Weather in the winter in Scotland can provide many challenges...and we experienced some of those. At least we didn't have the 30' of snow some of them endured for the past two Christmases, and for that we are grateful. However...we have had not only plenty of rain but also an enormous amount of wind. So some of the time has just been better spent sitting in the living room being warmed by the gas fireplace and watching the dustbins blow down the streets! While the wind has been noticable almost every day, on Tuesday it was memorable even to the newscasters. Wind gusts hit 102 mph in Edinburgh and 96 mph in Glasgow---lots of folks without power, trees felled, tall-sided vehicles blown over, bridges closed to all traffic, and trash dumpsters and their contents blown all over everywhere. Its amazing to see one of those large heavy things being blown around down the road like it was a handkerchief! We chose well to stay home on some of those times.
I'm not sure how this happened...but here we are - entering California. There has got to be a story about this town's name, but I don't happen to know it. But it was startling to realize that we were in California for a brief while!
We actually had sunshine yesterday (and again today) and even tho the wind is very cold, just seeing the sunshine gives you a different perspective! We spent time today viewing the Falkirk Wheel, an engineering marvel that moves boats from one canal to another. It wasn't operating on this day, but you can certainly grasp the idea and wonder at the folks that created it. We walked from the lower canal up to the higher canal to get the lay of the land - fascinating.
It has been a marvelous experience to be with Julia, staying in her manse, getting acquainted with not only her pet family but also several members of her parish. God has blessed both the parish and the pastor by bringing them together. We look forward to a return trip to this beautiful country, and the roots of our faith, but next time in the summer. (Its not Texas-hot, but pleasantly warm. One day last summer a friend was dog-sitting for Julia, and when she stopped by to pick them up, her friend told her she had not let the dogs play outside because it was sweltering hot-- 76 degrees. Oh my!
We are celebrating Epiphany by a train ride in lovely weather back to London--oh the countryside is lovely to behold!
1 comment:
Awesome posts mom! Glad you had such a wonderful time!! Xoxo
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