This Week's Chat on Patrice's Porch

Aye, it's Thursday. That's means it's time for Patrice's Wednesday's Chat on the porch.


Ahem....moving on immediately before anyone notices...


Before we begin, Patrice, I have to check that it's warmer on your porch than it is here with us, because if not, it's in by the fireside with a hot chocolate!


Much warmer, you say? Excellent - the porch it is.


Here are today's questions:


What color was your first car?


It was a kind of wine colour. It was a Ford Fiesta, and the night I got it, as I drove from Stornoway to Ness I made up a poem about it. Sadly, I didn't write it down and all I remember is the first verse:


I'm just a wee Fiesta
please don't expect too much
I'll do whatever you ask of me,
just give the gentle touch.


That's a l-o-n-g time ago.


Do you dance or sing when you're by yourself?


Actually, I sing ALL the time. I definitely sing when I'm alone. Well, when I finish talking to myself, I sing. But, truth be told, I sing all the time I'm not talking - whether I'm on my own or in the vicinity of some unfortunate body.


What were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school? (I'm thinking high school or younger, but if you want to tell us about your PhD, go right ahead.)


Oh, this is difficult. I had some good teachers, and some not-so-good teachers, but there simply wasn't a subject that gripped me. When I was 21, I went back to school, and the Gaelic teacher I had (who would not have inspired me at school age) gave me a love of Gaelic literature, which I then went on to study at University. 


My years in school passed in a blur. I hardly remember them.


What was the last dinner you made?


Stewed sausages - because the kids love it. I didn't have it: I had a chicken pasta bake thingy left over from last night. The recipe for it is here, but mine doesn't always follow the recipe to the letter. In fact, I never use the broken spaghetti now - I use pasta twists normally.


Please finish this: "I feel naked without ---------------------." (Now, you know there's someone out there who will answer "clothes". See. I caught you! :)


Oh boy.... apart from clothes, I wear little! You want specific clothes?! You know what I feel most comfortable in - my cut-offs; you know I wear no jewellery most of the time (not even my wedding and engagement rings - shame on me); you know I don't do fancy stuff. I just don't know how to answer this.


There you are Patrice, you have me stumped!


I think I'll change the subject. I was speaking to a relative of mine yesterday at the local shop. He's my mum's first cousin, brother of the relative we've visited in Ontario, and son of the mother who gave birth to eight boys and one baby girl. That girl died as a toddler. How unspeakably heartbreaking is that.


Anyway, he was telling me that my great-grandfather, and his brother, emigrated from Lewis in the 19th century to go to America. They ended up in Alberta, Canada, but came back home to Lewis after some time. He didn't know why. What he did tell me was that the ship that was crossing the Atlantic, taking the many young men and women from Scotland to the New World, picked them up in Port of Ness. Port of Ness! It's almost inconceivable to me, now, that a ship large enough to cross the Atlantic would berth in Port of Ness. I really  must look into this whole story, and if I find out more about the comings and goings of my great-grandfather, you can be sure I'll let you know.


So many wonderful stories have been lost to our generation. I wish I was able to recapture them. If you head over to the Pioneer Woman's site and read this post, you'll see some amazing history that's been preserved in her family. Well, in MM's family, but ... same thing.


I wish the same level of history had been preserved in all of our families.