Sunday, June 1

Set alarms for 8 to leave for church at 9:30. It’s cold and drizzly today – yuk! We had to really book it to get there by 10 – Eden Baptist. Martin is an elder, it turns out, and we just happened to sit by his wife, Mary. Saw Beth there, who introduced us to Todd and Anna, from USA. Also saw Gladys and met her husband. Met Laura there as well. Very friendly church; seems to be a vibrant congregation, lots of fellowship after service, with tea AND COFFEE! (I’ve just been making tea at home, because that’s what Martin got for us, and I should change over; but any chance I can get I’ll take coffee) Followed Martin to his home for lunch, which included Sophie (Belgium) & Tim, with 10 mo. daughter Aneliese (Tim worked with Martin with a college group years back); guest preacher (Phocus) w/ wife + 3 kids from Rwanda; pastor+wife+3 kids; Jenn and Paul, an older couple from church but very lively; and Ruth, the church secretary. Martin and Mary have a nice home, larger/longer garden and a little wider home than ours. They were well-prepared for babies – 2 cots out, changing pad and wipes, bowls, bibs, spoons, highchair, etc. Very thoughtful. Aneliese and Addie slept most the entire time; I woke A up at 1:40 to eat before we had to leave for the Round Church at 2:15. She was not a happy camper – I think this was her limit! She did not want to eat, just screamed! New place, lots of people, irregular schedule, probably not enough sleep lately, getting that 16th tooth in (I always blame it on the teeth, but it’s true!) and still battling this cold. Her nose has even been bleeding a little. So we said our goodbyes (exchanged #s with Sophie to get together), got directions, and walked as fast as we could to the Round Church. Ranald’s Cambridge Walking Tour started at 2:30; we were a little late, but he warmly greeted us in front of everyone, even saying how he had a bin full of toys for Adelaide! On the tour we walked a little less than we did yesterday, but also got to go into St. John’s and Trinity’s gardens and chapels. Ranald told us about Wilberforce and another abolishionist named Thomas Clarkson, statue below here at St. John's College Chapel.

Also he talked about the great scientists and other alumni who started new ideas (Francis Bacon, saying there were 2 Bibles, the Bible and creation; which is true, but then his focus was more on nature which eventually replaced the need for the Bible), and who started the colleges and why and how they were all connected (Lady Beauford, Henry VIII, etc.).

Lady Beauford above entrance into St. John's College.

Addie and I walking towards St. John's Chapel.

St. John's College Chapel

Lady Beauford beside entrance into St. John's College's Chapel.

Went by the Eagle and Cavendish Laboratory (which he pronounces very differently; at first didn’t know what he was saying!) and he pointed out how Cricks & Watson, who discovered DNA, announced it at the Eagle, but announced it saying they had discovered “the secret of life.” How that was in effect saying there is no creator of life, this is it; They were both huge atheists throughout their lives – just showing how the university’s thought process had changed through the centuries. Part of the tour I couldn’t really hear because of taking care of Addie, who was good but not great, understandably. David stayed afterwards for tea with Ranald + guests, but I went on home w/ A to put her down for a nap. Started prepping for dinner (pasta w/ chicken and sauce); D brought home the toys from Ranald...

Addie enjoyed the push car from Ranald and Susan Macaulay.

...and went to meet up with some guys for beers. Joshua is a volunteer at the Round Church, and invited David out with 2 other guys. They’re all here (7 of them, 4 of which have wives) from Concordia Seminary (Lutheran, in STL – Covenant played soccer against them, big “rivals”) studying for a year, just finishing up. He had a good time w/ them, getting filled in by them on Cambridge, the Uni, and Christian Heritage by Joshua, and talking about STL, music, theology (Lutheran vs. Presbyterian!), etc. Adelaide finally ate well; I’ve felt bad b/c she’s getting more snacks on the go than real square meals, but we’re all breathing by the end of the day, and that’s what is most important I guess! Cleaned more of the stove (you can’t imagine how much gunk there is on it!) and figured out the iron while D played with Adelaide. More reading, journaling, and budgeting while A slept. Kind of wish we had internet access, but then glad in some ways we don’t because it’s nice to just sit together and read without other distractions like internet, phone or TV.