Orkney clarinet reeds

---

Hello from the Orkneys! Today has been lovely; we sailed into Kirkwall at about 8am - I was up at 6.30 to take some video, but really should've been up much earlier. I only managed to catch a little of our arrival on film. Orkney seems to be hundreds of tiny islands, all waiting to be explored...I feel another holiday coming on Sam! After breakfast (I went for the unhealthy full English) & rehearsal, we caught the shuttle bus into Kirkwall & made our way to St Magnus' Cathedral. Jonathan played the organ, even though it's being restored, then we went to the local music shop with the added bonus of having a coffee shop upstairs! After tea & a fancy, I bought some special Orkney clarinet reeds...well they're from Orkney & I thought I should have more. My reeds are being completely useless on this cruise & I sound like I have a haggis stuck in my mouthpiece. I dreamt last night I got on a boat to heaven...sorry, got carried away for a moment. I actually dreamt that Christine came to one of our concerts & told me off for sounding like a kazoo & tried to stick a pipe cleaner down my clarinet to try & fix it!

We spent the day pottering around Kirkwall & had lunch in the same coffee shop where we met a couple from Gateshead on holiday! After a lengthy chat it was time to head back to the ship. Supper tonight was taken on the lido deck watching the sunset over the islands...actually it was a heavy drizzle & mist & we couldn't see much!

Can't wait for tomorrow - Skye! Our plan is to hire a car & head for Elgol, lunch in the sea-food restaurant, followed by tea in the Blue Shed Tearoom in Torrin (my favourite tearoom in the whole world). Not a good forecast for the morning, so fingers crossed we'll manage to see something of the Cuillins! Our 4th gig tomorrow at 9pm too, so it'll be a busy day, plus I'm getting up at dawn to film our arrival...mist permitting!

Night night!

---

Comments

[Louise]

sofa not good!
Hi Lynne can't sleep - brain on overload. Talking with furniture people yesterday and Mark (who has seen your cottage) - the leather 3 seater will not fit through your door - sorry about that. What about Emmaus though - there are loads of all varieties there - and rarely more than £70. Just an idea. The boat is gently rocking - very surreal - I am off to make Ovaltine to help me sleep - very apt as it was Orions' cargo back in 1935! Incidentally, I have been named Louise Orion as there are a few Loos' around the marina already - like this name. Can't wait for Marianne to meet Orion! Glad the cruise is going well, but looking forward to you coming back! Oh - and the farm shop? Really would like to take Mark there xx

[sam Brown]

Orkney Squarkney
Wow. Sounds terriffic. I am sure you sound heaps better than you think you do. Perhaps the new reeds will add that certain 'Je ne sais quoi'. Just got back from gig in London, next stop: the dentist in Sherbs, then Crewkerne probably. Enjoy Skye! xxx