Gave blood today

I gave blood today for the first time in 40 odd years.  Things have come on a bit since 1986 as far as computerization is concerned – and the snacks are better in Scotland than they were in Cambridge (I took my Tunnock’s Teacake home for J).  One of the questions they ask you (along with whether you have had a blood transfusion, or been to Africa) – was “have you had chemsex in the last six months?”.  I am going to have to admit that I had to presume that the answer was no as I had not known what it meant and as they didn’t volunteer the information I didn’t like to ask.  I looked it up when I got home, and I can confirm that the answer is indeed, no I haven’t – not in the last six months and not ever…

The donation took longer than I thought, and I was well late for the Maundy Thursday service at St James, so late in fact that I nearly didn’t go in.  But as I was literally walking past the church, I couldn’t bring my self to walk past, and I just caught the end.  It was very moving because the altar is stripped, and then all the lights are turned out one by one, until finally the whole church is lit by only two candles.  In the case of St James, there is a very beautiful stained glass window behind the altar, and it was just catching the light of the setting sun.  Quiet and peaceful, except for the A91 doing its stuff in the background – Cupar really does need a bypass.

The picture is of the post box just outside the church in St Catherine Street.  I don’t know who does these, but there was one at Christmas and another on Valentine’s day.  The person deserves a big thank you because they are such fun and must create quite a bit of cheeriness in the hearts of everyone that sees them.  So thank you.