1 week anniversary

Time for the first passport photo!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spellbound

Flamenco:

 The Thinker:

Enchanted

Could it be magic?

Merlin Gonzales-Kelling

17.11.12 @ 10h55

8lb 9oz / 3.9 kg

 Right before my funny turn so looking a bit pale...more on that later.

9 Months

Some high jinks and tomfoolery before the final (non-gestational) push:

Crossing the bridge:

 Bump inspection pause:

Hill walk when the weather cleared, but I could only manage to the trees and back:

 The tomfoolery and high jinks part (with "the Mo"):

A race to the finish

Baby stuff is ready:

But so are chapters 1-7 of the thesis with final revisions on chapter 8 due tomorrow.

Place your bets now...

How do you know when Christmas is just around the corner?

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

One of THE best British festivals rolled around again: Guy Fawkes Night. And it just keeps getting better and better. 

Mandatory Freezing Cold Night: tick

Shuffling with thousands of others towards the nearest muddy park: tick

Everyone warpped up in hats, scarves, gloves: tick

Listen to the classic Relight my Fire (Take That) over the tannoy: tick

Avoid queues for Haggis, Neeps & Tatties: tick

Enormous bonfire: tick

Sticking out belly and getting right up to the barriers: tick

Cheering when the bonfire is lit: tick

Ducking the bonfire smoke: tick

Cooking your face one minute, turning, freezing your face the next whenever you are not facing the bonfire: tick

Ahh when the first fireworks go off: tick

Neck crick: tick

Pointing out all the new fireworks they've created since last year: tick

Matching the music to the display: tick

Frozen toes: tick

Sparklers: Er...no tick....AGAIN.

Queuing to get out the car park: tick
One hour to thaw out at home: Also tick

Brilliant night!

Laterne Basteln

This time two years ago I was staying with a German couple in Bangladesh and last year I was actually living in Germany, so it seemed a good idea this year to join the local German group for a Sunday afternoon activity of 'Laterne Basteln'...essentially making lanterns for the Feast of St Martin, which falls on 11 November. It marks the end of field work and the beginning of winter in the agricultural calendar (think 'Thanksgiving' in America). After the feast, the Church traditionally began 40 days of fasting, which eventually was shortened to 'Advent'. St Martin's Day is still celebrated by...well, everyone else in Europe except for the Brits who mark the date as Remembrance Day.

On St Martin's Day, children go through the streets with lanterns and candles singing songs about St Martin. So today we joined German families (so many blondes) living locally in order to make lanterns for the parade. The group was welcoming and friendly (two aquaculture PhDs in their midst!) and it was fun to be part of a German tradition...plus I was rather pleased with my result :).

November is Movember