Tamales!

Urine My Way

One of the singular charms of living in the middle of a city is the, shall we say, colorful behavior one encounters. Take, for instance, the fact that people keep urinating on the front door of our apartment building. Now, I am not opposed to urine per se. Urination is a necessary part of life; I encourage it. Nevertheless, our door is not the best place to do this. There are two reasons for this, aside from any legalities involved. First, the door is not flush to the floor, so urine deposited on the outside of the door inevitably makes its way inside. No one likes to hop over a urine puddle on the way out. Second, as a consequence of this, said urine puddle makes the entire stairway smell really, really bad. Yes, while I am not opposed to urine per se, it is an objective fact that urine does not emit a pleasant aroma. Pity that it doesn't, otherwise our stairwell would smell quite nice right now. So, on the off chance that the wonderful individuals who have abused our door in this way happen to read this blog, let me say, for the record, that I take strong exception to your act. That is all.

Gingerbread

Sorry for not posting for so long. It's been, well, a busy couple of weeks finishing up papers and such. Nevertheless, there has been some time for Christmas fun, as evidenced by this video of gingerbread excitement. Enjoy!

Another Day, Another Castle

I meant to post this earlier, but hey, things happen. Last weekend was St. Andrew's Day, which I admittedly do not know much about aside from the fact that many public attractions are free for that weekend. So... yay? This meant, of course, that we finally visited the Edinburgh Castle, which normally costs something like £11, but for free. Good times were had by all, I suspect. The highlight (for me) was probably the Great Hall, which is filled with lots and lots of swords. I like swords.

Christmas Decorations

It's nearly Christmas time!

St. Andrews, part three

The thrilling conclusion to our day in St. Andrews... or something:

St. Andrews, part two

St. Andrews, part one

We took the train north last weekend, crossing the Forth Bridge, up to St. Andrews. A quiet little university town, St. Andrews is mainly known as the home of golf, but also has some interesting ruins to explore. We were a bit pressed for time whilst there - the train for St. Andrews didn't leave Edinburgh until nearly 11am and the sun sets a little before 4 - but we definitely got a feel for this lovely seaside town. The first video, posted below, has to do with golf. Enjoy!

On Threats Received

Threatening Letter

We don't have a TV in Scotland. There reasons for this are twofold: (a) we don't want to buy a TV; (b) in the UK, to have a TV, you must buy a TV license. Yep. So, that's the context for this. I, along with all the other people in my building, received the following letter last week. It was in an envelope marked, "Do not ignore!" :

"YOUR STUDENT ADDRESS IS NOT LICENSED FOR YOU TO WATCH TV

To the present student

If you watch or record TV at this address, you could be breaking the law. That's because you don't have a TV license for this address. We know this from our database.

If you're a student, you need to be covered by a TV License to watch or record TV as its being broadcast. It doesn't matter what channel you choose - it could be terrestrial, cable or satellite. And it doesn't matter what equipment you ue - it could be a games console, laptop or mobile phone. You still need to be covered by a license.

It's quick and easy to buy a TV License (NB: for about £140, $220 or so), and you can always spread the cost.
...
Of course, if you don't watch TV, you don't need a TV License. But please let us know so we can remove your address from our list of student homes to investigate (emphasis added). Just call XXXX XXX XXXX. We may send a TV licensing officer to confirm what you say (emphasis added). We will then update our database to show that you don't need a TV License.

If we don't hear from you at all, an enforcement officer will be scheduled to visit your address (emphasis added).  If you're found to be using TV without a license, you may later be prosecuted, summoned to court and fined up to £1000 ($1500ish) plus legal costs.

If you gave recently bought a TV License, you don't need to do a thing.  Your details with be recorded on our database.

Yours faithfully"

Now, I don't get a lot of unsolicited threatening letters, so this was actually quite surprising. But here's what's funny to me: (1) That the British Government wants to expend the time and resources to specifically seek out and prosecute students, who do not have any money. (2) This guilty until proven innocent approach, which apparently involves both threatening letters and visits from your friendly neighbourhood enforcement officer, even if you say you don't have a TV! (3) The fact that they are willing to pay enforcement officers to come to your home, just to see.

So, wow.  Just wow.  Like I said, we don't have a TV, and download all our shows on iTunes (which is exempt, according to the letter).  So, I'm interested to see if they will actually come to inspect us.  Stay tuned... (unless you don't have a TV License, in which case you should either purchase one and then stay tuned, or face a possible fine for staying tuned illegally)

Interactive Map!

I've been working on this map for awhile - it shows some of the places we've been in Edinburgh on a Google Map. You can click the individual markers to see what they are, and in many case, I've embedded photos and videos, so you can see where exactly we've been. Pretty cool.

Stirling

We took the train to the town of Stirling this weekend. A lovely town in its own right, it is famously home to Stirling Castle, a fortress that has played an important part in Scottish history as one of the chief strongholds against the invading British. The castle was, of course, quite impressive, as one might expect. Here is a slideshow of our visit, as well as a link to the photo gallery.

Stirling

Linlithgow

Our train trip to the town of Linlithgow, about 25 minutes from Edinburgh, in video and picture:



FYI, Linlithgow Palace was the residence of the Stewart Dynasty and where Mary, Queen of Scots, was born. As you can see from the photos, the palace is no longer in working order, as the ceiling was burned some years ago in a fire. Nevertheless, it was an interesting place to visit. One has to use one's imagination to see how the place might have looked in its former years.

The Wind

You can't tape the wind. Obviously.

A Walk in the Meadows

We walked through the Meadows, a large park to the south of where we live, the other day and took a few photos. It's always nice to see a bit of green in the middle of the city. Enjoy!

Zoo Pictures

You've seen the video, now here are some further pictures...

Edinburgh Zoo

Quirks, Colloquialisms, and Other Funny Things, part two

Funny and strange things abound in this town. Regarding my last venture into colloquial happenings, Allison informed me that it is actually quite common for pubs to have their patrons sing a couple of songs at closing time. I guess this makes sense. But, interesting nonetheless.

A military note: there is a cannon at Edinburgh Castle that is fired each day, precisely at 1:00 pm (13.00 military time, of course). Why this is done, I am not quite sure. But it does come as a bit of a surprise the first time it occurs.

A more general note: the word "cheers" is used here for almost everything. I have found that, in my transactions in stores, the word is usually uttered at least twice, if not more times. More often than not, however, it comes toward the end of an exchange, as a thank you. But the word is not quite the same as a "thank you." It's more of an acknowledgment of an exchange. I wonder if cheers is used in toasts. I must investigate.

The Package

We received a large package in the mail the other day. What awaited us inside was beyond our wildest imaginations...

Leith Docks

Kellie and I took the bus to Leith (the waterfront side of Edinburgh) to find her place of business. We took a few pictures:

Edinburgh Zoo

Quirks, Colloquialisms, and Other Funny Things, part one

Part of the fun of being in another country is the strange state of being a foreigner. Sure, sometimes you can blend in and don't feel like a foreigner because everyone here speaks English (more or less), but other times, someone will say something or do something that makes you feel, well, slightly dumbfounded.

Case in point: the noise. I'm not saying that American bars and pubs are not loud, or that I have never heard American erupt into spontaneous song. However, I was not prepared for the sounds that come from the Brass Monkey, a pub that can be seen (and heard) from our window, nearly every weekend, and some weeknights, too. I am a bit of a night owl, as some of you may know. At first I thought it was a random thing, but now I have discovered that it is actually quite normal, that at least this particular pub breaks into song/chanting at least once a night, usually around 2:00 in the morning. I cannot make out what they are singing, or even discern a tune, but it has become a regular, and befuddling, occurrence.

Another example: how to ask someone where they live. In America, if I want to ask someone where they live, I ask, "Where do you live?" Simple enough. The question here, however, is, "Where do you stay?" This can be quite confusing, as it always sounds to me as if the person I am speaking with thinks I am only visiting and am staying in a hotel (because when we Americans talk about vacations, and want to know about someone's accommodations, we ask, "Where are you staying?"). Now, this gets even more confusing with the addition of another Scottish term, 'outwith.' 'Outwith' simply means outside. So, if someone asks you, "Do you stay outwith Edinburgh?" they are asking if you live outside the city. Very confusing.

Tour of New College

Royal Botanic Garden

We took a little trip to the Royal Botanic Garden on Sunday afternoon. It was actually quite a lovely day, sunny, in fact. We had heard that the gardens were quite good, but in reality, they are probably the best botanic gardens I have ever seen. Quite exquisite. You can see for yourself.



Funny story: it's a two mile walk from where we live to the Botanic Garden. Back in Texas, when we had cars and such, we wouldn't even give a thought to walking somewhere two miles away, and in fact, would often drive to places that were right around the corner. After a month of walking everywhere, two miles doesn't seem like a long walk at all. Funny how one's perceptions change.

St. Margaret's Loch

We posted a video awhile back of feeding the birds in Holyrood Park at St. Margaret's Loch. Here are some pictures from that experience.

Democrats Abroad Debate Party

Kellie and I attended a debate watching party this weekend hosted by Democrats Abroad - Scotland. We made a wee video about it. Enjoy.

Research

As of Monday, I have begun my stint as a research master's student here at the University of Edinburgh. The whole process began with a meeting with my adviser, a fateful meeting during which we essentially planned the ins and outs of my academic year. It was decided that I should take a course on postmodern theology, take a research methods course in the fall and a dissertation proposal course in the spring, write supervised essays on Heidegger and Habermas, and then begin writing my dissertation on the Gadamer-Habermas debate around the beginning of April or so. Along the way, it is hoped that I will spend some time honing my skills in German and will attend the weekly research seminar in Theology and Ethics. All in all, it looks like it will be quite the busy year.

So, one might wonder precisely what a research student does. This is a valid question. I am not sure I have a good answer for it quite yet, but according to my one week of experience, it would seem that a researcher spends a fairly large amount of time in the library and reads a fairly large volume of books and articles. At least, that is how I have spent my time of late. This seems to be the researcher's primary task. Second, of course, one must attend all the seminars and lectures at one's school and meet regularly with one's adviser. This seems important. Then, of course, there is the in-between-time, time which chiefly consists of walking in between libraries. It's a good 15 minute walk (at a brisk pace) between the New College library and the main library at George Square. I timed it. Taken together, these seem to be the chief tasks of a research student.

Feeding the Birds

We went on a nice walk down to the loch in Holyrood Park to feed the birds. It was a little terrifying.

A Pub Crawl

Submitted for your education, a typical night out on the town. First, we visited the Jolly Judge, just off the Royal Mile, which was interesting mainly because of the table of American flight attendants sitting near us and talking rather loudly about various things. Afterward, to Biblos on South Bridge for hot chocolate. A lovely night out.

New Town and the Waters of Leith

Here are some photos from a lovely Saturday afternoon of exploration in New Town. Enjoy! (By the way, you can click on any of the pictures to visit the photo gallery.)

Glasses

Funny story. I posted the video a couple days ago of our night at the ceilidh. Well, the last dance was particularly intricate. The crowd was formed into two lines (men and women) and you proceeded, in pairs, to spin each other and then take the hands of the next person in line, spin them, and then return to your partner, and so on down the entire line. Fun, dizzy, sweaty, and exhausting would all be good descriptors. In any case, Kellie and I got a bit into it, and about halfway down the line, we were spinning quite madly, and when we returned to one another before another round, we smacked into each other with such great force that the plastic on part of my black glasses was cracked. It was one of those things that was not really funny at first, but the more I think about it, the more I laugh that my glasses were broken due to over-exuberant Celtic dancing. Fortunately, I've got my other pair of rimless ones, but sadly, for the time being, no black plastic glasses. Let this be a lesson to you all: a ceilidh can be dangerous is one does not control oneself.

It's Taco Night!

Ceilidh

Last night, Kellie and I attended the opening of school ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) at New College. We made a video about it. Enjoy!

Calton Hill

Here are some pictures from our visit to Calton Hill. Enjoy!

The Edinburgh Parthenon

Orienting

So, orientation. A fundamentally disorienting experience. So, I'm at this reception this evening for postgraduate (read: graduate) research student and I am talking to this group of physics students about what I am doing and mention that I have a Master of Divinity degree. One of the women asks me if I read tea leaves, and I reply (quite wittily) that I did in the U.S., but that I am not licensed to do so in the U.K. She then asks if I can tell fortunes from the stars, and I say (again, quite wittily) that I normally can, but not in Edinburgh, because it is too cloudy. Then I realize that she actually believes that my previous degree is in DIVINATION, not divinity. Funny.

Arthur's Seat

Kellie and I spent Sunday morning hiking to the summit of Arthur's Seat, the remains of an extinct volcano that rises above Edinburgh. It's actually not a bad hike, and the weather was surprisingly nice, so it turned out to be a lovely morning. We were somewhat surprised, at reaching the summit, at the large number of folks who were just hanging out up there. But, I guess if there is a huge geological formation in the middle of your town, it makes sense that it can be a fun hangout, especially when climbing it affords you the kind of views we experienced. Here's a video montage we put together, but you can also check out the individual photos at our photo gallery.

Edinburgh, Week One

Let me preface this all with a note about packing and moving. It is always a traumatic experience to move out of one’s home, and this trauma is always compounded by the fact that one’s belongings seem to breed while one is not looking, meaning that one inevitably ends up with more stuff than one knows what to do with. This was certainly the case for Kellie and I as we packed up our apartment and moved the majority of our belongings into the storage unit. Every time we came back for another load, our things seemed to have multiplied. And then there’s all those annoying little nooks and crannies of one’s apartment that seemed like such convenient storage locations when one first moved in. Quite a traumatic process, to be sure. But we survived, and after a lovely weekend in Dallas with family and friends, we were off to the airport on Monday afternoon.

We got through all the security and such at DFW without any problems. The first kink, however, was that the airline personnel required me to check one of the bags I had intended to take as a carry-on. This did not bode well with me, as I was quite sure that the bag would be lost. Of course, it was. This was something of annoyance, too, because that bag contained socks, boxers, and important documents. Fortunately, the bag and I were reunited within 24 hours. Still… In any case, other than the baggage problem, the flights were as pleasant as transatlantic flights can be. We arrived in Edinburgh without any major international incident, and indeed, met some fellow American travellers on the way. It was raining when we arrived.
As should be obvious from our video, the flat itself was hard to find. The building number is not visible from the street, and one must pass through four different locked doors requiring two keys and one key-code to get into the flat. On arrival, however, we discovered that the flat was actually bigger than we had anticipated and has a great view of the city. A pleasant surprise. The bed is uncomfortable and the bathroom is a bit odd, but other than that, the flat is beginning to feel like home. Other than the lack of internet, of course, which hopefully will be corrected within a few days. We’ll see.

We have spent most of the last few days getting our bearings, shopping for various housewares to make the flat functional, and exploring our new city. We are located in the heart of Old Town, which as one might guess, is the oldest part of the city. Pretty much everything is within walking distance, ranging from Edinburgh Castle to the University to Arthur’s Seat. We even (accidentally) walked about 2/3 of the way to the ocean one day, in search of a bedding shop. It’s quite easy to get around on foot, which is good. The only trouble is that the streets are rather confusing to navigate, as they have a habit of twisting in strange directions and changing names arbitrarily. Thus, one must explore them a few times to get a feel for where they actually go. In the process of exploring, though, there are all sorts of interesting things to find, shops to visit, and sights to see. This makes every trip away from the flat something of an adventure. One never knows what one may find.

Pub Shopping

An interesting fact about Edinburgh is that it is (supposedly) home to more pubs per capita than any other city in the UK. From what we have experienced in our few days in this town, it appears to be true. One cannot walk down even a single city block without encountering at least one pub, usually with at least a couple of regulars hanging around the doorway, smoking a cigarette or drinking a pint of ale. The pub is very much a part of the culture of this city. Visiting one’s pub of choice, it seems, is an essential part of an evening out. One goes there, not only to enjoy a pint of one’s beverage of choice, but also to enjoy conversation, to meet new people, and to watch and/or argue about sports.

Now, I understand the importance of the pub all too well; in Austin, my friends and I frequented the Crown and Anchor Pub, just down the street from the seminary. Thus, one of our tasks here since arriving has been to find “our pub,” that little home away from home where, even if everyone does not know our names, we will at least fit in. But, in a city that is teeming with pubs, how does one go about finding the right pub? There is no easy answer to this dilemma, so Kellie and I have been trying a variety of different places. Our first night, we dined and had a pint at the Filling Station, right on the Royal Mile. From the outside, it seemed authentic enough, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be akin to a Scottish Chili’s or Applebee’s. Not quite what we had in mind. The next night, we decided to try the Brass Monkey, which one can actually see from our bedroom window. This place was dark and cosy, but we felt a little out of place there, maybe because it was such a small place and we are, after all, Americans. After that, we visited the Southsider, a bit of a larger pub off Nicholson Street. This place seemed nice enough at first, and we even grabbed a cosy little booth, but we were a bit put off after being accosted by a drunk and somewhat incoherent Scotsman. Too bad. Next, we visited Frankenstein’s, which is an older place (founded 1818, supposedly), but rather gimmicky (the place, as one might imagine, is gothic horror themed) and pricey (£3.40 for a pint of Guinness!). We also visited Biblos, a little coffee house/pub just around the corner. This, too, was a bit pricey, but has a nice atmosphere (and free wi-fi).

So, I guess the point is that we have not yet found our Crown and Anchor, so to speak. But there are still lots of options out there. To be sure, it is actually quite fun exploring the Edinburgh social scene and getting to peek inside so many different nightspots. If you have any expertise in Edinburgh pubs and want to make a suggestions, that would be most welcome. Cheers!

End of Austin, Beginning of Edinburgh

How to Cross the Street

Interviewed

So, as I have stated previously, Kellie and I do not yet have internet in our flat. In the interim, we have been walking to the Potterow student center to the use their wifi connection. This afternoon, as we were checking email and posting pictures on facebook, we were approached by two reporters and asked to take part in a story they were doing about meat-eating among students. Apparently, with rising food prices, some students have turned to cheaper types of meat, particularly organ meats. They proceeded to produce five styrofoam containers filled with cooked bits of organ meat - sheep's heart, cow's liver, kidney, etc. We were asked to try some of these items and tell them if they would be something we would consider eating. Very odd. Of course, the oddness of this situation was nothing compared to the foulness of the meats we were asked to try. Words cannot describe their grotesqueness. After we provided the interviewers with our objective opinions of the dishes, we were asked to pose for pictures... with the trays of organ meat... in the middle of a student center crowded with new university students, who looked on at us, these silly Americans, as if we were mad. After it was all over, Kellie and I could not get a cup of coffee to wash the taste out of our respective mouths fast enough. Another strange Edinburgh afternoon.

Tour d'Flat

Finding Our Flat

P.S. Yes, we have arrived safely. No internet yet. Will post more soon.

Our Bags are Packed...

This week was, in a word, hell.  You never really understand just how much stuff you have until the time comes to clean out your apartment and shove all of your worldly possessions (minus a year's worth of clothing) into a 72 square foot storage room.  Everytime you take a load to the unit, you breathe a sigh of relief.  But everytime you return to take another load, your stuff seems to have bred.  It's scary, really.  It took a lot of energy, but by 3:00 on Friday afternoon, our stuff was effectively sorted: 72 square feet of it stored in Austin, a carload of it coming with us to Dallas, and the rest of it either donated or tossed.

So, our bags are packed.  Over-packed, perhaps.  But packed nonetheless.  We got to Dallas on Friday evening for a weekend of relaxation with family and friends.  Last night, my Dad and Kate hosted a bon voyage celebration for us at their home.  It was a lovely occasion, and a great way to say goodbye to many of our friends in Dallas.  Then, today, we attended another farewell soiree with Kellie's extended family.  So many goodbyes this week.  So many people that I will miss.  But, although I will of course miss my friends and family, I take comfort in the fact that we will be able to stay in touch.  Conversely, I have begun to realize those things I will miss about Austin, my home for the last three years.  Here are some of my top picks:

(1) The Alamo Draughthouse
(2) The Crown and Anchor
(3) Riding the Town Lake trail
(4) Whole Foods on Sixth Street
(5) Fantastic Tex-Mex (e.g., Chuy's, Trudy's)

Just to name a few.  One can keep in touch with one's friends and family, but places are a bit harder.  But, so it goes.  That's part of what I take to be both the miracle and tragedy of life, time's arrow.  We move irrevocably forward, never turning back.  We can never revisit those times that have passed.  They remain in our memories, to be sure, but they can never be re-experienced.  That is the tragedy.  But the miracle is that, because our experiences are, in essence, once in a lifetime, they are infinitely precious, for each moment occurs once and then never again.  There is something beautiful about that, I think.  When you realize this simple fact, even the most mundane moment becomes something truly extraordinary.

By the way, something about traveling makes me reflective.  I'm not sure why.  In any case, we leave tomorrow afternoon.

Prophecy

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  There really hasn't been much to say, other than that, yes, we are still quite busy preparing to leave for Edinburgh on September 8.  In the midst of all the stress and anxiousness over the move, fortune has seemingly smiled on us... in the form of a cookie.  This was the fortune we received from a cookie at Pei Wei last Sunday evening:

Perfect, no?

It's Real

We finally purchased plane tickets for our upcoming journey to Edinburgh today.  We are officially leaving on September 8 at 2:20pm. I'm actually rather pleased as we managed to get quite a good deal for the tickets, less than a thousand for both of us.  Not bad considering the price of travel these days.  It's funny, but buying the tickets makes the whole thing finally seem real.  I mean, we actually have an itinerary now.  I finally have my visa and Kellie should have hers by the end of the week.  It's really happening, we are really moving to Edinburgh.  It's crazy how, with enough passion and planning, a silly pipedream like living in another country can so quickly become a reality.  This all started because of my fascination with the UK and my exploring the websites of UK universities late at night.  Now we have plane tickets.  It's real.

A New Purpose

Well, the wedding is over, and was of course lovely, but alas, there is no longer need for a wedding blog. So, I think I will turn this into a travel blog where Kellie and I can post stories about our upcoming travels in Scotland and beyond. Look for such content around the end of August or so. Word.

Looking for Something to Do Around Austin?

Are you looking for something to do in Austin, either Friday night or Saturday afternoon? Here is a brief list of things going on and places to visit next weekend:

Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival - This features several events going on around town, most rather pricey, but it's supposed to be rather interesting.

Austin Farmers' Market - Downtown at 4th and Guadalupe on Saturday from 9:30 to 1pm... buy some fruit!

Town Lake Hike & Bike Trail - A trail around Town Lake, great for a jog or bike ride.

Zilker Park - a lovely park in central Austin. Play frisbee. Fly a kite. Swim in the chilly Barton Springs.

Zilker Botanical Garden - It's springtime, so there should be some lovely flora... right?

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - My favorite place in Austin, here you can eat dinner, enjoy a beer, and watch a movie. What more can one ask?

Texas State Capitol - Learn about the state legislature and such.

Need more suggestions? Let me know.

The Wedding Party

It occurred to me that we haven't put up a list of the wedding party. They are as follows:

Maid of Honor: Ashley Peterson (sister of the bride)
Bridesmaid: Andrea Leonard (college friend/sorority sister)
Bridesmaid: Monica Iyer (high school friend)
Bridesmaid: Allison Harris (college friend/sorority sister)

Best Man: Robert Thomas Quiring (college friend/road trip companion/fraternity brother)
Groomsman: Michael Henry (college friend)
Groomsman: Jordan Michel (college friend/fraternity brother)
Groomsman: Matt Yager (college friend/fraternity brother)

House Party: Meryl Davis (college friend/sorority sister)
House Party: Erin Rittmayer (college friend/sorority sister)

Scripture Reader: Chelci Lindsey (high school friend of the bride)
Scripture Reader: Ryan Pappan (seminary friend of the groom)

Soloist: Libby Dees (sister of the groom)

The Final Countdown

Less than two weeks now remain between now and what may later be called the wedding event of our generation! The wedding countdown is nearing its end and things all seem to be well in hand. We've gotten (most of) our RSVP cards back, figured out the final numbers for cake and catering, and have sent in our final payments to the church and flower people. On the music front, the playlist is well underway and, if I may be so bold, let me say that it is amazing. There's very little to do between now and then other than the actual set up on the big day. So... I guess the only thing to do now is to wait!

Zilker Clubhouse

Kellie and I headed down to Zilker Clubhouse (where the reception will be held) this morning to figure out what kind of sound system to get and where to put it. In terms of logistics, it looks like the buffet and most of the seating will be in the house (they forgot to unlock it for us, so I didn't get to go in), but there will also be seating outside, which is where the dance floor will be. We took some pictures; as you can see, there is a great view of downtown Austin and Town Lake. Enjoy!

Wedding Map

Okay, for all you early birds who are chomping at the bit (how's that for mixing metaphors) to make reservations and such, the wait it over. I have assembled a map that details the various locales associated with the wedding as well as several hotel possibilities. We have rooms blocked at one hotel, the Holiday Inn Northwest, but I have highlighted several other options, as well. The list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to find your own lodgings. The best way to use the map is to click the link below it (view larger map) to go to the map's main page. From there, you can read the comments I have attached to the various sites, find phone numbers, and get directions between the sites. I will post this map again as the date draws nearer. Cheers!


View Larger Map

Wow!

Well, as Kellie alluded to in the previous entry, I have been out of the country the last three weeks. Upon my return, I have discovered that quite a bit of wedding planning has gotten done! It appears that the catering, cake, photography, flowers, save the date cards, invitations, and Kellie's dress are all set. We have yet to book a DJ for the reception and music for the ceremony and we still need to meet with the ministers to plan the service, but I think things are coming along quite nicely. Personally, I need to make a trip to the tuxedo shop to pick out formal wear for my groomsmen. Anyway, that's a just a quick update on what's happening (or, what has happened in my absence). We will update again soon!

Small Update

Usually Brian does this, but since he's out of the country for a long time, I thought I'd give an update on what's going on. My mom, sister and aunt came in town this weekend and we got a lot done. We met with a lady who we will probably use for flowers and decided on flower types, numbers, etc. We'll decide and sign a contract on that by the 11th. That's kind of a big accomplishment I would say. Also, we met with a cake person, and did some cake tasting. She was very nice and the cakes were excellent. I picked out a design for the cake and it will probably be half chocolate, half vanilla, with white icing on all of it..yum, but the details aren't set in stone yet. My family and I met with an invitation person and now just have to figure out specifics about the invitation. We also went to Zilker Clubhouse and took some measurements and thought about decorations. It's going to be fantastic I think. I almost forgot, we met with a caterer from T.G. Jorge's and she was extremely helpful. She'll be able to get us food, chairs, glasses, etc. for a fairly reasonable price, so yay! The food was excellent!

I'm a lot less stressed than I was last week about all this planning stuff. We definitely still have a lot to do once Brian gets back, but I think we're making progress. I mailed out the save-the-dates yesterday (with some help) as well. I'm working on figuring out hotel information right now, and parking. I'm so lucky to have so many people helping me out, especially since Brian's not around for the next few weeks! I'm going to Dallas to pick up my dress on Friday and to do the final fitting, etc. I'm starting to get pretty excited about the wedding; it should be great:) We'll get maps, and directions up here soon, as well as more hotel info.

-Kellie