Kumabumba?

Several weeks back, on our Saturday adventure, I endured what ranks as one of the oddest experiences in recent memory.  We stopped at a little store so that J could use the WC, and  I waited outside.  Seconds later a jolly Indian fellow in a baggy red sweatshirt bounded down the sidewalk. He stopped only inches from my nose, offering me a choice whiff of his curry breath.  His first words were, rolling the ‘R’ quite pointedly, “Are you lost?”  I replied that I wasn’t.  Was he?  “Oh yes. You see, I know that I am standing in front of a bookie, wearing a red shirt, looking at a four to five story building, talking to you, but I’m lost.”  Naively, I asked him where he wanted to go, to which he replied he had no idea. He asked where I wanted to go.  Still believing him to be coherent, I tried to explain that I knew where I was going and that if he needed help I would do my best.  At that he spun around, nearly running into some dude whom he then greeted as if they’d known each other for years.  As the dude extricated himself from curry-breath, I made eye contact with him, and he rolled those eyes way back into his head as if to say, “Can you believe what a nut-job this guy is?”  Next, curry-breath ducked into the bookie, caused a ruckus, and returned to me on the sidewalk. The next question was, “Where are you from?”  I told him I lived in the area…apparently the wrong answer.  “Oh no, you’re from Kumabumba!” Time stood still, and I stared blankly at him. “Where?”  “Yes. You’re from Kumabumba; I can see it in your eyes.” And then, right up in my face, he let out a maniacal, curry-laden, hysterical belly laugh. Amazing. Ten seconds later, Jackie rescued me, and we continued our walk.

Other news #1:  Jackie has formally applied for a freelance editing job with HarperColins Publishers and.  Yesterday we returned the completed editing aptitude tests, but we have yet to hear back. Not only would the job offer predictable work hours and certain financial advantages, but it would allow Jack to work from home, which, come March, will be immensely helpful.

Other news #2:  I’ve settled on a new, approved! thesis topic–a contextual reading of Ezekiel 40-48. Basically, I’ll be trying to explain the mysteries of Ezekiel’s temple vision (40-48) in light of chapters 1-39.  In Ezekiel studies this is an untested approach to interpreting the vision. To evangelicals this may come as a surprise because we generally accept all 48 chapters of Ezekiel as a single literary composition. But academics rarely make that assumption; most see 1-39 and 40-48 as two separate literary units that an editor has combined.

Other news #3:  It’s time for the second installment of “Trivia: Random Questions of Fun”.  1) If a Scot asks if you’ve had “a wee deco”, what does he mean?  2) Jackie read an article this week entitled “Everything Potty”. What was the subject of the article? Hint:  It has NOTHING to do with the common use of the word in the States.

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A Bit Anticlimactic

Well, thanks to the 15 folks who participated in the first installment of ‘Trivia: Random Questions of Fun’.  I’ve been waiting to post the answers until a time that I could also post pictures. The time has come, and yet it has not come. (Hmm…how’s that for a riddle?!)  Now, this very moment, is an excellent time for me to post the pictures of the Black Treacle and of the Grey Objects.  But, since our computer is on the fritz (not even booting up!), I can’t access the pictures, and there’s no guarantee of a quick fix.  So, lest I disenfranchise those 15 obliging souls who eagerly await the answers, I’ve decided to give the answers. It’s a bit anticlimactic, but, alas, who said life would always be thrilling? So, for those uninformed about British food names, Black Treacle is molasses.  Many close guesses; many others that totally failed.  The prize for best answer goes to Jake for his poetry quotation.  And, for those uninformed about what hides in our freezer, the Grey Objects were mice. Yep…two mice.  They didn’t actually enter the freezer willingly…or consciously, for that matter. No, I killed both mice myself, bludgeoning them with an otherwise uninteresting book called ‘Reading the Latter Prophets’. I put the poor beasts in the freezer to demonstrate my hunting prowess to Jackie, who, as you would expect, swooned. Unfortunately, the swooning was due NOT to admiration of my bravery but to the rather shocking sight of seeing two, furry critters frozen and nestled together in the plastic martini glass that became their grave. If you want to see the pictures, pray that the computer is soon restored to good health. Well, even if you don’t want to see the pics, please pray for the computer (and our patience in the process.)

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The One That Got Away

For several days now I’ve been meaning to take the camera on my walk to the Uni.  We’ve enjoyed generally sunny weather, and, when the weather is clear, Edinburgh offers some really terrific views.  From the top of Calton Hill (which I cross when I take route-B; more on my routes to the Uni some other time) I can see out across New Town to the Firth of Forth, across the Forth to Kirkcaldy on the north, and, when it’s exceptionally clear, maybe even to Norway on the east…ok, not quite that far, but you get the point.  Calton Hill affords an expansive view of the city, and I need to get some shots soon before the weather turns into fog and dreariness.  For whatever reason, in all my intentions to take the camera, I never considered that I would want to capture Edinburgh by night, but tonight, as I left New College, I wished I had that camera. Oh, the view was marvelous.  To the west were the remnants of yet another dying day. Where the sun had disappeared over the horizon, only soft oranges and warm purples remained.  To the north were the dazzling lights of the bustling city. And, most impressively, to the east was the (nearly) full moon rising just over the spires of an old building.  From my vantage, it looked as though the moon risked being speared by the spires. The sight stopped me still.  For a moment I drank in the unexpected beauty; the next moment I started kicking myself for forgetting the camera.  Maybe tomorrow.

Other news #1: Jackie worked five days last week, and she’s scheduled for five this week.  We’re grateful for the work. God is meeting our needs.  But, we’re praying for a different job–something more suited to Jackie’s experience, interests, and gifts. Do pray with us if you think of it.

Other news #2: I’m on the road to a new thesis proposal. More on this when I can more neatly summarize the ideas that currently are making for a very messy room in my brain.

Other news #3: I have two trivia questions. 1) Do you know the American equivalent of ‘black treacle’? 2) What’s grey, about 2 inches long, and recently left our freezer for the dumpster?  I’m asking these questions primarily as a teaser for a future post, but also to gauge our readership. If you know the answers, leave a comment. Can we get 10, 15, 20 comments?

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