I Hope They Didn't See The Safety Pins

 Early this morning we padded down to the sea for a Wild Swim. We had experienced this major feat yesterday morning too, and I am happy to announce to my Readers that I did not scream. It was hard, but I found that covering your mouth can be a great help. The scream comes out more as a choke.

 Whenever we go wild swimming, people look at us as if we were mad. Really, I can hardly blame them. Diving into the Celtic Sea containing jellyfish in a bathing suit at 7:30 in the morning is borderline crazy. To add to this, we had been told by another wild swimmer that the jellyfish in there might sting us and other would-be swimmers. This was sad news and very nearly had the effect of forcing me to go back to bed. That's when I spotted a huge ship in the bay that looked impressively Naval. Friend Rosie said it was the same vessel she and Em had seen in St Ives Bay during the G7 summit, thrilling the locals: 

   "The HMS Prince of Wales was stationed just outside of St Ives Bay overnight. At 280 metres long, the aircraft carrier dwarfed the coastal town making for spectacular views for onlookers. The 65,000-ton behemoth made the popular resort look tiny as it dominated the coastline looking towards the Celtic Sea."

The jellyfish lady was wearing a bikini and told us she had been daring enough to stand on the sand waving her arms at the Royal Naval officers on deck (I told you wild swimmers were mad).

HMS Prince of Wales

 After the excitement of freezing ourselves, it became time for church and singing in the choir for the Opening of the Festival. It was a very exciting time for the church because the Mayor was coming, and everyone was ready to welcome him. 

 When I put on my red surplice (there is a red one and a white one) another choir lady said it looked too long and I might trip. She was right, and proceeded to very kindly get some safety pins and shorten it. We worked on it feverishly in the choir room because it was nearly time to start church and see the Mayor. Putting safety pins into clothing suddenly reminded me of college days, when there wasn't any money for anything but safety pins (3/4 of my clothes were held together in those days by safety pins, and I feel sure that I still have a complex about it).

 Now everyone else was lining up, but I still didn't have on my white surplice! I threw it over my head and tried to find the sleeve holes. They must have gone missing! The safety pin lady tried to help me find them but however hard we tried, the more tangled up it became. Around the surplice went as more ladies lent a hand to help. In the end, my hair was a mass of static electricity that nothing could tame. Great Scott! Only to an American Baptist could something like this happen in High Church.

 But the line began moving out the choir door, and peace settled over the group. In the sanctuary the parishioners stood and were invited to sing the first hymn, "Jerusalem", just about the most beautiful hymn  in existence. All thoughts of surplices, and static electricity, and safety pins faded. At the tops of their voices, everyone, including the Mayor and his wife at the front, sang:

"And did those feet in ancient time

walk upon England's mountains green?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant Land".

 See you along the Way!

the SconeLady

HMS Prince of Wales, St Ives Bay