Elizabethian Essays: October 2012

My 10 'odds and ends' round up before beginning the new school year happenings.

1. ROOF REPAIR

Father-Son Niclasen team - what better combination could we ask for, when we need roof repair?

Craig is not afraid of heights or work, and we sure appreciated his help in getting the broken tile replaced on the roof.

2. BABY SHOWER

One or two of our married students usually give us the opportunity to have a Baby Shower each school year.

This year we had 2 - a girl born to a Dutch couple and a boy to one of our German families.

Although other ladies organized it, they asked if they could host it in our home. I was abit concerned about the size of our house, but in the end it worked out fine with me only having to move some furniture around and plan the games.

My baby gifts always come a little later, since I like to cross stitch a bib for each of them- I need be sure of the name!

Just thought I would include our youngest granddaughter's bib too.

3. MISSION SIMULATION

Visiting the students who are living in tents during their time in Mission Simulation always brings excitement.

A family who had lived many years in a remote village in Brazil did a demo of a meal in their area.

Roaming around from tent to tent enjoying hearing how they are doing in language study while sipping cup after cup of steaming hot coffee.

Here is a good way to kill two birds with one stone - get your exercise while doing your laundry - it works!

4. FIXING FENCE

You don't hear us talking about the wind too often here in North Cotes. It is basically just an expected part of our everyday life. However what stands out to us, and generates a good conversation is when we don't have wind!

Yet recently the gusts were a bit stronger than usual, with the goal in mind to give Ragnar an extra Saturday project.

5. VISIT IN NORWICH

Our week-end in Norwich with Margaret Willcock was very pleasant - walks in the woods as well as along a lake in peaceful surroundings. We first met Margaret. and her husband David, more than 20 years ago when they came to work in the Philippines for a few years.

We have enjoyed keeping in touch and popping in on each other from time to time - either when they were back in the Philippines or when we were in England during Home Assignments.

Since we have been living in Great Britain Margaret has been to North Cotes a couple of times and kept telling us the welcome mat was always out. We are glad we recently took her up on her offer.

6. OPEN HOUSES

We really treasure our times with the students on the Saturday nights that we are home and no other activity is planned on campus.

We enjoy seeing every nook and cranny occupied, games being played or hanging out in the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

I often tell the students they can have their choice of shoes when it is time to go home.

7. CANNING

Each year I teach a class on canning meat. The students often 'can' a variety of meats for their time in Mission Simulation. It is also an opportunity to know this is a choice they have for the future when they are living in a remote area.

8. WILLI & IRMI

Classes are all finished, graduation caps are taken off and the apartment is spick and span - now for a little down time before moving back to Germany the next day.

It wasn't the final good-bye though as we knew we would see them in Germany.

Although we only had a few hours with them, it was great to see the beautiful apartment that God provided for them for the next few months before they head to Indonesia. Lasagna for lunch, and a walk in the woods (basically their back yard) were also part of the package deal.

9. MEET UP IN HULL

One of our Malaysian friends who was visiting in England, made arrangements to meet us in Hull, which is about an hour's drive from North Cotes.

You need to cross the Humber Bridge to get there - I'd love to walk across it some day. The architect did an awesome job - the pedestrian path is quite a bit lower than the road for cars and trucks.