to rub my temples.

To make matters worse, the heating was stuck on high again (a phenomenon that only seems to happen on warmer days), which meant it was stuffy and everyone was sweating. Some one asked an old lady to open the window next to her and let some fresh air in, but she didn't want to sit in a draft...

Twelve long minutes later, I made it to my stop, stepped into the fresh Scottish air and left the commuting chaos behind (at least until morning).

All I can say is, thank God for public transport- driving home alone in a car must be so uneventful!

Strike!

2011-11-30T16:40:00.002Z

Today was the day of strike action for public sector workers across Scotland. Unions across the public sector joined together to protest against the changes to public sector pensions. Essentially, they aren't pleased with recent changes that require workers to pay higher pension contributions and base pension payments on an average salary over their whole working life, rather than on their final salary.

The news estimates that approximately 300,000 Scots walked out of their jobs. The result of the strike is that the Glasgow Underground was shut down, hospital appointment and operations were cancelled or postponed, schools were shut down, and many parents had to take the day off to take care of their children. The University unions have joined the call for strike action, with the result being that all classes were cancelled, some buildings were closed due to security staff striking, and barely anyone showed up to work today.

The support staff in my office did come in to work, but needless to say, with no students, classes or academic staff, it was not a productive day. We trudged along for most of the morning and stopped for a tea break. As we were breaking up, we heard noises coming from the street below.

Looking out our office windows, we saw a huge crowd of protesters gathering to march. For the next 30 minutes the crowd continued to grow in number, with various union groups lining up to join the march. Just after 12:30, the protest got on it's way, as thousands of workers marched through the city center, carrying banners, chanting and drumming.

It was a sight to see!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T16:02:00.001Z

This year we actually had two Thanksgiving celebrations. The meals were both hosted by others, but I contributed food, bringing mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, apple pie and drinks. I forgot to take pictures at both events, but I can assure you we had a great time.

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. There are no gifts involved- it is simply a day to gather together to enjoy the blessings God has given us and be thankful for them. How sweet is it that Americans have an entire day set aside simply to fellowship, eat some great food, and praise God. And, if you are stateside, you even get a day and sometimes two off of work to take part.

Living in Scotland, I don't get any time off for Thanksgiving, but we have always managed to fit it in somewhere. Usually Ross and I celebrate with our friends, who are or are married to American ex-pats. Each American involved brings something to contribute and the meal always ends up being a beautiful mixture of family traditions with a little bit of Scottishness thrown in. I know that some people find these kinds of holidays and festive meals a huge amount of work with little reward, but I love it. There is nothing sweeter to me than a group of friends and family gathered around, enjoying each other and the meal I have helped prepare. (The part I do hate is washing loads of dirty dishes, but Ross tends to save the day by offering to take care of this.)

When I look around a room a see a table piled high with tasty food, friends and family sharing stories and laughter, I can not help but be thankful. Thankful for the daily provisions of food, a warm home, money in savings and our jobs. Thankful for the people who bring so much to our lives. Thankful for being able to afford another trip back to visit family. Thankful for the amazing husband and family I have been given. Thankful for the opportunity to worship and fellowship freely. Thankful for laughter and joy we experience, even in this broken world. Thankful for the salvation and hope I have in Christ. Thankful for the God who makes all this possible, even though I am so undeserving of His goodness and grace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn, Augustus and A new Address

2011-11-03T22:55:00.000Z

One of the best parts of Scotland is the seasons. You don’t always get all four convincingly- summer is often questionable- but watching the world change around you, as one season moves into the next, never gets old.

Now before you start to feedback whiny weather complaints from previous posts, let me remind you that I’m from Southern California, which generally waivers between cool and sunny, warm and sunny, or hot and sunny. The generally dry sunny climate is one of the reasons people flock to Southern California and willingly endure the oppressive smog and congested roads. As I child my world was perpetually green (or what I thought was green until I moved to Scotland and discovered shades of green so vivid they take your breath away.) ‘White Christmas’ was only something Rosemary Clooney sang about. I had scarves, mittens and coats, but these usually remained hidden away in the back of the closet, waiting for the occasional family trip up the mountains to some cabin in the snow.

The beginning of the Fall Semester is one of the most stressful and busy periods for University staff. (I seriously never appreciated how much goes into providing higher education when I was a student.) By the end of September I was exhausted and totally out of patience, but thankfully Ross and I arranged to take a couple days off to visit Fort Augustus.

Fort Augustus is a small town, located at the southernmost tip of Loch Ness. We got a special deal for our rooms, so we didn't know what to expect from the hotel, but it turned out to be a really cute little country hotel- The Inch Hotel:

Our trip consisted mostly of wandering and admiring the spectacular views. The timing of our trip meant that the woodlands were just on the cusp of autumn, with flickers of golden reds and yellows begining to break up the layers of green.

From the distant mountain peaks, to the rocky river beds, to the quaint towns and villages, each with their cute buildings and ridiculous 'Scottish' paraphernalia gift shops (seriously who buys the towel kilts and tartan hats with added red fuzzy sideburns?), there was plenty to see.

In the evening, we snuggled in front of the hotel's fire place to read for a bit, and Ross experienced his first taste of Talisker. We also ate an amazing meal at our hotel- the most tender leg of lamb with mashed potatos and beets. For dessert, I gorged myself on traditional sticky toffee pudding (They gave me an entire jug of hot toffee sauce to pour over the cake. It was so tasty that I made myself sick eating every last drop of that buttery, sugary goodness). My tummy may have rejected the excessive butter later, but it was totally worth it!

By the way, the weather was perfect- sunny, dry and a warm 65 degrees, with only one brief shower.

On another note, I can officially annouce that we will be moving soon (next week to be exact). I am super excited about this development, so I save more information on this for the next post.

The Mirror of Marriage

2011-10-20T13:21:00.000+01:00

A look in the mirror can be quite revealing. The elevator at work has a full length mirror inside. With the heavy wind and rain of the Scottish winter, I am often quite shocked at the state of my appearance when I enter it. I may leave my house in order, but I arrive to work only to discover my hair is a rat's nest and my face is dry and beaten from the cold winter winds. It can be a bit disheartening to see that you look a mess, but I am continually thankful for the opportunity that mirror provided to correct my disheveled appearance before showing up in my office, especially on days when I have important meetings.

Marriage has provided me with a different kind of mirror- a sort of mirror into the heart. Over the past two and 1/2 years I have learned more about myself than I ever wanted to. Proverbs teaches that 'as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.' How true it is! Being intimately tied to another human-being is like adding heat to the refiner's pot, allowing all the imperfections and inpurities to rise and bubble to the surface. Parts of my character I had so carefully hidden away are daily exposed. At times I find myself wondering, 'Where did that come from?', 'Have I always been this disagreeable, selfish and unreasonable?'

As horrifying as it is to look at the reality of these ugly aspects of my character, it also provides an opportunity for marriage to mirror a more beautiful reality- that of God's grace. My failings are not just apparent to me, but to my loving husband. Ross gracious accepts me, through my temper tantrums and selfishness, and choses to encourage, support and love me in spite of whatever mood I may be in. This very real aspect of my human marriage has opened my eyes even more to the amazing grace and love I have in Christ. For my God is more aware of my weaknesses than Ross, and yet His love is so much greater!

A Little Vent

2011-10-02T19:50:00.011+01:00

Over the past several months we've had a rapidly growing problem with damp in our flat. This is not uncommon with old tenement buildings, especially ones like ours with very thin windows, but our bathroom has borne the brunt of the problem.

There is no ventilation in our bathroom, with the two inch gap from the open window providing the sole means of escape for all steam and moisture. Inevitably the trapped steam has seeped into the walls, with mold and mildew developing in every crack and crevice. The paint and wallpaper has bubbled off the wall and started peeling, and the tiles in the shower have started falling off the wall, leading to grout clogging our tub drain and allowing water to seep further into the wall behind the shower.

As renters, we are at the mercy of our landlords for repairs and maintenance of the property, and we've been waiting for the landlords to respond to these problems since May. After weeks of waiting and dozens of phone calls to the letting agency to try to get an update, we got the good news that the landlords decided to redo the bathroom. They arranged for someone to view the damage and provide a quote for renovations. The quote was clearly more than they were willing to spend because it was another several weeks and dozens of phone calls before we found out that they had a new plan- replace the tiles and put in a ventilation system. We were disappointed that they were not going to bother cleaning up the mold or repainting/papering the walls, but at least they were doing something! With our whole flat smelling of mold, we were looking forward to having something to help pull the moisture out.

On Wednesday Ross was home waiting expectantly for the new ventilation system to go in. He called me at work to let me know that the workmen had come and gone. It turns out that the equipment installed was not so much a ventilation system as it is a hole in the window. In the hole they have placed a what I can only assume is a £1 piece of plastic. The plastic bit is fitted with gaps to let air into the bathroom. Ross asked the workmen if this was really going to help, to which they honestly replied that it is unlikely to make any significant difference to the sort of problem we have.

If you are like me, you are probably wondering what we are supposed to do in the winter to prevent heat from escaping through the open gaps in the plastic piece. Gas prices are going up every month and we aren't really interested in throwing money out the window (literally).

Thankfully the workmen provided detailed instructions on how to cover the plastic bit with cellophane during the winter months. Yes, you read that correctly- plastic wrap is the answer to all our insulation worries. (Apparently it also helps to keep the bathroom door closed.) Now some people may disagree, but I really feel that cling film adds something special to a bathroom window. Don't you?

And when it snows, just think how pretty that cling film will look on a backdrop of white. I can't wait.

When Autumn Arrives

2011-09-09T13:18:00.002+01:00

Summer, or what was supposed to be summer, is over. The signs are everywhere.

Proof 1: My feet are still wet from the large wave of water thrown my way this morning, courtesy of a passing bus. My office is so cold that my feet still haven't dried out.

Proof 2:The days are already shorter, darker, and unrelentingly wetter.It may only be early September, but the grey has settled itself over Scotland with no signs of dispersing for a final showing of sunshine.

For those of you enduring the 90+ degree heat, this change of weather may seem appealing. For a couple days it might be, but anyone who has lived through a Scottish winter will know that it only gets darker, cooler and wetter from here on out, until around March or April when the sun returns and slowly warms the country back to a balmy 60 degrees.

Despite the dreary weather forecast, autumn is not a total loss. There are lots of things to look forward, like pumpkins, squash, and all those lovely comfort foods I pretend are too heavy to enjoy in summer. One of the cutest things in the world also makes a return about this time of year- school uniforms! In Scotland uniforms are the norm for all years of school, even for 4-5 year old. And when I say uniforms I mean proper jacket, tie, and pleated skirt uniforms. My morning commute is now filled with dozens of tiny ones, looking all proper with their ties, jackets and knee-high socks.

If I have to walk to work in the pouring rain, at least there are cute kids trudging along beside me to put a smile on my face!

Zombie Invasion

2011-08-23T09:15:00.003+01:00

If you don't live in the UK, you will be blissfully unaware of Brad Pitt's new zombie film, World War Z, which has consumed Glasgow. I am all for Hollywood investing millions into the Glasgow economy and I generally like movies, but the Zombie takeover is quickly turning sour for me.

Why?- My morning commute to work requires me to walk trhough George Square in the center of Glasgow. Over the past week this particular area has been transformed into something meant to resemble Philadelphia. This has meant replacing street lights, bins and signs. They even painted crosswalk stripes and shipped over dozens of American cars, taxis, buses and trucks to populate the streets surrounding George Square.

At first, it was fun to see the changes each time I passed on my way to work, during my lunch break, or on my way home. Then the barriers started going up, as they closed off various sections for filming. Each day, I have had to find a new convoluted route into work and back again, following the maze of barriers, security guards, and, most annoyingly, spectators who feel the need to clog the already narrowed walkways in order to oggle the set decor and loiter around the area in the hope of catching a glimpse of Brad Pitt.

I would find the whole experience interesting and even fun, but after more than a week of the madness it is wearing on me. This morning it took me an extra 25 minutes to get from the Underground to my work- a walk that normally takes about 2 minutes. Apparently today they are shooting scenes of the zombie invasion and needed more space to work in, plus a buffer zone to prevent people from interfering with filming.

One aspect of the whole mess that I still find quite amusing is seeing the ridiculous outfits, high heels, and layers of fake tanner that have emerged around the set. Word gets around that Brad Pitt is in town and every woman under the age of 60 starts strutting her stuff around town.

If you wish to see pictures of aforementioned zombie invasion, simply do a google search. I promise you'll find hundreds of hits.

Immigration triumph

2011-08-20T22:38:00.003+01:00

After paying more than a month's salary and waiting for hours in a crowded waiting area at immigration, I was officially granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK(aka permanent residency) in July! This may not seem like much to you, but in the life of an immigrant this is pretty exciting and brings me one step closer to citizenship.

Most people are completely unaware of how costly, complicated and stressful the immigration process can be. There are definitely moments where you feel like some sort of circus animal jumping through pointless hoop after pointless hoop.

Thankfully, I am now only a year and one more hoop away from dual citizenship (which if you pay the correct fee, comes with the added bonus of a British passport). This means I'll have two passports, one in blue and one in maroon, which should allow me to color coordinate my travel attire and accessories way easier. I wonder if I will get a letter from the Queen welcoming me into her kingdom?

It is easy to laugh and joke about the whole situation, but I am truly thankful for my permanent residency. Legal immigration is a costly process, both financially and emotionally. Only another immigrant can really understand the uncertainties and worries that come with moving abroad, knowing you have only been granted temporary rights to your new life. There is never a guarantee that the next stage of the immigration process will go smoothly. (Even while we were sitting waiting for our interview appointment, we saw others' meetings end in tears.)

In my case, everything went mercifully smooth and I was able to walk into work the next day and present proof of my new immigration status! Stage two complete.

Skye

2011-08-20T21:17:00.011+01:00

Scotland is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. I am still constantly amazed at how many shades of green you can find on a hillside here. This week, Ross and I decided to take advantage of our new car and remaining annual leave days to get out of town. Destination: The Isle of Skye.

The Isle of Skye is an island located west of mainland Scotland and only about a 3-4 hour drive from our home. (Surprisingly this was Ross' first visit to the island.)

After good breakfast at our local cafe, we headed out of town, past Loch Lomond. We stopped off at the Green Welly Stop for a bowl of Cullen Skink, and a browse around all the Scottish paraphernalia, before driving up through Fort William and Glen Coe. (For those who were wondering 'welly' is a shortened version of Wellington boot, or as it is referred to in the States, a rubber rain boot.) A couple hours later, we arrived at Kyle of Lochalsh, where we stopped again. This time for some tea/coffee and treats. Lochalsh is a seaside town, where the bridge between mainland Scotland and the Isle of Skye is located. (If you look closely you can see the bridge in the background below.)

If you think the picture above looks overcast and grey, welcome to my world. Other than magnificent greenery, Scotland's landscape is most frequently permeated with the oppressive greys and whites of cloud cover. Wind and Rain are in the forecast here what seems like everyday. So far I don't mind the Scottish weather- rain and cold are still a sort of novelty to me. I like having a reason to wear coats, scarves and mittens. I am conscious that the novelty may wear off at some point, so ask me again in a few more years what I think about Scotland's 'mild' climate.

A further drive along the west coast of Skye brings you to Portree, the quaint capital of Skye, and up to the Old Man of Storr. We started up the trail to see the Old Man of Storr, but the recent rain meant that the trail was muddy. Ordinarily mud wouldn't stop us, but neither of us had a change of footwear and Ross didn't want to dirty the new car. (The car has replaced the flat screen TV as his favorite toy.)

Portree was brimming with tourists, but that didn't take away from it's charm. We spent part of Friday roaming in and out of its little shops, admiring all the local arts and crafts. The economy of towns like Portree rely heavily on tourists, so it was actually nice to see that people are still coming and spending money here.

Our B&B host told us that the population of Skye more than doubles during the summer months. In the winter it can be a bit dead, but this is unsurprising when you remember the cold, icy and blustery weather Skye endures. (I should stop here and mention that the B&B we stayed at was definitely the best B&B I've ever been to! Ros Muire B&B is definitely worth looking up if you are even heading to Skye.) We also learned that most landowners in Skye are required to keep a minimum of three sheep, but that if you own 15 or more you qualify for a farm subsidy of around £15 per head. If you ever wondered why there are so many sheep in the highlands, this is probably why!

Needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed our short visit to Skye- a much needed break from the stresses of work and flat problems. I'll leave you with the view from our room at the B&B- absolutely lovely! (And no, my poor photographic skills definitely do not do justice to the beauty of Skye.)

It turns out...

2011-08-20T20:15:00.007+01:00

Yes, it really has been almost a year since my last post. No excuses this time- the blogoshpere just has not made it into my priority list for a while. It turns out adult life eats energy like my dad's black lab, Amos, eats all food stuffs- as quickly as possible. (Not that it matters, but the aformentioned dog also frequently eats non-food items pretty quickly too. He is definitely not a picky eater.)

It isn't that I don't what to share my life with those of you who bother to read my drivel. Every couple months, usually after I receive a card or letter from one of you thoughtful people, I decide that I should get it together and start being a better correspondent. I plan in my head all of the cards and letters and blog entries I will write. Then I get home after a long day at work, greet my sweet husband, and... nothing ever comes of it. It turns out I am weak on the follow through. But don't worry- this is not a half-baked promise to get better at this. I will continue to write as and when I am able or have something special to share. (Which in reality translates to a flurry of posts over the coming week and then...perhaps nothing for a while.)

I did want to mention, however, that my blogging or lack thereof is definitely not a reflection of how often I think of those people I no longer get to enjoy daily relationships with. It turns out that starting a new life abroad doesn't mean you care less about the people you leave behind.

The beginnings of Ross the scholar

2010-09-18T15:25:00.004+01:00

Can you tell which one is Ross?

Child's Play

2010-08-31T14:03:00.003+01:00

In the evenings, when it is dry, Ross and I often take walks around our local park. On our last walk, we noticed that the park was pretty much empty and the playground was unoccupied. This of course meant that we needed to play on everything our adult forms could fit on.

However, what started out as a playful evening ended up highlighting some further distinctions in our vocabulary. For example in Ross' mind:
Jungle gym/monkey bars = Climbing frame
Slide = shoot
teeter totter= seesaw

This one sent Ross into fits of laughter. He couldn't fathom that anything could actually be named 'teeter totter' and he kept asking me to say it over and over again. I should add here that he also cracks up at the way I say the word 'pecan', which in his scottish accent comes out as 'pee kin'. (What the heck is a 'pee kin' anyway!?) His new favorite game is to catch me off guard and get me to say pecan, usually by asking me what kind of pie I like or what we eat at Thanksgiving. I am so glad that I can entertain him so easily. The next time he gets grouchy I am just going to twirl around the room saying 'teeter-totter' and 'pecan'...

Two things that remain the same:
swings
hopscotch

Romans

2010-08-30T21:48:00.002+01:00

Our pastor, Willie, has just started teaching a series on Romans during Sunday morning services. I love Romans and Paul's systematic approach to the meaty fundamentals of our faith in Jesus Christ. Over the years, I have studied this book dozens of times, but it's truths never get old.

The first two sermons in the series are posted up on our church website, and I invite you listen and be encouraged and challenged by the message of Paul in Romans.

http://www.thetron.org/media/

One year and counting... (Old post from July 5 2010)

2010-08-07T15:36:00.003+01:00

Ross and I have celebrated two milestones recently- our first wedding anniversary and the anniversary of me moving to Scotland.

It is hard to believe that it has already been a year, and a great year at that! I have absolutely loved being married and not a day goes by that I am not amazed by the man that I get to spend my life with.

Some great things about being married:

1. Getting to live in the same place!- We endured enough of the long distance. I never get tired of waking up and having Ross there, coming home from work and getting to share about our days.

2. Companionship- Ross is without a doubt my best friend and the person I'd prefer to spend my time with. He has the best sense of humor and we have a lot of fun together.

3. Learning- We have learned so much about each other over this last year. We have both grown too, in love, patience and understanding. 'As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.' It is a real blessing to refine and encourage one another.

4. Food- We eat really well. Cooking for Ross has forced me to be creative and we've come up with some winning combinations. I love cooking for Ross because he is so appreciative and never complains. Plus, he usually cleans up the kitchen for me! Score! Cooking is WAY more fun when you don't have to clean up.

I could keep listing stuff, but I think you all get the idea. ;-)

Tron (Old Post from April 2010)

2010-08-07T15:23:00.004+01:00

When we decided that we were going to make our home in Scotland, one of our biggest concerns was finding fellowship. Over the past months, we have been truly blessed to make St. George's Tron our church home.

The Tron is an old Presbyterian church, which is located right smack in the middle of Glasgow's City centre. In fact, it has a prime location on the main pedestrian shopping lane, Buchanan Street. This location has presented the church with plenty of opportunities to share the gospel with the surrounding community.

The services are a little more traditional than what you might encounter in a Calvary Chapel. For example, we mostly sing hymns, which are congregationally sung, rather than led by a worship leader or choir. The minister, a former doctor, speaks eloquently and often quite formally and his prayers to start the service are often as long as his sermon! This all took a bit of getting used to, but we have discovered that the method of the service is of little importance compared to the content. And I think we both have come to realise how wonderful those old hymns really are!

Winter to Spring (Old Post from March 15 2010)

2010-08-07T15:02:00.006+01:00

There is something incredibly special about Spring- something I had never noticed until I witnessed Spring in Scotland.

Winter, especially this year, was long and bitterly cold. It snowed and everything was frozen and dead for the better part of two months. The sidewalks were packed with inch thick ice that sat for weeks, making the normally pleasant walk to work a hazardous one.

But winter doesn't last forever. Temperatures rose above their artic levels. Slowly the ice melted and the white world turned gray. Little by little the sun began to show itself and the grass began to turn green.

Under the barren trees in our neighborhood the crocuses are blooming now, large blankets of color in an otherwise gray world. Every day I pass by these lovely flowers on my way to and from work. Crocuses are breathtakingly beautiful, with their vivid colors and fragile petals.

It is always these little moments that put me in awe of God's handiwork- the bright delicate flower pushing itself up out of the frozen ground to announce that Spring is near, and that once again, there will be life. I have been really missing my friends and family lately, and sometimes I feel like God put those little flowers there just for me. Just to remind me that He is near, and that my home is really with Him.

It must be love...

2010-02-18T13:43:00.002Z

I have never doubted that my husband loves me. He goes out of his way to make sure I know- he brings me flowers, gives massages, indulges my chocolate needs, and recently took me out for a terrific Valentine's dinner at a really nice restaurant. He is always my biggest fan and encourager.

But I have never been more sure that my husband loves me than when he offered to hold the bowl. Last week I contracted some form of stomach flu/food poisoning. Ross sweetly rubbed my back and head while I writhed in pain. And when I woke up in the middle of the night, emptying my stomach of it's entire contents, he could have gagged and left me to it- not my husband- he offered to hold the bowl.

It must be love...

New Year. New Flat. New Job!

2010-02-13T13:03:00.000Z

This entry is a bit late in coming, but as we finally have our internet back on, I thought I would write the first entry of 2010.

2009 brought us quite a few bit changes- marriage, settling in a new country, our first real full-time jobs, etc... 2010 is no different. Less than two weeks into the new year, on our sixth month anniversary, we moved into our new flat. It is bit smaller and a little louder, but a month or so in it is really starting to feel like home. Thankfully our new landlords are really great and we look forward to spending the next year in one place.

I also found a new job, which I start on March 1. The new position is only a year long contract, but it is a grade up and more money. It is also closer to our new flat, which means I can walk instead of taking the bus. That is £54/month that I am happy save!

It is only February but the days are already getting noticeably longer. Only a few weeks ago the sun was down by 3:30pm. But I have been able to walk home from work at 5pm while it is still light. The extended cold means that the trees are all still bare and sad, but the crocuses have started to bloom and I am daily being reminded that spring is not long off.

Spring in Scotland is beautiful. Everyone is constantly asking me if the weather bothers me, but to be honest, it was in part the tempestuous and changeable weather that endeared Scotland to me. There is something enjoyable about hail in the middle of a sunny afternoon, or frost covered the fields on a crisp winter morning. And I have never appreciated spring as much as I do after a long cold winter. The beauty begins with the crocuses, which bloom bright and delicate in the midst of the wintry deadness. Next bud by bud, leaves will begin to grow on the barren tree branches, and in a matter of days what was empty and lifeless will be full and green and lovely.

Spring to me is God's total grace- a physical reminder of God's promise of restoration. It is He who turns what was dead and barren into what lives and bears fruit. "He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."- Revelation 21:5

I hope you all have had a good start to 2010, and I hope you take a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of the coming spring.

We miss you
J

More Vocabulary

2009-12-15T13:05:00.004Z

I complain quite a bit about the language barrier I experience here. Today I came across a couple of websites that highlight this problem, and help translate British/Scottish speak into something Americans can understand.

I thought you might find them humorous**:

http://www.rampantscotland.com/parliamo/blparliamo_index.htm

http://www.effingpot.com/food.shtml

A few examples:

"Pardon me - This is very amusing for Brits in America. Most kids are taught to say "pardon me" if they fart in public or at the table etc. In America it has other meanings which take us Brits a while to figure out. I thought I was surrounded by people with flatulence problems!"

The Ongoing Vocabulary Lesson

2009-12-15T12:38:00.003Z

For english speaking countries, it never ceases to amaze me how different the American vocabulary is from the British, and the British from the Scottish.

Last week I bought a sandwich for lunch. The label said 'Ham, cheese and Pickle," which sounded straightforward enough. As soon as I bit into it, I realized that I was missing something. Where was the pickle? And why was there sweet chunky stuff in my sandwich? It wasn't awful, but I'm not sure I would want it again.

After consulting my coworkers and Wikipedia, I discovered that 'Pickle' in this country refers to Branston Pickle, which is sweet and spicy with a chutney-like consistency, containing small chunks of vegetables in a thick brown sticky sauce. Wikipedia informed me that this is a kind of pickle relish made from a variety of diced vegetables, including swede, carrots, onions, cauliflower, egg and gherkins pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomato, apple and dates with spices such as mustard, coriander, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper with sugar.

But if this is pickle, than what is a regular old pickled cucumber called? It seriously took me a week of asking people to find someone who knew. Most of my friends made and face and said "I don't know. I would never eat that!" It turns out that pickled cucumbers are called Pickled Gherkins here, and they come in either sweet or sour vinegar. The mini-pickles are called cornichons.

And now I am craving a good ole Kosher Dill Pickle...

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T12:23:00.000Z

By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Fire and Ice

2009-11-19T09:32:00.002Z

On Sunday our boiler managed to catch fire. Don't worry it wasn't a serious fire- just big enough to put our boiler out of commission once again. It was three long cold days, without heat or hot water, before we heard back from our 'too busy' landlord. The weather lately has been alternating between cold, wet days and cold, wet, and windy days. The temperatures seem to be hovering in the 40's and we are lucky if it get any brighter outside than dim mucky grey.

For three days our only sources of heat were each other, a small convection heater, the hot water bottle and the electric mattress pad, Ross and I thankfully bought on Saturday. The dishes piled up in the kitchen, waiting to be washed, and each day our wood floors got colder and colder. Our poor cilantro plant isn't hardy enough to deal with the cold and is looking pretty sad.

Finally some one came out and got the boiler working again. He also confirmed our worst fears- the boiler is corroded inside and needs to be replaced completely. The repairman guessed the boiler only has another 1-2 months left before it is completely useless. The worst news- He told our landlord all this months ago when he was called out for the first of 4 repairs on the boiler. She doesn't want to spend the money on a new boiler.

The whole situation leaves us in a tough place. We don't really want to move, but we are tired of fighting with a cheap and unresponsive landlord. We originally planned to stay put for another year, and had even started the process of writing up a new lease, but now it looks like it may be time to move on. Thankfully we haven't signed the new lease yet.

Unfortunately, there is nothing available in our price range in the neighborhood we currently live in. Over the coming weeks we are going to keep our eye out and in the meantime pray our boiler holds on a bit longer.

On a lighter note, preparations for our Thanksgiving feast (to be held on Dec. 5) are well under way. Two other Americans from our church are helping me split the cooking load. I am in charge of the turkey, however, and am finding that to be a whole new challenge in Scotland. For 12 of us, we will need at least a 15lb turkey, which isn't huge, but the ovens here are like 1/2 the size of the one's I'm used to. I am actually going to have to measure my oven and the turkeys before I buy one!

I also ran into a bit of a wall trying to find a folding table and chairs, which is apparently a foreign idea here. Sometimes I don't understand this country.

Miscommunications

2009-11-03T13:37:00.002Z

I am really enjoying being back in the working world. So far I haven't had many problems adjusting to my duties, and for the most part, my days are without incident. However, every once in a while I run into some major language barriers, where I either misunderstand what's been said, or I just stand there in a cold sweat with a complete blank.

Yesterday, my supervisor was briefing me on an upcoming meeting that I am involved in. The meeting is a 'board' for the various programs in my department and I was given the instructions to read throught 'diet', student files, and programme guides to familiarize myself with what would be discussing in the meeting. Then I was told to, "Put the invigilators information and University calendar in the lever arch file" when I was done.

Unfortunately, my supervisor was busy and rushed off before I could clarify a few important details- like say, What is a 'board' or a 'diet' or an 'invigilator', or for that matter, a 'lever arch file'?

After a bit of researching (and asking around), I discovered the following:

An examination diet refers to the period of formal examination and the conclusion of an academic term.

As it turned out, the University calendar is really a catalog of the university, explaining the policies, procedures and degrees offered by the University for each academic year.

An invigilator is the person who presides over examinations. What we would call a proctor.

A lever arch file is the British version of a two ring binder with a lever that pulls open the rings.

Occasionally there are quite humorous misunderstandings. Like yesterday when my co-worker, who was looking out the window in our office remarked, "Look at those two tits! They're so small. Aw, they're lovely." To which my other two co-workers rushed to the window and heartily agreed.

After my initial shock, I managed to ask what they were talking about. Apparently, they were gazing at two young blue tits, which are not anything sinister, but are simply a small type of bird native to this area. My co-workers then went on to explain how there were Blue tits, Green Tits, White Bellied Tits, and Marsh Tits. Despite my attempts to remian professional, I couldn't help but snicker throughout their explanation.

Perhaps I am not so much of an adult afterall...

Update

2009-10-16T11:24:00.000+01:00

Okay, okay... I apologize for not writing in a while. Here are our updates:

Ross
Sept. 25 was Ross' 31st birthday! We celebrated by going out to eat at an Indian restaurant, Balbir's. Unfortunately, some issues with the bank prevented me from being able to buy him any gifts or even a card, but I made up for that by baking him a huge batch of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting- all made from scratch. (FYI- challah dough makes tasty cinnamon rolls.)

With classes in full swing, Ross' days are now very full. He teaches a course of research methods, which is required for all the second year students in his department. The course is done in two parts- a big lecture (with all the students in one room) and seminar groups (where the students are broken up into smaller groups to do practical work). This term, Ross has 120 students. Thankfully, he loves his job because teaching for 4-7 hours a day sure is tiring.

Planty Guy
Our wee cilantro plant is still alive and thriving. After weeks of surviving in his original container, Planty Guy was looking a bit grim, so I decided he needed a change of venue. The previous tenants left several clay pots sitting around in the garden- most complete with dead plants. Transplanting him proved a bit more complicated than I expected as we didn't have any gardening tools or proper soil. But it all worked out for the best and he appears to be pleased with his new accomodations. I am proud that I've managed to keep him alive this long!

Release the Word
We have gotten involved in the student ministry at our church, Release the Word. This year the focus is a bible overview, designed to help students develop good bible skills and to understand how the bible fits together and points to Jesus. Ross and I are helping to lead small groups. It was exciting that at our first study we had over 50 students show up! This week my small group grew from 3 girls to 10!

Jennie
After months of applications, I finally have a job! The position is as a secretary in the Dept. of Educational Studies at Glasgow University. It is only a 6 month post, but there is chance for the contract to be extended. And if nothing else, it is a great place to start. October 5 was my first day. So far I am enjoying it and I can't even tell you how good it is to be back at work. It is also really nice to start building relationships with people outside of church again.

Of course, working full-time has presented a new challenge to my time management skills and I am still figuring out how to stay balanced. The new job is the main reason that I haven't been on-line updating as much. Working means lots of little changes- Doing chores on the weekends, having less energy for socializing, and planning out meals in advance (I finally starting using our slow cooker- I love it!). I think I am actually starting to feel like an adult... maybe.

Product Names

2009-09-22T10:27:00.003+01:00

Ross mentioned in an earlier post how I am often flustered by visits to the grocery store. Thankfully I am getting used to the Scottish random method of grocery placement. But part of what made doing everyday things more of a challenge was the different product names.

You never realize how nice it is to hear a product name and automatically know what it does. Here many of the products have names that put me off wanting to buy the product altogether, much less understanding what it does.

To help you get a feel for my problem- Guess what the following products do:

ReTardox
Deflatine
Cillit
Harpic

One from Ross

2009-09-19T16:40:00.000+01:00

As far as I can see, Jennie uses this Blog to update you on the latest happenings in her life. You may or may not have gathered that part of her day-to-day life includes harassing me about what pet(s) we need. The latest required additions to our family are a dog, kitty, penguin, chicken, goat, and elephant. I'm definitely in favour of the latter since it would no doubt kill all of the rest of the animals, before embarking on a stampeding rampage through the leafy suburbs of the west end of Glasgow.

For one week only, then, you get my take on things. So what has happened in Scotland over the last couple of months? First of all, work has been pretty hectic. Arriving back from California, I quickly went to work rewriting the course I teach. Semester starts formally next week, and I am wondering if all the changes will be appreciated (or even noticed) by the students. Over the last two weeks I also took on some extra duties with the induction and enrollment of new students. Though a bit tedious, this work has paid for the flights we have booked to California in June 2010. We'll be back next summer, hopefully dividing our time between the action-packed, fun-filled town of Rescue and Orange County.

On top of work, our home is a real blessing. Our apartment is really nice, and the area is very beautiful. Despite receiving some fruity insults from the local taxi drivers, it's nevertheless a real pleasure to cycle to work past some really nice old buildings. My daily cycle to work takes me past the eye-catching University of Glasgow (built in the fifteenth century); the Kelvin Hall and Kelvingrove Museum (both traditional red-brick early 20th Century buildings).

Of course, Jennie is a real blessing too. It's been tough for her to adapt to the strange ways, customs, and cultures of a new country. The visits to the grocery store are a particular treat, often culminating in tears because British stores name things differently or have different weights and measures. Yet people have helped her adjust. My friends at church have done me proud, going out of their way to invite her to things and help her to settle in. And watching Jennie adjust to Scotland has been mutually rewarding for both of us. Seeing how Scots live and work and think, I think she understands a little more about me. And when I hear how America compares, I learn more about her. And I learn more about you too.

Let it Rise...

2009-09-18T13:52:00.004+01:00

In honor of Rosh Hashanah, I decided to make Challah. It has been a while since I last made a yeast based bread, but I was really craving Challah and with nothing else on my schedule for Friday morning, I figured I could go all out.

Making anything in our kitchen, which is like 1/4 of the size of kitchen I am used to, is always a challenge. We have very little counter space, and with the kettle, toaster, knife block and microwave out, we have even less.

Still, I was confident I could make it work. Despite the entire kitchen being covered in flour, due to a slight mishap opening a new bag, the first steps worked out fine. And then as I was mixing the ingredients my largest bowl was getting fuller and fuller... It was at this point I realized that I had forgotten to halve the recipe. You see, the original makes 4 very large loaves and my one baking sheet and my oven aren't big enough to hold more than one large loaf. Having mixed in everything but the flour, I knew it was too late to start over, so I proceeded to mix in the 8 1/2 cups of flour just hoping my little bowl would hold it all(Yes, 8 1/2 cups!). The last 1 1/2 cups of flour had to be mixed in by hand on the counter because my poor little bowl was overflowing with dough.

Once everything had been mixed I remembered that this whole batch was going to triple before it was all said and done! Laughing, I pulled out every bowl I could find and put chunks of dough and left it to rise...

I really wish I had taken a picture of the mess of bowls and dough. Let's just say that next time I will make sure to halve the recipe!

Friend or Foe

2009-09-18T13:29:00.004+01:00

It is no secret that I, along with most of my gender, dislike spiders. I find them creepy and intrusive, and the only thing worse than finding them in my living space is having them actually touch me. My family have been trying to convince me for years that my dislike of spiders is based on an irrational belief that they mean me harm, but to no avail. I still prefer to live in a spider-free environment, and proceed to kill or order the killing of spiders on a regular basis (only the ones that happen to be invading my space- it isn't like I hunt them out). In fact, my version of utopia may just be a world where spiders existed, but I never had to see or touch them.

When we first moved in I found a spider crawling around in our bedroom, but for days it evaded us. I became used to seeing it everyday and chased it into a cupboard or under the bed. Then one Saturday Ross killed it for me. Normally I would feel relief at this knowledge, but I had been thinking about Charlotte's Web that day and felt guilty that we had murdered what I was momentarily convinced was a friendly spider. But to spare myself any further intrusion or guilt, I decided it would be best if no more spiders came around.

Unfortunately, the spiders in Scotland did not get my memo to stay away. For the last couple weeks I have been finding thick black spiders much too frequently and concerningly always in the same place- our bathroom. All our windows are closed. Where are they coming from?!

My husband, the designated spider-killer, suggested my worst fear- that the spiders are coming in through our drains... My mind immediately flashes back to the nightmares I used to have (and sometimes still have) about creepy crawly things pouring out of the drains in mass and attacking unsuspecting humans. NOT IN THIS HOUSE, spiders! Shudder

Goodbyes, Car trouble, and Rainy days

2009-09-08T11:12:00.007+01:00

Last week was pretty full for us.

Sunday & Monday we hosted the Emmerson's, a couple we've been friends with for years. Dave and Vicky are moving permanently to South Africa and we offered our spare room to them so they would have a place to sleep after turning over their house. They brought with them their little boy, Elijah, who is all of two months old and very cute. Ross got a little taste of parenthood when Elijah woke us all up crying at 4am! Seriously, it was a blessing to spend a few moments with them before they left. Dave and Vicky are the kind of people you want for friends- encouraging, generous, loving and fully submitted to the Lord. For the past couple years they have been doing ministry out in Shotts (a small Scottish village) with another of our friends, the Keys.

We also acquired our first car- a Felicia (thanks to the Emmersons, who gave us their car when they left). It is definitely used, but still has a few more months left in it and you can't beat getting a car for free! I suppose everything comes with it's own problems, and no sooner were we to be the owners than the car brakes locked. Dave Emmerson had to tow the car from Shotts to our house. We then towed it out to Motherwell, where they fixed the problem. Ross drove it back home on Monday night. Then Friday night we went out to the car, on our way to do our grocery shopping, only to discover the brakes hand locked again.

(No, the car didn't come with this graffiti on it. I just stole an old photo from Dave and Vicky.)

Thankfully Ewan, Ross' brother, and his dog, Molly, came to our rescue. In minutes Ewan hand the car up and running. Molly, on the other hand, was very little help. She merely left our couch smelling like dog. Molly may be cute, but she is one spoiled pup. Everyone in this family adores her and seems to give her whatever her doggy heart desires. While the boys were on car duty, I was on puppy patrol (meaning I had to entertain Molly in Ewan's absence). I quickly discovered her habit of whining until she gets what she wants, and she appeared quite put out that I didn't give her my cookie, and let her roam freely outside. Her retribution was to steal my spot on the couch as soon as I left the room. Cheeky girl!

The only other news is that the rainy season is officially upon us. This revelation came to me while I was carrying my groceries home in a huge down pour. Needless to say, I was soaked. Our whole entry was one big puddle as I rung out my jeans and hair. The box of crackers I just bought was nearly disintegrated by the time I got home. For the first time in my life, I was thankful for that extra plastic packaging they put inside the box! I wish I had thought to take a picture of myself- I seriously looked like a drowned mouse. But I definitely feel more Scottish when the rain doesn't stop me from carrying on with my normal activities.

Our First Plant

2009-08-28T12:32:00.000+01:00

I recently took the big plunge and bought our first live plant. It is a coriander plant (that's cilantro to you Americans) that I discovered at our grocery store. I use a lot of coriander when I cook, so I thought it could double as something green and something useful.

Right now our planty guy sits in his designated area on our window sill in the living room. He is still in his store provided plastic pot, but I am planning on replanting him into something more suitable soon.

This is a big step, especially since my track record with plants is no phenominal (just ask Mom, who frequently blamed the deaths of her flowers on my poor water and tending skills.) I have no idea how we will manage to keep it alive, since I am fairly certain plants require at least some sun to survive, and this country is unlike to have anything but grey and wet for the next 6-8 months. Maybe I should buy it a sun lamp or some kind of incubation system to endure the winter...

Shish Mahal

2009-08-28T12:01:00.000+01:00

For the last several months, Ross has been sharing an office with a girl named Eilidh (Ellie). Her contract with the University is up and, since she is expecting a baby, she opted not to renew it. She is very sweet, respectful and hard-working and an ideal person to share an office with, so Ross is sorry to see her go. He is especially sorry because he is not yet sure who they are going to replace her with.

Thursday night we went to a farewell dinner in her honor at an Indian restaurant called Shish Mahal. Shish Mahal is one of the best restaurants in the West End and the food is excellent. Ross has taken me there before and I always have the same problem- the menu is so big I can never decide what to try. This time I just decided to pick the first thing that drew my eye, which ended up being a creamy curry with ginger, cilantro and chicken. Being the first meal we've eaten out in over a month, it was a real treat. I could seriously eat their naan and spiced rice everyday! My only regret is not ordering a mango lassi.

It is hard to explain what it is like to spend an evening out with this particular group of academics, but it certainly gives me a taste of what Ross has to put up with on a daily basis. I have so much more respect for the strength of his character, seeing how his 'childish' religious beliefs and 'teetotaling' ways are a constant source of amusement to his fellow academics. It is a little depressing that a group of such intelligent people would rather drink themselves into a stupor than spend their energy on things of greater significance.

Becoming British...

2009-08-28T11:41:00.000+01:00

This week I managed two pretty big milestones:

1.) I received my UK bank card in the mail

2.) I was issued my National Insurance Number (though I am still waiting for the official card)

These are significant for a number of reasons. At the top of the list is definitely the huge amount of time and paperwork it took to accomplish both of these tasks- there are WAY more bureaucratic hoops to jump through as an immigrant. I am told that having an insurance number is helpful when trying to convince employers that you are eligible to work, as there is a lot of confusion surrounding immigration laws/limitations. But, more importantly, they signal my official residency as I now have access to money, can receive a pay check and pay taxes! It also means I no longer have to ask Ross to do every little money related thing, but can take on some of that responsibility myself. If only I could find a job, both of these would be even more exciting!!

There are still a few things left on my list, in regards to settling here. For instance, I need to register with a local doctor's office, find an NHS dentist nearby who is adding patients, and eventually I will need to get a UK driver's license. Obtaining a UK driver's license is one of those long expensive bureaucratic nightmares, which in my case would have to include learning to drive a manual for the first time. At the moment we don't have a car (though we may be acquiring one in a few days), and I can drive on my US license here for up to a year, but I don't want to never be able to drive again. It will probably be a while before the driving thing is sorted out.

At least the public transport here is pretty good!

Behold Winter cometh...

2009-08-25T15:51:00.001+01:00

There are two seasons in Scotland - Winter and July
~ Billy Connelly

Average yearly rainfall in Santa Ana= 12.92 inches; San Francisco= 25 inches.

Average yearly rainfall in Glasgow= 43.5 inches or 1104.8mm

I am settling for a very wet and cold winter. Yes, winter is coming (if not already arrived by the looks of the wet and grey looming outside my window). I have already had to upgrade my around the house socks from normal socks to my thick wool ones (Our flat is all wood floors- beautiful and cold). Next will be my snow socks and then I will be doubling up, I am sure!

To make things even better, our boiler seems to be broken and I am waiting for the repairman to come as we speak. Hopefully we will get it sorted before the cold really begins (although I pretty much live bundled up already. The trees are turning colors, and the days are quickly becoming sorter, just when I got used to having the sun out until 10pm. In the dead of winter the days become dark as early as 3pm- I am not looking forward to those days.

Despite my aversion to damp, I am starting to get used to the constant moisture. Our neighbors told us that when they turn on their heater, their windows fog up so badly that they can't see outside for most of the winter. Ugh, I am hoping that our lack of doublepaned windows doesn't cause us to suffer a similar fate.

Did you know?:

Kilts were invented by the Irish. The word 'kilt' is Danish.

Becoming a Foodie

2009-08-18T15:03:00.000+01:00

One thing I have been doing quite a bit of lately is cooking. Being home all day gives me the time and energy to try out tasty new recipes. (Ross has no complaint about this.)In fact, I spend so much of my time cooking and baking that I've considered starting a separate food blog to document the treasure trove of recipes I'm using.

Anyway, since I am dealing with the world of British food, I've turned to the BBC Food website for recipes and meal ideas. They have a wealth of food-related information. The trouble is, along with everything else in my new home- some translation is required!

For example:

eggplant= aubergine
zucchini= courgette
cilantro= coriander
rutabega= swede
cornmeal= polenta
cornstarch= corn flour
baking soda= bicarbonate of soda
emethaler= swiss cheese
paste= puree
extract=essence

I could go on, but these are just the ones I ran into in the last few days. You get the point.

I'll leave you with a recipe that I just made and will definitely be making again. Blueberries are in season here and I just had to have an excuse to buy some. Most desserts have tons of sugar, butter and fat. I added a bit less butter and sugar to this one too, but since we had good sweet fruit it came out perfect. Ross loved his first taste of cobbler!

Peach and Blueberry Sour Cream Cobbler (serves 4)
Adapted from Nigel Slater

Fruit filling:
2 ripe peaches, sliced
3.5 cups blueberries
the juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. (heaping) All Purpose flour

Cobbler crust:
3/4 cup All Purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
2.5 tsp. baking powder
1 Tsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. cold butter
4 oz. light sour cream, or a little more

sugar for sprinkling

1.) Preheat the oven to 400.

2.) Toss together all the ingredients for the fruit filling in a baking dish or pan.

3.) To make the cobbler crust, add all ingredients except the sour cream into a food processor and pulse to combine, until the mixture resembles soft, fresh breadcrumbs. Tip into a bowl, and then mix in the sour cream.

4.) Break off walnut sized pieces of the dough mixture, flatten slightly, and then lay on top of the fruit. When you have added all the dough, sprinkle it lightly with sugar.

5.) Bake for about 25-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.

(Picture taken from http://www.tastespotting.com/detail/51227/Peach-Blueberry-Sour-Cream-Cobbler)

Being word people

2009-08-17T18:38:00.000+01:00

I apologize that it has been a couple weeks since I posted. This is mostly because I couldn't think of anything to say. Most of my time lately has been spent looking for jobs to apply for- not exactly interesting material for a blog. So for lack of a better topic I thought I would just share what Ross and I did this weekend (And I am fully aware that you will all laugh at how geeky and boring we are).

After an exhausting social schedule last weekend and me not feeling great this past week(don't worry I am fine now), we decided we wanted a weekend to ourselves. On Friday, Ross came home from work a little early and we settled in for a night of West Wing episodes. I also made a tasty dinner of Thai red curry.

Ross informs me that summer is now over (as if the gailforce winds and pouring rain hadn't tipped me off already). We have months of grey and wet to look forward to now, which is why the little bits of sunshine we got on Saturday were even more special. We walked down to the grocery store for a few things and were thankful for the dry skies as we lugged our bags up the hill back to our flat.

Saturday began with watching one of the few tv shows Ross enjoys- Saturday Kitchen. Yes, it is a cooking show. After getting groceries and a little light cleaning, the rest of the day was spent reading. Ross just finished a rather lengthy biography about Richard Nixon, who is now on Ross' list of favorite people. Having finished the biography of Chuck Smith this week, I turned my attention to the book of crosswords and mind puzzles I bought in the airport on the way over. I seriously love puzzles (just ask my mother, who frequently scolded me for answering all the puzzles in the book I got her for mother's day). Being unemployed, out of school, and with limited access to social opportunities, I find that reading and mind puzzles are one of the few ways I can exercise my mind. Besides, I've always been a word person.

Ross and I have also been reading through the Psalms together (each night, or most nights, we read one or two out loud and discuss them. So far it has been a really encouraging time together and it never ceases to amaze me how relevant every part of God's Word is to our lives.

Food Find #2

2009-08-04T12:39:00.000+01:00

McVities biscuits.

Available in several varieties, but the most popular consists of a thin crumbly cookie base covered with a layer of caramel and then chocolate. Don't let the term biscuit fool you, these are sweet and delicious.

These sweet and crunchy cookies are pretty much a staple in the UK. You can't have a cup of tea or coffee without them. I do have them with my tea, but I also eat them for dessert, an idea I think many Brits would frown at. They are also a good yogurt or ice cream topping.

You actually can find these tasty treats in the States, but they are way more expensive. My favorites are the original, the caramel and chocolate, and the dark chocolate... mmmm.

How to make a nap productive...

2009-08-03T10:32:00.000+01:00

I definitely underestimated how emotionally and mentally draining the transition to life in Scotland would be. I don't know why I am surprised to find living in/learning about a new culture and environment tiring, when I found it exhausting the other two times. It is the same kind of tired as I used to feel after a day of lectures in university, when my brain was so full of new information it just needed to powerdown into a vegetative state for a while. Except instead of attending a few classes, my day is like sitting through the lecture that won't end, constantly making mentals notes and trying to retain all I can so I don't fail the exam, or in this case so I can begin to feel like I know what is going on around me.

Anyway, on Sunday I returned from church with a wicked headache. I was just plain beat. After fixing lunch, which consisted of the difficult task of reheated left-over chicken tortellini soup in the microwave, I lay down on the couch for a moment. Four hours later I woke up to find myself snuggly wrapped in a thick blanket, the table was clearn, dishes were washed and put away, and the kithchen was clean- all my sweet husband's doing. I found aforementioned sweet husband ironing clothes out in the entryway, not listening to the cricket game he'd looked forward to because he didn't want to wake me up.

This whole scenario led me to 2 revelations:

1.) My husband is a keeper.

2.) I should take naps more often. I've never had such a productive nap!

Ross' beach hopping days...

2009-07-28T11:00:00.000+01:00

Looking through the pictures from our honeymoon I noticed that almost all of our pictures took place on a beach somewhere. And I discovered that I am only in like 3 of them! So basically our honeymoon pictures consist of Ross standing on a beach somewhere trying not to look uncomfortable while I snap a picture to commemorate the few days of marital bliss that are a honeymoon. Flipping through them you would never know that these were honeymoon pictures- it looks more like pictures of Ross beach hopping his way through California. In honor of that spirit, here are a few pics of Ross' trip.

Oh wait, I actually was on this trip! ;-)

The Saga of the Hedge

2009-07-27T17:37:00.000+01:00

After months of neglect, our hedge had grown out of control. Given the fact that all our neighbors keep their hedges trimmed to perfection, our hedge looked even more out of place. Our neighbors (well, mostly Mrs. Hutchison) have been complaining about it for weeks. Though it is our landlord's responsibility to cut the hedge and weed the small garden in front of our flat, it became increasingly apparent that she had no intention of fulfilling her obligation.

Guess which hedge is ours?

Once the hedge got to the point we could hardly see out our windows, we decided to take matters into our own hands. Thus Ross borrowed a hedge trimmer from a friend and our Saturday was spent beautifying our hedge for the benefit of Mrs. Hutchison most of all.

It only took us four hours or so to trim that beast. At least 3 people passed and commented on what a big job we had in trimming it, as if we weren't already aware of our hedge's immense girth, you know being that we were the ones actually in the process of trimming it. I should clarify here that Ross did all the trimming; I mostly watched, cheered and pointed out the spots he missed. I also weeded the garden and helped clean up all the trimmings, which it turns out was the biggest part of the job. By the end of it, we collected 9 trash bags full of useless hedge pieces. Thank goodness that's over!

Here is a picture of our now uniformly trimmed hedge. We're so proud!

I should say that Ross' version of all of this can be found on facebook, where he commented, "I trimmed the damn hedge! And it looks good!"

Food Find #1

2009-07-24T19:29:00.000+01:00

My latest craving is entirely Ross' fault. Being the sweet husband he is, he bought me a bar of chocolate. I am now obsessed! I think you may be able to get this in the USA, so go try it. Normally I would prefer really dark chocolate, but the spiciness of the ginger makes me so very happy.

Food Find #1: Green and Blacks' Ginger Dark Chocolate Bar

(ignore the cookies behind the chocolate bar, they are irrelevant)

Husband mystery #1

2009-07-21T19:11:00.000+01:00

The Sock Mystery:

I finally did a load of laundry today. We gave up on having a dryer and bought a rack to air dry the clothes. I have no idea what to do when we need to wash sheets because our sheets are much to large to hang on the rack and hanging things on a line outside is... chancy.

Anyway, when I folded the dry laundry, I found 12 socks and only 3 matching pairs... Either my husband has been wearing mismatching socks or there are six lonely socklings balled up in a corner somewhere. Ross is incredibly tidy about putting all his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. All his clothes, except his socks, that is. His socks end up in balls in the most random places- I have found smelly sock balls in the hall, on his desk chair, by the couch, in his shoes, and on top of the stack of clean towels.

Back online!

2009-07-21T17:26:00.000+01:00

Now that we finally have internet, I am going to attempt to keep up with this blog. I apologize in advance for not updating often enough.

Why Blog?

2009-04-20T19:25:00.000+01:00

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle our lives as we move into this new and wonderful phase of being married. It is going to be hard to be so far from all my friends and family, but hopefully I can bridge some of that gap through technology.

Through this blog, I'll be able to post stories, pictures, videos and humorous observations of my new life in Scotland. Of course, this will all require me to actually update the blog... We'll see how it goes!