sorry + ammends

blogging is sparse lately, but so is time.

Teaching is taking more (unpaid) time than anticipated, and I can't help but feel a little bit duped. As in: I got roped into taking on this class just when their major assignments were due and the curriculum manager simultaneously managed to LOSE the course curriculum.

So I've been lesson-planning my little butt off (again, that's without pay) and The Front Lawn has taken a hit. I apologize, and offer a wee update of recent highlights.

- Dean and I bought and decorated our first Christmas tree. It's as tall as my knee, and oh so cute.

- We saw a movie we loved (Once) and a movie we hated (Beowulf) and are so very ecited for The Darjeeling Ltd tomorrow

- We celebrated the birthday of two good friends with a phenomenal seafood dinner on The Green. I had to eat my words re: Aberdeen's inability to produce unique restaurant meals. My seared tuna with wasabi mayo was enough to hold me over until the Minato feast I'll be having in two weeks (good thing since it cost 6x as much!).

- We had a visitor (if the Glasgow pictures didn't give it away). One of my oldest friends, Kelly Jacobs made her first cross-ocean trek and got to see a good chunk of Scotland in its wintry finest.

- We've been discovering great friendships. Dean and I have both been blessed with wonderful friends here. Sunday nights at the pub are never dull.

- The city is so Christmassy. Aberdeen has a parade each winter and the high street is strung with lights in the shape of polar bears, Christmas crackers, Santa and, oh yah, baby Jesus.

- I got to go out on the bus again. Once a month I get to be a part of a ministry to prostitutes in Aberdeen's harbour area. We go down in a refurbished bus, giving the "lassies" a place to warm up and have a cup of tea and toast, and some chat. Sme of them eventually end up in Teen Challenge recovery programs and get off the street. Humbling to realize how, minus their addictions, those girls aren't much different than me.

- Dean is going to Sheffield of Thursday. He got invited to do a wee talk at the Uni there. And he's going to visit Helen!

We're leaving Aberdeen in 2 weeks for a quick visit home. Looking forward to cuddling and speaking French with neices and nephews, dinners with friends, a spa day with the Regier ladies, and heaps of family gatherings!