Helps Celtic Mission

Some of the Senior missionaries (SM's) decided that it would be a good idea for as many of the SM's as possible to get together for a Real American Thanksgiving Meal (RATM). It started off being planned for the Chapel Next To The Mission Home (CNTTMH), moved next door to the MH, (guess - you may be right) bounced back to the CNTTMH, and finally, a day or two prior to the event, settled at the MH, which is much nicer than the CNTTMH. All of this was associated with various tweaks to the mission calender. OK, right now you may feel about these acronyms pretty much the way some of us feel about turkey, so we will stop, apart from the occasional leftover. Firstly, there was a sign-up list, so we could each sign up to prepare whatever we would like for the RATM. We signed up for mashed potato and cranberry sauce, partially because we like our version of both, and partially because we had to pick something that required minimal preparation on the morning of the RATM, and partially ...

"The world is too much with us; late and soon" said William Wordsworth, and we felt that way somewhat so we took a local trip to a place of quiet solitude, Holyrood Abbey, almost in our back yard.  Holyrood Abbey and gardens Holyrood Abbey It's a beautiful ruin with gorgeous gardens, and was very peaceful. We wandered around in sheltered and quiet spaces, just a few yards and a tall stone wall away from the hustle and bustle of the touristy Royal Mile and the equally busy Scottish Parliament. Despite the late season the lawns still show green and there is colour in the trees. The paths wind peacefully through shrubberies and leafy groves. We even found a minstrel hiding in the bushes, who reminded us of our musical grandchildren. He has been playing there for many, many years. The poor fellow is not so much worn down from playing on his fiddle for all these years as he is quite literally worn away. Even so, it is easy enough to imagine a time when roy...