TooManyFlowers

Today I again am thinking of our Grand Day Out…

This time in the Cities, the great Edinburgh and the bustling Glasgow ….

Sigh there are some memories that I will never tire of,  In Edinburgh, Scotland where we saw the first of our castles, we explored Edinburgh Castle and marvelled at the small courtyard where the Tattoo was performed (compared to The Red Sqaure it was teeny!!! We explored Linlithgow Palace the residence of Mary Queen of Scotts…..we saw the turret she climbed 100’s of feet in the sky to watch and await and pray for her husband to return from battle with the English.

We explored the Dining Chambers and the great Banquet Hall with the Fireplaces as big as 2 carport roller doors…and there were 3 of them!!!! Imagine cutting the wood just for that!!! Oh my it was astounding….

We climbed the circular winding stairs, cold stone with no handle rails and imagined the poor queens and princesses climbing them in billowing dresses and shoes made out of slippery satin or the like. We saw there bed chambers with secret passages that led to the outside in case the King’s life was in danger.

It was the first castle that I saw (or imagined) the expense it must have taken to run a place like that….just the servants needed to chop wood and serve the royals, dress them and feed the royal court….it really amazed me…..and there was nothing left except stone and wood, but I could see!!!

I saw the hardship of medieval living, the coldness of the stone walls (even covered with expensive tapestries and HUGE roaring fires, it would have been a cold atmosphere) The courtyard plain but a respite from bitter Scottish winds on the banks of a river……the sun was warm….but the stark square nature with a gothic type fountain in the middle could only depress! The threat of war and the grief of a queen waiting for a King to return. Truely hard and harsh times.

We tasted Mill life in Scotland, saw where David Livingstone lived with his devout parents in a small room where children slept in a box….I saw his home and where his parents worked, I saw the hill his father walked up to take his son to the boat in Glasgow, going to Africa NEVER to see his son David again…. We stood and had a photo under the enormous statue of Livingstone and his African friends being attacked by Lion…..with Esther then 2 years screaming “KAWEY” (scarey) “LION” and refusing to go near it (it was huge though!!!)

We saw the slums in Glasgow where James Parents immigrated from….we saw the still standing Tenament Buildings where his Aunty lived in, and James when his parents were alive visited…..what an experience.

Too much to write about, the Farms where we saw Scottish Black Face Sheep for the first time, the HUGE and ugly Highland Cow with mud caking its feet and snot dribbling in its hairy face….but in the calendars they looked so sweet!!! We tasted IRN BRU fizzy drink for the first time YUM, we had Scotch eggs, i bought clothes from Mothercare and George….shopped in Testco…..wow i loved it!!!

Anyway, I am a Scottish fan so this just whetted my appetite for more YES LORD!!!!!

Bless you guys sorry if i have bored you but I just need to talk about it…even just for me!!!

Cathy

In the last couple of days I have once again been thinking of this time last year….So, today in honour of my memories I did another 4 pages of my Scrapbook Journal what I coin “Our Grand Day Out!”

Yes….you are correct from the Wallis and Grommit film involving some very suspicious engineering in the basement and some very “extreme sports” and wild walking on the moon.

To me out trip was a

GRAND DAY OUT

So I scrapbook to commemorate the event, today I achieved a big 4 pages…WOW I remembered how Sarah my 12 year old danced on a 60 foot stage at GORKY PARK in Moscow (yes the one in the film)

I also started to journal the Military Tattoo, that Josh my then 14 year old and hubby performed in with a MASSED PIPE BAND from around the world, in front of St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin wall, with the Red Square under their feet and Lenin’s Tomb in the background……all lit up like a Christmas Tree sparkling and glorious…..Can’t repeat those memories. EVER.

But there is a story to tell that needs an audience….

Wally is a Russian immigrant from South Australia, he diligantly taught my hubby James to play Tenor Drums (the twirlly ones that have fluffy sticks). He is about 65 years old…..he went with the band to Russia, he had not seen his Russian family for 35 years, his little brother he had never even met before.

During the Tattoo his family traveled for 3 days (remember Russia is huge and spans a 1/3 of the globe, 12 or so time zones!!!) One brother, sister and his baby brother (now in his late 30’s) made their way to Moscow and visited together……

Imagine their conversation, the exquisite moments of sheer joy especially between the 2 brothers that have never “met” before…..that was a moment I will never forget let alone those involved, they spent 1 night and morning together……they did not sleep….they talked and talked, laughed (Russians do not laugh all that much), drank vodka and smoked Russia Cigarettes. Then morning came, the band went to rehersals and when we drove away on the bus waving them goodbye tears welled  in my eyes….oh my!!!

Wally also explained to us the honour that our bands were experiencing. There is a gate in the Kremlin that opens up onto the majestic Red Square called the Saviour’s Gate. This Gate has been hallowed for years the only people that have ever walked or been driven through that gate were TSARSand RULERS…  PRESIDENTS like Putin. In a majestic and concillatory gesture thee Russians allowed Pipe Bands from around the world to march from those sacred gates.

The down to earth Aussie Blokes  in our band probably did not realise the significance of this Russian gesture, but Wally did!

He left Russia feeling like a Blessed and very happy man, to see those most beloved whom he had never touched or latched eyes on before, and to tread where few Russian Men have trod, in the Paths of a Tsar…..what an enormous experience it was for the Russian Immigrant from Croydon South Australian, and what an experience and priveledge to watch him feel those things.

I love life,

God has given us such a capacity to feel, think and be grateful, oh that we may be grateful to Him for his many Blessings He gives us, just  like Wally was humbly  grateful for the opportunity the  Russia Military Tattoo gave him!

Signing of for now

Cath

Feeling a little travel home sick now……we would now be in our traditional homeland Scotland, last week we travelled up to Wick to see the still standing cottages of my ancestors….what an experience. Although Scottish roads were a bit scary. Especially coz they do not have Catseyes like Aussie roads do.

We explored Loch Ness…the monster in all of his glory, Urqhart Castle, the deep and huge Loch Ness itself (we had a cottage on it’s banks) The mist in the morning, the jets that skimmed the surface of the lake for training (!?) purposes…the croft which we explored that was 400 years old……Aust has not even cracked the 300 mark…history…beauty….heritage….there is a lot to say about touching your roots…knowing where you came from.

The beauty of history and the foundation of history…..I know what the Jews must feel to know your ancestors walked the same soil, breathed the same air and saw the same sights. it really inspired me and almost took my breathe away.

God is good, gracious….who would have ever thought theTroups with 6 chn would travel to faraway lands…..this is what home education is about…..freedom liberty and experience.

Only believe!!!

ON A LIGHTER NOTE….

Travelling with 6 kids was novel too….2 cars, I had to drive with a little girl in a red car seat screaming if she had enough of that seat!! So it was exhausting fun! In Edinburgh we stayed in a gorgeous farm cottage…2 stories very pretty .

We tasted Scottish Iron Bru for the first time, bad for health but yummy….we had a family night on Fri with pictures of holidays and 3 bottles of Iron Bru to wash popcorn and choccy down! Sounds unhealthy YES but it will be a family memory that will be talked about for years I promise………..

We had out share of flesh moments especially me!! I am a photo lover, but when you are a driver you rely on kids!! Hmmmmmmm how many out of focus piccys can you collect….NEVER MIND!!! But what really freaked me was when oldest lad would FORGET TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES…..a true test of my faith……I felt like Mutlly the hound in that cartoon Wacky Racers….”shusser , frusser rushere mrusher………” beacuse we all know good Christians do not swear……….on the outside anyway. I am just honest, from 20 years in the world of drugs alchohol and wild party living, swearing was my 2nd language literally. So internal lapses after 18 years I think is a VAST improvement.

Praise God…….I never manifested that bad in the car!!

I love Scotland , the green lush land, the stone walls, the black faced sheep, the hairy Highland Cow……what a treat for this mum of 6!!!

Travel sick, but content…..if I was not a Homeschooler that holiday would NEVER have happened, school fees, uniforms, tuition…..etc. Would have never allowed it. Praise be to God. i love him so much, he saved me from myself. If I did not get found I know I would be dead.

If you read this do not be harsh……from a heart to heart….I can only be ME. Faults, tears, smiles, giggles….headaches too.

Must go, have Bagpipes and Pipe Drums reverberating in my ears….chn Dancing the Fling is really cute. But the bagpipes can be a bit hmmmmmmm….especially lots of times in a day, but i NEVER fail to enjoy watching them jump and extend their arms to the sky…

Here to is Heritage alive and well in the family, do real men wear kilts? Well in my family ALL of my Boys Hubby included do….their roots and genes. No shame or embarressment.

JUST US!!