Sand mandala in Hexham

I started today in Hexham and popped into the Abbey on my way to meet the other Marjorie for coffee. The monks of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery performed in the Hexham Abbey Festival last night and for 3 days they have been preparing a sand mandala. It will be finished this evening and tomorrow it will be poured away into running water. The sand is very finely ground marble.

Marjorie and I had our usual great chat over coffee. Topics included people we know who are very ill and the pros and cons of palliative chemotherapy. We moved on to Othello, Shakespeare, the arbitrary nature of evil, the writings of Erasmus and so on. She is much better read than I am on these topics but perhaps I can rectify that.

Whilst in Hexham I bumped into walking friends, one of whom had come from Stirling for the day. Then to the bank where I bought 4 tombola tickets for the Macmillan charity and won 3 prizes. I left the bank carrying a bottle of wine, plasticine, colouring books and pencils! Bought a giant veg bag on the market.

Home for lunch and then Francisco, our new Spanish friend, came for more English practice. Our friend Liz brought her niece so F had the chance of some company his own age.

The walk tomorrow may now have 2 walkers instead of the 1 who remained earlier today, so I shall have to be up bright and early. More of that tomorrow. If I'm early enough I may see the mandala before it is destroyed.

Nearly forgot, Mum's photo appeared in the Hexham Courant today, along with an article about the Lindisfarne Gospels embroidery exhibition. (There was also a small article about a certain walking festival.)

A good day all round.