Students Have Arrived

We've finally had the students arrive here at Dalkeith. Truth be told it became a bit of a waiting game this week, feeling like there was little more that we could do until they arrived. It is good to see them here, gives the house a different energy and a buzz that really indicates that the semester is ready to be under way. The downside is that they brought the rain back with them. Just now as I am typing this the rain seems to have finally relented, having started around 9pm on Wednesday and not letting up until now. It has rained hard and long enough to create Loch Dalkeith ourside of the walls in the cobbled parking lot - it only appears after such saturation that the ground can't absorb any more moisture.

Orientation is in full swing now, having gone through academic life in the house and then student life in the house now. This afternoon they get their first taste of Henry with the food hygeine training. Its great that they were able to keep him connected to the program as a consultant and he is still doing evening cooking classes and a couple of weekends of fly fishing with the students. I have to admit I am pleased that Henry has said that I don't have to repeat the hygeine training since it had been such a short time since I last passed it. Even so, between all the different sessions today students are getting a good dose of what has to be done in order to comply with Scottish Law.

Since coming in yesterday, most straight from the airport, life has been centered around the house, except for having dinner in Dalkeith at one of the pubs. Even that was a new enough experience for them and got them out and about in the rain just a bit to stretch their legs and get a first look at the town itself. Each member of the staff took 4-5 students in small groups up to the pubs for dinner last night, giving them a chance to ask questions and talk about what is going on with them. It is a nice new twist in the program and made for an enjoyable meal out.

Tomorrow is the tour of Edinburgh Castle and free time in the city. Patty has made this a house trip and it is at no cost - which is a glorious thing to provide to everyone in the house. For the vast majority of them this is the first trip into Edinburgh itself. After the tour they are free to wander and explore and have to make their own way back to the house (they have bus passes, its not as if they have to walk). For me after the tour I have to stop and pick up some coffee at Whittard's. The vast majority of Scots drink instant coffee so finding good brewed coffee is difficult. I have found only one shop Whittard's of Chelsea that has whole beans and will grind them to specification. It is not bad stuff but have to say I am also looking forward to Steph's package containing Gene Hick's Coffee (my one big vice from home). Patty has let faculty use her coffee maker, which she doesn't use at all, so now we can make a nice pot of coffee rather than having to finagle other means of coffee making. I have an insulated french press and am not about to give it up, but being able to have a pot of coffee readily available makes life much nicer.

That is where things stand right now at the house and the program. On my side of things I am in the process not only of finishing class prep (to be wrapped up this weekend), but I am also doing lots of travel planning. My dad and brother are here in two weeks for a ten day stretch, just have to figure out what they are looking to do with their time. I am looking at how I am getting over to Amsterdam in October to meet up with Steph before we head out further afield - Austria is the destination of choice for us, Salzburg to be specific. And last night Steph and I worked out tickets for her Thanksgiving trip over here. So lots of visitors this time around and throughout the semester no less. It is going to go by so fast now that it is all started and I am going to have to be mindful of how to fit a trip to London, Oxford, and maybe even a little kayaking in Ireland. Right now I am struggling with where in this schedule to fit Prague, which was my other destination of choice in all of this.

Well I best not procrastinate any longer. Have a good day all. Cheers!