[side note of explanation for any possible readers who do not happen to be of my same religious persuasion: I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and all women in that church are a part of the largest world-wide woman's organization called the Relief Society. Relief Society is the best and I love it]
the relief society should change its hymn. as sisters in zion (excuse me please for saying it) is such a weak song. the tune stays pretty much within a five note range. it has no surprising or interesting melodic moments, no lovely, moving or unusual harmonies, no rousing chorus.
ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding, ding diiing dading ding ding ding ding ding ding ding.
all quarter notes. no quickening syncopation, not even long holds. it's a sissy song. and we are much stronger, more exciting, more lovely, more moving, more inspiring than that. we are MORE. so, i move to change our relief society hymn. let's take hark all ye nations. i LOVE that one. or brightly beams our father's mercy. great one. or guide us oh thou great Jehovah. one of my very favorites. or how firm a foundation. and brooke suggests each life that touches ours for good. i'm totally supportive! that should not be a funeral hymn. great harmonies.
i'm serious about this.
30 August 2010
Cymru part 2
(this was also posted on the parent blog--more review)
I'm thinking I'll post one more after this so that I have a nice round 3 parts.
I originally wrote this post on the day I was leaving the UK. I think I'll just leave it like that:
I'm sitting in Heathrow Airport (for just about the bazillionth hour on what is becoming what feels like a 72 hour day. Friday night, Anders and I were up until 6am taking people to the Cardiff airport and Cardiff train station. And then we were up again at 9 to take the last group. Then we spent the day packing up the houses and getting everything together and storing all the program stuff in this totally creepy attic. That night we went to a movie. And then on Sunday I got up really early to finish up the packing and cleaning. And then Sunday afternoon we traveled to London Heathrow and went downtown and then spent the night in the airport. And now, Monday morning, I'm waitng for my flight. So, my inner clock is totally off--my brain is fried. And I feel great!). Anyhow, I thought I'd share some more pics and stories. I am filled with satisfaction and happiness as I sit here--it was such a great trip.
Excuse the randomness--this time I'm mostly just choosing pics I like.
Cardiff has some great parks. In one of them (Roath Park), there is a lovely lake and row boats, so we went rowing as a program. Zoe and I were lucky enough to be rowed around by Tom--there wasn't space in the other student boats. It was hilarious to watch everybody else try to get the hang of it and we all had a blast.
Pasties are my favorite food in the UK, and here we are eating them as a group in downtown Cardiff. Pasties are a savory pastry, shaped like a crescent. My favorite (the traditional Cornish) has steak and potatoes and onions and carrots. It's delicious and cheap and filling.
Tom had to leave about 2 weeks before the program ended and right before we did our UK tour. Anders, his son, flew in to be the replacement driver. On our second day out, we managed to get parking tickets. Apparently the Conwy Castle parking lot is a van-free zone. Oops. Tom leaves us alone for two seconds and we run amock
Here's the van I drove and my wonderful, brave, patient passengers! We had a great time. I really love these girls and totally appreciate how cheerful and trusting and helpful they all were.
Every summer there's a festival down at Cardiff Bay. There are street performers and farmers markets and delicious cheeses and ice creams and meats etc. etc. We always go down and tour the Assembly Building and watch the crowds. This day I had a delicious sausage sandwich with grilled onions and fantastic cheese. And here I am chilling with Tom, Dannica, and Tom's daughter Zoe.
Great times!
I'm thinking I'll post one more after this so that I have a nice round 3 parts.
I originally wrote this post on the day I was leaving the UK. I think I'll just leave it like that:
I'm sitting in Heathrow Airport (for just about the bazillionth hour on what is becoming what feels like a 72 hour day. Friday night, Anders and I were up until 6am taking people to the Cardiff airport and Cardiff train station. And then we were up again at 9 to take the last group. Then we spent the day packing up the houses and getting everything together and storing all the program stuff in this totally creepy attic. That night we went to a movie. And then on Sunday I got up really early to finish up the packing and cleaning. And then Sunday afternoon we traveled to London Heathrow and went downtown and then spent the night in the airport. And now, Monday morning, I'm waitng for my flight. So, my inner clock is totally off--my brain is fried. And I feel great!). Anyhow, I thought I'd share some more pics and stories. I am filled with satisfaction and happiness as I sit here--it was such a great trip.
Excuse the randomness--this time I'm mostly just choosing pics I like.
Cardiff has some great parks. In one of them (Roath Park), there is a lovely lake and row boats, so we went rowing as a program. Zoe and I were lucky enough to be rowed around by Tom--there wasn't space in the other student boats. It was hilarious to watch everybody else try to get the hang of it and we all had a blast.
Pasties are my favorite food in the UK, and here we are eating them as a group in downtown Cardiff. Pasties are a savory pastry, shaped like a crescent. My favorite (the traditional Cornish) has steak and potatoes and onions and carrots. It's delicious and cheap and filling.
Tom had to leave about 2 weeks before the program ended and right before we did our UK tour. Anders, his son, flew in to be the replacement driver. On our second day out, we managed to get parking tickets. Apparently the Conwy Castle parking lot is a van-free zone. Oops. Tom leaves us alone for two seconds and we run amock
Here's the van I drove and my wonderful, brave, patient passengers! We had a great time. I really love these girls and totally appreciate how cheerful and trusting and helpful they all were.
Every summer there's a festival down at Cardiff Bay. There are street performers and farmers markets and delicious cheeses and ice creams and meats etc. etc. We always go down and tour the Assembly Building and watch the crowds. This day I had a delicious sausage sandwich with grilled onions and fantastic cheese. And here I am chilling with Tom, Dannica, and Tom's daughter Zoe.
Great times!
26 August 2010
in which i actually go to cymru
and during which i never manage to post on this blog, despite its title. sorry.
also--this is actually posted on my family blog as well. so, family, this is review.
part 1:
background: i went with byu study abroad to wales this summer in order to be their van driver. so, wrong side of the road and the car with a stick shift. and 17 passengers. it went incredibly, miraculously (and i mean that literally) well. there are drivers in this world and then there are drivers. anders taylor and tom taylor, the other drivers, are in the latter category. and i am in the former. i can drive, but i'm not a gifted driver, you know? i still can't believe how quickly i felt comfortalbish on the road. when i first wrote this post, we were on our week long trip through the uk. we had just driven from the southern tip of wales to the northern tip--a totally beautiful drive. also, there were several tight spots, that day and everyday. we really went all over the place. here are some picture highlights of my favorite things on the trip:
these first couple were from our trip through cornwall. we were down there for two days. it is probably my favorite part of the uk and it was also the most intense driving. lots of really really tiny roads and having to do lots of backing down steep hills in order to let cars pass. at the end of the cornwall tour we were behind tom when he had to back up for cars in his van and he mentioned how crazy stressful it was later. we had done it in our van about five times. still, great great trip and we made it!
merlin's cave.
landsend--the western peninsula of cornwall and western most tip of the uk. one of the most beautiful places i have ever, ever been. we walked along the peninsula at sunset. the photo doesn't do it justice--it was painfully beautiful.
the motor boat we drove at st ives. it was SO slow--four horse power engine and i think at least 2 of the horses were out for the count. we were cracking up. st ives has beautiful white sand blue water beaches (also very good looking guys, it turns out, running these boats). i have put a vacation there on my bucket list. for the beaches rather than the boys.
we took the train to london and spent the day there, ending with a show at the globe (tom, zoe and i actually did a double header. henry iv part 1 in the afternoon and henry iv part 2 in the evening). the globe is perhaps the number one top thing to see in london. it was great as usual.
then we didn't quite make the last train back to cardiff so we spent the night (from 11:30pm until 5:30am) in paddington station. it was actually a great adventure. everybody took it like champs and had a great time. i didn't sleep at all until the train ride home.
also--this is actually posted on my family blog as well. so, family, this is review.
part 1:
background: i went with byu study abroad to wales this summer in order to be their van driver. so, wrong side of the road and the car with a stick shift. and 17 passengers. it went incredibly, miraculously (and i mean that literally) well. there are drivers in this world and then there are drivers. anders taylor and tom taylor, the other drivers, are in the latter category. and i am in the former. i can drive, but i'm not a gifted driver, you know? i still can't believe how quickly i felt comfortalbish on the road. when i first wrote this post, we were on our week long trip through the uk. we had just driven from the southern tip of wales to the northern tip--a totally beautiful drive. also, there were several tight spots, that day and everyday. we really went all over the place. here are some picture highlights of my favorite things on the trip:
these first couple were from our trip through cornwall. we were down there for two days. it is probably my favorite part of the uk and it was also the most intense driving. lots of really really tiny roads and having to do lots of backing down steep hills in order to let cars pass. at the end of the cornwall tour we were behind tom when he had to back up for cars in his van and he mentioned how crazy stressful it was later. we had done it in our van about five times. still, great great trip and we made it!
merlin's cave.
landsend--the western peninsula of cornwall and western most tip of the uk. one of the most beautiful places i have ever, ever been. we walked along the peninsula at sunset. the photo doesn't do it justice--it was painfully beautiful.
the motor boat we drove at st ives. it was SO slow--four horse power engine and i think at least 2 of the horses were out for the count. we were cracking up. st ives has beautiful white sand blue water beaches (also very good looking guys, it turns out, running these boats). i have put a vacation there on my bucket list. for the beaches rather than the boys.
we took the train to london and spent the day there, ending with a show at the globe (tom, zoe and i actually did a double header. henry iv part 1 in the afternoon and henry iv part 2 in the evening). the globe is perhaps the number one top thing to see in london. it was great as usual.
then we didn't quite make the last train back to cardiff so we spent the night (from 11:30pm until 5:30am) in paddington station. it was actually a great adventure. everybody took it like champs and had a great time. i didn't sleep at all until the train ride home.
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