LET IT SNOW

Just to join in the snow theme. Glasgow is wet but Aberdeen has snow like Arlon and NS. Claire had some fun being escorted down the hill by her sisters. Who knew that Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has the best sledging slopes in town

JR

Belated Birthday Blog

Ailsa turned six this week. We celebrated Tuesday night with a birthday supper at Grandma and Granda's house. There was a cornucopia of miniature party food.A Birthday Blower Blowout

And today she invited four friends bowling. There was a lot of jumping up and down, whether two or nine pins were knocked down. That's what I like: unbridled enthusiasm.

Self-Rated

We've just had a lovely weekend with some wonderful guests, who made the long journey up from Dumfries. They put on disco-light dance shows, did a lot of dishes, drank a bit of wine, ate bedtime chocolate chip cookies, drew pictures of panda bears, skeletons and floor plans, also drank a lot of coffee and did a lot of chatting. At one point the younger houseguest said,

"Why is this bar of soap cut in half?"

The older one said, "because Sharon is thrifty."

"What does thrifty mean?"

"It means she likes to save money"

"Is she saving up to buy me a dinosaur robot for Christmas?"

"Uh, no, I don't think she is".

I want not

At the university cafe this morning, I ordered a cappucino. I did not ask for, and did not want anything with it. Nonetheless, this foil wrapper was placed on the saucer. Inside, this fortune cookie. Yes, fortune cookie. With a cappucino? And inside it says: "Wise people say waste not want not. Reduce reuse recycle where you can on campus". Why did they waste this on someone who didn't want it? I'm thinking back to last season's The Apprentice and the environmental greeting cards. sigh.

Other thoughts: I'm not sure we will frequent the university cafe even though it advertises itself as open to the public. At most of the tables were individual students studying. While I sipped my coffee, Heather boogied to the MTV videos and Claire spent the 15 minutes standing backwards on her chair shouting "Hiya" at them all.

Things I witnessed in Belgium

Papa getting the strength to get through the long night ahead

Mama getting the strength to get through the long night ahead

Magnificent Mahalia loving her warm bath

Some very teeny tiny toes

Halloween madness

Keeping with tradition Heather and I carved a pumpkin whilst Ailsa and Sharon went to a school Halloween party. During the intense pumpkin work, unbeknownst to me, Claire had opened up the bin (garbage can) and found some pumpkin guts she was munching on. Sharon not being backward in coming forward did her own witch doctor routine,whilst Ailsa looked she should be saying 'ruby slippers....ruby slippers...'

Heather in the same witch costume on her way to nursery.






Big J