Let it snow!

Woke up to a beautiful, snow covered Edinburgh this morning...the GOOD snow too- the kind that crunches under your feet and packs really well for snowballs and forts :)

I've just submitted a 35 page (!) paper, the final assessment for my gender class.  My group project proposal for another class is due Wednesday morning and then...OFF TO COPENHAGEN, DENMARK! I am going for a week to visit my roomate from Gettysburg College who is currently working there, and a good friend from home is joining to make a terrific threesome taking on Copenhagen together for St. Patricks.  I've been looking forward to it for weeks!

I'm midway through my favorite module yet- Sexual and Reproductive Health- and really enjoying all we're doing.  On February 26-27th, the Royal Society of Edinburgh held a conference "Women's Reproductive Health Across the Lifecourse": 2 days full of incredible lecturers...it was extremely thought provoking and I learned so much.  There have been a number of great lectures in the city as of late and I've been attending as many as possible...I'm feeling like a true 'academic' and for now..really enjoying it!

Last night, the Rotary Club of Costorphine shared their 'rink time' with the scholars to introduce us to curling! Like golf, Scotland is birthplace to curling, thought to have origins in the early 15th century when it was played with rocks on thick sheets of ice.  I can now say from personal experience, the grace of olympic curlers must come with a LOT of practice and will never go under-appreciated by me again! I may or may not post a select few photos once I get them from the other scholars...my first attempts at 'delivering the rock' weren't pretty...the sweeping was a whole 'nother bird...
Fiddle classes, ceilidhs and hashing are still happening on a weekly basis and making time FLY so quickly! I can't believe we're mid-March. SLOW DOWN!!!

Yesterday, March 10, was my Uncle Bill's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) as well as Mother's Day in the UK.  I think celebrating at LEAST two days a year is appropriate...so big hugs to the special mothers in my life, and thank you for all you do!!

Fun Scotland Fact:  Ailsa Craig is a small (220 acre), now uninhabited island off the west coast of mainland Scotland. Blue hone granite is quarried here to make the world's curling stones.  Check out some pictures here: http://www.maybole.org/places/ailsa/craig.htm