My Beautiful Porta-Cabin.

I see Elgin's Moray College are leaving their Forres portacabin premises. It doesn't quite rate as a historical building but I imagine, its thin walls could still tell a story or two. It's been a well used place,and thanks to the College tutors, has, for a good number of years moved the scary world of computers into everyday use by everyday people.
The library was once based here. I'm unsure if it was Mrs Angus who was in charge, but she had all the regal manner of someone who'd be the first line in command if a bomb dropped. There was neither computer, printer or photo-copier. Instead, Mrs Angus's stamp seemed to do the job and sometimes when I pass the building I listen for the sound of it. I wonder what she'd make of the present library's ability to send its users digital book.
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Visit my website at:
www.janeyeadon.co.uk

MY BEAUTIFUL LIBRARIAN.

When I was a kid, I went to a wee Highland School. Once a term we were visited by a lady who delivered a locked wooden box which had library books in it. She had a splendid nose, high colour and the  lean build of an aristocrat, a combination of which meant that as soon as she appeared at the school, the Primary Seven boys, as a man, leapt to carry in the box.
Our teacher gave out the books with the same frugality of rationed sugar. Not every book brought undiminished joy to its reader. In fact I can't recall reading anything that fed my later love for the written word.
Our librarian may have been equally uninspired because she gave up working for the local authority. Instead she bought her own van. In  summer and I suppose in the hope of engaging the interest of bored sun-bathers, she could be seen wheeling round Findhorn's sand dunes.The letters emblazoned on the vehicle's sides read 'Cherry's Mobile Library and Objet D'Arts.'
 I often wonder if she had many buyers.

www.janeyeadon.co.uk

Scottish Memories.

I got a bit of a surprise the other day. Sometime ago I wrote an article about caring for an old gentleman who was one of my patients when I was district nursing in Forres. Thanks to that nice Paul at Black and White Publishing, who'd originally asked for it, I sent it to him and he must have forwarded it to the Scottish Memories magazine..
I'd kind of forgotten about it until I went into our local newsagent, and there amongst other Scots related journal was a district nurse- and on the cover. It wasn't me and neither were the two cheerful ladies accompanying the article. The photo of one weighing a baby in a net bag was a classic and so was the other of a nurse striding along with a look of  great purpose.
The Queen's Nursing Institute supplied the images and they're having a celebratory 'do' in June in Crieff. Maybe I'll meet those magazine stars then.


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Visit my website at:
www.janeyeadon.co.uk