[The Scotland story]

I left for Scotland on the morning of December 1st. My friend Michelle drove me to Heathrow; I took a plane to Inverness, Scotland; a taxi to the bus station; a bus to Ullapool, the seaside town; a three hour ferry ride to Stornoway, Isle of Lewis and, finally, a car ride to Miss MacIver's home.

It gets dark around four at Royal Holloway, provided it's a clear day, in Scotland it was around 3:30. The ferry took about half an hour to dock because of the high winds and waves. I was on the fifth deck and at one point we went crashing down and a wave hit my window (this ferry was the size of an oil tanker). When we were finally docked, the captain said over the loud speaker that the wind was in excess of 60-70 knots and that the gang plank wasn't safe. Eventually though, they were able to rig a sturdier gang plank up and let the foot passengers off into the wind and rain.

I had a wonderful weekend of touring the island, meeting Scottish people and watching TV for the first time in two and a half months! Oh, and the food. When given an option of porridge or cereal, I said porridge, of course. I'm an oatmeal fanatic, and real Scottish porridge! Well, the next morning when an enormous bowl of porridge was placed in front of me, I realized something about Scottish hospitality -- it comes in large portions. As I struggled to finish the porridge, which was delicious, a bit of salt is the trick, I saw eggs, toast and tea being taken out and prepared. Yes, friends, breakfast course number two. How much does one have to eat in order to be polite but not burst at the seams in the process? This is a question I pondered all weekend. Tea is served at least, oh, 6-7 times a day. Even when you're drinking coffee you're having tea. Oatcakes are divine.

Miss MacIver's friend Margaret came over on Saturday morning for 'tea' (coffee and toast) as she does every Saturday. The community feeling on the Island was so unusually old-fashioned. I really felt as if I was in a George MacDonald novel, especially when Margaret began telling the story of some old sceptic who said to God that he would pray three times to understand this verse in Ephesians and if he didn't understand it by then, he'd give up on it and God. (This is someone they knew). Well, of course, God answered him and helped him understand and he became a Christian. It reminded me of the old guy in The Maiden's Bequest (Sarah).

Well, British weather. Monday morning (couldn't leave on Sunday because nothing is open or running, including ferry) the ferry was canceled due to high winds! This was my only chance to get off the island and make my flight! A nap and tea and three course lunch later, I was on the afternoon ferry, heading back to Inverness to catch the overnight train. A word about overnight trains: get the bed. Perhaps it is my childhood viewings of White Christmas but overnight trains have always seemed to me to be the height of greatness. I still hold this to be true if you have the bed: I, did not. I chose the much more economical option of the seats, pretty luxurious as seats go, but not a bed. I spent a restless night until I decided at 4am to call it a night.

Arriving in London 11 hours later, I headed back to Egham, dropped my luggage off, brushed my teeth and headed off to my first lecture, which was actually the best we've had yet. Hopefully, I'll go back to Scotland to spend more time there, it was beautiful.

Moral of story: take a hot air balloon, bicycle and blimp next time to enjoy all forms of transportation.

Scotland

from the air



Ullapool, the wind was so fierce I couldn't hold my camara still



Isle of Lewis



a traditional black house. the fire was right in the middle of the house and the stables were attached, piles of peat stood at the back door. quite cozy but smoky.

sheep with blue bums, very undignified.

the sea. "water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink."



the island castle. the original owner made his money in the opium trade.

my host, Miss Catherine MacIver. lovely women and gracious host. every scottish women is either catherine, margaret or joan.

[First Christmas Present of the Year]

Chantelle gave me a Chocolate Advent Calendar! It's fair trade, too, so on the back it has pictures and descriptions of how cocoa is harvested and the native people who do it.

Do you know you are weighed in stones here? Mental.

Bring on the Mother-in-Laws!

"At least we're doing this now," said Laura. "Instead of for our angry Mother-in-law." That was the rallying cry behind every attempt to not fight through the frustration of finding distinctly American ingredients in lousy English supermarkets. Well, all future mother-in-laws can rest assured that Hayley Taylor and Laura Ratz pulled off a flawless Thanksgiving dinner on their first attempt. *Thank-you, thank-you* Many calls to our mothers and many hours planning and scouring internet sights later, I must admit. I am still in shock. It was most certainly the thing that I was most thankful for that day. At the last, I did give up on Scalloped Oysters, my favorite Thanksgiving dish. I would have had to walk to the station and go to the next town, find the fishmonger and watch as he counted out twenty oysters which was going to cost 13-15 pounds (that's $26-30) -- eek! I'll have it for Christmas, thanks. Otherwise, the menu was:
Turkey - I was in charge of this
Mashed Potatoes - Both of us
Gravy - me
Sweet Potato Casserole - Laura, a Ratz tradition
Cornbread - me
Green Beans - Laura, both Laura and I bulked at making Green Bean Casserole, sorry for all you fans out there but yuck!
Wine - brought by our lovely Chinese neighbor, Lin
And for dessert:
Pumpkin Pie - Laura
Apple Pie - me
Pumpkin Cheesecake - me
Whew, it was a feast for poor college students! Only Chantelle had ever had either Pumpkin Pie or Cornbread and she was the only one who'd ever heard of Cornbread. I guess it is very American western.
*Things I learned: 1. I don't like carving. I was so happy when Irenie (pron. ear-rEE-ny), the girl from Cyprus, volunteered, she devoured that Turkey! 2. I know now why my mom, grandma and aunt are always flushed and calling for the doors and windows to be thrown open upon the negative degree weather: cooking for multiple hours = hot! 3. I am so Thankful that I live in America where we celebrate Thanksgiving! A wonderful, bringing-together holiday. I made everyone go around and say for what they were thankful. It was splendiferous.
Ok, onto the pictures!

First helpings


The bird


Irenie attacking the bird. She says in Cyprus they roast big turkeys for big family dinners all the time.



The suite mates: Chantelle, Michelle, Frank (Lin's boyfriend), Lin, Irenie, Ron, (Fred had to have leftovers because he had a neccessary eye appointment)

My first big holiday away. Even though I missed my family and the Robin's bash, I was very thankful for my English Thanksgiving!

(More pictures later when they are working)

I'll never forget the people I met
Braving those angry skies
I remember well as the shadows fell
The light of hope in their eyes
And though I'm far away
I still can hear them say
Bombs up...
But when the dawn comes up

Therell be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see

Therell be love and laughter
And peace ever after
Tomorrow
When the world is free

Christmas Shopping

Oxford Street



Break at Starbucks -- first Gingerbread Latté of the season!




An untold number of pounds later...margueritas

Brilliant, amazing, hot, hot, hot! The International Office took us to a pub for steak and ale pie and then to this show. I was so happy they let Linnea go! We were blown away. This is the hit musical that is based off of Queen's music. "I want to break free!"



This music pumps you up! Linnea and I were up until 4am (though the last hour was spent waiting for a certain boy to get on Skype).

"A hand above the water
An angel reaching for the sky
Is it raining in heaven -
Do you want us to cry?"

I love, love sushi and chopsticks!

Yah, we bonded.

London

+

Linnea

{We claim Yeshua}

I have long been interested in Messianic Judaism so today I finally looked them up on the internet. Go to this web site to read what they believe: http://www.messianic.com/articles/basics.htm. It is amazing some of things the author says:

"Since Messianic Judaism is Jewish, it deems all Jewish people as its siblings. Also, since Christianity professes the Jewish Messiah as their Savior, Messianic Judaism deems all faithful Gentiles as its siblings (and no longer to be pagan Gentiles). This does not mean Messianic Judaism agrees with all the doctrines, traditions, customs or practices of either traditional Judaism or Christianity. We believe it would be the best and is ultimately necessary for all Jewish people to know their Messiah Yeshua, but we do not believe that God has called any Jewish person to become Gentile or Western Christian in custom. Rather, we believe it would be best and is ultimately necessary for Christianity to remove its pagan influences and return to the roots of Judaism, that is, to return to the way of Yeshua as He walked by example and set forth in His entire Word."

It's interesting to think about it that way. Jewish people do not need to become Western Christians, we are the ones who have been grafted in. Unconsciously, it is easy to think that when a Jewish person accepts Christ that they are laying aside their Jewishness for Christianity. But this isn't the case. They are accepting the promise and hope of Israel that is proclaimed in the Torah (the Old Testement). They are completed. We, on the other hand, are not the core or the root but we are the new branches.


"Since Yeshua is God in the flesh, He is the eternal God of Israel, who gave all holy things only to Israel and promised them for all time. He did not come to reject Israel or to take back what He promised, but only to fulfill what He promised, without taking away any promise to Israel. He came to make Israel a better Israel, not to start another religion. This "better Israel" was foretold through the Prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) in 31:31, which was the promise of a new covenant that would put the Torah and the Ruach (Spirit) of God into Israel as an indwelling new creation. Since He is God of all, Yeshua also came to allow anyone of the Gentiles who trust in Him as the Messiah of Israel to be grafted into Israel by way of that same new covenant in Him. This better Israel Yeshua called His "Miqra" in Hebrew, which means "Called Out." It is "Ekklesia" in the Greek."

Cool stuff.

*i'll be home for christmas, you can count on me*

England - Glam = Work

Well, darlings, since I've been here I 've been writing about all the glam and sight seeing but here's the other half. Duh, duh, duh...

I spent the first two weeks here in turmoil and tears as I tried to figure out the crazy British educational system. Impossible. Here's the gyst of what I discovered about the history department (the separation of departments is very strict): Read, read, read and when you find that you don't have anything else to do, read some more. In fact, in England, you are said to be "reading for you degree." People have asked me, "What are you reading for?" Armed with my new lingo, I wasn't stumped by this question and accidently answer, "Well, I like to read, it's good for you." But, instead, I answered as a true British student, "I am reading for history!"

Each class only meets for two hours a week so you have a lot of time to do all this supposed reading. Eight hours of coziness with a book is recomended for each lecture hour. Of course, this is suggested. In reality, students get away with a lot less.

The point of the lectures seems to have escaped me, especially given this remark from one of my seminar teachers. "It's superfluous to take notes in seminar, in lecture too, for that matter. You can learn it all in your own reading." Hmmm. Why do I go? Oh, yes, I am improving my mind. I am reminded of a quote from Good Will Hunting, a horrible movie, but with this one good line. The main character, a genius, says to a snotty Harvard student that he is paying $40, 000 a year to learn what he could've learned by renting the same text books from the library and paying $3.50 in overdraft fees. I suppose we go to get that degree, that piece of paper, and for the motivation. Yah, maybe I could motivate myself to read a book but to write an analytical paper voluntarily? No way, I'll leave that to Benjamin Franklin. Now that's will power!

O.K. So there's the low down, the dirt and grit, the grime. The system here needs some major updating. I can imagine some young medieval scholars involved in the same practices of study as I am here. Everyone reading from the same three ancient texts that comprise the library. Ha, ha, a little dramatized.

N.B. No English feelings were injured in the making of this post.

Windsor Great Park, at last




I set out for Windsor Park again, this time with a crude map drawn by Michelle, one of my suite mates. Windsor Great Park, the haven of Elizabeth Bennet and all her admirers. Paths enough to explore, woods and lakes and dense greenery to satisfy any appetite. It also was crowded with every sort of chortling, busy bird including parakeets! They flew to and fro making fun of all the small corgis and terriers that were out for airing.

It was a glorious Autumn day of thin, cool air and bright blue sky. I had to be outside! Begone all history papers and books, today is for the soul.


A very old stump.

The long and winding road


This totem pole is a random addition to the scenery. Given to the Queen in the year of her crowning by the provence of British Columbia, I gather the people of that country once made them.





The leaves are slowly changing color.



Me.



The things needed for reflection.



My bench hewn from a log.



The view from my bench.





A dad was taking his two little girls on rides down the hill balancing on the girls' scooters.



"What place is there in me to which my God can come, what place that can receive the God who made heaven and earth? Does this mean, O Lord my God, that there is in me something fit to contain you? Can heaven and earth, which you made and in which you made me, contain you? Or, since nothing that exists could exist without you, does this mean that whatever exists does, in this sense, contain you? So, then, I should be null and void and could not exist at all, if you, my God, were not in me." St. Augustine
I've picked up Confessions again.