The circus comes to Thurso

One Saturday while I was doing my shopping, I noticed that there was a flyer for a circus coming to Thurso.  I thought circus coming to Thurso - no way!


So I sent out a text to see who was interested, and I bought tickets.  It was free-for-all for seating; the chairs were set in the grass under the 'big top.'  Given how everything is generally damp here, it was a little nerve wracking sitting in these chairs as it was all sinking a bit.


The circus was done in two acts.  It was pretty much a standard circus without animals.  Everyone had a number of jobs - like the acrobats also got to dress up as clowns and Sponge Bob Square Pants.

Dead clowns

The best 'act' happened at intermission.  They were big into selling during the intermission and sold the spinning plate and plastic hourglass on a string tricks.  They had lots of takers for these things and then everyone was practicing, and there were plastic plates flying all around the big top.


Brad got very close to getting his going, but Christine was practicing safety first.

The strangest act had to be the girls dressed in skimpy silver outfit with blue hair and when they yanked the blanket off of the case, who was in there, but ET - yep, ET?!?


Oh a traveling circus

Look what I found in the trash bin

I am a snail, I am a snail, I am a Scottish Trash Can Snail

Snail Haiku

A snail in a bin

The lid opens and closes

It waits for Thursday

'American Games' for the Lifeboat Fund

When we first got here, I was asked if we were going to support the lifeboat as all the Americans had done in the past by hosting the 'American' games.  I said, of course, but I was confused 'what lifeboat;' what 'American games,' but Bo seemed to understand, so I just went with it.

I frankly sort of forgot about it until Bo started saying we needed money, and then we needed toys and then we were worried that the toys wouldn't arrive on time.  But they did and last Saturday, we set up for the Scrabster Lifeboat Fayre.

American games turned out to be basketball throw, baseball throw, and football throw.  The games had been put together by the first group of Americans that were here and although thoroughly used - everything was still pretty cool.

Like a killjoy - I nixed the dunking booth.

Everything set up and the lifeboat pulled across the harbour, Bo and Leslie were piped to the stage for the opening of the fayre.

Bo represented the Americans on the stage while some very interesting speeches were made that couldn't be heard.  You see the fayre was inside the building used for fish sorting and sales.  Although they had cleaned it out thoroughly, there was no disguising what this building was used for and the acoustics were awful.

Smiling Bo - the guy on the far left was my boating judging partner at Wick

Once the speeches were done, the games were in full swing. I worked the baseball throw with Christine.  

I pretty much just retrieved balls because Christine was like AWESOME!  She taught all the kids how to do it and then she made sure that each of them got a ball through the hole and collected their toy. No matter how long it took...

She was beyond spectacular and that was pretty much the case at the football throw and basketball throw.  One of the guys had brought his teenage son, and it's amazing how interested Scottish teenage girls were in basketball with this tall young American passing them the ball.

Check out her follow through

On the football throw, Jason's son convinced everyone to give it a go.  I think it is very possible he will rule the world someday.


We made 169 GBP for the lifeboat.  Bo seemed disappointed by this, but that means we had 338 people throw and I don't think that is too shabby for a Saturday afternoon.

Scrabster's Lifeboat Fayre

Living next to the sea, many of the local communities have a lifeboat crew, which is a mix of full time and volunteer support.  The Wick harbourfest also featured the lifeboat crew - they even did some demonstration rescues while I was boat judging.

The Thurso lifeboat is based in Scrabster Harbour.  It was established in 1860.  The station covers the south side of the Pentland Firth and the north coast of Scotland to Cape Wrath and been responsible for saving in excess of 600 lives during 375+ launches. 

The Fayre started with the cadets, pulling the lifeboat across Scrabster Harbour. I had heard they were going to do this, and there were a couple of things that surprised me.  First, I thought cadets were like 18 years old, and they turned out to be kids.  

Sea Cadets

Then I thought pull it across the harbour - I don't know, I had kind of tug of war thing in my head, but it turned out to be row boat pulling.  Six kids (4 boys and 2 girls) in a row boat, pulling it across the harbour.  

Getting it started

Getting it started was hard and then they had to stop and reorient over 4 times, which means the momentum thing was not always working in their favour.

It's really moving now

While all of this is going on, they are getting 'encouragement' from the guys on the lifeboat, the guys in the inflatable and a line of people along the harbour.

They can see the end

I have to say the the girls were a lot more efficient with their rowing.  No whipping the oars high, just steady and efficient. It was pretty awesome.


The lifeboat pulled across the harbour, it was time for the pipers to open the rest of the fayre and start the games.

Celebrating the 7th of July?

Celebrating the 4th of July in another country is often strange and definitely completely unlike any celebration you might have in the US.  Having this celebration in the country from which you celebrate your independence, well that's another thing all together.


We all trooped to work on the 4th.  Bo and I decked ourselves out in red, white and blue.  The rest of the Americans kept it a bit more sedate.  There were snarky comments throughout the day about what day is this - why would it be celebratory...


The canteen on-site made a real effort with decorations and menu.  They had burgers, hot dogs (from a can), and chicken wings.  I ate soup.


It just so happened that Marta was born on the 4th of July. Bo said, I think they wrote a song about her; I always wondered who that song was about.

Photo is compliments of B. Kippen

As a result, Marta planned and pulled off a fantastic party at her new place.  She had brisket, ribs, and homemade poppers.  Most of the American came and a few of our new British friends.


There were some interesting lessons learned, like when you ask for a rack of ribs at the butcher, they will often cut the ribs up individually regardless of your numerous instructions.  In addition, the brisket will arrive rolled up so that it looks like a giant pork roast - you should take it out of this roll for cooking it American style - a lesson for next year.


We all brought sides - Brad's beans were to die for and Fiona's pavlova was a dream.  We ate and laughed, but Bo and I did notice that it was the first 4th of July where I could see my breath while standing next to the barbecue.

Oh my aching back!

Oh yes, I said to the relocation agent.  I definitely want to have a garden.  I'll take care of it, if they'll mow the grass.

Hmm, it's a crop of...something...um...green?

This is a bumblebee garden - part of my support for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Removing my previous crop was bloody hell!  But I have no one to blame but myself.  The bush with the red flowers is already covered with bees and they got very annoyed with me, which caused me to shout, "Look, I'm doing this for you!"


Can you imagine what my neighbors on the other side of that wall must think?!?

Good morning Ma!

Yesterday, I got a package in the mail.  It had some of my mother's free form glass creations.  When I come down in the morning and look out the window, I can feel the Good Morning and the I Love You all the way from Texas.

Imperial War Museum

The conference dinner this week was at the Imperial War Museum. Conference dinners can be the best part of the event, as the organizers really do try and come up with something unusual, and I think this weeks was particularly spectacular. 


The museum is based on all war and there were exhibits on wars historical and current.  The museum itself and the exhibits were very modern in presentation. The dinner tables were set up right in the middle.  The food was really good - lamb loin and raspberry creme brulee.


My favorite exhibits was behind the tables.  It had file cabinets floor to ceiling. 

The files - with a bit of a self portrait

Each drawer had a photograph on it.  Some of the drawers were open with larger photos of some scene either from war or associated with war time.

Drawer photos - love the dogs in the upper corner

Other drawers were open, and there was personal items in the drawer, presumably associated with the photo on the drawer itself.  The items were every day, very personal, and sometimes very sobering.

He dies as he lived, brave and fearless, a true British hero

 They had a 'show' between courses.  There were images projected on the museum walls and a narrative from people talking about their experience in the war, some were soldiers, wives, and children during the war.

This photo is SO I Wore Pink - isn't it?

This all seems TOTALLY worth doing 20 minutes of something I really don't enjoy - doesn't it?

I would like to introduce...

As I have blogged, I have only lost one post.  This site does seem to be fussy when going between PC and Mac.  The post I lost was about a conference I went to in Manchester.    The conference was in April and Gill happened to be attending - what a coincidence?!?


My boss from Hanford was also there, and we had 2 good days, but it was a bit overwhelming as it was the first public conference since we had taken over the site, and the contractors there were very oriented on meeting me and telling me about their fabulous company/product.  I got stepped on and spilled on and in the end, Gill pretty much had to act a bouncer, which I totally appreciated, but seriously should she have to do that - No!


I did a presentation there about the new contract.  It was fine, but I had a slight wardrobe malfunction.   You see the stage was about 18 inches high, and there were no steps.  I had on a tight wool pencil skirt.  I was pretty sure I could not get onto the stage without embarrassing myself.


The good news was that I was on right after lunch - I always seem to get these great slots.  So I had John hoist me up onto the stage.  I was waiting for everyone when they came back.

Gill says this is why she never takes the pictures

I did my presentation and then hoped off the stage landing on both feet - in heels. 


Well this week, I went back to Manchester for another conference where I was doing a presentation.  Guess what, Gill and John were there - what a coincidence?!?


I hate giving presentations.  It is not a skill I own, and the whole thing makes me feel a bit sick.  This may seem strange given all of the times I have to do it, but I really do hate it.  I actually enjoy getting up in front of the workforce.  I also enjoy talking about the technical aspects of my project.  


But the blah blah blah presentations about we are so this and that, well they seem sort of artificial - or unauthentic - but it is part of the job.  I always remind myself just before I stand up, that this in my opportunity to representation the incredible men and women that put it on the line every day to make the program and that usually gets me through. 


The most consistent feedback I get is you are so enthusiastic/animated.  This is often said with surprise and/or confusion, which I think is PATHETIC!  What sort of a world do we live in where it is surprising that someone can get excited about doing something positive for the environment and a community?  What could possibly be confusing about being animated about men and women that come into work every day and do work that is complicated, difficult, and risky - they are working themselves out of a job and yet they never let up.  You'd have to be dead inside not to get excited about that - right?!?


The personal benefit about conferences is I often get to see people I really like - like John and Gill.  And we always try to make a few plans, which generally involve dinner.  


Both conferences, we went to a place called Australasia.  This is THE restaurant in Manchester.  It is so so so so yummy that there is a time limit on how long you can have your table.  Parties under 5 get 2 hours.  It's little plates of fusion food.  They also have this really amazing mango soufflé...which I ordered on both trips.

It is absolutely as good as it looks

This week, John had brought his son Jake, who just graduated from high school and they were on their way to Wimbledon after the conference.  Jake was hilarious, great company and had opinions on everything.  He is one of the coolest 18-year olds - like EVER.

I love macarons

I love them so much, that sometimes I'd route myself through Charles DeGaulle just so I could buy a sleeve to take home with me.  I'd seen a recipe for them and cut it out right before I moved.


Now these are not the coconut and egg white cookies (macaroons)- although I also love them.  These are the light as air - part merengue, part cookie - delectable confection - often with a flavored buttercream in the center - like a little sandwich.


I had a lot to do this weekend, so I decided to make homemade pizza, bagels, and try the macaron recipe - I know I'm a puzzle.

Ooh, homemade bagels

The cookie part is not so hard, it's just powdered sugar, egg white and ground almonds.  You have to let them sit out for a couple of hours before cooking.


I'd seen buttercream made on cooking channel and things like cupcake wars, but I'd never made it.  What's the big deal right - egg white whipped, boiling sugar poured in, add butter, more whipping and voila, right?

Wrong! Not only does it look bad - it tastes vile.

I also learned that this is something you should maybe do on Wednesday like right before your housecleaner comes, instead on doing it on Sunday when you have 4 whole days to live in your kitchen before your housecleaner comes.

I even got separated buttercream on my dog

Not to be deterred, I just filled them with lemon curd, and let's face it, I like lemon curd better than buttercream anyway and it's a whole lot easier to make.

Ooh Aah macaroons

Right, back to that list.


Auntie Response:  Oh no, I had the pizza.  It's was Zach's favorite - bacon, ricotta, and kale on a cornmeal crust.  It took me forever to find cornmeal and I was just about to give up and use my one bag of grits when I found it at the liquor store.  However, I sustained an injury that kept me from taking a picture of the pizza, and caused some sniffling while eating said pizza.  Luckily, the injury is such that I can take a picture of it today.

I was maybe doing too many things - yes it hurts, probably worse than it looks

Don't ask - seriously I am not going to tell you.