Master Chef here I come !!!

Some of you may know that I like cheese scones. (Skon,skoon,skOne.) Wars have been fought I believe over the pronunciation of these objects, but I am informed they hail from Scotland. Today I decided that rather than just eating the Peerie Shop Cafe's all the time I would have a go at making some of my own. I sought advice from various quarters and naturally got varied and even conflicting advice. Eggs or no eggs, self raising or plain, mustrad or not, baking powder or not, butter or margarine or oil or buttermilk or yoghurt or cream.......!! Even the temperature of the oven was debatable. All in all everything to play for and all sorts of places to slip up.

I bought some weighing scales and some cutters from the delightful Harry's in Lerwick. Lerwicks version of Harrods they say.... buy at the top they say.

I set about throwing various items in the bowl and somehow it seems to have come together. The picture is the final result and they were edible too. A verdict?.... very good! I enjoyed the game very much and can certainly repeat for when I have a cheese scone party.
Perhaps the most challenging time came in the end keeping Eli off them while they were cooling.

I then went down to the beech for a celebratory walk and managed to bump into (for the first time) a blog follower... wow! (great to meet you if you read this).

On another note, the placement student from Ireland who is with me for another two weeks is getting on fine and despite the volcano which messed up the beginning he is having a good time.

It is the Folk Festival here now and tomorrow I am off to one of the concerts, and on Wednesday I am going to hear Anne Cleeves talking about her new book.

Ding Dong Merrily (it had to be ..!)

Back in November in the East End of London, this bell was cast. I had the privelage of being there to see it. Now it has arrived in Shetland and is ready to be put in its place in the tower of St Magnus church..
The previous bell sounded truly abominable! Anything Whitechapel Foundry could make could only be an improvement. Well yesterday Lerwick rang out to the beautiful sound of a new bell, even if I was ringing it in a garage. There is even a new rope to go with it for when it gets into the tower..

Sorry Sylvia... I had to give this entry an appropriate title!!

Still here!

I have now dug myself out of the Volcanic ash!!! well not quite but I did find a good dusting of it on my car last week. It has brought chaos to travelling here and all sorts of things have ben cancelled or postponed. Any way I am fine and keeping busy. I will write more when I get the chance.

Another day in the life....

Well not really a day, more of a week really! The week has flown by very fast and has been very busy too. I have begun a new "part time" job in the Community Mental Health team and this is very interesting indeed. I am working in a wonderful team of people who are supportive and friendly. The job entails many things and we support a number of people who are residential, living in their own small appartments, and people who are out in the wider community.

As well as this new start I have enjoyed showing my friends sister and her son around on Monday, while my friend was working, and we all went to a beach too one evening for a picnic... yes the weather is warming up and I am writting this with the front door wide open and the sun streaming through the windows.

I have been out for supper twice, once at the indian restaurant and once at some new friends house.

Today has been another morning in Tifanies for breakfast followed by quite a full church including two other ministers, one of whom was up here on holiday with his family.

I am going to take advantage of this glorious day now and treat Eli to a good walk. He has been very patient this week sitting a lot in the car while I am at work and out visiting.

EASTER GREETINGS

Once again it is Easter. A time when we reflect again on how we can truly live. I went for a walk today and was thinking about what I might say tomorrow at the Easter services and I realised again that coming to life can be a lifelong process. Having said that I do believe that this is the place for it to happen for me. I am reminded of a wonderful poem by RS Thomas here it is:


The Kingdom by RS Thomas

It’s a long way off but inside it
There are quite different things going on:
Festivals at which the poor man
Is king and the consumptive is
Healed; mirrors in which the blind look
At themselves and love looks at them
Back; and industry is for mending
The bent bones and the minds fractured
By life. It’s a long way off, but to get
There takes no time and admission
Is free, if you purge yourself
Of desire, and present yourself with
Your need only and the simple offering
Of your faith, green as a leaf.

Yesterday I found something quite strange on my walk with Eli, a small pine cone. Goodness knows where it had come from to get to Burra, or indeed how it got here. I guess judging by where it was that it had been washed by the seas and blown onto to coast line. It was tight shut. It will take some time for it to dry out and open irtself ready to bring its full potential... all the seeds of life.


Easter Sunday sees breakfast at the Co-op to begin with and the morning service in Lerwick. Then it is off to Yell and a large ecumenical gathering on Yell later. Monday is hopefully quiet before I begin a weeks induction at the new job with the Mental Health services as relief care worker. Yet another option for the phone to ring offering work. It is all beginning to build up and holding together.

HAPPY EASTER

CAMBRIDGE WINS!!

With two rowers from Hughes Hall. Brilliant. and against the odds too.
I must admit Eli did wonder if I was going insane as I watched it.

Well done