Well God is incredibly gracious and funny at the same time. Here I was trying to not freak out, trying to trust Him, yet toying with plans to just stay on the train and buy a return ticket and bail on the whole Scotland vet prac thing, when my travelling companions took their seats next to me on the train. Lo and behold, one is a vet! So we chatted about some things, and I asked a few intelligent questions (yah! Some of my brain still works!) and the scenery is so beautiful. So I’d ask him about sheep breeds, problems he sees commonly, etc. Still toying with the escape return trip. Can’t quite let myself let people down, yet. On autopilot I get off and have been telling God the whole way – help me, I’m totally scared! And the first overtly friendly stranger I’ve met is waiting for me, and that’s Freda, Kirsty’s aunt. A very cute older lady with short tight curly hair, short stature similar to my Grama in Reno, and a big smile beaming at me. Instantly felt better, and she drove me back the short distance to their house where Poppy met me (sweet Border Collie) and Ronnie bounded around in his tall lanky frame, and their house is so comfortable and I have a purple room (thought of you instantly Heidi!). It’s so funny because Freda had told me on the phone not to expect too much as they are simple folk and live simple lives, so I’m thinking – please God, let there be heated running water! Hahhaa! I told her about our different interpretations as we sat in their living room with TV and dvds nearby, thinking of the TV and tape deck in my room and the dryer in the hall, dishwasher in the kitchen, and lovely back garden, and yes, indoor heated running water. She laughed. I said I am a simple person myself, enjoying hanging with friends and what not. Then she told me about the broadband. And THAT is why God is very funny, and oh so gracious. Apart from my friends in England, they are the first people here who have welcomed me with open arms, so many people I’d ask for help or trying to be friendly and chatty, were completely uninterested; unexpectedly so. Instant ease with Ronnie and Freda. I’m going to borrow some of their Wellingtons (pretty girl ones with roses on them, brand new that they had gotten for a grown daughter of theirs, who may or may not still want them), and midge repellent. And they fed me so much food for dinner I was fairly certain I would pop. Although I’ll probably eat that much as I get busy at the clinic.
The scenery on the way up was beautiful, lots of gorgeous hills and farmlands, with lots of sheep and cattle and a few horses. Forests and lots of lakes (or was it only a few lakes and we went in and out around them? Will need to look at the map…) and then later on stark hills and plains with no trees but covered in the green carpet. Beautiful. And bare. As we pulled away from one station saw a big pretty bird sitting on a fence post, later on in a great museum/community centre here in Thurso (“Caithness Horizons”) saw that it is a kind of buzzard. Weird though because I always attribute that title to a huge, ugly bird. This one looked like a falcon. I so don’t know my bird groupings.
The sun won’t go down until around 11pm tonight, and will likely be getting bright by 3am. As I don’t have proper curtains or blinds on the window in my room I’m praying for a special darkness to cover my eyes until it’s time to wake up ;) So tomorrow I start a bit before 9am, and it will likely be full-on! I should be able to relax now, seeing as I’ve clearly survived so far and with such blessings, but I still get nervous about meeting new people and being intelligent or not and being in the way or just cowardly or stupid. But hopefully I’ve got enough heart to overcome that :D and at the very least, I should have some interesting memories!
So, seeing as I have internet access here, at the very northern tip of Scotland of all places, (where just a bit further you could fall off as Freda said) I’ll still be accessible, and will hopefully keep up blogging if I’m not too knackered :)
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