Answered Prayers (even semi-silly ones)

It's snowed a little bit here in town. Yesterday, David and I spent a couple or three hours digging out cars from the freshly plowed streets. Yes, they even plowed the side streets, even though that was 3-4 inches ago. We dug out my new car (side note: YAY!). Even though I'm refusing to drive it in this beast-weather until I have insurance, it's easier to dig freshly plowed snow than iced-over-compacted-mountains. We dug out a neighbor's car. We dug out David's car. We dug out another neighbor's car. We dug out his parents' driveway. It was the most exercise I'd gotten in months.

Featured in this photograph: my Handsome and Hardworking fiance, my pretty car, and the 11" or so of snow.



As all of this occurred, schools were closing like mad. Some waited for the Official Meeting to see what the combined opinions of such trustworthies as the State Patrol, Firefighters, Snow Plow Crews, and Paramedics thought. They shouted a resounding, "STAY HOME! DON'T BE AN IDIOT!" Most school districts closed. Except mine and the two other valley districts. I prayed, "Jesus, if it's going to snow, and least make it snow big enough to miss school. Amen."

This morning I woke up and checked the school closures. No Luck. The teacher giving me a ride was too afraid to come into my neighborhood (justifiable caution), so I was going to meet her at a bus stop 7 blocks away. I thought mutinous thoughts at this point. There is no reason to have school when none of the kids are going to show up anyway. They must despise us and want us to die icy deaths.

Luckily, I checked schools again, and we have reluctantly closed. And not until 5:30 a.m. AFTER the other schools. How heroic.

But YAY! I get to build a snowman with David today!

Big Decision

I need to buy a car. I have been without vehicle for about a month now, due to former car being sadly totaled. I'm sure it's been a wonderful humbling experience and lovely money-saver. However, I would like a car now. In my price range are jewels like this. Pickings are slim. Young women are taken advantage of. I need help!

Happy New Year!

It turns out we were in the right place at the right time. Edinburgh is internationally famous for its Hogmanay (New Year) celebrations.

By chance, we made it to the Torchlight Procession in which we, with 15,000 other people, processed through about two miles of the main streets with torches. We walked up Calton Hill and watched a giant Viking ship and a wooden stag burn like the biggest bonfire you've ever seen. They then set off the most incredible fireworks show I had ever seen until that night.







On New Year's Eve itself, we witnessed the biggest, friendliest, and wildest street party in the world. They closed off most streets in the downtown area and all of Edinburgh turned out, most with bottles in their hands, to dance, sing, drink, watch concerts, and party through the night. There were four or five stages set up with bands playing simultaneously. We ended up on a bridge at midnight, and watched two elaborate and identical fireworks shows on each side of the bridge, one at Edinburgh Castle and the other at Calton Hill. Strangers wished us a happy new year with shouts and handshakes and hugs.

This video gives you a great idea of what it looked like. It's a bit long, so if you get bored, skip to the last 30 seconds or so.



Yes, it was really like that.

Tourist Highlights

Hosea...

gets his own post.

The Big News

David and I are engaged.

On Friday night he took me to a little park overlooking the city, dropped on one kneee and asked me to marry him. I, of course, burst into tears and said yes. Then, after an appropriate interval, went to a pub to listen to Scots sing traditional songs and joke around. (Which was amazing. These were songs that everyone had heard from their grandmothers and sang along. There was even one about Jacobites).


The sparkley

The center diamond is my great-grandmother's, the rest are from David. It is beautiful and princessy and sparkley.