Final Week In Scotland

Our last week is pretty full with fun (and I'm sure emotional) stuff.

We just returned from Alnwick this morning. Yesteray we had a BBQ at Wade's and then went over to Christine and Allen Mitchell's for nibbles and drinks.

Today - I begin packing. Ouch - lots of stuff going in the bin!

Tomorrow night we are dining with Henry and Ann and then have a B-day party with some of my IEP mates

Wednesday we are dining with Kitty and Donny (host family)

Thursday we are having a proper 'piss up' with Cath & Sharon (Owner/Mgr of Sams) and Paul and Kim somewhere in Edinburgh

Friday day/night it is one last time to hangout with Neil and Stuart - maybe in Edi or maybe in Fife where they live.

Saturday night I'm going out with my IEP folks to say goodbye

Sunday - a Fringe Festival show perhaps and then cocktails with Vic and Sandy

Monday - Playing it by ear for now. I fly out at 11am on Tuesday - bags overweight and tears ready to fall!

Picnic with Marion

We had a picnic with Marion and her daughters, JoAnn and Kay. They qualify as the mouthiest women in Scotland - to use their words, it was fucking brilliant!

Tim bbq'd some burgers and brats on the grill, I made some some cocktails, we invited Gloria and her in-laws to join us and Marion and the girls entertained us with their crazy stories about their kids, their dogs and being a host family. The backdrop for our dinner was the Dalkeith House - half under scaffolding; the 300 year old roof is being replaced in what will amount to a 3 year project.

St. Andrews

Part II of the weekend...

Stuart and Neil took us to St. Andrews, which is just a 15 minute drive to the coast.



It was a beautiful little town. We walked down the main streets, saw the Cathedral (ruins now) and walked by the 'first' golf course.











St. Andrew's is home to one of the oldest universities in Scotland as well. It is a lovely little city that is not overly touristy - apparently the city council is pretty diligent about keeping up 'traditional' facade.


Stuart, Neil, Tim and I had another picnic in their garden and that was it for a lovely weekend.

Sunning in Fife!

Last weekend Tim and I were invited up to visit Stuart and Neil at their new place. Stuart is the House manager for a couple who live in Fife.









The day was perfect - we sat in their garden and drank wine and had a picinic.












The boys walked across the front of the state to the back garden, where we were able to pick fresh vegetables and fruit for dinner. This garden was unbelievable! Fresh potatoes, turnips and leafy greens and then the raspberries, the strawberrie and the red currants - it was practically falling off it was so ripe!








Stuart gave us a tour of the 'big house', he prepared a lovely dinner (or did the sprites?) and then we crashed in front of Series 5 of "Absolutely Fabulous".










Before the night was over though - Stuart persuaded us to sneak into the indoor pool and take a dip. We didn't argue too much with that!







Poor Neil conked out though and missed out on the fun.

"From Paris to Berlin"

Okay - it was London, Paris and back to London, but there is no song with those lyrics.

We arrived in London in the midst of 30-35 degree (Celsius) weather. (85-95 F).

Our first night we got to attend Les Miserables. Tim and I joined Wade and his group of students. From those who had seen it and my own (first time) opinion, the set was great and songs were good, but perhaps fell a little flat, especially the girl playing Corset (sp?). In addition, it was a touch on the long side, but the story was powerful and it was worth seeing.

The next night were were able to hook up with some friends that Tim and Wade had made when there were at a trade conference in London last May.

Michael (Wade's Asst), Tim, Ashley (Wade's intern), Tim (friend), me and David.
Barry, Tim's b-friend, is taking the photo.

On our way to Paris - we travelled through the Chunnel.

I've never drank wine in the chunnel before!

Our first meal in Paris at a restaurant called Chez Antoinette - Tim and I ordered the Artichoke salad. Yeah, tell me how your supposed to eat that! Okay - so some French friends gave me instructions and it all worked out just fine - but is was a lot of darn work!

The next day - the louvre! Wow - HUGE place. Tim, as always, was a great tour guide. That Art History major in college has served him (and I!) well.

July 14 is Bastille Day. Marking the end of the French Revolution, it was the site of the first major battle. We joined the entire city of Paris in celebrating, watching fireworks that were shot off from the base of the Eiffel tower.

The Musee d'Orsey is a train station remodelled into a museum. It holds primarily pre-immpressionist, immpressionist, and post-immpressionist art along with some sculture. Tim's knowledge led the way again - I got to see originals of his favorite artist (post-immpressionist) Paul Cezane.

Tim and I on the balcony of Musee d'Orsey (overlooking the River Seine)

The queue for Norte Dame was TOO long and heat was unbearable, but this picture respects the commanding presence the structure holds.

This trip will probably be our last 'hurrah' before I move home. We do plan on going to Alnwick one more time to visit some friends, and we've been invited to Join Tim and Barry at their place in Brighton for Gay Pride, but that is the August 5-7 weekend, and that may be cutting it close.

Returning Today

We've been in on London and then Paris for the past week.

Home today to Edinburgh by train around 6pm- Lots of pictures and anecdotes to share!

Summer WIS Party

Our Wisconsin in Scotland - Summer 2006 end of term party.

We did make good use of the tent as it rained most of the night!



A feel good song got everyone out for a sing along.






Jim, the caretaker, Henry, the Chef and Gloria, the Director, look on at the fun







The students (and some of the staff!) danced into the dark; there was also the usually attempts at singing karaoke, but not of us will win an X-factor competitions!


All the Best to the students - They were a champion group!

For our last class, the students had to complete a 'Cultural Observation Sheet' in Edinburgh. Afterwards, I had them meet Tim and I at the Standing Order for dinner and drinks. Afterwards, we went to The Stand for a comedy show. "Dance Monkey Boy, Dance". We couldn't actually take any pictures during the show, which was okay. But I must say, we were in for a surprise! It was a VERY Scottish show - lots of humour based on one's knowledge of some history, celebrities and local icons. But, the kicker was all of the profanity!! OMG, between the F-bombs and C-nts being throw out I could barely concentrate on the deragatory comments being directed at Americans. Let's just say the students got a good dose of culture - it ain't pretty sometimes but its real.



At the Standing Order - Cheap Food and Drinks but a very nice environment! The pub is an old bank and is a popular 'happy hour' hang out for Edinburgh.

Amber, Shannon, Ashley, Erin and Leah

Jennifer, Chris and Brianne

Sarah, Kari (hiding), Erin and 'LaCrosse' friend


Luke, Karlee, Jess, Marcella, Becca and Ashley


Leslie, Alex, Amber and Lauren



Tim (sort of!) and Erin in front

Ashley, Amber, Leah, Jennifer and Sara ready to go dancing!

We headed out to a few gay bars to go dancing afterwards. It was a Wednesday, so we ultimately had the whole floor to ourselves and boy did we use it!! Good night out.

4th of July - WIS style

The Summer WIS Fourth of July Party went off without a bang! Except for the bangs we wanted.

The students started the evening with some games - the mellowist but still fun was the first: Musical Chairs. (Kudos to Kim in the maroon for winning!)

Tug of war proved to be a challenge on the wet grass. The distance clan (full of athletes and bigger (men) people) is who the Faculty ultimately lost to in the final. We were tricked! Someone yelled Go! as we were posing for a picture. Perhaps it was our vanity that killed us.



We didn't get any pictures of volleyball or Capture the Flag, but that's okay, because we were pretty sweaty by that point. And, we did have several injuries, some pretty bad and A LOT of burning neddle wounds, so I doubt they would have been pretty.

But of course, no 4th of July is whole without some fireworks! Paid for by the fundraising of students - we enjoyed some grand sounds and sights!




Happy 4th to All.

Summer Hits

It's the last week of the summer term. Today's class will of course involve a lot of closure and reflection activities. I've invited Sara, the grad intern to conduct one of the three activities. It should go pretty well and get the students to start planning and thinking about their time here and the transition they'll experience very soon. As I move home in just over a month, I suspect the 3 activities will also have a great impact on me. No tears, not today.

Our weekend in Alnwick was wonderful. We had a nice walk in Hulne Park, a fun night out with Wade, Michael (Asst) and his friend Erin. We saw lots of old friends and familiar faces who were in town and around the castle for the 25th Anniversary. The events and emotion of the weekend really got me thinking about moving home. I am, for the first time really, very excited to move home. It's strange - it is not that I didn't want to return, but I hadn't been longing for it so much as just knowing it was going to happen. I am, now, really looking forward to returning to Minnesota. The weather, the neighborhood, friends, family, my job! All of it.

This week should full emotion and activity. Tomorrow, the house is having a 4th of July Party with fireworks and all. The students had a fundraiser to pay for the fireworks and a dinner and bonfire is sure to ensue. Wednesday, for my last class, they will head to Edinburgh to complete an 'observation sheet' on culture. I hope they enjoy really seeing the city one last time before they have to head home. That night, Tim and I will meet them at the Standing Order for dinner and drinks, and then it is off to the The Stand, for a Scottish comedy show called "Dance Monkey Boy, Dance!".

Saturday is house cleaning and the end of term party - always a good night of food, fun and Karoke!