Thoughts and Wanderings . . .

Here are a few notes about Scotland:

• All desserts are referred to as "puddings." Took me a few times of refusing puddings to realize I was really missing out on dessert!
• Would you like to stay for tea, yes? Tea means supper or evening meal and almost all questions end with "yes." (most times tea is not even served)
• Everything is "a wee" bit of this or that (ie, a wee child, a wee walk, a wee car, etc.
• A "round-about" is where cars go around about in circles and fly off at different angles onto other roads. They are everywhere, even on the major highways. I will never understand them!!
• Why do the car GPS's have to have deep Scottish accents? LOL 
• When cooking with recipes we weigh everything rather than measuring. Everyone has a "food scales."
• The ovens are not in Fahrenheit, so we use charts to figure oven temps out. Hit and miss to say the least.
• Stove/oven, washing machine, and fridge/freezer are all considered "white goods."
• A cow is a "coo."
• A YIELD sign reads: "Give away"
• Leaving each town/village a sign will say: "Haste ye Back"

Good news in the missionary service--our investigator that we've been helping teach, Nicky, is going to be baptized after all. She said her life wasn't as happy and satisfying when she stopped coming to church and meeting with missionaries. She is set for October. We attended a very sweet baptism last evening, a young Chinese girl. I think I mentioned that we have a large number of Chinese members in our ward and they have a Sunday School in their language. The Chinese population in Edinburgh is very large, partly due to the UNI here (Universty of Edinburgh - a very international school)

The mission office is very busy--I don't have the most important job (all important), but I'm probably the most consistently busy out of all the staff. I'm the Housing Coordinator (probably mentioned this before), so I am either opening new flats or closing down flats that we are no longer going to use. I handle all of the utilities for these flats, sometimes even semi-furnishing them. I love the housing part of my position although at transfer time (every 6 weeks) when the mission president tells me he needs 5 new flats ASAP I panic a little. Then I remember that the Lord is at the helm of this mission I serve in and things will get done. It's pretty amazing that I can find a place, have the closest missionaries go view it and get the contract signed and returned in a matter of a few days. I'm thinking of going into the real estate market when I return home LOL. 

Today I taught the 14-16-year-old Sunday School class at church. We talked about the Blessings from Heaven and how we block them from raining down on us by putting up an umbrella. The analogy was "what are the umbrellas we have in our lives that keep the blessings from raining down on us?" My visual aid was a black umbrella up with things taped all over it that might keep the blessings of our Heavenly Father from raining down on us.

Wanderings: Saturday we left early for a 1 1/2 hr. drive to St. Andrews. For the non-golfers, that is where golf originated in the 1800's. The original course is still played on and I don't think it was my imagination that there was a feel about the grounds. OK, I'll admit it, we snuck unto the grounds at the point of the famous old bridge (always shown on tv during major tournaments) so we could take a picture of each of us on the bridge! Eat your hearts out all you golfers!! And I won't say what I bought or who for . . . but I did visit the official golf pro shop for a few purchases. We also visited the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral which dates back to 757 AD. It was amazing. Hope my pictures post nicely. We were told that the best fish & chips in all of Scotland were to be found in St. Andrews at a restaurant called the "The Tail End." So we tried it--maybe 2nd best!

NOTE: Hello mom, how's it going with you? I hope you're doing fine and enjoying life. I also hope you don't pick up a cold as the weather starts to change. I know you usually get one humdinger every year. I don't think it is fair that we should get a cold or "bug" when we get older--do you?! I have really been busy and haven't had the chance to blog as much as I would like. Last Saturday all the senior missionaries got together and the women made candy. Actually, one of the couples showed us how to make their recipe for toffee. Reminded me of when we used to get together with you and make the hard rock candy. So yummy. Probably nobody makes it anymore. I know I haven't make it in over 20 years. The weather is starting to change here. The trees do turn and the days are getting shorter. I bought some winter boots and a heavier coat last weekend. I'm set for whatever comes my way. Give mom a giant hug for me Kay, and mom you might as well give Kay a big hug for me!! Love you bunches.

NOTE:  Hello Maxton! how are you doing? Your grandma misses you a whole bunch. I wanted you to know how handsome you looked in the picture with your dad and sisters. I loved that shirt and tie. Hope it still fits you when I come home from my mission so I can see you in it.  So, how is the soccer doing? Are you playing any particular position? Or do they move you around for the experience? What kinds of things are you studying in school this year? I'll bet if you have a science class that it is probably your favorite. I know how you like to explore with nature stuff and do experiments! I can't wait for you to come to Scotland. You will love exploring the old castle ruins and finding out the history of each of them. They all have wonderful stories about them. I've seen 10 or more castles and have many more to go. So be safe and send me a note in the mail when you have time. Love you a whole bunch, grams.

and more wanderings . . . .

Grayfriar's Bobby's gravesite

Yes the author of Harry Potter books really did write her stories here.

"Bobby"

Now here is a picture of the "Elephant House"

where the author of the Harry Potter books wrote much 

of the book's contents.

                a character from Harry Potter books

The pub behind the dog is called Greyfriar's Bobby. The dog statue is in honor of Greyfriar's dog "Bobby" there is a story behind the pub & dog, but first let me tell you that if you rub Bobby's nose you will receive all the luck you need! The story is that when Greyfriar died the dog laid on his grave every day for 14 yrs and died there. There are children's books about it. It's a true story and here is a picture of Bobby's grave. There is a church with a really old cemetary right next to the pub and Bobby is buried there. This is right in Edinburgh and many people stop by every day to get their share of good luck by rubbing his nose. The other amazing story about the cemetary is that some of the characters in the Harry Potter books were named after people's names on the really old headstones. I'll try to post a couple of pictures.

Sorry my pictures are all over the blog. . . pictures & blog not working too well together tonight. Hopefully you can match pics to the stories.

Today we visited Linlithgow Palace today which is the oldest palace ruins in Scotland. It was the summer palace and vacation place for Mary Queen of Scots. Very well preserved--pictures below. This was about 45 min. from Edinburgh. We climbed many steep winding staircases and we were happy for the exercise (too much office sitting time). The grounds were beautiful and provided a place for people to picnic and even take boats out on the lake behind the palace. We also saw Linlithgow Chapel (pictures posted). Built in the 1600's.

One of the highlights of our weekend was Friday evening when we helped teach an investigator who only speaks French. So we hooked him up through Skype with two of our French speaking missionaries and they taught most of the lesson to him. Couldn't understand a word they were saying, but it was still a spiritual experience.                                                 Thanks to all those who have sent letters--I've loved them. Goodbye for now, Sister Gifford

Old Cemetary
 how many Harry Potter names were born here?

Linlithgow Palace--and yes, we climbed all the way to the top! 

Add caption

Mary Queen of Scots

Linlithgow Palace courtyard 

NOTE: Hi mom--what's up with you? I hope you are enjoying life. Do you still listen to your books on tape? When my companion and I travel we listen to books in the car. We are starting to see wee touches of fall here--some of the trees are starting to turn, the temperature has dropped a few degrees, and the heat has come on in our flat. Today I was checking out the winter coats and boots in the store here--guess I will have to get used to my first cold winter in such a long time! I don't mind the cold weather, its the long-dark days I dread the most. It will be dark when I get to the office and dark when I leave. That's no fun!! Love you a whole bunch--consider yourself hugged.

NOTE: Hi there Rylee Jane--how are you my little sweetheart? I suppose you are in school now for at least a week or two and your life has become very busy. Are you doing any sports? I loved your first day of school picture. You and Michael both look so grown-up. What grade are you in now? I should remember, but you know how it is when you get older--the memory doesn't always perform like it should LOL! I'm sure you don't have that problem. My mission is going very well, and it's hard to believe that I have been in Scotland almost 5 months. My plan is to visit all my grandchildren when my mission ends, I'm going to stay a week with each family whether they want me or not LOL! I'll work my way from New York down to my home in North Carolina, visiting one set of grandkids after another. That includes great-grandchildren too. I sure hope you have a great school year. Write me a letter if you have time. Michael too. Love you lots. gramma G