Edinburgh AND Iona

Tuesday - July 13 (continued)


We arrived early in Edinburgh
(the traffic was light)
All the youth felt like grown-ups:
Independent apartments tonight!

Since the early arrival
Allowed for extra activity
We browsed and shopped the Royal Mile
For which these girls have an affinity.

A short stop at the grocery store
Just up the street
Where we purchased our in-room food,
3 days worth to eat.

Pizza, soup and salad
Followed by prayer in the group suite
Then all off for bedtime
(Finally – off of our feet!)


Wednesday – July 14

Most opted for cereal
For a breakfast bite in their apartment
Then we met for morning prayer
Before our morning appointment.

We met our guide Karen
(adult pilgrims: remember last year?)
Experiencing her lively personality,
The youth were glad she was here.

We drove to Rosslyn Chapel
And were treated so well
A private session with the education director;
Fiona had many stories to tell.

Then a tour of the Chapel
With Karen, Fiona, and the Rosslyn guide
3 experts at once:
So many chapel secrets to “unhide.”

We topped it all off
With the service at noonday
They allowed us to sing
And Fr. Marty to pray.

After a skip to the “loo,”
The Maid of the Forth telephoned:
The ship couldn’t dock in rough weather
So Inchcolm Abbey was postponed.

So we picnicked on our bus
On which to Dunfermline we’ll be ferried
Where St. Margaret was married,
And Robert the Bruce there is buried.

This had never been planned
An exciting twist in our plot:
For no other pilgrimage group
Had been even close to this spot.

Then back to Knight Residence
For an exciting event.
A progressive dinner to prepare:
To each apartment we went.

And not only that
But an additional surprise:
A murder mystery party
Complete with costume supplies.

So it was starters at one place
And salad at the next
Then the main course at Fr. Marty’s,
Finally, dessert for each murder suspect.

This was all a surprise planned by Debra
And the youth were shocked when they heard her:
For when she revealed the night’s agenda said,
“Tonight we will have: a murder!”

The look on their faces
Made us all laugh a lot
And the funny characters we all took on
Added to the whole plot.

A great way to celebrate together
and Demery’s birthday as well,
We’ll all come back to Boynton
With funny stories to tell.

Afternoon walk to iona abbey for spritual exercise

Demery with the iona locals