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.