Michaelmas & Harvesting

Today is Michaelmas Day, celebrating Saint Michael, our heavenly warrior, and Saint George, the earthly warrior. According to legend Saint George (known also as the Red Cross Knight) was the earthly representation of Saint Michael. The last few weeks here have been filled with songs of Saint Michael and the famous story of Saint George slaying a dragon. We have been practicing in class, a play of Saint George and the dragon to perform at our end of term festival. The story goes something like this.

Once upon a time the was a fierce dragon with a tail fifty feet long, claws as sharp as knives and a terrible roar that sounded like a hundred lions. With his great wings he flew about the land in which he lived, eating all the sheep and cattle, and burning crops at will. The King of this land was in great distress. One day, the Red Cross Knight wandered into the land where he met a very beautiful but very sad princess. She told him of how the dragon was terrorizing her father's land and the people in it. The princess pleaded for the Knight's help in slaying the dragon. Together they rode along until they spied the dragon in the grass. The Knight sent the princess to safety and the battle began. For three days and three nights the battle raged between the dragon and the Red Cross Knight. At last the Knight slew the dragon and all the people of the land cheered and were happy. In return for his victory the King gave his daughter in marriage to the brave Knight.


Here is Sycamore House harvesting beets and turnips in the garden.

Our Michaelmas celebrations today included harvesting the fruits of our gardens here at Ochil Tower. After our main lesson we all put on our wellies and gathered together in the courtyard of the Coach House. From there we went out to the gardens with our buckets to collect turnips, cabbage, beets, carrots, apples, potatoes, pumpkins and much, much more. When our buckets were filled to overflowing we carried them back to our houses to wash them and prepare them in a basket to take to the Hall and our Michaelmas table. In the Hall we gathered to sing, read from the Bible the story of Saint Michael battling the dragon in heaven and to offer our baskets to the Michaelmas table.In the orchard picking apples.....and maybe eating a few.
Harvesting is hard work. This is my youngest boy deciding that it was time to take a break and check out what we had gathered.

The Straight Up Version

Since nobody liked the story here's the plain version.

First off, I know that I told you all that my arrival here was fine, and it was, mostly. However, the whole story is that I was held at Immigration for some time before they decided to stamp my passport for only 6 months and not one year. As it turns out Scotland is at this moment changing their immigration requirements and I should have had something more, which neither the school nor myself was aware. I didn't want all of you to worry, as I knew you would, and so I am just now telling you because it has all been sorted and a final decision made.

In order to stay for the year I will have to fly back to the States, obtain further paperwork from an Embassy in the States, and then fly back to Scotland. This decision was made after discussing this issue with someone who is advising the school on the immigration changes. Although flying back "home" was not in my plan this is safest option and the school has offered to pay the flight because they want me to return and stay the full year.

So, all this flying will happen over our Autumn holiday in October. Likely around the week of the 13th. As I said my purpose at "home" will be to visit the British Embassy which means that I will not be flying home to Seattle but more likely New York or California. Perhaps I will get to enjoy some summer sunshine that I have so far not seen in either Seattle of Scotland!

Well, that's all. No need to worry now, everything is taken care of.

K

Once upon a time......

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a girl by the name of Kaija. One day Kaija traveled very far, over land and sea. After traveling for such a long, long time Kaija arrived in a land called Scotland and asked the people there if she may stay and live in their beautiful country. Now, the people of Scotland for some reason were not sure if they should let poor Kaija stay. They seemed to want to, but something was holding them back. For a long time they tried to decide, and poor Kaija had to wait and wait not knowing what would happen. After some time the people of Scotland decided that Kaija should stay but perhaps not so long as she wanted.

And so Kaija was free for a time to live in and explore that beautiful land. It didn't take her long to make some very good friends who promised her that everything would be fine and that they would convince the people of Scotland that she should stay as long as she liked.

All this time Kaija was so worried and uncertain of what would happen, she decided that, should she tell her friends and family at home, they would only be even more worried and concerned than she. Instead, Kaija thought to herself that it would be best for all if she first sorted it all out, and then told everyone what must be done.

After some time it was decided that Kaija should stay in Scotland for as long as she liked but on one condition, first she must return to her own land and acquire a gift for the people of Scotland. This gift she must bring with her and give to the first Scottish people she should meet.

Kaija agreed to do what she must and told the people of Scotland that she would bring them this gift before the beginning of the Christmas term. In two months time, she told them, I will travel to my home and return with your gift. And so she will.

This and That

Life has been flying by here at Ochil Tower. With the exception of being completely exhausted this week the last couple of weeks have really been great. I am feeling more and more settled and becoming increasingly comfortable and confident with the children. So here goes catching you up on the last couple of weeks in my shoes.

If we were to jump back in time to last Thursday, and talk about my day, you would have found me so, so happy. I'll start by explaining that on Thursdays, my job in the class is to sweep and mop with one of the boys. This had not gone well in the previous weeks as he was of the opinion that he didn't really have to work with me, and he had been testing my authority. Well, we arrived at one fateful Friday (that is the 22nd, prior to last thurs.) when we were to be working and he was not on task and then began pulling on my clothes and hair. I can't remember if I have told you all about this boy but, while he is really very sweet he does have the bad habits of pulling on clothes and hair and scratching. Some of it has to do with being non-verbal and getting your attention but mostly it is just being naughty. Well, to go back to our Friday, when he began pulling I thought "that will not do" and I decided that if he was not going to work then it was time for him to go home. He was not happy about this but off we went and I took him straight to his room and that was that. Well, I guess that did the trick because the next Thursday when it came time to clean he did so well!! I could not have been happier. He did his work and then I allowed him to listen to music and dance (he LOVES music and dancing). We had such a good time and I was so pleased.

Last Saturday we all made the trip in to Glasgow for the day. We left early in the morning and rode the train an hour to the city. I found a Starbucks, woohoo!! I was so excited. A bit o' Seattle here in Scotland. We spent the day shopping and exploring the city. While we girls were shopping this guy came up to us on the street to hand us an advertisement and without talking to us wanted to guess where we were from. First he guessed that I was German, then he thought I must be Spanish or French!! That was fun but I must say that I was not at all impressed with Glasgow (Family take note of this). With the exception of excellent shopping opportunities, I didn't think Glasgow had much to offer. I also didn't find any deep fried Mars bars anywhere! Oh, well. All in all it was a very nice day.

Sunday was sort of a lazy day and then house cleaning and salsa dancing. Not much happened in the rest of the week either. Monday evening we had class meetings. This was a time for us to share how things are going, talk about the children and class plans etc. Tuesday evening we said good-bye to one of the co-workers who is moving on to different work. Wednesday we had our weekly training course. Thursday again I cleaned the classroom!! Yay! Friday all the children went home, we had another training course and then a Birthday party for one of the co-workers. All together it has been a good week, even though my youngest boy in the house was not feeling well all week and I couldn't seem to catch up on sleep (very frustrating).

I think that will just about bring you up to date on my life. Today is pretty quiet. I made breakfast this morning with one of the girls which was very nice and we just had a chatty morning. A little coffee and talk (to be said with a Boston accent). This evening we are driving into Perth to go to the cinema and tomorrow we might go for a short walk. Pretty exciting stuff!!

K