a room called, "home"

Hello, dear friends. I am writing where I kind of began this whole thing....Oban. The "internet Cafe" to be specific. I am just TWO days away from being home. I'll spend today wandering around this very cute little town on the water...it's kind of got an "eclectic New York City neighborhood" feel without the smog! I MAY go to the movies this afternoon, too. (anything to keep myself from thinking about my surreal departure yesterday from Iona.)
Now don't worry...I WILL actually process this whole thing, but right now, it's way too wierd. The whole summer experience feels like a dream...which I don't like....because dreams really don't happen. hmm...Saying goodbye yesterday was hard...and wierd. The last day I was on Iona I felt like I was backing out of a room...like, I was standing in the doorway of a room called, "Iona" and backing out of it and into a room called, "home." Very strange.
Oh, have I mentioned I've decided to become a vegetarian? Yep. After spending 10 weeks with "my" lovely cows and sheep, I cannot stomach (excuse the pun) of eating these creatures. Not that I DID eat lamb...it's just the idea. And I'm SURE that baby pigs are JUST as cute as baby lambs! I know, I know...we're in hot dog season....but I mean it! NO MORE MEAT!!! There were even CHICKENS freely walking around in places on the island. NO MORE CHICKEN!!! I MAY even begin trying to buy free range eggs! Wow! What's happened to me? I have NOT, however, begun to wear Birkenstocks and socks.....that will never, EVER happen!
I am SO looking forward to getting back to work, especially with the Newman Community. I have so many COOL songs for us to learn, and a renewed love for my catholicity. Who knew? Oh, it still has its' problems (the Holy Roman Empire) but it's still, as Mike says, "the only game in town."
I've probably worked myself up to £5 worth of internet time (selling time - go figure) so I'd better go! I fly home on Saturday, so please pray for me and all my fellow travelers! Can't wait to get my hands on all of you!
cheers! mary out.

hard goodbyes

Well hello everyone!
Exactly one week from today I will be leaving this awesome little island. I am very much looking forward to coming home, but leaving behind the island and the people I've been journeying with will be hard.
As usual, today we said goodbye to more vollies. As usual, it was very hard. Everyone takes it quite hard, and walks around in a daze for most of the day.
This afternoon, however, I went for a walk with one of my roomates, Pip...she said, "I just need to be blown." So we climbed Dun I (DUN-EE), the highest point on Iona. The wind was blowing about 60 mph, I swear!! How do I know? Well, it felt just like riding on the back of a Harley doing 60! It was so awesome...the view was amazing and the wind! The wind blew every bit of sorrow away! Incredible.
So...there you have it. I will see you all soon!
I'm sending much love. cheers! mary out.

a motley crew

I'm hoping that this picture will be uploaded on this ANCIENT computer we all have to share! We'll see! Anyway, another update: exactly two weeks from today I will be leaving this island. How do I feel about it? Well, if it weren't for the vollies I would have perished by now! And hopefully you will be seeing a picture of them on this blog! (As I type this, the computer is still valiantly trying to upload it!) This island has not disappointed me. Every time I go off somewhere - to some beach or something - I am renewed. (but in a much better way than a library book is!) This really is a beautiful place...and MUCH cooler than the temps you've been experiencing back in the U.S. I don't know how I'll survive in the heat! Anyway, I am very much looking forward to getting back home. I hear by a nearby "sigh" that someone would like to use the computer, so I will sign off for now. Keep me in your prayers! I'll keep you in mine!! Cheers! mary out.

Angels RECEIVED!!!

Hello my dear friends,

It was literally a DAY later that I felt the affects (or effects?) of your prayers....I feel much better now, and realize that I've been fighting this whole thing quite a bit. I have been extremely tired the past few days...sleeping a lot. I think it's because I've almost hit the "6 week mark." Most vollies are here for just 6 weeks...which, I think, is probably the perfect amount of time. Because, quite frankly, I STILL would like to come home now! However, I still have 3 weeks and 2 days...but who's counting? I think I have FINALLY settled into life here. Yes, I'm tired, yes, I want to come home, but things SEEM to be easing up a bit - tonight I went out for a GREAT dinner at the Argyll with my friend, Kate. It was so awesome NOT to have to cook dinner for 70, and to jump up half a dozen times during the meal to get something for somebody. We had a luxurious, 2-hour meal which has now ended in "Cul-Shuna" (another living quarter for vollies....AWAY from everything else, and very quiet.) Around 15 people live here...and this is where I am sitting now, on the internet. We just had some "sticky date and toffee" pudding which Kate made...it is SOOOOOO AWESOME!!! I'll make some for you all when I get home. Okay...Fabiana is doling out shoulder massages, so I better be going....yee ha!
Love you all. Miss you all. See you all SOON!
cheers! mary

Send Angels

I am about to kill myself...this freakin' internet is SOOOOO slow! You wouldn't believe it! So now I'm FINALLY at a point where I can actually create a new posting! sheesh!
Things continue to hum along here... the work in the kitchen is, physically, very hard. I am very tired by the end of my day... I really want to come home, and I'm trying to figure out why. (Because I KNOW that would be the first question someone would ask me.) I really, really miss "home." I really miss people who know me and love me. I feel like such a baby, but there it is.
Tonite, once again, is a Celidh. I'm planning on going, but my heart is so heavy tonight. Actually, it's been heavy for a few days now. Please pray for me (as I always pray for you) and send me some angels!
Missing you all MADLY.
mary out.

There's no place like Webster

Hello everyone! Jess, THANK YOU so much for holding off on the get together...and the place I THINK you're talking about begins with a "B," right? I'm so glad you found me and that you are surviving your summer! Michael, thank you, as always, for the entertaining entry....it's wierd that you named your abacus "Alan," because he was also a friend here on Iona! (before leaving us...sniff, sniff - the guy, Alan, NOT your abacus). Now a question: WHO is "m-dogger?!" I am wracking my brain and I can't figure it out! PLEASE identify yourself - obviously, you're a Geneseo connection...but WHO???
Tonight there are about a million things to do on this crazy little island. The only thing I WANT to do is go to bed....but it's a beautiful night, and I think a few of us are going to climb up Dun-I (the highest point on Iona) and drink some wine. Red, that is.
Last night was the first gathering of the "Vollie Wednesday Group" (that meets on Thursdays.) There were about 12 of us...pretty good, huh? It was very life-giving for all of us.
Sorry I don't have anymore pictures to post...I'll work on that.
Please CONTINUE to know that I am really missing all of you. Today at our vollie meeting, we went around the room to introduce ourselves - we always say our name, where we're from, and where we're working....THEN we answer some kind of silly question. Today's question was, "if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" There were some pretty interesting places: Hawaii, New Zealand, Vancouver....But when I introduced myself, I said I would go home.
And that's it for now.
Love you all immensely and miss you even more.
mary out.

Wave at the Jetty

Who ARE these strange people and what the HECK are they doing? Well, through the miracle of science and emailing, a fellow vollie has emailed this picture to me, and I was able to post it! woo hoo! This is a picture of all the vollies and most of the resident staff "performing" a wave to the departing vollies. Can you spot me? (hint: think green). So this is what we do every Wednesday ... as the departing vollies board the ferry, we all line up and do a wave to them...actually, we do SEVERAL waves...hey, whatever it takes, y'know?
So, um, I'd like to come home now, if that's okay....anyone? anyone?
Nope...gotta stay...five more weeks!! (argh.) I am really missing warm weather....my dogs....my friends....hot dogs.....and easy access to a phone! BUT, I AM wearing flip flops! Yes, dear friends, it CAN be done on Iona!
Have I mentioned how annoying Americans are? We are SO loud and SO impolite....I'm trying to change the worlds' opinion of us...one Scotsman at a time!
I'm starting a collection of "Iona dogs." There are quite a few new ones every day! People take their dogs EVERYWHERE here (as it SHOULD be, I might add!) (I have a feeling I'm repeating myself - sorry!)
So that trip to the beach....it rained. Actually, it kind of "spritzed..." and I did NOT leave...eventually the rain stopped and I sat on my butt for a bit. It was great. The ocean feeds me. The sand cheers me. The rocks and shells renew me. So go sit on a beach! And think of me, thinking of you!
love you all! cheers!
mary out.

Celidh night

Tonight is "Celidh night" - woo hoo! I am hoping to learn all the dances so that I can have a celidh when I get home. What's a celidh (pronounced KAY-lee) you might ask? It's kind of a Scottish square dance...and way too much fun.
So life chugs along here...and it IS life...this place is not so removed from where YOU are....it's a microcosm of life, and thus, time is compacted and experiences of every kind come fast and furious. A wee bit TOO fast at times, actually. Tomorrow we say goodbye to TWO more vollies who were just great fun to be around. I believe the first meeting of the "vollie support group/faith sharing/sob fest" will be tomorrow, as well.
This week at the Mac there is a church group from ELMIRA!!! AND one of the young chaperones who are accompanying them just graduated from GENESEO!!!! It's so wierd.
I am learning all kinds of new music...most recently we learned a chant from one of my friends from South Africa. (a different friend...NOT the one who mocked my accent!) I transcribed it so I would remember how it goes. Not sure what it's called, but it means something like "Jesus' name should be praised" or something like that.
Hey, tomorrow I'm leading the morning service in the Abbey!!! It's a pretty standard format, but I am allowed to be creative with prayers in four different spots. I also got to choose one piece of music. The musician here is really wonderful...just great to work with! I believe I'll be filling in for her on Thursday morning.
I have a few more burns on my arm...they are like badges of honor, and I am very proud of them! Don't worry, my fellow godesses (or would that be "girly?") give me loads of sympathy and care.
Tomorrow I think I will walk to a great little beach called "Sandeel's Bay." I might have mentioned it before. It's a beautiful little protected place....GREAT shells and stones, too! Hopefully, the weather will be okay. (which means I hope it doesn't pour rain...even a bit of a sprinkle I can handle!)
There is SO much to talk about and tell you. It has been a bit frustrating for me to NOT be able to create a new post each day. But I KNOW you all understand! And I will try to keep them coming to keep your interest up!!
I see by the clock that I've been here for £2 worth....yikes! So I'd better depart....
mary out.

taking the goodbyes hard

I'm sorry it's been a whole freakin' week since I've last written. Mainly, I didn't have the MONEY to pay for internet use....I'll try to budget more efficiently!
Yesterday we said goodbye to SIX vollies, two of whom I was pretty close to. I spent the day either crying, or trying not to cry....this was in between the moments of hugs and hilarity in the kitchen - a real roller coaster! Today I'm off (thanks be to God) but exhausted. I slept in (or as they say here, "had a lie-in") until after 9...missed the service....oops.
So, yesterday I knew and experienced great pain and great love. I was deeply sad and hugely grateful. ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Yikes...get me outta here! SO! In response to all this upheaval, I am starting a kind of vollie "support group." It will be more like faith-sharing. Might even have some praying, too! (a few of us are surprised how, aside from the twice daily services, there are no other formal times of prayer.) I have informally talked to several vollies who all think it's a great idea. Maybe living in this community is all about creating our OWN community. I don't know. All I can say is that, since I've been here, only ONE of the resident staff have asked me, "so Mary, how are you DOING with all of this?" The day she did, I almost started crying!
On a much lighter note...did I tell you about the lamb I rescued from the fence? He had his head stuck in between the wires as he tried to eat the "greener" grass on the other side. His mother was calling him, and he was calling back, but he couldn't free himself. So, I walked down in my pajamas and pulled the wires open so he could run back to his mum.
Also on a lighter note: did I tell you that ALL of the appliances in the kitchen are named? I couldn't believe it!!! I felt like I was home. So, the Hobart mixer is "Hamish." Our bench can opener is "Archibald." A particularly difficult drawer we have is named, "Jane." (more details on that LATER!) Our potato peeler (it's a machine that rolls the potatoes around and peels them - it's pretty cool) is named, "Henrietta." One stove is "Lauren" and the other is "Birgitte." We even named the sink stopper in hopes that she would behave better and not let all the water out. Her name is "Susie." Our food processor is "Katrina." The dishwasher (that housekeeping uses) is "Mallory" or "Li'l Darlin' "). We are also referring to ourselves as the "Mac Kitchen Godesses." We are quite a team. We have GREAT fun - which I am so grateful for...it really helps to go to work with people you like.
Today it's drizzly...rainy...cold. yuk. I believe I'll go home and take a nap (YEAH!) I went to another beach the other day that a friend told me about. It's just a bit farther south than Traighmoor and is very secluded and protected. LOVELY. I was going to walk down today, but the weather is too poopy. I am ALSO hoping to get to the Isle of Staffa (google it to see pictures!) again to see the baby puffins!!
I am SOOOOOO missing you all. Life here is a microcosm of life. And "Iona time" is a bit compacted and expanded in wierd ways. I want to make a t-shirt that says, "I don't know what day it is...I must be on Iona." (which has both positive and negative connotations).
ANYWAY, six more weeks to go.... I am loving all of you immensely and praying and thinking of you quite often. My address again is: MVH, Iona Community, Isle of Iona, Argyll, Scotland, PA766SN, UK. Would love to hear from you!! (sniff sniff) cheers!
mary out.

My first kitchen burn!

Woo hoo! And it's a DOOZY! I got it taking SOME damn thing out of the oven...it's on my right upper forearm...and they have these GREAT blue bandaids here that stick to your skin for, oh, let's say, 18 seconds. WHAT a pain!! It's healing nicely. Don't worry.
This morning we said goodbye to 2 more vollies. As the ferry pulled away we all danced the "Stripping the Wheat" which closes every celidh. We did this on the jetty for the vollies. It's lots of spinning and clapping and fun. We also do a "wave" for whoever is leaving...quite funny, really. Twice a week there are these goodbyes. And now I am starting to feel them. But, as another vollie said to me, "that's Iona." It's lots of hellos but then lots of goodbyes.
Today is my day off. Yeah! I walked to the south beach (Traighmoor) and sat on the sand. It was fairly freezing, but I stayed anyway. All the beaches have been pretty yucky with sea weed...stinky, too. However, sand is sand; and on bare feet, it's wonderful! The weather the past few days have been really sunny and warm.
I have now entered the "happy to be here" phase of my stay here. I have seven weeks left (from today, in fact!), and I believe I shall now begin REALLY enjoying them. I am learning sooooooooo much about myself. And faring quite well. Our new roomate is from "The Borders." It's actually a district at the Scottish/English border. She is incredibly sweet; and has a great sense of herself. EVERYONE here is really great; whoever does the screening process for vollies does a wonderful job. Really. A lot of the vollies are either ministers (Methodist, Presbyterian or other), in seminary (to become a minister) or just out of college and not really sure what they want to do. One young woman I work with spent the last two years in Senegal working with the peace corps! There is a variety of ages and experiences and accents. I most recently am trying to pick up the accent of a guy from South Africa....why? Because he keeps mocking my 'merican accent - and it's SOOOO fun to give him a hard time.
Tonight all the Mac cooks are gathering after the 9 pm service in the head cook's apartment (read walk-in-closet) to watch "Finding Nemo." Although our cook doesn't talk as much, she says she is a soul sister to Dory. I bought chocolate ice cream as a treat. It will be fun, because we are such a COOL TEAM!!!
Well, that's about it for now. Any questions? Let me know! And you CAN email me directly, don't forget....hopefully my next post will be sooner than a week! Love you all!
mary out.

Summer Equinox plus 2

This past Wednesday was the summer equinox....or was it the solstice? I don't know...ANYWAY, there were plans to celebrate the longest day of the year by having a bonfire on the beach for night prayer....however, the wind was blowing around 50 mph, with wet, wet cold rain....so, the celebration was held in the Abbey Church, where we all sat and listened to the wind howling around us...it was very cool.
Anyway! Yesterday I worked my first morning shift by myself...I mixed up and baked 10 loaves of bread, a couple dozen scones and put the porridge on! All before morning prayers!!! I really really really liked the pattern of working in the morning, (while watching the clock) then putting work down, walking across to the abbey for prayers, and immediately returning to work. I would love to work this shift all the time, but it turns out the other cooks like this shift as well!!
Today I worked the 9:30-2:30 shift...I'm "in between" right now: just a couple of hours before I have to return for the dinner shift, 5-7. But I sang a blessing song at the end of the morning service today, so I had to meet the musician at 7:45!! Friday services are at 8:15 (instead of the usual 9:00) so we can all walk down to the jetty and say goodbye to all the guests who are leaving on the 9:00 ferry...it's kind of cute...especially NOW that I've actually gotten to know some of the guests over the course of the week. Last night's service was a communion service led by Graham Maule (he writes lots of beautiful texts that John Bell sets to music) and presided over by Steve Butler (not sure who he is yet). Anyway, they were both A-MAZ-ING!!!! They really PRAYED the prayers...they are both so gifted and inspiring. It was a pretty awesome service which featured a performance by one of the groups staying at the Macleod center this past week. Also, pretty darn cool.
So just to illustrate the craziness of life here (yes, it IS crazy on this wee little slice of heaven) this is what my today is/was: 7:45 meet with the Abbey musician; 8:15 morning service; 8:45 walk to the jetty and see off the guests; 9:20 MacLeod centre meeting; 10:00 Vollie meeting; 10:45 back to work through lunch until 3:00; 5-7 back to work the dinner shift; 7:30 a music "workshop" for staff and volunteers around chants; 8:15 staff choir rehearsal; 9:00 night service....then, I'm hoping we'll hit the pub. Yesterday I was through at 2:30 so I walked north to my favorite beach, "Traigh ban am Manach," "White strand of the monks." It's a lovely little beach that has captured my heart and feeds my soul. I sat on a rock and just stared out at the waves and the colors of the ocean. After just a few minutes, I was in a happier place...it was as if I hadn't even WORKED that day! It was just SOOOO good to "be." I highly recommend it. (as I've said before.)
So life goes on...we said goodbye to 5 vollies this week, which means one new roommate. This Wednesday we will say goodbye to 3 vollies, which will mean TWO new roommates!! We're having a little vollie "leaving service" in the ruins of the Nunnery...specifically, in what USED to be the chapter house. It's a lovely little "sunken" area with stone benches on all four sides....don't know what we'll do if it rains....probably go to the pub!!
Please know that I continue to think of all of you, and am really missing you....
think of me, and write if you get a chance. Sending love from Iona!
mary out.

NOT a day at the beach

hello!!!!!!!!! SORRY there haven't been more entries. but thank you thank you thank you to ALL who are leaving comments. You have NO IDEA how much they make my day!!!
So today is my first "not so great day." It's my first day off, and it's POURING rain and windy and cold. So, I bought myself a box of "hob nobs" ate them, then took a nap.
This work here is NOT for the faint of heart. I FOOLISHLY thought I'd be walking to the beach EVERY DAY. HA!, I say....Ha!!! Who's got the TIME????? Anyway, I HAVE played and sung now at the services (twice a day: 9 AM and 9 PM). These services are helping me to keep my sanity. ONE of the reasons, I'm sure, the monks deal with community life. I am in a room with four other women - I have a cozy little "nook" near the window which I've nested in very nicely. So, community life....NOT a day at the beach...this is a very hard to live....the constant interaction with your work team, your roomates and the guests is EXHAUSTING. I'm in this idyllic setting and I haven't gotten much farther than across the street to the Abbey! Yesterday, FINALLY, I had a chance to sit on a rock on a beach...it was good. I highly recommend it.
The shifts I've been working usually start at 9:30 (following the morning service - a GREAT way to start the day) and go through lunch until 2:30. Then again from 5-7. Occassionally, I will work from 7 - 2:30. YESTERDAY I worked a "half day:" 9:30 - 2:30. I REALLY enjoyed it. I will get one full day and one half day off per week...and I will love EVERY minute of them!!

I see by the timer that I need to go! I only have enough cash for this brief entry! Hey, I'd love to hear from you - just send me a goofy post card! Send it to me, The Iona Community, Isle of Iona, Argyll, Scotland, PA766SN.

I promise I will write back! Continue to have a great summer and know that I am REALLY missing all of you LOADS! cheers and love! mary out.

wow, am I tired! I can't believe how hard I've worked in the past few days! PHEW! We are CONSTANTLY on the move in the kitchen...if you're not cooking something, then you're washing up something or drying something or sweeping something. Today there's a "new" batch of people coming...there are 6 vegans in the bunch....you wouldn't believe the diet restrictions some people have....and the poor cook has to design meals around all of them! I would not want her job! She is very "un-cook" like....i.e. she's VERY kind, VERY patient and incredibly collaborative. I've never encountered a chef like her!
I have settled in very nicely here....I've hardly had two seconds to myself...but it's been great. This is not the most exciting post, because I'm exhausted! Hopefully, on my next day off I can devote a bit more time to the blog situation...
well, there are about 2 other "vollies" (as we're called) waiting to get on, so, cheers for now! mary out.

waiting for the ferry...

Hello everyone!!! I am writing this from the port of Oban. It's on the north west coast of Scotland...it's a VERY cute little town with lots of shops...I'm writing this from an internet cafe with VERY nice, VERY fast broadband internet! The walls are covered with a snazzy tartan, and the radio plays Scottish pop in the background. So funny! Anyway, at noon today I take the ferry from here to the isle of Mull. I'll land in the port of Craignure. THEN, I'll take a bus ride (about an hour's ride down a one lane road!!) to Fionhhport where I will catch ANOTHER ferry for a quick 15 minute ride over to the Isle of Iona. There I'll be met by someone from the community and my day will begin!!
Last night I stayed in a hostel. It was anything but "hostile!" It was very clean, very cool, (very cheap) free shower, coffee and laundry service! I've booked myself back into it in August (when I pass this way again!)
The weather CONTINUES to be fantastic....TOTALLY unseasonble for these parts!
Now, a word to those leaving comments. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! Especially you, Mike - hey, can anyone come up with a nickname for Mike??? What about "Newman?" Too obvious? Anyway, I am LOVING reading your comments, and hope you are all reading each other's, because you are all QUITE entertaining!! I am missing you (really!!) and hoping you're having a great summer so far! Remember, you CAN email me directly, and I PROMISE I'll write back! (once I wade through all the junk mail!!) So, I see my time is adding up, and with it being a pound/20 minutes, I need to go!
Love you all! Cheers!
mary out.

pounds of rocks

Okay....so APPARENTLY I was a bit confusing when I talked about picking up POUNDS of ROCKS. I did not, in fact, PURCHASE rocks.....I picked them up with my own two little hands and plunked them in my pockets....I guess you could say I STOLE them!!!!
When attempting to express the AMOUNT of rockage which we each pocketed, I was expressing their amount in 'merican weight measurment....so, we each have about 8 pounds (as opposed to £8) of rocks.
Another absolutely FABULOUS day here....I have shorts and flip flops on! And I walked barefoot on the beach, where I STOLE several sea shells....and some made by snails, I think...maybe they're NAUTICAL snails? I don't know....but I DO know that the beer here is really good....but now we're about to have "cream tea:" a highly respectable mid-afternoon snack. Gotta go! mary out.

I'M HERE!!!

Hello everyone!! I am in Scotland...on Iona, to be specific.
I absolutely love it here...I am ALREADY dreading my return in August! But let's not go there...besides, knowing all of YOU will be there brings me GREAT comfort. (sniff sniff)
I don't even miss my DOGS! (please don't tell them)
So, where to begin....this is an island, so there are beaches everywhere. I've already walked to the north shore and sat on "Traigh Ban am Manach" (Gaelic for "White strand of the Monks"). On the west coast is the "Machair..." a great, beautiful expanse of meadow...yesterday we walked to the SOUTH shore to "Columba's Bay." (where St. Columba is said to have landed when he was exiled from Ireland.) THIS "beach" if you want to call it that, was made up of nothing but rocks....rocks and rocks and rocks....barely any sand....just rocks. (did I mention there were a lot of rocks?) They are very beautiful...we each picked up about 8 pounds worth! We are staying on the East shore in a little cottage called, "Traighmoor." Sheep graze right outside the front door!
It stays light until well after 10 pm, which suits me JUST FINE - I love night. So the days are INCREDIBLY long which allows for LOTS of exploring and fun AND a nap!!! What more could I ask for? The cottage is a good half hour walk outside of town, so some very careful planning has to happen...especially since all the shops close up around 5.
Once all the day visitors to the island leave it is so very quiet and peaceful. I've not begun my volunteering yet...that starts on the 14th. So in the meantime, I am actually on vacation!!! Amazing! Me! Not working!!!
I'm posting this from the Columba Hotel which, THANKS BE TO GOD, has internet!!! The Iona community does NOT have access!!! It's costing me 50p (around $1) for 15 minutes, so I'll need to type fast! Anyway, once I begin my volunteering I'm not sure how often I'll get to this, but I promise I'll try to do it daily....since I will be very close to the hotel then.
It hasn't rained ONCE since we've arrived, which is UNHEARD of for this time of year. The temperatures have been perfect...I even got sunburned!
So, Iona: beaches, sheep, green-green-green, ocean surf, beautiful old ruins and lots of HILLS! I will have legs of steel by the time I return!!
I see that my time is nearing an hour, so I'd better sign off. Cheers! mary out.

wow....it's only 7:50 and already it's a gazillion degrees out...okay, maybe it's around 80...but still, this is way too hot for this time of year! Anyone else out there melting? I know, I know, some of you actually LIKE this sort of weather! But not me....I'm SO glad to be going away to where the average temperature will be something like 55 - 60 degrees! woo hoo!! However, the thought of packing sweaters and sweatshirts does NOT appeal to me.

So here we are....in four days I will be making my way towards Iona from Glasgow. I can't believe it. I keep counting down the number of nights I still have to sleep in my bed....with my dogs. Or how many mornings I'll get up at a leisurely time, pour myself a cup of coffee and walk around the back yard looking at how much the flowers have grown overnight. Or how many...sniff sniff...I can't go on. Let's just say I WILL miss everything (and everyone) around me...because I LOVE everything (and everyone) around me. This is so bittersweet....but, I have to admit, a little more "sweet" than "bitter."

Okay, so here's a link to see the daily weather in Iona:
uk.weather.com/weather/local/UKXX0404?letter=I
Just copy and paste the address into the address thingy up at the top of the page. Hopefully, it will work for you...otherwise just go to "uk.weather.com" and fish around for the Isle of Iona...at some point, I'd like to get the above as a link right on the blog...but until I figure THAT out, there you go...
mary out.

coffee

We can send a man to the moon...why can't a coffee machine churn out coffee faster? I'm DYIN' here...waiting for the coffee to "give it up" to me. Ahhhh....one sip....two sips....I am regaining my sanity, and things don't seem so grim.

Why, dear mary, are you up so darn early? (I am, of course, assuming that you are wondering this...) Well, I am playing the 8:00 mass at Blessed Sacrament this morning...filling in, you see...

Today promises to be sunny...warm....NOT like Iona, I
fear! Although, I WILL be wearing flip flops at some
point...as God as my witness, I shall!!!!!

Time for more coffee.... mary out.

too tired for words...

Hey everybody....(yeah, like I have this HUGE following!)
No picture...sorry. Just words. Me talking and talking and talking...
actually, no talking, because I'm BEAT. I put $20-some in my gas tank this morning, and guess what? IT'S ALL GONE!!!

Gee, I love the president.

mary out.

frustrated

This is what I walked in on tonight...
BAD PUPPIES!!! BAD! BAD!

Oh well....pups will be pups! ( I know that Lucy started the whole thing....but as you can see Max is really enjoying a good chew under the piano bench...) argh.

hey, it's Saturday...

hey...it's Saturday, and it's raining....but guess what? It's raining in Glasgow, too!!! Okay, I think I'm going to be brave and let MORE people know about this silly blog. Right now, I have exactly TWO wonderful visitors....so I think it's time to open it up....PLUS you'll be able to read the sure-to-be hilarious commenatry from Mike. So....here it goes.... oh, and the picture...it's called "The Day God Spilled the Paint." NO idea who took it...it was sent to me and I saved it. mary out.

13 days...but who's counting?

okay, so here we are....Friday already. Two weeks from THIS MOMENT we'll be driving to JFK to catch our evening flight to Dublin....yes, Dublin first, then Glasgow, Oban, Craignure, Fionnhport and at LAST Iona!!! Why am I using this strange picture? Well, until I get a digital camera and figure out how the heck to get my OWN pix, I'm gonna use these free ones off the net. mary out.

puffins and poop

I discovered today that listening to my tunes via my iPod nano (Terrance) makes just about ANY job less boring....INCLUDING picking up poop!

This little guy here is a puffin...I'm trying to figure out how I can put HIS (or her) picture in place of my own, since I don't yet have a picture of myself...hmm.
Well, for now, here's mr./mrs. puffin.
mary out.

not there yet..

...but soon! Only TWO weeks from tomorrow!
Joanne just told me I didn't have to say anything....
because, quite frankly, with only one cup of coffee
in me, I'm not really alive yet...
so just keep watching this space for new posts!
mary out.