Finally downloaded by photos

I just had to put up a cute picture of Jake. It's his first bath in the big tub.

I miss Scotland

Sorry, this is from last week. I need to be more diligant about updating this I guess.

Everyone should travel to a foreign country at some point in their life. It’s called becoming “cultured.” However, there are certain rules involved to make it a true foreign experience. First off, Canada doesn’t count. And neither does some extremely Americanized resort in Mexico or the Caribbean. If it’s in a brochure designed to attract college kids on their spring break, it doesn’t count. No sir, if you’re going to travel, you have to immerse yourself into the culture. Otherwise, you might as well save your money and travel domestic.

I have had one true international experience. Three years ago about now, three friends and I joined about 30 other UW-River Falls students on a two-week long international study tour to Great Britain, with an emphasis on Scotland. It was called a study tour, but trust me, we spent more time touring landmarks and patronizing the local pubs than studying. We did have an assignment over there. Each of us had to conduct research on something to do with Scottish culture, history or politics. That leaves it open to pretty much anything doesn’t it?

The four of us teamed up and planned an itinerary of touring along with our research. Cindy did a project on Loch Ness tourism (culture/politics). This meant we all got to travel from Edinburgh away from the group to the infamous Loch Ness. Loch Ness is actually a lake, and Inverness was the city we visited. No, we didn’t see the monster, lovingly known as Nessie, but there was this weird shadow on one of my photos...

I also happened to turn 21 in Inverness. It was a good time, even if all the Scots were wondering why we were celebrating. There the legal drinking age is 18, so we were a few years late. The next day, we visited Stirling, home of the William Wallace monument. Remember the movie Braveheart? He’s Mel Gibson. We climbed all the steps of the monument, which was quite a challenge with how I happened to feel that day. It was worth it for the spectacular view though.

We headed back to Edinburgh so Loni and I could do our research. Jen was able to do her’s along the way since it was a public opinion survey on the Iraq war.

I could go on a long time, so I’ll just summarize what I learned about Scottish culture:
--They love their whiskey. They say there’s a whiskey for everyone, but I didn’t find mine;
--American public transportation is pretty crumby compared to Europe. There you can find a train or bus going almost anywhere. Here, without a car, you’re pretty limited;
--America is a country in infancy compared to most European countries. Here, everything man-built is less than 200 years old. There, structures have stood for centuries.
--Lastly, and the four of us might say most importantly, what happens in Inverness stays in Inverness.

My Wife Swap application

With not a single meeting scheduled Monday night, I settled down on the couch with Jacob for an early evening nap in front of the evening news. I woke long before Jacob did, and not wanting to disturb his slumber, I began watching the show that had come on. It was Wife Swap.

I’ve watched the show before, and it’s usually pretty amusing. The idea is two women spend 10 days living with the other’s husband and kids. After five days, they get to impose their rules on the other’s family. Still with me? OK. The idea is to teach the family how good they really have it. Occasionally, however, it has the opposite effect as women realize they could do better.

In order to get the most drama, producers pair up the most unlikely couples. This particular episode featured a rural Wisconsin mother with several overactive boys and a hard working husband. Her opposite was a Florida model agent with two girly daughters and a rather childish husband. The producers got the desired effect as the women clashed with their new families.

It all got me thinking, what type of woman would be my polar opposite? First, she would have to be a big city woman. I don’t mind cities, but I get a little claustrophobic after a being in one for more than a day or two. Next, I think she should have an extravagant home and long, manicured fingernails. She would have hired servants and spend most of her day shopping and eating at expensive restaurants with her girlfriends. Her children would be spoiled brats and her husband would have a separate wing of the house.

I’ve seen similar women on this show. It always makes me wonder why they apply in the first place. They probably get the idea while watching television while sitting in a bubble bath eating expensive chocolates. While I’m living her lavish life, she’d be getting a reality check from Nate, Jacob and my co-workers. She should come in the spring at the peak of the mud season when Nate is stressed about getting the crops in. In the morning she’d have to get herself and Jacob ready, give him his five medications and send him off the daycare. Then it would be to the office for the day. I’d make sure Todd gave her plenty to do. Lunch would be greasy fast food.

After work, she’d rush back to pick up Jacob, then head out to the farm to feed calves and milk cows. Maybe Nate would even teach her how to scrape manure with the skid steer. At least one night, she’d have to go to a government meeting and not get home to eat supper until late. Then there would be a pile of laundry and a sink full of dishes to wash. She would need to carefully balance a checkbook after she pays bills, and there would be no time for shopping. Even if there was, Nate would be sure to fill it with a dirty chore like power washing tractors.

Meanwhile, in the big city, I’d be lazy and comfy, missing my boys and counting the days until I was back at my desk in Wisconsin.