A decade or two ago, Isabel was travelling solo and staying in a Bed & Breakfast in Edinburgh where she chanced a meeting with another solo traveller from Orkney off the north coast of Scotland. They got to talking about Orkney settlers in Saskatchewan, and Isabel came back home with a mission to track down some missing family members of her new Orcadian friend. She was able to do so within a week and new friendships that bridged the Atlantic were forged.
As a result Isabel travelled to the Orkney Islands for many summers with her Cousin Mel from the Western Highlands. During those trips she visited many of the 13 Orkney Islands, and heard many stories of Orcadians who joined the Hudson Bay Company to come to Canada in the 1700s. Many others emigrated in the last 200 years.
Mum's faithful Orcadian friends sent cards and letters, CDs and calendars and Christmas decorations during this past month, and this was the day to say THANKS. Bagpipes and classical music recorded in St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwell were the background to our wheelchair adventure travel. With a map and photos in front of us, we dialed the 22 numbers for each home as her friends were preparing their suppers.
With Isabel's speaker phone turned up to the max, we discussed weather and farming, children and seed catalogs, politics and news. As Isabel's staff flowed in and out of her room, they paused to smile and listen to the lovely voices of friends far away. Those voices echoed in Isabel's ears as she fell asleep last night.
Again, we are grateful for so much.
So how many of the Orkney Islands can you name?
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