Scotty found this and I know the three people listed above will really enjoy it – and the rest of you may also find it interesting. This has some beautiful arial shots of Edinburgh. Just a warning, the music is a bit melodramatic (but surprisingly, and gladly bagpipe free!), but it’s worth watching. I tried to embed it but it won’t cooperate so you’ll have to click here. Enjoy! Of course, it definitely helps that all these shots were taken on a brilliant, sunny day.
January 29, 2010
The past week has been absolutely crazy. I can’t wait to catch you all up on the best surprise of my life, thoughts on turning 30, and so much more. Sorry for the quiet spell here but I’ve been too busy rushing around with surprise visitors who lovingly invaded my life. Lots of entries with pictures to come! And, yes, I’m now 30 and loving it.
January 23, 2010
My birthday was on Monday, the 25th of January and it was my big 3-0! I was excited and hadn’t really planned anything because Scotty said he’d pulled something together – nothing major but we’d have fun. So I was fully expecting something to happen on Monday but then he said that he wanted Saturday to be the day when the two of us celebrate. We were going to do the things we like doing on Saturdays and would spend the whole day together – just the two of us. I was really excited about this and so when Scotty told me on Friday night that his academic advisor needed him to meet up with a prospective student I was bummed. Scotty said that some guy from Florida was coming to look at New College and it would be really nice if the two of us could meet with he and his wife. Fine. Not exactly what I was expecting to do on our day together but not a big deal – just inconvenient. Anyway, we had a great morning and early afternoon together – sleeping in, Farmer’s Market, wandering Edinburgh neighborhoods. At 4:30 Scotty said we should head over to the Wash (our favorite pub/coffee shop) by school to meet up with the prospectives. We went into the Wash, ran in to our friend Sean who said that there was an American-looking couple upstairs. I think I kinda sighed and then went up stairs only to find a big group of my Edinburgh friends all shouting “Surprise!!!!” at me.
Surprise!!!
Hugs for my amazing husband who planned the best 30th birthday ever!
It was amazing. I was completely taken aback and it was so fun to see all these faces that have come to mean so much to Scotty and I in our time here. Then, I noticed a movement at the back of the gathering and I see my dad’s face peeking out from behind a post. What!?!?!
My dad was there!
And then I see my Mom!
My mom - hiding and waiting for the surprise.
This was the biggest surprise because I had basically come to the conclusion that my mom would never visit! She hates cold weather and would rather meet up in a place where all of us could relax and hang out by a warm body of water. So to see her here in Edinburgh in January was a huge shock. And completely wonderful.
A little teary.
And then just as I was getting a bit adjusted to three huge surprises (Party, Pop, Mom) my brother, Solomon walks out from behind the crowd of people!
Solomon!
He said “That’s it. I’m it. There’s no more!” Which was good because I was completely overwhelmed with all the surprises and the idea that all these people were here to celebrate my birthday with me. Scotty had arranged for there to be wine for everyone along with amazing cupcakes.
MmmmMMmm.
And from what he said this party was a group effort. My parents had bought their tickets months ago and everyone in my family knew that they were coming along with Solomon but everyone kept the secret perfectly. Scotty had friends running around blowing up balloons, stringing up decorations, picking up cupcakes. I never heard or suspected anything.
Surprise = Success!
It was such a special evening. I loved being able to introduce my family to my friends here. I think that one of the most difficult things about living so far away from family is the inability to really explain what your life looks like. I can tell my family about my friends and life here but until they’re here and able to see it for themselves, it’s so abstract. It was good to have these two world converge.
The party team.
The people above where the first to arrive – they put up streamers and balloons, brought cupcakes from across town, and kept a lookout.
Pizza, Cupcakes, and Wine - I think that's all perfect party food!
I want to thank everyone for such a fun surprise. Thank you to my parents and Solomon for making the long trek out to Edinburgh to be here for this monumental birthday. Your being here completed it and made it perfect. Thank you to Derek and Katie Brown for taking great pictures and putting up decorations. Thank you to Sean and Leah for also taking amazing pictures and making the effort to be at the party despite having had a baby two weeks earlier. Thank you to Sean and Meghan for some amazing cupcakes. Thanks to Joe and Amanda for picking the cupcakes up and dragging them across town and helping with party set-up! Thank to Yve, Steve, Graham, Nathalie, Jeremy, Katy, Melissa, and everyone else who made this day so special by being a part of it! And, finally, thank you to my wonderful husband, Scotty. You put so much time and effort into making this day perfect and I so appreciate it. Every day with you is wonderful.
January 22, 2010
I’ve been able to get in a bit of reading over the past few months and now I’m ready to write about it. Fun fun fun.
In Defense of Food marks the most recent in a two-year food adventure that began with Barbara Kingsolver’s great Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which I read in 2007. In between these two worthy bookends, I’ve enjoyed The United States of Arugula, Omnivore’s Dilemma, and about twenty other books, cookbooks and the movie, Food, Inc. Next on the list is Dominion by Matthew Scully. I reviewed Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma here. I found it engaging, informative, eye-opening and just plain interesting. I felt the same way about In Defense of Food. It’s full of interesting information, for instance, due to soil depletion and changes in our food chain the nutritional content of our food is only a fraction of what it used to be! An apple purchased and eaten in 1940 had THREE times the iron of an apple purchased at a grocery story today!!! This means you need to eat three apples to get the same nutrients that you would have sixty years ago! There are lots of reasons for this: long distances between field and plate cause nutrients to be lost in transport and storage, our soil is being depleted of important elements, genetic modifications usually aim for aesthetic appeal and durability – not nutrition. Another interesting factoid is the emergence of a new creature, never before seen in the history of man: the person who is obese and malnourished. For the first time doctors are treating obese children for such archaic diseases as rickets. Obese children are suffering from a shocking lack of basic nutrients. Definitely a good read.
I know a lot of you will be shocked that I read this book. I am. I was challenged that I shouldn’t criticize a book before I’d read it and this was by someone (I will name no names) who reportedly hates fiction but loves the Twilight series. Plus a deal was made – if I read this book, my friend would have to read a book of my choosing…fiction included. So I picked up a copy and gave it my best shot. I hated it. Sorry to those out there who really like it. I couldn’t get into it. I found it poorly written, boring, strange and simply implausible. Now – I know you may be thinking, “Really, you expected a story about teenaged vampires to be plausible?” In my defense, I think really well-written fantasy can transport you into another world where you’re happy to relinquish thoughts of realism. The Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkien’s works, Mark Helprin’s fantastic Memoir from Antproof Case and Soldier of the Great War, heck even the Harry Potter series are all examples of beautiful, other-worldy stories that take you away from the here and now. They also give you thoughts and ideas that apply to the here and now and teach you how you can live more fully in this earth-bound life. No such luck with Twilight. For some reason I feel like I should apologize about this – but I’m not sorry. I will never get back the hours I wasted reading this.
Now on to some really gorgeous writing. My assistant manager at the bookstore recommended Home by Marilynne Robinson a few months ago and I finally got around to reading it just before Christmas. Wow! This book is one of the most beautifully written and poignant books I’ve read in at least a couple years. Robinson has only written three novels and when reading you come to appreciate the fact that she labors over each sentence, word, punctuation point. She labors so that the reader can enjoy. The prose is sparse but so full. The author is, judging from her writing, a deeply religious woman and seems to work out the questions of her faith within these stories. In a seemingly simple story line (a middle-age woman returns home to care for her dying father) themes of family, loyalty, faith and reason, life, death, hope and despair, justice and mercy, are all woven into a tapestry of lives lived well and otherwise. Home is the sequel to Gilead, which I am reading now and thoroughly enjoying. Do not come to these books expecting sharp plot twists or sinister characters: no, this is about very real people whose most meaningful moments and conversations take place around the kitchen table or on the walk between the front porch and gate. There is an earthy reality to these books and it is in their unusual realism that their true beauty lies.
A couple of years ago I got on this big Anne Lamott kick. Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith, Grace (Eventually), Plan B, and Bird by Bird were read in quick succession and ministered to my soul. Lamott has a way with words that can grasp you – especially when she’s writing from her heart and writing of the things closest to her. I hadn’t read anything she’d written in a couple years so I was intrigued when I saw her novel Rosie. I picked it up and was quickly drawn in to the story of a recently widowed woman. It bore the trademarks of classic Lamott – anxiety ridden characters leading seemingly meaningless lives, complicated family relationships, good friendships. And then it died. I was so disappointed because I had high hopes. It took a turn and the plot completely fell apart. It trudged into dark corners that could have easily be avoided, created drama that was just plain sad, and then it was over. From now on I’m sticking to Lamott’s non-fiction unless someone can recommend a fictional work of Lamott’s that’s worth the time. Anyone??? Please?
Finally, I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog a few months ago. It was a good read but I’m not entirely sure why I enjoyed it. It’s about a concierge living in Paris who hides her intellect. There’s a slightly quasi-philosophical bent to it – that can be interesting or annoying, depending on how you look at it. There are interesting characters and the setting is Paris so there’s a lot to like. It is not groundbreaking though. A good airplane read.
On my to-read list are lots of books I’m excited about and hope they turn out to be as good as I anticipate…What are you reading? Anything you’d recommend?
January 22, 2010
A lot of people have been giving alternative Christmas gifts during the past several Christmases. If you received a Kiva gift certificate, don’t forget to check the loans you’ve made over the past year or two. More than likely they’ve been repaid and you can loan out that money to another entrepreneur! That’s what’s amazing about Kiva. So check out your “portfolio”, log in and re-loan. http://kiva.org
January 22, 2010
Obama to indefinitely imprison detainees without charges
Posted by Rebecca under Politics, ThoughtsLeave a Comment
I usually don’t get political on my blog but I read an article that expressed many things I’ve been thinking about over the past year and I just can’t hold back any longer. I’ve always found it disgusting that our country is detaining suspected terrorists without trial for years at a time. It’s a practice diametrically opposed to the principles our nation was founded upon and is currently trying to establish in Iraq and Afghanistan. Scotty and I have had many long conversations on the topic and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and we have some pretty major disagreements – these are topics that get people riled up. The following link will take you to one of the best articles/editorials I’ve read on the subject. I would highly encourage you to read it – no matter where you stand on the issue. It’s informative and I think the author, Glenn Greenwald, makes some excellent points.
January 20, 2010
I recently stumbled across the most delicious housewares company, Labour and Wait. They’re based in London and have a delightful line of kitchen and household items. In my quest eventually go plastic-free their enamel ware is exactly what I have been wanting. Timeless design and great color schemes, wouldn’t you love to outfit your kitchen in this stuff:
I am currently working on a couple of posts and hope to have them up soon. One will feature some great books and I would love to hear what your current favorite read is! Please share…
January 16, 2010
In light of the devastation in Haiti it seems appropriate to try to do something. Most of us are stuck where we’re at able to do little but pray and donate. There is a terrible sense of impotence when faced with tragedy on such a large scale. A friend of mine from college is in Haiti now and has been sending updates on the mission he was visiting. There have been miraculous stories of survival along with heartbreaking stories of loss. And all the stories just make you want to “do something.” Here’s some ways that you can pitch in – both close to home and further afield.
Donate:
Unfortunately during times like there there are people who take advantage of the altruistic actions of others so it’s important to check out the charities you want to donate to. Charity Navigator is an excellent resource that rates charities according to the amount of each donation that actually goes to the work and mission of the organization. Some of its top-rated charities working in Haiti are:
All of the organizations listed above have established outreach in Haiti and know what to do in crisis situations.
Another way to contribute would be setting up a clothing/food/medical supplies drive in your neighborhood. Contact your favorite charity that works in Haiti and ask what they need. Then set up a drive in your neighborhood, at your church or school, or workplace and ask people to donate the desperately needed items. Your chosen charity will be able to help you with the details of what is needed and how to get it into the hands of those who are able to distribute the items.
At the moment the world’s eyes on on Haiti and aid is pouring in but recovery is going to take a very long time. My brother Solomon has worked with an amazing organization in Haiti called Danita’s Children. This organization rescues, cares for and educates orphans. Believing that any hope for the nation of Haiti resides within its children, Danita’s Children operates a school and orphanage that takes in children who have no one to care for them, provides them with food, shelter, education, relationships, and lots of love. You can take part in this by sponsoring one (or more) of the children living there by clicking here. For $29.00 a month your sponsored child will be well cared-for and equipped with the tools to bring change to a nation that desperately needs it. By partnering in this way you can help the recovery effort continue once the rubble has been cleared and the rescue teams return home.
January 9, 2010
On Saturday we took a walk along the Leith Waters down to Stockbridge. Due to the cold temps the snow is sticking around and we wanted to get pictures while it lasted.
January 8, 2010
We arrived back right after the worst snow storm the UK had seen in something like fifty years. December was very snowy in Scotland – highly unusual – and we missed all of it. We were just greeted with the remaining snowpack and it made for some gorgeous city scenes.
Our first evening back we walked around town and took some photos before meeting up with friends at the Wash for some hot drinks. It was colder than I’ve ever felt it here, but very beautiful.
Belford Road
No scraping or salting at all on our street or sidewalks.
The council is nearly bankrupt so the Christmas tree pick-up is very behind...
These boxwoods always look amazing - especially with a layer of snow on them.
Dean Bridge - again, no shoveling, scraping, or salting.
Dean Village
Edinburgh Castle
Another angle.
Prince's Street Gardens
Looking up toward New College
The Gardens and New College
The Museums and New College
Scotty was the photographer this night – I was so jet lagged I couldn’t focus my brain let alone a camera! I think he got some amazing shots. Isn’t Edinburgh beautiful in the snow?
