Monthly Archives: December 2009

Happy New Year

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New Year is a huge deal in Scotland, our Hogmanay (what we call ‘New Year’s Eve’) celebrations are world famous. The fireballs in Stonehaven, the massive Edinburgh street party (with its tradition of being called off due to gale force winds more than a few times!).

When the bells ring at Midnight (Greenwich Mean Time) there’ll be fireworks from the seven hills of Edinburgh, balls of fire flung into the sea at Stonehaven harbour, the clinking of glasses, cheering, hugging, kissing and the shout of ‘Happy New Year’, the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

apologies to Sarah, as we sang this in the traditional fashion at her 30th birthday ceilidh earlier this year…

Tomorrow morning there’ll be drinking of irn bru and eating of fry ups to cure many hangovers, people jumping in the North Sea for the New Year’s Day loony dook underneath the Forth Bridges and people ‘first footing’ friends and family. The act of bringing food/drink to the home as a symbol of blessing the New Year.

And yes, I got a bit of a Hogmanay miracle…a letter from my Dad. The first communication he has made with me since my 24th birthday.

So to everyone, Happy New Year. May the year 2010 be filled with excitement, blessing, learning and most of all, love.

Thank you and Goodnight

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Thanks for everyone who joined me in reading Night Before Christmas. I loved, loved, loved the videos.

Especially the ‘Australian interpretation’ by Diane, David and Paula on Boxing Day!

Over the next few days my blog may go ‘private’ while I get rid of some posts and so on. This is so I can actually use my full name on my blog. A lot of my readers will know it anyway by now if you’ve had e-mail from me or have connected with me on Facebook!

It’s now almost 3 a.m. so I may go to bed now…maybe.

Twas three nights before Christmas

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After a yummy dinner of pizza and salad followed by mince pies topped in skooshy cream…and one hilarious first take which ended prematurely after some bottom burp induced hysteria…this is probably the most embarrassing thing I have ever posted on my blog. Until I upload Miss S’s request of the third video we made of the ‘lamb’ story.

Update! The lovely David and Diane Goodwin have done a video too so we have Scottish, Aussie and Norn Iron accents! Woo hoo! Any more accents out there?

And another update! Emily (and I presume her husband, Mark?) have done one too so we have some Norfolk accents (Norfolk, England, not the one in VA) to add to our international reading…

And another one! Connor (and friends) have added many Norn Iron accents to read the poem too! What did I tell you? The Northern Irish are taking over…! :)

A 2009 review

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So what did 2009 look like…well here’s my narcissistic review of the year!

Top ten best moments of this year:

1. Seed of Hope. My trip to South Africa, despite the struggles to get there, and all the food issues and silly injuries, was the best thing that happened to me in 2009.

2. The training day with the doctors & med students in Dundee. Scary but totally blown away with encouragement. I won’t forget arriving in Dundee with no purse after spilling juice all over myself in the car when I went to meet the organisers a month prior either. Way to make a great first impression.

3. The final Powerpoint of the year. Where I totally didn’t sing for a whole set with my in-ear monitors switched off. No, not me.

4. Taking over the post as Coordinator of the pregnancy crisis centre with my partner-in-pcc-crime, Sarah.

5. My 25th birthday – my smallgroup poured so much love on me that day! I got serenaded by Miss S. too. And I got to sing. And give out lollipops…

6. The Art of Joy – was crazy and I still can’t believe we pulled it off in such a short space of time. My smallgroup are now trying to get me recruited as a social networking manager! Ha ha!

7. Depo Provera. God bless the person who invented that stuff. And God bless the consultant who finally gave permission for me to get it!

8. Cornwall. If we forget the flu-type bug and the Jaguar crashing part!! I have so many great photos from that trip though.

9. Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I  had so much fun there this year, was great to be able to share some of the experience with friends too.

10. Chats with my sister and constantly commenting on each other’s pages on Facebook over the last month. I love that my sister is back in the UK, even if she is still a plane or train journey away.

Best book I read: Deadly Viper Character Assassins by Jud Wilhite & Mike Foster (even if is no longer in print, it’s still the best book I read this year by far).

Best quote from my visits to schools: Me: So what might be some of the reasons that could lead someone to choose to have an abortion? Pupil: Well, they might have to if they are a Jedi Knight.

And yes, it’s still making me crack up with laughter. These moments are priceless and why I love doing youth work so much!

Best film I saw at cinema: Slumdog Millionaire

Best film I saw on DVD: Cars

Favourite TV show this year: Brothers and Sisters

TV Moment that almost made me cry: When Belle died on Home and Away. Actually no…when she was crying outside Aden’s door after he found out she was dying of cancer, and he was crumpled on the floor crying too totally broken but wouldn’t let her in. Damn you Seven Network. You killed Jack too this year. Not impressed!

Most depressing sporting moment: St Mirren vs. Hearts – can’t believe we went to Paisley for that.

Best sporting moment: Scotland beating Australia in the rugby. Woo! And Beth Tweddle getting a Gold at the World Championchips in Gymnastics. That girl is paving the way for British Gymnasts…

Most listened to song this year: The Luckiest – Ben Folds

Fave worship song this year: Akekho Ofana No Jesu

What I learned this year: How to have a sense of humour about everything. I feel this got really perfected in the month of July. People dying, people going to jail, going to South Africa and using pretty much all my first aid/medicine kit, crazy scenes at Edinburgh Festival Fringe…what a bizarre month that was!

What are you looking forward to in 2010? Ummm…..errrrrr……nothing yet. Hopefully I’ll be reunited with my lil sister in London early in 2010. If we save enough of our pennies!

What has 2009 looked like for you?

Scottish Snowman

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Ahhh…Irn Bru...a symbol of Scotland. This advert came out a couple of years ago just before Christmas and was a major topic of conversation for everyone living in Scotland at the time. It still cracks me up…

Inspiration for alternative Christmas service in 2010? I think so! ;)

Oh and on the topic of Scottishness and Christmassyness this pic appeared in my Twitter feed the other evening…huh.