Merry 2013!

How do I recap this year?  I guess it all starts with the Babbity Bowster.

Wha learned ye tae dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster?
Wha learned ye tae dance, Babbity Bowster brawly?

Ma mither learned me tae dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster,
Ma mither learned me tae dance, Babbity Bowster brawly.

Aunt Beth and I were looking for a place to stay in Glasgow and saw this place in the guidebook, and HAD to stay there.  Who doesn't want to stay in a pub?  So I emailed them right away, and we had our first reservation for our trip.  It was also the scene of the huge gash in the side of the station wagon...narrow alleys.



 
Battlements: one of the highlights of the trip was to Doune Castle, where they filmed monty python & the holy grail.  Unfortunately we couldn't go up on the battlements, but we could wander everywhere else as Terry Jones narrated. 


Auntie Jenn had many fun adventures with Ally & Josh over the year, from riding on all El trains but the yellow line to swimming to finding Josh's favorite book on evolution to making crafts and singing and playing instruments and reading books galore.

Birthday: Mom's birthday was celebrated with cousins and aunts and chosen family, as well as a performance of the book of mormon.

Ballet: I continue to have season tickets to the Joffrey Ballet, and enjoy the three or four times a year I am guaranteed to hang out with my friend Cindy!


Indiana is where the Lindsays have been gathering at Auntie Grandma's house in Culver. We were able to do some swimming, some reading, and we discovered that Ally & Josh love the bungee cord ride!

Trains: I am more in love with trains every day.  I was able to add trips on the Tube as well as the Glasgow subway (third oldest in Europe, btw).  And the first class trip from London to Edinburgh was worth every penny.  It had been a dream to travel first class...

You betcha! I was able to go to Minneapolis for ACUHO-I and see lots of lovely friends like Sara, Michelle, Colin and other housing folk.  As well as take a crazy cab ride to Cafe Latte across town.

By the way, did I mention I went on a trip to England?  London is lovely, and I could go back many many times...the shops, the bookstores, Covet Garden, Westminster Cathedral, National Gallery, Handel's house, the Tower, Churchill's War Rooms...the tea, the chocolate, and the bakery...


Orlando for TPE in March gave me a chance to see Jennifer and Melissa where we had a yummy birthday dinner.  And I was able to see Colin at his new place in Deland and see the east coast of Florida!

Watching Downton Abbey, Games of Thrones, Sherlock, Selfridges, Law & Order: UK, Torchwood, Orange is the New Black, Glee, the Big Bang Theory, and House of Cards as well as reading several books a month has been...

Silly.  You know I am.  As is this one...

Twenty years?  It was so wonderful to see all my Albion friends and reconnect -- I missed you all so!  Jim, Sonia and I relived our I-House days, Rob and I reminisced, and my KD sisters and I remembered the fun times.  Jim and Sonia also were able to spend some quality time at Albion's Kids n Stuff...

Every day I am thankful for the wonderful students, staff, and colleagues at SAIC. 

Relatives: I am thankful that I am so close to family, both blood-related and chosen. My Chicago family: Alli, Teryn, Anne, Sifi, Diane, etc.  And Beth's adventures with census records in Edinburgh and the ability to see family apartment buildings (or former apartment buildings -- I don't think they lived in a Baptist church) in Glasgow.  This is Beth in front of her paternal grandma's parents' address.  We were able to go to tenement museums in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and see what our family's lodgings might have looked like...

 

 And one last picture of the fam...we miss you, daddy!

Happy everything to you and your family!

ok, one more...