Archive for December 17th, 2006

More of the same

So, we’re getting into writing this blog a bit more, we’ve had some comments back, and Dan is starting to even up the score a little more with writing more posts.

But for those who want less of the new, here’s some of the continuity business:

- Yes, we both still go to work too…Dan continues to be able to walk to work, and I head off on the bus. It’s fair to say that I’m probably out of the office more often than he is, with visits to schools or briefings etc, but he’s also out around the city meeting clients. Sometimes we even get a week where we are both in the office every day, which is actually quite nice.

It’s easy to stay late at work, and we have over the years. We’re now trying to work more regular hours, and for Dan to work less at home during evenings and weekends. Even though Dan’s business has been going for a few years now, it’s still quite a breakthrough to manage more free time outside working hours.

- We continue to be part of a church small group, meeting once a week in each other’s homes. There’s a lot of mutual support, prayer for each other and for additional people who’ve previously been part of the group, often internationals who are back home in e.g. America, Australia etc, plus other church friends working abroad.

This term we’ve been looking at different psalms. Each person has taken it in turns to choose a psalm that we discuss together. We’ve also had some different approaches, including writing our own. It’s been fun to see which ones people have chosen, and why.

- I’m part of the worship team at church, and get the chance to sing as part of the team around once a month. Dan also does some web work for the Africa Fund, and occasionally advises for the church website. So, if it gains a blog, you may have a guess where the idea came from…

- We continue to see my parents regularly, and tend to meet up every two or three weeks. As they’re up the road in Peebles, about an hour away from Edinburgh, we’re able to see each other fairly straight forwardly. You can read about some of our time together in Out and about, or Family.

The discovery of our thirties: how much of what we describe is more of the same, one way or another. But we’re still grateful to be who we are, where we are, and with a few new things thrown in too, hence all the topics in Out and about etc.

Add comment December 17th, 2006

Out on the tiles

Today we had our friends Jan and Paul round for the first time in ages. In fact it was Paul’s first time to our new flat [and we’ve been here over two years], so a special time. We had lunch, walked by the sea and then came back and played Mah Jong. Or at least they showed us the basics.

Mah Jong game with Jan and Paul It seems to be a very deep game - like a cross between chess and dominoes but with lots of nuances. All the tiles in Jan and Paul’s set were bamboo and plastic - historically they were bamboo and ivory - and there are a mix of types. There are the special tiles: winds, blessing and dragons. Then there are normal numbered tiles (1-9): bamboo, wheels and Chinese characters.

The experience was a bit like like playing poker for the first time, but having to learn how to count and what the cards mean.

A proper Mah Jong game takes sixteen rounds. We managed three. One practice game and we were told how it worked. Two extra games and Jan won one and I won one too. I think if we had been playing proper rules Jan would have won easily the second time too, but they were both very gracious and explained the game to us. They seem pretty good at it, but informed us that friends David and Maggie have been playing for many years and are very, very good. I think we’ll stay out of their way!

For those of you who are interested, we warmed up with a game of Star Wars Top Trumps [subject of a future post] and the proceedings were helped along with music from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, chocolate Lebekuchen and an enormous pot of tea.

Add comment December 17th, 2006


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