Early Winter

HI!

Well, I've scarcely been online at all this month. Many reasons which I won't go into here except for the two most general and pervasive: business and bad internet reception.

I missed Thanksgiving. It was sad. I'd even gotten stuff to make pumpkin pie. But I was busy and then it was Thanksgiving and there was no time left and we just grabbed some quick food before Ron headed to Akido practice and I headed to choir rehearsal. I couldn't even call people and say "happy Thanksgiving" because while I can receive international calls on my mobile, I can't place them. And using a calling card using anything but a land line...well I would have gotten as far as saying "hi" and maybe saying "Happy Thanksgiving" before the card was used up! And the only person left who I know with a land line lives on the opposite side of Glasgow. So that was that. Well, the turkeys were safe from me this year.

Immigration
Ron's interview is this coming Thursday. The medical exam is Monday. So he'll going to London tomorrow and staying with his mom in Essex for the first half of the week till Wednesday night when I'll join him down there. We'll spend the night in London since traveling from Chelmsford to London for an 8am appointment is impractical to say the least. So, be thinking good thoughts our way on Thursday. I'll let y'all know the result when we have an answer.

It does look like I am unlikely to use the return section of that ticket of mine, so when I come to California around New Year it may well be to stay. I'll still be quite busy those first two months regardless, but hopefully Ron will join me there before too long and then we can both see about permanent jobs in the same place--novel concept!

Music
So, I have at least one more Madrigirls concert, our Christmas concert/service on my birthday. For anyone in Glasgow--come see the Madrigirls on Dec 7 in the Glasgow University Chapel, 7:30. It's free! There will be free mulled wine afterwards!

We've been busking this year. I missed today's busking, but I've made the other busking sessions and we've raised a fair chunk of change so far. While our concert donation proceeds always go to charity, our busking proceeds are to fund a performance tour this summer. Last year we went to Northumbria and the borders. This year they want to go to Italy! Rather ambitious, don't you think? But as long as the various hopper flights to Europe stay so low, it's not all that far fetched. And singing in Italy! How cool would that be? Of course, it's unlikely I'd be able to go. But who knows? They've already said that Madri-alums are welcome to join in the tours, so if I do happen to have both time and money by then, that would be truly amazing. Madrigirls has been, without a doubt, one of the best things about my time in Glasgow. I don't know how I'm going to get over leaving behind such an awesome choir. I will have to hunt long and hard in the Bay Area and see if I can find something vaguely approaching being as nifty.

Research and Theology
I've been using the library again. More precariously this time, having to petition for every day I go in. The first day I did this I stayed reading till they shut at 2am!!

Out of time!! I'll try not to go weeks without popping on again.