Dana List and Announcements: Hogmanay

Since our annual community get-together last week we’ve been inundated with gift-bearing pilgrims from afar. At today’s breakfast count, ten different nationalities were stood or perched around the kitchen. And outside at the back, I can hardly move for all the panetone, stollen and clementines. On the other hand, having sorted it out, I can sit down and answer to coffee in a language of my choosing: “Si, Tak, Yes, Ja, Da, nice-one-Bruce”.

Down at the retreat house, Geoff and his workers have finished fitting out the library, which now awaits its books and the electronic catalogue that’s being developed by Sahan in Bradford and Ko Ko and Co. in Glasgow. The goodwill biscuits, which I enjoyed making last week, were packaged by Mame over Christmas into attractive parcels and yesterday afternoon four of us took to the lanes to deliver them. Returning along the back road in the half-light of early evening Ajahn Abhinando and I stopped to talk to a neighbour recovering her naughty hounds from the top of the hill: “Would we be doing something for the new year?” and “Would it be anything like a Scottish Hogmanay?” she asked. Well, yes and no: “No” to the whisky and reels. But “Yes” to the something. We didn’t go into details, but as many of you will be aware, each New Year people come to take part in the ‘Forgiveness and Aspiration’ ritual and to meditate together and drink tea. You are very welcome.

Then, during the first week of January most of our guests will trickle away to continue their working lives, as we ready ourselves for the winter retreat which begins on Sunday 7^th. In the kitchen, the way things look at the moment our needs are few:

‘bouillon’ stock
red/green lentils
eggs
and some paprika perhaps.

Certainly we have a lot that is orange and round. On the other hand with two months of being shut away in store for four of us, a stock of savouries in the freezer would also be helpful.

As for the storesmaster, well his list keeps growing: