Parties, Cream Puffs and Paintings

Lines of people waiting for whatever - to be helped - to be waited on - to receive something - to buy something - are called queues.  We have been in a lot of queues since we arrived here.  Often it is a queue in traffic.  I am uncomfortable when people try to categorize an entire population of a country.  I remember that Americans would try to do that with Danes from time to time...."Oh that's just how the Danes are!"  Usually it was quite positive, like "The Danes are so honest."  But still, is it really possible to characterize 5 million people?

There are closer to 56,000,000 people in England.  I heard someone say they are very patient with queues.  I must say, so far from what I've seen, people around here are amazingly long-suffering with long queues.  We went today to pick up my prescriptions.  We got there at the perfect time so it was fewer than 5 minutes before someone helped us.

Anyone behind us was not so fortunate.  The pharmacist was kind and thorough.  The prescription hadn't been labeled, and there were 12 containers....each needing a label!  (Only 2 prescriptions, but six months worth of each.) Then she had to initial each one, and THEN she had to get her supervisor to come and check each one.

By the time we left, there were a dozen people behind us waiting silently and patiently.  SK at first wanted to turn and apologize.  Then by the time we were done, he took my arm and said, "Let's go this way."  We skulked off not past all of the waiting customers, but down a deserted aisle of baby products, down the stairs and out the door.

I thought they were all very nice about it.

This evening we joined the members of the 2nd Ward for a Christmas party.  There was, of course a wonderful meal....more food than all of us could have eaten.  Delicious food.  Welsh cakes that were tasty, not too sweet, but a pleasing dessert nevertheless.

A simple nativity with scripture and music and games ended the evening.  Sister Porter - our young missionary played the violin.  She does so well.

This was our Primary and a few helpers.

I took a dessert this evening.  An eclair cake.  It has absolutely no relation to cake except that it is made in a 9 X 13 pan.  The bottom layer is cream puff, the next thin layer is a rich dark chocolate icing, topped with thick chocolate pudding, and whipped cream.  It was a hit.  So I came home and made another cream puff layer, because tomorrow evening is the Oxford 1st Ward party.  That's easy....just do the same thing again!

You must be dubious about how good this can be, but it is rich and buttery and when topped by cream and pudding....it's pretty good!

As we came through the door, I stopped to admire the humble artwork we have added to this little apartment.  This place, when first purchased was dedicated to the YSAs.  There is a special feeling here, and we try to remember that this isn't really our "home," so much as it is the YSAs special gathering place and we are custodians.

When we stayed in temple housing last week, I was struck by the lovely wall hangings...giclee on canvas.  It occurred to me that a dedicated meeting place for YSAs should have nice quality art on the walls as well.  So we will contribute some to this little place we call our home.

This is just a simple photograph we brought with us of a Carl Bloch painting, which we both love.   A frame from IKEA gives it a more finished look than simply tacking it to the wall!

Erin inspired me with the artwork she puts up during the Christmas season.  So I found this little (8X8) giclee on canvas.  It is not framed.  I may have to wait for that until next year, but as for now, it is sitting near the dining table so that our YSAs can look at it often throughout December.

I mentioned this yesterday.  I love this painting.  This is a photo of the computer screen.  I saw that there is a framed half-price copy in the Mesa Seagull Book Store, so I have conspired with Melissa to buy it and bring it when she comes next year.

I'm not exactly breaking the bank here, but I am doing what I can to identify this flat as one where we "talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ...." - and I want what is hanging on the walls to reflect that.