Scotland, Day 2 - Ministry, Pollok House, and dinner at Maitlands

On our second day (Friday) in the morning, I went out in the ministry with Celia Cook, and Bill stayed home and rested. His knees were pretty shot from the travel.

The group went on what they call "first call", what we would call door-to-door ministry. We went to some "tenements". One dictionary defines a tenement as "a run-down and often over crowded apartment house, especially in a poor section of a large city". But here, they are not necessarily defined that way. When I looked at the alternate British definition, it reads, "an apartment or room rented by a tenant". They were classic older buildings that were not new-looking, but had high ceilings and lovely tiles and stained glass. They said these are becoming quite desirable to fix up - 'gentrification'. It reminded me a bit of when I was in the South Bronx - classic, marble, beautiful in its day, though (in the Bronx) pretty run down.

At the front door - three stories, two apartments
on each level. 

Celia Cook. She visited us in Pana last year.

me

A delicate glass in the window

Stairway, and Alison at the landing

After service, we had a tea break.

Robin Cook and I

Celia Cook and Alison Cooney

We went and got Bill, then headed out to Pollok Country Park and mansion for some tea and scones (doesn't that just sound cool?) and a walk around the gardens. The tea is served in the downstairs kitchen, where the servants prepared the meals, and we got a special tour from Billy, the waiter who is well-known to our friends there.

Bill and I with our carrot cake and scone

To Pollok Park etc. Pollok was the name of the founding
family of this estate. 

Magnificent trees and gardens

Waterfall

Manicured gardens

The house, from the river behind it

Mark looking at the famous Highland Cows here

A Highland Cow

The beautiful river

In the evening, we were invited over to Jim and June's house, where Mark and Alison are staying, for "a curry". The Scottish friends like curry, much as American friends go for Mexican food. Quite popular. We had a nice time with Cooneys, Jim and June, and Robin and Celia.

Jim and June

Jim, with Celia and Robin

June, Alison, Mark (giving me the 'eye' for taking a pic!) and Jim

The Cooks with us

We happily came home and crashed. One note, though, that here, it doesn't really get dark til after 11PM! Even at midnight (when I couldn't sleep yet) I could see light on the horizon! They say that in Inverness, at the north of Scotland, it never really gets dark in the summer - and, it never really gets completely light in the winter!

A lovely day, made special by the friends we enjoyed.