Haggis, Haggis and more Haggis!

I know I haven't been updating lately. Since I've been back, I've basically been living in the library trying to collect all the data I will be using for the next 3 years. It's consisted of me going through all the recorded Latin Inscriptions in order to find references to deified emperors as well as looking in the ancient literary sources and coins. A daunting task and one that is not quite finished but I met with my supervisor today and he seemed quite impressed with my progress. Things seem to be going well which is a nice little warm fuzzy after the stressful week I've put in.

Yesterday was Robbie Burns Night and I was invited to two parties. The first was a scottish friend of mine from the department who had a whole bunch of department people over to his flat for a nice dinner party. Everyone who came had to have a tartan so most of the guys dressed up in their kilts. They all looked fantastic. We didn't really do the whole traditional Burns' night thing (like the ode and the toasts; although the haggis was processed in), but there was haggis, potatoes, turnips, and lots of wine and whisky to be had. I am pleased to say that I really do enjoy haggis. It's actually quite tasty. Dessert consisted of fruit salad, shortbread fingers and this whipping cream, whisky, and honey concoction. Very enjoyable.

I ended up leaving his party early to head off to the party hosted by my flatmate in our building. I arrived just in time to help with the procession of the haggis and the reading of the ode to the haggis. So more haggis and fun to be had with the people in our residence. By this time I was getting a little tired and since I had to meet with my supervisor today, I left and went to bed. It was great to have two different parties with varying degrees of tradition. It was great fun to be a part of the celebrations.

Lunch yesterday was haggis (although I didn't go, I figured that was just too much haggis in one day), and with the two parties, there was definitely a great deal of haggis yesterday. I got to wear my kilt and well, just enjoy being in Scotland.

Christmas Adventures

I know it's been a while since I last updated. With all the craziness of Christmas I ended up not having time many of the things I was hoping to accomplish. All the school work I brought back with me remained untouched. My parents and I ended up flying out to Ottawa on Christmas Day to spend the rest of the holiday with her and her husband. Good times had by all. We spent a couple days wandering around outside. Did a tour of the Supreme Court of Canada and of the Parliament Buildings. We walked beside the Canal (no skating this year since it's been to warm and it has not frozen yet). All in all, it was nice to have a little break and go back to Canada but at the same time I became quite homesick for Scotland. I love it here and really missed not being able to walk around town and randomly run into people. I'm now back and have thrown myself headfirst back into my work. You know you're doing something you love when you miss not being in the library everyday. Or maybe that just makes me a bit of a nerd. Either way, it's been great getting back to work after a nice break.

So, to summarize the holiday:
Number of hours spent on planes: 21.5
Number of inflight movies: 7
Number of Canadian cities visited: 4 (although two of those were just the airports)
Number of UK cities visited: 3 (those were all airports)
Modes of transportation used: Planes, train, buses, taxi, walking, car.
Number of books read: 3
Number of Chapters of German done: 1 (sort of, I'll have to go back and review. No where near what I was hoping to accomplish)

I have an online photo album set up with pictures from Christmas and some of my other earlier adventures so feel free to browse at your leisure. http://picasaweb.google.com/medea.colchis

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!