Ordet

Quote of the night -- particularly for students...

Mikkel explaining his brother Johannes', insanity:

"Something happened."

"Was it love?"

"No -- Kierkegaard."

In the film Johannes went away to study theology, hit a crisis of faith and came home believing he is Jesus.

Just watched "Ordet" (Danish for "the Word", pronounced with silent 'd') by Dreyer (Passion of Joan of Arc) -- it's brilliant -- if you have the chance, rent it -- unfolds slowly, but give it time with an open heart.

P.S. DON'T READ UP ON IT VIA THE INTERNET -- every synopsis I've seen online tells you too much!

Hey Niece Anna!

Promised Anna I'd update the blog with this week's news! So here are the highlights --

And This week's soup recipe is up on the "sermons and stuff" page!

• Niece Molly and Brother Craig had birthdays on Wednesday! (This was in the States of course...)


• First snow fall on Thursday -- most of which had gone by the evening -- warm winter over here.


• Amazing walks up Scolty all week -- took pictures for y'all on Wed. and will post those tomorrow.


• Heading off to MacDuff Aquarium tomorrow with friend Scot Becker and his two boys -- Carrie has gone over to the States for a visit as a 40th birthday gift from her friends.


• Just agreed to buy a Ford Ka to replace the Fiat that was crunched last October -- it's available at the end of Feb. from the owner, who was going to trade it in on her new car -- pretty fun and a very good deal for me -- here's a picture of it:

• And of course, studying -- this week in 1 Thessalonians, really getting into the Greek -- please be praying for my language skills -- I love what I'm discovering / being shown, but am discouraged at how slow I am.

Lost in Translation #1

Knickers: The Scottish term for underpants
Bloomers: What Laurie hears / pictures everytime someone says knickers

You'll need to understand the difference to appreciate this ...

The Sunday after Christmas (that would be the 31st) I have just finished preaching in worship at the East Church (my Christmas present to friend Mary who is the pastor there -- free pulpit supply...) and I'm having lunch at the Brodies' with Steve and Jean Hughes (formerly of Banchory, now just outside London) and Katrina Ribbons (friend from Edinburgh). Standing there in my calf length wool tartan skirt, inspecting it for mud and rips, I'm explaining how, as I walked home from the East church along the river, I came to a place where I could either carry on next to the river on a small trail or cut up the steps and take the official walking / biking track. I opted for the small trail -- and then had to scramble up the embankment when it ran into the river! "I reminded myself of my nieces Beckah and Hannah who are always out playing and climbing in their skirts," I conclude.

"Laurie, you could have done what we used to do when we were wee girls," says Katrina, "and just tuck your skirt into your knickers."

"That would be fine," I reply, walking past Katrina to take my seat at the table, "except that I'm not wearing knickers."

"Great beer this, Robin." -- Steve's loud comment offered to break the silence all 'round.

Explaining my confusion between knickers and bloomers did not, regretably, erase the image of me preaching without any knickers on which had just lodged itself in everyone's mind... ... ...

The Year of Soup: Recipe #1

That's right -- remember how a few years ago I decided I'd choose one course of a meal per year and by the end of 7 years or so, I'd be excellent at any course I chose.

Well, it lasted up to appetizers (you know how this goes with me!) BUT sometimes a blog actually gets updated -- and sometimes I return to good ideas gone by the wayside...

So this year, 2007, is the year of soup. Mind you, everything else I've attempted to cook over here has been somewhat lacking (see mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving below...). I'm still getting the knack of ingredients that say the same thing on the label but react differently in the recipe.

But soup -- this is the Land O' Soup -- and the soups so far in 2007 have been brilliant -- and low fat! Which is NOT the norm in the Land O' Soup ...

Anyway -- here's the link to my recipe from this week -- it's good!

Happy New Year!

So, at the end of my last post, the Hydro Bill had not arrived,

the car had not yet been crunched (see 2006 Top Ten blog link in column to the left ...),

and I was off to enjoy the WETTEST day hillwalking that I have EVER experienced in Scotland.

Look who I found in my jacket pocket!

So the good news going into Christmas was that, thanks to the Hydro, I officially existed in the economic structures of the UK -- had a lead on the next car -- and our weather (unlike Seattle) has been remarkably mild -- a green Christmas! Which began with ...

Thanksgiving with fellow Postgrads and families:
(I contributed the worst mashed potatoes that I have EVER tasted ...)

German Christmas Markets with Mom and Dad
After a few days for at my cottage for the folks to recover from jet lag, we flew out on 4 Dec. for Nuremberg ...

and a tour of Christmas Markets in Germany and Austria!

Christmas in Banchory
began with friends Scot and Carrie Becker cycling all the way out from Aberdeen to Banchory -- with their 2 and 4 year old sons in tow! -- to join me for dinner Christmas Eve before I preached the watchnight service at the West Church. This is the first Christmas Eve service that I've ever preaching which I actually liked -- so I've posted it on another blog link to the left (Sermons and stuff) in case you are curious...

It was WONDERFUL to have kids in the cottage on Christmas morning!

Then I spent the rest of Christmas Day and also Boxing Day with the Marshall family:

,

after stopping in briefly at the Davy home.

Boxing Day
Lowlight: Learning how to play Risk and getting obliterated (you know how well I like to lose -- quote of the day: "We thought you'd like Risk, Laurie -- its about world domination." World domination is only fun, I have decided, if one holds the continent of Australia ...

Highlight: Learning that Craig and Kami are expecting their fifth (yes -- fifth) child! This means, of course, that there is a large needlepoint which will need to be entirely re-sewn in the lower panel! Misquote of a day back in 2003 sometime: "I'm designing this for 4 names -- you won't have more kids than that, will you?"

Reconnecting with former students

Another highlight of Christmas was reconnecting with a number of former students who are living outside of Banchory but came home for the holidays -- why I forgot to take photos I don't know! But had a great dinner with Leanne Banks and her Mom Fiona, and gathered Christmas Eve with Lyndsey, Claire, Maya and Janine!

And not that she was a student, but seeing friend Sarah and her family was great, too!
With Sarah (Scott) Herbert and her daughter Bethany, visiting for Christmas.

Hogmanay or Scottish New Year was well celebrated with friends at Morrisons'.

And now here into the New Year I am resuming research -- enjoying my daily walks up Scolty -- comparing our weather to Seattle's and glad, in that regard, that I am here instead -- still working on the car situation -- and loving every aspect of community in Banchory except that friends and family from home are so far away!