The Weekend the Power Went Out

As you know, last Thursday I went into Kirkcudbright and played the marvelous grand piano at the Church. That evening, as I believe I also informed you, I went to my prayer partner's house and we had dinner. It was delicious, just so ya know, and we had a nice time chatting and praying. When I got home I continued making that post, and watched part of a film with Weasley (she was Vicky before...she's now Ron/Weasley....just deal with it..) while I waited for my piano video to upload so I could put it on my blog.

Now, it was a beautifully clear night when I walked home, the moon was shining brightly and I didn't need a torch or any sort of extra light. Before I had left though I had been told that the group that was in had left early because they had heard there was going to be a big snow storm, also we had had our weekend groups cancel on us because of this storm that was supposed to come. Being Canadian and knowing that Scotland doesn't necessarily get that much snow, they're just a bit unprepared for it when it does come, I figured there wasn't going to be much. This is what I woke up to:

I'm not sure how much exactly there was that morning but it's approximately a foot. By Saturday it was about a foot and a half, and two feet in some places, especially going up the hill.

Not only was there that much snow in one evening, we also had no power. It was off and on for a bit in the morning, but at about 2ish it went out for good. Thankfully, though, Pond had lit a fire in the Porter lounge at about 10 in the morning because the power was sketchy. Needless to say the house got pretty darn cold! Which was weird because it wasn't overly cold outside. However, we managed to get people hot meals through the use of a camp stove that one of the instructors has.

Friday night was pretty great fun. We were all in the Porter lounge sitting on the comfy couches and chairs around the fire, so of us on the floor in front of the couches (since there were about 14 of us). There was no television or internet to distract us and this was the only warm room in the house so we were, in a way, forced to be together and talk. It was a great atmosphere with everyone sitting around and chatting in the fire and candle light. And then someone had the brilliant idea of playing Hide and Seek. So we did. :) It was very, very dark in the halls.

I didn't sleep fantastic that night. My neck was quite cold (my duvet isn't quite long enough...) and I kept waking up. I did have to work the next morning, though we (Pond and I) originally going to do a K2 shift (9-5) we decided to start earlier (7:30) so that we could make crepes. So we made crepes on the camp stove and fried some bacon and did dishes with boiling water. It was basically like camping but in a house. Our adventure came to an end at about 12 o'clock. We were thankful to be able to warm up food for everyone on the actual stove, but it was a little sad to see the adventure end.

It is important to note that the fire that Pond started at 10am Friday morning basically lasted till Sunday evening. It would die down a bit and be just coals, but it never went completely out. It was pretty great!

So that's my life so far. Everyone had this weekend off, and a whole bunch of us are planning to go to Edinburgh on Saturday. Orginally we were going to go to the Metro Center (a huge shopping center) in Newcastle but it was decided that it's a little far and some people have meetings and things to go to. So we'll go there some other weekend. Also, my roommate is coming Saturday afternoon. We'll see if I'll be back from the city to meet her when she arrives here. I kinda doubt it, but we'll see. And the most important thing about Saturday is the fact that Doctor Who is on at 6:15!! I am well excited!

The Kirkcudbright Expedition

I did something today that was both a first (sorta) and something I haven't done in a month. I played piano, and not just any piano. It was a Steinway. And for those of you who don't know what's so special about a Steinway, well let's just say it's the king of pianos. The most beautiful instrument you'll ever play, with the greatest touch in the world. Basically, it's awesome. The reason I say it was sorta a first is because I played it for a few minutes on Sunday when I was at church, but I didn't really play it if you know what I mean. I more attempted to play two pieces from memory and I didn't play with full strength because there were people in the building. However, today I really played. It was fantastic.

In case you're wondering where this phenomenal instrument is to be found, it's at the Parish Church (my current church) of Kirkcudbright. I biked into town today. It was a nice half hour bike ride down some hills, across the A75, and along a winding road that leads straight to the town. The town itself is a picture. Rows of stone houses line the main street till you get toward the center and then there is the church standing proudly above the stores and homes. I didn't take many pictures of the town itself, more of the church and the old stone bridge I crossed to get into town. I will go back some day in the near future I'm sure and take more pictures when I am not so bent on playing piano!

The pulpit's so cool! They don't really use it anymore, but that does not take away from it's awesomeness

The church is cross shaped so this is the one side of the cross

And this is the other side

The ceiling is really neat! Nice and vaulted

I realize this is a funny angle...my apologies

The pipe organ! It's pretty great

The consul is less impressive but I thought I might take a picture of it as not

The beauty that is the church piano

Now, you may be saying "Pff...I thought she said it was a Steinway...that says Boston..."Just look at the next picture and you shall have the answer to your skepticism...

"Designed by Steinway & Sons"

The church door . . . and the dromedary (people who are especially cool [namely my family] will understand..at least some of them will...at least my mother will appreciate it..) I was on and my backpack

That is the church hall where we have tea/coffee and biscuits after church

Now I am going to do something that I haven't done before on here...I am going to upload a video...I mean I've put videos up before but not one that I took myself...so here it goes. Bear in mind when you watch this that I haven't touched a piano in a month and you have my apologies for the mistakes and terrible timing....also the sound quality maybe isn't the greatest but then it's not a super awesome expensive recorder... I am also not putting this video up to show off my piano playing...I just wanted people to be able to hear the awesomeness that is a Steinway piano!

On another note, I would like to let you all know that despite my last minute doubts about whether not I should be coming here and if I was going to be able to handle being this far away from everyone, I am doing fantastic! It feels so right to be here, and I feel that God is really blessing me here. I am with a great team and I fit in well and have loads of fun with everyone. One of the instructors here set up a prayer partner list for the women here and she's actually my partner. So that's pretty fantastic! So basically I am having a great time and not suffering from too much homesickness. Every once in a while I do get that twinge when I really think about how far away I am, but it's been really good so far! I can't believe I've been gone for a month! Such a long time that boggles my mind and yet, on the other hand,  I feel like I've been here forever. Maybe it's because I feel so at home here. I dunno...just thought I'd let you all know that....This song basically sums up my feelings about being here:

The B and H Expedition of March 2013

I had another day off today. It was wonderful. Yay for days off! Anyways, I got up late (as usual for such days) and took my time doing various things like getting dressed, eating breakfast, reading, eating lunch etc. Vicky (as usual, not her real name) and I had decided yesterday (or the day before...) that we were going to go up behind the Ropes Course and look at the cool broken down house there. So we wandered up there during her lunch break. I didn't have the sense to bring my camera, which was a shame. It was super cool up there. Lots of mossy stones, and brambles. I liked it so much that after returning with Vicky to the house and talking to my mother, and Aunt and cousin, I went back, this time armed with my camera, and with a different faithful companion/colleague! We shall simply call her B because I can't think of another name other then hers that suits her...and that starts with a "B". . .

We spent a lot of time musing as to what on earth this area we were exploring was originally. You'll see in the pictures that there is a "gatehouse" seeming section and then a high wall. Now, as we continued walking through the back wooded area we found bits of broken down wall all along the way. It was very intriguing, and we are even more curious about the original plans for the estate.

As we reached the edge of the estate (it's not very large, but I just like calling it an estate..it sounds much more grand and luxurious that way. I know, I'm weird...deal with it ;), we  saw a nice rolling green hill that we  decided that in the Summer we were going to sit on top of with some bread and jam in the wee hours of the morning and watch the sunrise at 4ish. (It doesn't really get dark here during the summer. The sunsets around 11 and rises again around 4 or so) So that will be fun! We'll see if we actually do it. We're also planning that night, when it gets dark, to have a bit of a bonfire at the bonfire site down on that side of the center and roast marshmallows and hotdogs. It's gonna be totally awesome!

Anyways, here are the pictures I took of the ruined house and surrounding areas. There will be more information about the Expedition in the captions as usual (I seem to be saying that phrase quite a lot today...hmmm) 

On the way up to the Ropes Course. The pathways here are covered in broken shells. It's pretty neat to someone who's used to wood chips and gravel...

If you look closely you can see the wall in behind those trees...but only if you know where to look

The wall

The gate that goes up towards the Ropes Course

Looking down towards the broken gatehouse type thing

I love old, moss-covered stone steps.

At the back of the house area looking towards the farmer's fields

The back of the house. That piece of piping is significant..it comes into our theories later...

Looking along the wall from the back of the house

Towards the Ropes Course from the back

Another random stone structure...and B :)

Looking over the fields

Some old stonework for the brother :)

B and I came across this old wooden bridge in the middle of the brambles. We have no idea why it was there. There was no stream there. This confused us even more. We still had no idea what this area once was. We had thought some sort of farmyard, but this bit of bridge makes that theory a little odd. Why do they need a wooden bridge over some trench? Why is there a trench in a farmyard?? (so many questions...)

And then another piece of oldness came and through another wrench into our theories. Curiosity got the better of us and we opened it. We, well...at least I felt like someone from a children's adventure story, something like the Famous Five, looking for clues and finding the entrance to some secret hideout. I am still such a child inside...but I don't mind. Having an imagination is so much more entertaining than being reasonable and rational all the time.

Down into the well! See I told you that piping would be significant later. I figure that the pipes get linked and that they would pump water up from the well. Maybe for a farmyard drinking trough for cows or some such beast. I really need to Google this...

We went wandering down a path that didn't seem as well-used anymore. It ended and then we went careening through trees and leaves.

Yeah, that's right. We found a skull...I'm pretty sure it's from a sheep.

That's part of the hill we plan to have our morning sunrise picnic thinger on...it's gonna be great

And then we went down this path. It was all dark, and gloomy, and cool (as in temperature...though it was pretty cool, cool-wise...), and mysterious. It actually kinda felt like some sorta jungle. Just because it was pretty dense foliage and the leaves were that broad, thick sort.

We found wall all along our walk to the outskirts of the estate.  So we're pretty sure this wall at some point extended around most of the center. We still have no idea why...but we think it did.

More wall-y bits

More wall :)

So that was another fun adventure! :) Time for me to go and look up some stuff about this house...I'll let you know what I find.


Basically, what it comes down to is that I couldn't find anything. However, I found a pretty neat pictures of what it looked in days past.

http://www.kirkcudbright.co/postcards/Barcaple%20-%20Ringford.jpg

So that's it at some point in the past....

And this is it now minus the snow of course:

http://www.abernethy.org.uk/App/uploads/Barcaple%20house%20snowy.JPG

As you can see, the conservatory as been moved. However, my bedroom window is the same in both locations, though the colour changed! (it's red in the first image and white in the second.) In the first image, the window on the ground floor on the left hand side of the conservatory is now, so I believe, one of the doors into the conservatory. The tree is still there. The one on the far right. So that's pretty cool. It seems we have lost some of the other trees though, which is kinda sad, but I'm guessing they were removed to make room for the addition (which I have no idea when it was added...it's pretty old as well so not too modern...maybe really late 1800s or early 1900s...). I know there's no ivy in the second picture, but I feel like there is still some now...but I'm not sure...apparently I didn't take a picture of that side of the house when I went out taking pictures the first Saturday I was here...

So that's my day...and some before and after details of Barcaple House (sort of...okay, not really...). That's about it for now...I will probably blog next week sometime...sometime...