First post from bonnie Scotland

As this is my third day on site at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop, in lovely Lumsden, I thought it was about time I logged on and waxed lyrical to tempt you all to this part of the world. I thought that yesterday too, but I couldn't remember my Blogger password!!

Well, where do I start...

The long journey up was pleasant and uneventful, apart from a bumpy flight to London and a series of near-misses - well, a series of 'nearly-caughts'! At Aberdeen I missed the bus to Huntly by 5 minutes, meaning an hour's wait for the next one; and at Huntly I missed the bus to Lumsden by 5 minutes, meaning a 3 hour's wait to the next one! (It's in the middle of nowhere here you know so you can't expect public transport - just like home.) I was generously relieved of the wait in the pouring rain (yes!) and the 'freezing' cold (oh yes!) at Huntly bus stop, because the very kindly Ginny came and fetched me.

Who's Ginny? Ginny Hutchison. Ask Sovay - apparently she knows her from London!!! It's a small world eh? Sara B. knows the director here too... Better be on good behaviour then or word might get back home!

Have settled in to a spacious room at a house just down the road. I have a big bed, bedside chest and a small table and chairs, and a fitted wardrobe. What more could you want? Well, a tv wouldn't go amiss! If I fancy watching anything though, I can come down to the workshop bothy and use the tv room there. So no tv for me then, 'cos I can't be arsed to walk for it - it's not that bloody good!! (TV I mean...) Anyway, I have some very interesting books with me to distract me from the sound of my own thoughts - Camus' Myth of Sysyphus, which I've just started, Darwin's On Natural Selection, which I've also just started, and a novel by Julian Barnes called Arthur and George (I think) that I haven't even opened yet... Anyway my fellow resident, Aleksandra (aka Orla), who arrived here yesterday from Poland for 3 months, has brought along her accordian, so perhaps I can persuade her to play a tune or two in quieter moments.

The mould making is going well, I've learned so much already. For example, did you know that if you brush some oil on your plaster bowl before you use it, all that dried-on stuff will come out much more easily? Did you know that if you roll plasticene between 2 sticks you can get a nice even edge when you roll it? No, I thought not! I have, of course, also been learning how to make a rubber mould and a little plaster jacket for my lady Robin. So far I've done one side and tomorrow I'll make the other half. I've also been vaselining a little swallow that I have and am now covered in tiny feathers...maybe dipping in wax is easier, but I want to see the difference (if any) it will make to the final piece.

I've felt such an idiot over the last 2 days - I have to keep going to ask Ginny (the artist-technician here) if I've done this bit or that bit right and what to do next. So I was pleased today, when I could explain to her how to make a piece of wood curved, without having to steam it. Impressed that I should know such a thing? So you should be! I didn't spend all those years making rotten furniture for nothing you know! Well I did actually, but hey I know how to make a piece of wood curved!! (In theory anyway - I'm a bit out of practice these days, thankfully!)

I have taken a number of photos that I was planning to upload for you today, I really want you to see how beautiful it is here, and just how lucky I am. But... well, there had to be a 'but' didn't there? I'm sitting here using a Mac for the first time in my life and I haven't got a clue how to use it! I can see CS, but I can't see a free usb port, and don't want to just undo one willy-nilly, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow, when I can get some more help!!

I have so much to tell you about this wonderful place, but time has slipped through my fingers again. It's almost 8.30 and my stomach hasn't stopped reminding me for the last half hour, so I'm off to cook up another excellent pasta and tomato dish (did I mention I haven't made it to a supermarket yet - the buses you know, they're few and far between!).

Tune in again soon, for the next thrilling installment of Stephie in Scotland.

PS I've just found 'The Concise Scots Dictionary'; isn't that wonderful! (I think so, I love dictionaries.) I'll have to give you (and me) a Scots 'word for the day' everyday! How about this one for starters: misguggle: to handle roughly or clumsily; rumple; bungle; hack. Isn't that a great word!