Scotland, Broken Chains and the meandering US Postal Service

The final retreat of the year was last week, which, in addition to being the last retreat, also marked the beginning of the "lasts" of my year.  With the end of the school year approaching, many of my programs are also winding down.  The last Flame session is coming up this Sunday, Parents and Toddlers and the Lisburn Sunday School are coming to a close as well.  The last episode of Lost has aired (and was fantastic).  The Base will continue to be open through the summer, so that won't change, but many other things will.  It really doesn't seem like I've been here long enough to be experiencing lasts. 

Anyway, a description of the retreat is, I suppose in order.  We were meant to fly from Belfast to Glasgow, then take a series of buses and ferries across Scotland to Iona, but the ash cloud stopped that.  Instead Doug was able to obtain the Garnerville minibus again, so we drove from Belfast to Larne, took the ferry to Cairnryan, and then drove up the west coast of Scotland to Oban, where we left the faithful minibus for a ferry across to the Island of Mull, took a bus across Mull to a different port for the short ferry trip to Iona.

Our lunch stop in Scotland

The ferry from Oban to Mull

Another picture on the ferry from Oban to Mull

The port at the second port on Mull

Doug and Elaine on the last ferry

All in all, we traveled 286 miles (only 125 miles as the crow flies) over about 14 hours, including three ferries, and about a mile and a quarter on foot.  That works out to an average speed of 20 miles per hour, making Iona possibly one of the last remote places in the western world.  It was delightful, and ruled by sheep.

Regal sheep surveying his terrain.

The Monday evening worship service in the abbey was Peace and Justice themed, and was largely good and thought provoking, I especially liked the way they invited worshipers to come forward and add a link to one of four paper chains in remembrance of trapped in human trafficking.  Sadly, for me, this moment was ruined when they tore the paper chains, it just came off as cheesy.  Tuesday we went on the pilgrimage around the island.  There are two options, a 7 mile, somewhat intense hike, and a 3 mile that is almost completely on roads.  The 7 mile was full, so Doug, Elaine, Nathaniel and I got bumped to the 3 mile, but then swapped on to the 7 mile where the two met up for tea and snacks because enough people had dropped out of the 7 mile along the way.  I just wish I had been warned about that possibility, since I had changed from my good, waterproof boots to just my normal shoes, which aren't the best option when you're walking through somewhat boggy terrain.  The pilgrimage did also give me the chance to talk some of the other people who were visiting the abbey, including several recent UNC graduates, including two who will be in Richmond next year, one at Union and one at U of Richmond's Law School.  It was a nice chat, especially as I have essentially decided that I'll be going to Union, pending financial aid (more later)

After Iona, we went to Edinburgh for a few days of just mild sightseeing and relaxing, which went well, aside from the crappy hostel mattress which likely dated from the Victorian era when the building was probably constructed.  After Edinburgh I split away from the rest of the group and went to see the Fyfe's, my sort-of cousins near Glasgow.  It was great to see them again, it was nearly 6 years ago when I saw them last.  They were also nice enough to take me to Kelvingrove, so I could have another look at my favorite painting--Dali's The Christ of St. John on the Cross.  We also went to St. Mungo's Museum, where I first saw the Dali 6 years ago (it was on loan from Kelvingrove) and to the Glasgow Cathedral.  I do think the return of the Dali to Kelvingrove is a bit disappointing, mainly because it is not very well displayed there.  At St. Mungo's it was the centerpiece of the Museum, at Kelvingrove it is shunted into a dark corner with one out of focus spotlight illuminating only the top half of the painting and a bit of the wall above it.  It deserves far better, and I wish Kelvingrove would give it proper placement, or at least light it well.  I also owe thanks to the Fyfe children for taking me to my first comedy club, it was a great time.

The paper chains from Iona were not the only broken chains in the past few weeks. On Wednesday I had the delightful experience of having my bike chain break.  While I was riding it.  It threw me into the wall of the church (thankfully it broke when I was almost to the church door and not still riding along the road, where I might have been tossed into traffic.  I came out fine though, just a few small cuts on my hand and a sore shoulder.  What most surprised me about the experience was the way the chain ended up binding the rear wheel.  I would have thought it would have just worked its way through and been left behind, but no, it brought me crashing (literally) to a halt.  

This brings me, finally, to the US Postal Service.  I implore you, USPS, to finally deliver my Financial Aid application to Union.  I mailed it from Lambeg on the 29th of April, and according to online tracking Royal Mail handed it over to the USPS on May 1st, in New York City.  Well done Royal Mail, my beef is not with you.  USPS, however, took until the 17th to get it from NYC to Richmond, and as of the 29th of May, it has STILL NOT BEEN DELIVERED.  The financial aid deadline has now come and gone twice (it was extended).  Come on USPS, you're killing me here.

Hopefully that will work out, and if not, at the very least tomorrow is the YAV youth group field day, including ultimate frisbee games, so that should be fun, and will hopefully de-stress me, assuming my shoulder has loosened itself up enough to permit me to play.