Every other Tuesday there's a coffee morning in the village shop which doubles - or should that be quadruples - as the village post office, petrol station and cafe. Mahri (pronounced ma-ree) bakes the cakes. And what a fabulous array of cakes - chocolate, brownies, cherry, rocky road (isn't that Australian?) and Imperial biscuits.
A whole new crowd of women dropped by and we all sat cosily at tables pushed together in the shop/cafe window. Such a varied group, most not village natives but who came here via their own stories which I hope I will learn over the next few weeks. The new postwoman came by and delivered yesterday's paper to me as she couldn't find the cottage yesterday - her first day in the job. Half an hour later she popped in again with today's paper.
I had the honour of meeting two published writers who live in the village. Adrienne, who I am told has published several books under a pseudonym seemed a little shy to tell me her subject matter, but I have made her promise to loan me one of her books.
Elaine, who is the cleaner at the village school and moved here from Fife a few years ago, writes poetry. Her book - Wee Verses from the Glens - is for sale in the shop, so I bought a copy. As I don't have a photo today, I thought I would share one of her poems, which very eloquently paints a picture of the local landscape:
Scottish Pride
The majestic hills around these parts
Have captured many souls and hearts
Fine views to take your breath away
Most who visit want to stay
Stags roam freely in the glen
Avoiding winding roads and men
Sheep just amble down the lane
Until the farmer takes them home again
Cascading rivers crystal clear
Wild heather growing everywhere
People come from far and wide
To marvel at our countryside
Later in the day, on returning from an afternoon's jaunt to Perth, a pair of gumboots was discovered in the garden bunker, much to the astonishment of Jeanette who was braving the rain to fill a bucket with coal. The brand new green gumboots are a loan from Mahri so I can avoid dirtying my fancy city-slicker shoes when I traipse across the muddy or wet garden. I can't wait to go out in them tomorrow so I can properly explore down by the river.
I think I am well on the way to becoming a country bumpkin ....
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