Not singing ...

But not drowning either. (Sorry - another poetic misquote) We were off again today, just for the afternoon, to attend Evensong on the eve of Pentecost in the tiny cathedral whose dedication is to the Holy Spirit, the Cathedral of The Isles on Cumbrae. If you've been with me for a while, you'll perhaps remember that this is where it all began for me, singing with our quartet, the St Maura Singers, the tenor the organist of this place where now, some 55 years later, he is now also the Lay Chaplain. 

We were there to attend Evensong sung by an ad hoc choir from all over Central Scotland under the auspices of the RSCM. We left home on the 1pm ferry, on which we ate a picnic lunch, dumped our car in Largs, and headed through the heaving crowds of trippers doing all the usual things - a woman lying face-down on the grey shore, her head facing down towards the sea, looking as if she might no longer be with us; a child with an ice cream cone completely melting and dripping all over him, acres of newly-exposed flesh - to the ferry for Cumbrae slip. This was packed as well; the bus from ferry to town was the seventh circle of hell full of very loud people. We had a struggle to escape, as our stop was before everyone else's and we were halfway up the bus - "people coming through! They're still coming! two to get off..." and piled out gratefully into the quiet side street leading up to the cathedral. 

I'm so tired now that this is in danger of turning incoherent. Suffice it to say that it was a peaceful experience; the birdsong mingled with the sounds of rehearsal as we sat outside waiting for it to be time to go in; it felt strange to sit in the nave and be sung to. We were welcomed by old friends and met one person I've so far known only through Facebook. Our friend Alastair drove us to the 6.15 ferry, so avoiding the bus hell, and Largs was still full of bared flesh, by now turning pink. 

The Cathedral is a special place, designed by William Butterfield, where things happen. I've added an extra of the interior. Try to visit it some day.