Fletcher Saga 17 Dec 2006
Posted: Sunday, 17 December 2006 |
As our summer nights are very short so our winter nights are very long. At this time of year it is dark just after 3 pm and does not really become light until after 9 am. The Maeshowe webcam is now back online at http://www.maeshowe.co.uk ready for the Solstice this week; it remains on-line until 05 Feb 2007. Let's hope the weather this year is a lot better than it was last year. Especially when Highland Park Distillery (http://www.highlandpark.co.uk)have now sponsored the webcam and thus allowed the purchase of a new computer and other hardware which will greatly enhance the reliability of the site.
During these dark evenings Maureen has been continuing her sewing, mostly cross-stitch and blackwork. Our cat, Surrey, usually watches for a while then gets bored and wanders off. The other week Maureen had finished a piece of blackwork so, for a change, started to knit a new hat for herself. To Maureen's amazement, Surrey jumped down from her seat on the window ledge, picked up a spare knitting needle that had fallen onto the floor, strolled across the room with the needle carefully held in her mouth then jumped up onto Maureen's knee and for all the world it seemed that she wanted either to help Maureen to knit or she wanted Maureen to knit her a hat.
At the end of Nov the leaking flat roof on the big room at the back of the house decided to shed a piece of ceiling plasterboard onto the carpet. One of the builders on the island has tried to fix things up temporarily until next spring when the flat roof comes off and a new, better roof is put on. However, one part of the roof is so bad that, even after the builder's best effort at a temporary fix, water is still getting in and we are having to empty the buckets after every rainfall. We had hoped that the new roof would have happened much earlier so that we could have the big room for some Christmas entertaining but it was not to be.
I went over to Kirkwall at the end of November to see the ENT specialist from Aberdeen. I took the LoganAir flight rather than use the ferry as it makes such a difference in travelling time - 8 minutes each way to fly as opposed to 2 hours each way on the boat. Some strong cross winds made the flight "interesting" and we made the return trip in record time thanks to a strong tailwind. I'm glad I saw the specialist though. New medication has unblocked my nose and now I can fully appreciate the taste & smell Maureen's delicious cooking - just in time for Christmass.
Malcolm, our multi-talented handyman, has not been well lately but he has managed to complete Maureen's raised beds in the back garden. The three beds, constructed from cement blocks on a concrete foundation, have been left empty for several weeks so that the mortar & cement can "cure" but now they are ready. All I have to do is transfer umpteen barrow-loads of material from the compost heap and fill the beds ready for planting in the Spring.
Dr George MacKay, our genial island GP, now has a kitten to keep him company. The kitten's name is Jaffa but I believe that she is soon to be renamed Katie (after George's grand-daughter). Jaffa/Katie has already discovered the great joy of re-arranging several dried flower arrangements.
We have read in the national newspapers that some town and cities have cancelled the official switch-on of their Christmass lights because of public safety fears. Stronsay had no such inhibitions and we had the official "switch on" of the Stronsay Christmass Tree lights at 7:30 pm on Sat 02 Dec. The weather was just about perfect - a dry, clear night with a good moon, virtually no wind and a mild (6C 43F) temperature. After the "switch on" ceremony everyone moved back into the Community Centre for some community carol-singing lead by the Stronsay Singers, who consist of those folk attending the regular Monday evening class in singing. I didn't inflict my voice on the assembled company but helped by accompanying the carols on a small, portable keyboard. The social evening continued with items by the school-children and by other island inhabitants.
The island's two shops are now absolutely crammed with Christmass-related goodies but, fortunately, there is NO "canned" music therefore their customers are not forced to listen to interminable repeats of Christmass songs and carols. The other week we were shopping in Ebenezer when we noticed a toy unicorn which was almost the size of a small Shetland pony. Maureen remarked "I wonder where they found the virgin!" The shopkeeper was quite perplexed by this remark until Maureen told her of the legend was that a unicorn can only be captured by a virgin. Last time we were in the shop we noticed that the unicorn had gone from the shelf, so somewhere on Stronsay a little girl is going to have a very, very special present on Christmas Day.
One of our neighbours first moved to Stronsay from England nearly 20 years ago. He recently paid a short return visit to England in order to visit his family and the family of his wife. He also intended to purchase a large, powerful motorbike, having retained a love of motorbikes since spending many years as a despatch rider in London before moving to Stronsay. Apparently the most difficult part of his "Easy Rider" drive northwards from England was not saddle-soreness nor the unaccustomed heavy traffic but the process of actually getting onto his new motorbike for the first time whilst wearing his brand-new, very stiff waterproof clothing. He made the journey northwards without further incident and soon showed up on our doorstep in his "Dennis Hopper meets Marlon Brando" outfit to show us his new pride and joy (which we have nick-named the Yellow Peril).
During these dark evenings Maureen has been continuing her sewing, mostly cross-stitch and blackwork. Our cat, Surrey, usually watches for a while then gets bored and wanders off. The other week Maureen had finished a piece of blackwork so, for a change, started to knit a new hat for herself. To Maureen's amazement, Surrey jumped down from her seat on the window ledge, picked up a spare knitting needle that had fallen onto the floor, strolled across the room with the needle carefully held in her mouth then jumped up onto Maureen's knee and for all the world it seemed that she wanted either to help Maureen to knit or she wanted Maureen to knit her a hat.
At the end of Nov the leaking flat roof on the big room at the back of the house decided to shed a piece of ceiling plasterboard onto the carpet. One of the builders on the island has tried to fix things up temporarily until next spring when the flat roof comes off and a new, better roof is put on. However, one part of the roof is so bad that, even after the builder's best effort at a temporary fix, water is still getting in and we are having to empty the buckets after every rainfall. We had hoped that the new roof would have happened much earlier so that we could have the big room for some Christmas entertaining but it was not to be.
I went over to Kirkwall at the end of November to see the ENT specialist from Aberdeen. I took the LoganAir flight rather than use the ferry as it makes such a difference in travelling time - 8 minutes each way to fly as opposed to 2 hours each way on the boat. Some strong cross winds made the flight "interesting" and we made the return trip in record time thanks to a strong tailwind. I'm glad I saw the specialist though. New medication has unblocked my nose and now I can fully appreciate the taste & smell Maureen's delicious cooking - just in time for Christmass.
Malcolm, our multi-talented handyman, has not been well lately but he has managed to complete Maureen's raised beds in the back garden. The three beds, constructed from cement blocks on a concrete foundation, have been left empty for several weeks so that the mortar & cement can "cure" but now they are ready. All I have to do is transfer umpteen barrow-loads of material from the compost heap and fill the beds ready for planting in the Spring.
Dr George MacKay, our genial island GP, now has a kitten to keep him company. The kitten's name is Jaffa but I believe that she is soon to be renamed Katie (after George's grand-daughter). Jaffa/Katie has already discovered the great joy of re-arranging several dried flower arrangements.
We have read in the national newspapers that some town and cities have cancelled the official switch-on of their Christmass lights because of public safety fears. Stronsay had no such inhibitions and we had the official "switch on" of the Stronsay Christmass Tree lights at 7:30 pm on Sat 02 Dec. The weather was just about perfect - a dry, clear night with a good moon, virtually no wind and a mild (6C 43F) temperature. After the "switch on" ceremony everyone moved back into the Community Centre for some community carol-singing lead by the Stronsay Singers, who consist of those folk attending the regular Monday evening class in singing. I didn't inflict my voice on the assembled company but helped by accompanying the carols on a small, portable keyboard. The social evening continued with items by the school-children and by other island inhabitants.
The island's two shops are now absolutely crammed with Christmass-related goodies but, fortunately, there is NO "canned" music therefore their customers are not forced to listen to interminable repeats of Christmass songs and carols. The other week we were shopping in Ebenezer when we noticed a toy unicorn which was almost the size of a small Shetland pony. Maureen remarked "I wonder where they found the virgin!" The shopkeeper was quite perplexed by this remark until Maureen told her of the legend was that a unicorn can only be captured by a virgin. Last time we were in the shop we noticed that the unicorn had gone from the shelf, so somewhere on Stronsay a little girl is going to have a very, very special present on Christmas Day.
One of our neighbours first moved to Stronsay from England nearly 20 years ago. He recently paid a short return visit to England in order to visit his family and the family of his wife. He also intended to purchase a large, powerful motorbike, having retained a love of motorbikes since spending many years as a despatch rider in London before moving to Stronsay. Apparently the most difficult part of his "Easy Rider" drive northwards from England was not saddle-soreness nor the unaccustomed heavy traffic but the process of actually getting onto his new motorbike for the first time whilst wearing his brand-new, very stiff waterproof clothing. He made the journey northwards without further incident and soon showed up on our doorstep in his "Dennis Hopper meets Marlon Brando" outfit to show us his new pride and joy (which we have nick-named the Yellow Peril).
Posted on Claremont at 20:27
Fletcher Saga - 29 Dec 2006
Posted: Friday, 29 December 2006 |
Our minister, Jennifer, is the minister of Stronsay and of Eday. Her Sunday routine is to take the 11 am service in Stronsay kirk and then, weather permitting take the 2 pm service in the kirk on Eday. This means leaving Stronsay at 1 pm in John Stevenson's fishing boat, together with Albert & Raymond from Stronsay kirk, and getting back to Stronsay just after 4 pm. On Christmass Eve 2006 Jennifer took 2 pm Christmass Eve service on Eday but this time she, Albert & Raymond were accompanied by myself, Viv from the shop and her two sons Jude (5) & Amos (9). It was very calm, no wind or rain and almost clear skies. As we neared Eday, always a less-than-calm area of water even for the big ferries, Jude remarked that it was "a bit wobbly" and it was but, fortunately, not for very long. The return journey was in a flat calm sea with the new moon shining in a quite clear sky and by the time we got back to Stronsay at 5 pm it was dark. However, John knows these waters like the back of his hand, having been at sea hereabouts since childhood. This was my first visit to Eday and I found that the kirk was surprisingly large with closely spaced pews and a large gallery at the back of the kirk. Illumination was provided by gas lamps and the much appreciated heat came from several gas-powered heaters. There is an harmonium just in front of the altar table but the instrument is of uncertain vintage and almost unplayable, especially as a small Christmass tree was balanced on top of it and threatened to tumble off as I pedalled the harmonium. I was quite glad that I'd brought my electronic keyboard and a handfull of batteries. The church will probably seat upwards of 200 people (including the gallery) but the Christmass Eve attendance was around 30 who sang all the well-known carols with gusto and feeling. The service sheet was quite an interesting concept - a new take on the Nativity Play involving children as innkeepers, angels, wise men, shepherds, Joseph & Mary (with some doubling of parts) whilst members of the congregation being given nuimbered parcels at the start of the service. As the service progressed Jennifer asked that parcel number X be unwrapped and its contents displayed and/or described. If you want more details of the service please email me - "ricardian" at "btinternet.com" - and I'll provide them. After the service we remained in our seats and were served with delicious home-made mince pies, home-made cake & copious quantities of hot tea; this was not as easy as it sounds because Eday kirk has no electricity and no running water. There is a photo of Eday kirk on the Eday school website at http://www.orkney.com/edayschool/photoalbum/midsized/kirk.htm
Jennifer had found some new words to the tune of "Jingle Bells" and we used them at the 11 am service on Christmass Day - it went down very well and was sung with great gusto. I was sent a new carol for children - "The Bad-Tempered Camel" - with words & music by a music teacher & church organist from the Yorkshire Wolds. I forwarded this to the wife of a friend in Tadley, near Reading, who used the words as a poem during their pre-Christmas services and reports that the item was well-received.
John, the father of Sue, our postmistress, died just before Christmass. He was a charming old gentleman, around 90 years of age, and had been unwell for a while. The funeral was on 29 Dec and I attended the Requiem Mass (all in Latin) in the tiny RC chapel on the Stronsay quay whilst Maureen went over and sat with John's widow, Mary, and Eileen, a family friend. The chapel was packed to capacity with John's family & friends together with many Stronsay inhabitants; not everyone there was of the Roman faith, several folk from the kirk were there including Jennifer, the minister, but we all wished to pay our respects. There was a lot of incense, bells and genuflections galore; the Transalpine Redemptorists really do things in style. It was a wonderful sight to see the coffin being carried down the pier preceded by a monk bearing an elaborately decorated cross on a six foot tall pole and accompanied by Fr Clement (who officiated at the Mass) along with several other monks, cloaks and cottas flapping in the very strong wind. I did not go over to the burial on Papa Stronsay in the Santa Maria, the monk's large boat normally used to ferry heavy building materials over to the monastery, as the weather was quite bad and worsening; I was a bit worried about getting back afterwards!
In the week before Christmass I saw a heron in the harbour, quite close to the road through Whitehall Village which fronts the harbour. Apparently it has been in the area for several days. More wildlife sightings over Christmass included seals, clearly visible from the road, basking on the rocks at low water in Mill Bay close to the Ayre of Myres; and in the fresh water area of the Ayre of Myres were two fully-grown cygnets who were in the process of losing their cygnet colouring and acquiring the beautiful pure white of an adult swan.
Timber, the cat of Jack & Simone, has had some dental problems but a visit to the vet in Kirkwall to remove some bad teeth and a follow-up course of anti-biotics has soon restored her to good health. Only the other week Jack & Simone told us that Timber is hale & hearty and that she has now fallen in love with a recently purchased feather duster.
Gonzo, one of Malcolm & Sue's cats, died on Christmass Eve and was buried on Christmass Day. The cat was no great age, in fact his mother still lives at Ha' Breck. However, Malcolm & Sue have had a new kitten, Tigger II, for several weeks now. Malcolm is quite convinced that the kitten has its very own, built-in pogo stick as it is continually bouncing around the kitchen and living room at Ha' Breck, regardless of what lies in its path. Malcolm has (jokingly!) threatened to superglue the cat the ceiling. When Tigger II is not bouncing it is either scaling the heights of the back of the settee, using its tiny claws like crampons, or chewing off the end of the tail belonging to Rex, one of Malcolm's collie dogs. Just before Christmas Malcolm & Sue received the good news that in June 2007 they will become grandparents for the second time.
This will be the last Fletcher Saga for 2006. Thankyou for taking the time to read my ramblings and thankyou to those who have sent me some very nice emails. I wish all the readers of the Saga a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Jennifer had found some new words to the tune of "Jingle Bells" and we used them at the 11 am service on Christmass Day - it went down very well and was sung with great gusto. I was sent a new carol for children - "The Bad-Tempered Camel" - with words & music by a music teacher & church organist from the Yorkshire Wolds. I forwarded this to the wife of a friend in Tadley, near Reading, who used the words as a poem during their pre-Christmas services and reports that the item was well-received.
John, the father of Sue, our postmistress, died just before Christmass. He was a charming old gentleman, around 90 years of age, and had been unwell for a while. The funeral was on 29 Dec and I attended the Requiem Mass (all in Latin) in the tiny RC chapel on the Stronsay quay whilst Maureen went over and sat with John's widow, Mary, and Eileen, a family friend. The chapel was packed to capacity with John's family & friends together with many Stronsay inhabitants; not everyone there was of the Roman faith, several folk from the kirk were there including Jennifer, the minister, but we all wished to pay our respects. There was a lot of incense, bells and genuflections galore; the Transalpine Redemptorists really do things in style. It was a wonderful sight to see the coffin being carried down the pier preceded by a monk bearing an elaborately decorated cross on a six foot tall pole and accompanied by Fr Clement (who officiated at the Mass) along with several other monks, cloaks and cottas flapping in the very strong wind. I did not go over to the burial on Papa Stronsay in the Santa Maria, the monk's large boat normally used to ferry heavy building materials over to the monastery, as the weather was quite bad and worsening; I was a bit worried about getting back afterwards!
In the week before Christmass I saw a heron in the harbour, quite close to the road through Whitehall Village which fronts the harbour. Apparently it has been in the area for several days. More wildlife sightings over Christmass included seals, clearly visible from the road, basking on the rocks at low water in Mill Bay close to the Ayre of Myres; and in the fresh water area of the Ayre of Myres were two fully-grown cygnets who were in the process of losing their cygnet colouring and acquiring the beautiful pure white of an adult swan.
Timber, the cat of Jack & Simone, has had some dental problems but a visit to the vet in Kirkwall to remove some bad teeth and a follow-up course of anti-biotics has soon restored her to good health. Only the other week Jack & Simone told us that Timber is hale & hearty and that she has now fallen in love with a recently purchased feather duster.
Gonzo, one of Malcolm & Sue's cats, died on Christmass Eve and was buried on Christmass Day. The cat was no great age, in fact his mother still lives at Ha' Breck. However, Malcolm & Sue have had a new kitten, Tigger II, for several weeks now. Malcolm is quite convinced that the kitten has its very own, built-in pogo stick as it is continually bouncing around the kitchen and living room at Ha' Breck, regardless of what lies in its path. Malcolm has (jokingly!) threatened to superglue the cat the ceiling. When Tigger II is not bouncing it is either scaling the heights of the back of the settee, using its tiny claws like crampons, or chewing off the end of the tail belonging to Rex, one of Malcolm's collie dogs. Just before Christmas Malcolm & Sue received the good news that in June 2007 they will become grandparents for the second time.
This will be the last Fletcher Saga for 2006. Thankyou for taking the time to read my ramblings and thankyou to those who have sent me some very nice emails. I wish all the readers of the Saga a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Posted on Claremont at 17:44
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