Nov 30, 2009 | Scotland
Today is St. Andrews Day! It’s a celebration of Saint Andrew, Scotland’s official patron saint. It is therefore a delightful national holiday complete with national festivities and lots of ceilidhs…an all-around smashing good time! I am sorely missing the land of the Scots these days (though I am not particularly missing the weather). Check out Google’s ode to the Scots!
In celebration of Scotland’s National Day, I thought I’d post a couple of my favourite images of Bonnie Bonnie Scotland, so you, too, can revel in the glories of such a beautiful place!
This is Eilean Donan Castle. (Thank Mark for the bonnie photos).
And this has to be one of the most beautiful, and perfectly shaped mountains ever, Buachaille Etive Mor. (Thank Mark for the spelling on that one.)
Now let’s all sing together Scotland’s lovely National Anthem, and afterwards, have a pint!
Flower of Scotland
O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit Hill and Glen
And stood against him
Proud Edward’s army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again
verse 2
The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves
lie thick and still,
O’er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.
verse 3
Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.
Happy St Andrew’s Day, Scotland! I miss you dearly and hope to see your like again soon.
Nov 27, 2009 | Hometastic Goodness, Stories
There was such a prodigious plethora of stuff being given away when we left Edinburgh I cannot remember who ended up with our Christmas tree. Or just about anything else. Except I remember Agnes’ happy dance when she tried on the pink puffy vest I gave her. But that may have been for the wellies.
Anyway, a very small number of Christmas decorations made it with us from Scotland to South Africa. And when I think about the things I would rather spend money on (like saving up for a dishwasher, please, Lord!) and flights back to North Carolina, I don’t really feel like laying a huge chunk of change into something I’m only going to see one month outta the year.
The other day I was reading a blog I am really enjoying — Balancing Beauty and Bedlam — and came across some party decoration ideas that I decided to “Christmascise” for a little bit more Christmas flavour in this South African flat, sans the costliness. I made some adorable little “pom-poms” and hung some of the Christmas ornaments that did make it here underneath. Here are the basic directions, but you can also check it out on Jen’s blog here. (And check out the Martha Stewart version — posh!)
So. You’re instructed to start out with 8 sheets of tissue paper stacked together. I didn’t have enough of the silver coloured paper, so I just used 6. (It looks a little different, but I like it.)Â And I had even less gold paper, so I decided to cut what I had in half and make two small pom-poms — using 8 small sheets. If the paper is different on each side (mine was) I would alternate which side is facing up.
Since my Christmas decorations from Scotland are pink and green and silver, I decided to go with silver and gold pom poms, but red and green tissue paper might make this even more Christmas-tastic.
Next step: fold the paper accordion style, back and forth. Then use a rubber band (or, I used a twist tie because my rubber bands didn’t seem to be the right size) to gently hold the accordion of potential Christmas delight together at the centre. Don’t make it too tight or it may end up looking funky.
Once it’s nicely squooshed together and banded or twist-tied, round the edges off with some scissors so that it’ll look nicer and more fluffy when finished. 🙂 (For the little gold pom-poms, I cut the edges at sharp angles before I twist-tied them, because I thought it would be cuter and look more like stars. This could seriously rock a Christmas pageant as a cheap Star of Wonder!) Forgive me for not taking enough pictures to give you a play by play of visual instructions. If you need more help, click on Balancing Beauty and Bedlam above!
If you know how you are going to hang your Christmastastic Pom-poms, I’d suggest going ahead and tying your string…fishing line…shoelaces… into your rubber band or twist tie. If you’re planning to hang something from the pom pom, don’t forget to tie a piece in each edge. After you have your tissue paper twist-tied together, your edges are nice and purty, and your string is attached, you simply fan it out and gently pull each sheet away from the centre, first on one side, and then on the other. Fluff it and move things around until it looks how you like it. You should eventually arrive at this:
How great and simple is that? I actually had that sassy Christmas decor string from Scotland — I think Miss Heather picked it out, thanks Heather! I thought it came together quite nicely!
Once Mark helped me tape them to the ceiling the Bear woke up from his nap and pointed at them with a “happy grunt”. Hooray for his stamp of approval! Â Here’s the final product:
Since they’re near our balcony door, they gently sway in the breeze. When the southeaster picks up…we have to close the door. 🙂 So there’s a cheap and cheerful Christmas-tastic idea for you! If you have any Budget Christmas decor ideas you’d like to share, I’m trying out a new link widget below. Please comment, and add a link with your name and website!
Thanksgiving Festivities have ended…let the Christmas cheer begin!
Nov 26, 2009 | Baby Photos, South Africa, Stories
Ya know, it might be a little hard to celebrate Thanksgiving in the southern hemisphere at the moment. I don’t know where to find cranberry in a can or canned pumpkin for pumpkin pie or that special topping everybody seems to use for green bean casserole. And I definitely don’t have any Jiffy Cornbread mix or Nestle Toll House chocolate chips. And, honestly, no matter what it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving without the following:
My Mom’s sweet potato casserole, my brother scraping most of said sweet potato casserole topping onto his plate, a football game on TV, that sleepy post-turkey-triptophan feeling, and for the past few Thanksgivings I’ve been back in the States to enjoy, stepping in a wee pond of my brother’s dog’s drool as he lies on the kitchen floor with those pitiful big brown eyes and that look of — are you really gonna eat all that and give me dog food?
While it’s tough to be away from home at these times of year, and though my Thanksgiving lunch was a (surprisingly tasty) toasted bacon, egg and cheese sammie (sandwich) at a nearby coffee shop that boasts free wifi, I’m still giving thanks down here in South Africa. And here are just a few of the many many things I’m thankful for at the moment.
Of course I’m gonna say this guy. I am so thankful for him, and his wonderful wonderful Daddy! Love you my delightful boys!
And I’m thankful for enjoying my own football game today. Complete with a star player in a very special t-shirt. A little different from the games you might be watching if you’re in the US…
My sister is expecting and I’m really thankful for this new little one on his or her way into the world. You’re gonna have great parentals, kiddo!!
I’m thankful for our new home here in SA. Here’s Harold, our friendly but perhaps a little dangerous neighbourhood seal, doing tricks with a fish! It’s a show we enjoy from our balcony! Our evening Thanksgiving meal will be boerewors with potatoes and butternut squash, grilled on the braai on said balcony!
There’s a lot more I am very thankful for…my great family in good health back in the US, so many good friends around the world, friends very dear to me getting married soon, and a list of other things that goes on and on, I have limited this post to a few that are easily illustrated! And while I might have tonsilitis and be far away from home, I still have so much to give thanks for this Thanksgiving. We are in a great place, and we’re where we’re supposed to be. And living life inside the will of God is a wonderful thing to give thanks for, any day of the year.
Happy Thanksgiving friends near and far! Don’t forget to give thanks!
Nov 25, 2009 | Stories
It is so funny that I was talking the other day about being a pretender and sometimes saying everything is fine when it isn’t. Because I came across another Great Pretender — even better than me — today in a conversation on Facebook. A friend I haven’t spoken to in quite some time sent me a Facebook chat message and wanted me to wire some money to them in London because they just got robbed at gun point.
I was immediately suspicious — I’m not always a cotton-headed-ninnymuggins, AND this friend lives in North Carolina — and asked if this was the Melissa who works at McDonalds (because she doesn’t). From there, I decided, why not have some fun? Here is the delightful chat that ensued:
Melissa
hey
how you doing?
4:04pm
Caroline
Sorry, this is mark on caroline’s computer
4:05pm
Melissa
ok
please i need your help?
??
4:06pm
Caroline
Hey Melissa — Mark has switched to his computer and I’m here. Is everything ok?
4:06pm
Melissa
am stuck in London at the moment
4:06pm
Caroline
oh wow
4:07pm
Melissa
got mugged at gun point
i need your help to get back hoem
??
??
4:07pm
Caroline
gosh I am so sorry to hear that
is this Melissa that works at McDonalds?
4:07pm
Melissa
i need yu to loan me some to get back home
i’ll def refund it back
i promise
4:08pm
Caroline
sorry Melissa — I just want to make sure i know which Melissa this is so I’ll put the money in the right account
is this Melissa that works at McDonalds?
4:10pm
Melissa
yes
please i need it fast so i can get back home
4:11pm
Caroline
wow okay
whereabouts are you in London?
I am there visiting my brother in law and his girlfriend in Barnton.
4:11pm
Melissa
i need you to get it to me by western union so i can get it from the bank and get back home fast.
4:12pm
Caroline
It’ll be faster for me to meet up with you, really. I have never used Western Union before and I’d felt lost.
I’d feel lost.
4:13pm
Melissa
please it easy
4:13pm
Caroline
Okay, can I call you with the details?
4:14pm
Melissa
all cash,credit card and phone was stolen off me
4:14pm
Caroline
wow shame that is hard.
4:14pm
Melissa
i don’t have a phone
4:14pm
Caroline
Are you near any payphones?
or a restaurant?
What part of London are you in?
4:15pm
Melissa
let me give you the details
4:15pm
Caroline
okay, which Western Union in London is it?
4:16pm
Melissa
Name – Melissa [I’ve removed her last name for privacy]
Location – 30 Leicester Square London United Kingdom WC2H 7LA
got it
??
4:18pm
Caroline
we’re in Leicester Square right now! We are looking at buying tickets for a show! Let’s meet up! We can help you and give you the cash in hand!
4:22pm
Melissa
please i need to sort my bills
that why i need you to get it to me by western union
4:28pm
Melissa
are you there?
??
4:28pm
Caroline
you keep switching on and offline…
I was writing you back but it wasn’t going through
4:29pm
Melissa
ok
4:29pm
Caroline
so can we meet up in Leicester Square?
4:33pm
Melissa
u there?
4:33pm
Caroline
yeah…I was just asking about meeting up in Leicester Square but you went offline again.
Are you in Nigeria?
4:34pm
Melissa
what do you mean?
4:34pm
Caroline
Melissa is actually in Washington, North Carolina — so unless you are teleporting, you are committing fraud right now.
Are you sure you’re not the queen of Nigeria with a billion dollar fortune to share?
4:35pm
Melissa
why?
4:37pm
Melissa
??
4:37pm
Caroline
well, it seems pretty clear to me since Melissa is back in North Carolina that you are LYING. But I would love to chat with you about Jesus.
4:38pm
Melissa
you ok
4:40pm
Caroline
yeah I’m fine.
I just think it’s a really mean thing for you to pretend to be someone else and ask people to send you money. It’s really deceptive and not nice!
4:41pm
Melissa
so you can’t help me?
4:41pm
Caroline
If you tell me who you ARE, and you are straight with me, maybe I can help you.
4:42pm
Melissa
OMG!!!!!
Melissa is offline.
I think the OMG!!! at the end was my favourite part. I’m sure none of you would be silly enough to wire money to people via Western Union in situations like this, but just in case, consider yerself warned! I might also recommend being careful about giving away your Facebook password when doing quizzes and adding applications. Might be why folks are getting hacked…just a thought. I suppose thanks to this adventure we can be thankful for one more thing this Thanksgiving: A good laugh!
Nov 24, 2009 | Travel..ling Tuesdays
We’re taking it off the beaten South African/Scottish path this Travelling Tuesday with a few shots from an adventure to Amsterdam and a few other parts of Holland I had a couple years ago. I had the privilege of travelling to Holland for an academic conference that was held on the grounds of a very special community, similar in style to L’Arche communities.
I was profoundly challenged to reconsider my understanding of what it means to be ‘abled’ or ‘disabled’ and what responsibilities the Church has with regard to welcoming and living in community with people who we might initially consider ‘different’ or ‘other’ than what we are. A lot of these are thoughts for another post! But here are a few shots from the adventure in and around Amsterdam:
The architecture was so lovely and impressive. The number of bicycles was even more impressive.
Can you believe this is a parking deck for bicycles?
If only one of those bad larry’s would’ve fit in my hand luggage! That’s a lot of cheese.
There were absolutely B-E-A-U-tiful flowers everywhere. And lots of tulips. If only one of those bad larry’s would’ve fit in my hand luggage!
I just thought the grassy carpet in this wine shop was fantastic. How cool is that?
So that’s a slice of beautiful Amsterdam! I highly recommend a visit. But pay attention to where you’re going, and if you find yourself in an area where it seems the shops are getting a bit … raunchy … and there are women standing in the windows, it’s probably a good idea to pull out your map and head in the opposite direction. Other than that, it’s a nice trail on which to find yourself!
Happy Tuesday! I hope the trails you’re on bring you to pleasant places!
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