Sunday 26 September
Walks, practice, the Fair Isle Museum and conviviality
Last night was Neil’s 70th birthday and we joined the party with most of the community. A wonderful way to see lots of our old friends who have hosted, plotted, planned and shared music and laughter with us over the years. We gave Neil a T-Shirt emblazoned with “Legend since September 1951” - it fits, and he loves it.
So we start Sunday gently, then walk the isle. (apart from Stu who stays home to practice the rather rapid and virtuosic clarinet bits for the concert).
I go to visit Jimmy - another who has hosted CHROMA over the years - and meet his 2-year old collie Glen, who is a beautiful chestnut brown dog with striking light hazel eyes. He has a calm nature, settling quietly at my feet while Jimmy and I chat.
First-time visitors to Fair Isle Caroline, Chris and Katherine have arranged to be shown around the Museum by Anne, and love it so much they don’t want it to end - so they have tea with Anne afterwards.
Then they head over to where Stu and I are staying for a short planning meeting, after which we tumble over to Chris’ hosts Fiona and Robert, who are laying supper for all of us + hosts. 10 of us round the kitchen table with delicious food, and it is chatty chatty badinage increasing in hilarity as the evening wears on. There is something very celebratory about this visit - achieved against the odds, and landing in this community that has had a very tough couple of years. They are enjoying every second of us being here - and so are we!
