Sunday, January 5, 2014

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.






On the summit of Cairn O'Mount, between Aberdeenshire and Forfarshire, a solitary piper in full attire. Listening to him play ' Flowers of the Forest ' a group of twenty or so onlookers. Each deep in silent thought. A passing motorist parks and joins them. The piper stops and retrieves a container from his case. The motorist, thinking that the piper is about to ask for donations, digs in his pocket for change. It is only then, with hand outstretched and twenty faces glaring at him, that he recognizes that the container is an urn and that the piper is about to scatter the ashes of a loved one. Listening to this story on the phone Angus is glad that he's not the only one in the family that these embarassing moments happen to.

For those of us here in France a wet and windy day. Atlantic storms whipping off the Bay of Biscay. The washer and drier running round the clock to provide dog towels. The sort of day sane people stay indoors in the warmth. Dog owners do not fall into this category. Bob and Sophie having the wet and muddy time of their lives. 


11 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

You bring back memories of last July, when a piper from the local folk club climbed up Morven with a group of us and played a beautiful slow air as my friend Kate's husband scattered her ashes near the summit.

Jean said...

The tumble drier is turning out to be the most useful piece of kit we installed here in our little French cottage. Before it arrived we had to drape wet washing over the airer in front of the log fire.
This has been the wettest and muddiest winter holiday here. We had been hoping for lovely crisp and frosty days as in previous years but it was 13°C and poring with rain yesterday.

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Wet and muddy....bliss!

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

VirginiaC said...

The embarrassment the passing motorist feels now may be turned into a story in mirth in years to come.
Dog owners and "sane people" do not belong in the same sentence....totally unheard of....Happy Washing and Drying.

Wishfully Thinking said...

Just so you know, it's a gorgeous day here in Aberdeenshire. Sun shining. Frost crisp on the grass.

Anonymous said...

It may have also given the mourners a moment of much needed irreverence..and another story to remember their loved one by.

Tumble dryer at fall mast here too.

x

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

My family and I have a similar story at the passing of my Mother--My spontaneous reaction to the person, became a needed lighter moment at a time of great sorrow.

I was also the recipient of a 'towel drive' several years ago, we now have a stack of towels as high as the washer, but it is never enough on days like you're having.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

It's about to get too cold here even for Edward.
8F. Coldest in a decade, so the coldest he's seen!

Unknown said...

Like Edward and Pamela, we are seeing cold, snow, rain, and sleet; dogs inside - I walked around the yard once this morning before the cold swooped in and will again this afternoon to ensure everyone has a short time to do their business.

houndstooth said...

No doubt you told the motorist that you were going to write about his misfortune and that we were all going to laugh at him?

I'd be happy with rain and mud right now as opposed to what we have!

KB said...

That motorist sure did give you a good story. And, I'd agree that dog owners do not fall into the "sane" category.