Day 3, Wednesday 31st October

While Monday morning's session had left me feeling inadequately prepared not only in terms of equipment but also in terms of experience and aspiration (i.e. virtually none), this feeling was soon dispelled by my increasing enjoyment of the congenial atmosphere at Quiraing Lodge, helped in no small measure by the eclectic mix of 'co-participants' and the ability of the 'old hands' to integrate those of us who were newcomers into the 'existing' group.

The weather, initially unkind, surprised us this morning with sunshine ...

... a sudden drop in temperature and a bracing breeze -- the perfect ingredients for an early morning out, or so I thought. Yet almost everyone stayed inside, intent on starting the theoretical session ...

... as soon as possible, allowing time for only a quick(-ish) coffee, and then returning to the 'lab' ...

... to put into practice what we had learned - or at least hoped to have learned. ----This startling dedication to 'work' is undoubtedly due to Ian's ability to make complicated processes seem manageable to even the uninitiated and to make it all seem fun to boot.

Most of the group decided to stay in the lab for the rest of the afternoon while Ian, Jo and I decided to go on a (very minor, butalso very enjoyable) expedition

which gave me the chance to get a better feeling for the topography of the northern part of the island. After a leisurely cup of tea from an unbelievable selection ...

... I managed to retreat to the library ...

... for a while before being bullied into compiling this entry for the diary.

PS Forgot to say that tonight's and last evening's meal - both delicious in themselves - were greatly enhanced by Rebekah's ...

... presence -- the image of her responding in 'falling minor thirds' will never leave me, I fear.

Ilske Carter

on to Thursday

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