I signed up for yoga classes a few weeks ago – they’re pretty good. I have to keep looking over to see what pose the instructor wants us to do next, because ‘shavasana’, ‘tadasana’, and ‘dhanurasana’ are all hard to understand when spoken in an Orcadian accent. Last week, as I unrolled my mat and sat down, I heard something unusual. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first and then I realized: the instructor was chatting with a lady who had a Canadian accent (at least I think it was Canadian – if not, it was a very non-regional American accent). Clearly this woman was now a local as they were chatting about common friends. It was all I could do not to jump up, rush over, and proclaim loudly, “Hi! I’m Canadian. Will you be my friend?” I restrained myself. I admit I did try to chat with the ladies on either side of me so she could hear my accent. But, they were too engrossed in their conversation, then it was time to start the class. Yesterday, I wore my Canada Strong facemask into class, but I don’t think she was there. I will play it cool going forward.
This morning I got chatting online with a woman who is moving to Orkney. She had just signed on to rent a house just up the road from my neighbourhood and is starting to furnish her place. She was on an FB page and I replied that I had just been through the same thing and if she wanted, I could give her some recommendations. When she replied, she told me the rental had be a scam and she had lost her deposit. I felt so bad for her. It’s hard enough trying to find a place here without that added insult to injury. When I had made my first e-transfer to the Property Management company back in October, HSBC phoned me and some man spent a good 15 minutes on the phone quizzing me about the e-transfer, and was I sure it wasn’t a scam? Seriously, the banker went on and on, and just wouldn’t take my word that I had been in the house, had the keys, had been to the property management office, and was confident this was not a scam. Now I see why. Poor girl.
This morning Scout & I chatted with some new neighbours – last fall it was sheep in this field around the corner from our house – now it’s cattle grazing there.
