Holding forth

I can’t remember when last I missed posting a blip on the day, but this was such an occasion and now it’s tomorrow and, slightly hungover, I’m catching up.

A foul day of rain had us lighting the coal fire in the morning to cheer us during our morning session with our mentor - though she herself would cheer any morning and also brought rather splendid biccies. Di and I fitted in a walk in the wind and rain later; we realised that Bac covers far more ground than we’d originally thought and surmised that it was because of the crofting layout with every house having an equal strip of land.

My friend Maureen took today’s photo. Last year at this time Sr Clare had me leading a seminar on Poetry and Faith; this year I’d been booked to do one on R.S.Thomas. It was an evening do; what you can’t see is a group of c24 people sitting round at tables in a hollow square. What you can see is the remains of a substantial buffet behind me; I ate very little but …

It went well and people - an extremely intelligent and challenging class! - were delightful. After well over an hour I was realising yet again why I gave up teaching at 60 , but I’d enjoyed myself hugely. We meandered home (including a detour towards the north of Lewis when we weren’t paying enough attention) to oatcakes and wine and staggered into bed at 1am.

I’ve had my first cup of tea. Now for a second…