Two words: Scottish hospitality. Sure, us southerners like to boast in our hospitality, but I think Scotland may have Dixie beat. Not only am I met with offers of tea or coffee several times a day, but we’ve also been given several surprising and thoughtful gifts.

Flowers were delivered to the house last week by a lady we hadn’t even met. Another woman called up to give us kitchen items we needed. And Sunday, I was given this book, “Bicarbonate of Soda.”

Strange you say? Well, no, just very kind. You see, this church member was in the office last week when he heard me rehearsing a disastrous trip to the supermarket during which I couldn’t find “baking soda.” I looked on every aisle ten times–at least it felt like that. So we had to put off making our famous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies:(Only later did I learn that in Scotland baking soda is called “bicarbonate of soda.” And on Sunday, a church member gave me a book all about it!

Here’s some fun bicarb facts:
–Bicarb and water helps ease bee stings and insect bites
–Adding bicarb to certain liquids makes bubbles like our current-day soft drinks. Victorians used to take it on picnics to make fizzy lemonade.
–Bicarb is great for cleaning a tooth brush while camping
–Bicarb was used as early as 1330 BC to make glass different colors.

Check back later for more bicarb fun facts…and more stories of church as well.