Two Marks for Kingham Hill
Last year's arrival saw me dragging a heavy suitcase on the dreary two-mile trudge from Kingham village to the school, only to find myself last in a mile-long check-in queue, handed somebody else's name badge and put in the wrong class. Not wishing to repeat that experience I'd arranged a lift from Oxford station with a friend called Mark some weeks in advance. So on Sunday I boarded the train at Paddington and headed up to Oxford. Being in a frighful rush to get to Oxford and the school I (of course) managed to put myself on a stopping-all-stations train. Which in England means tired old carriages that look like they should be dirty but aren’t really, and a LONG ride to your destination. Finally got to Oxford where Mark was waiting in a very smart black SAAB to pick me up and take me up to Kingham. We arrived at the school at around 4 p.m. and Mark drove off to see some friends, leaving me standing outside the main hall anticipating a long wait in an even longer check-in queue. But no, not this time. Not even a hint of a queue! I was greeted by none other than photographer and singer-extrordinaire Mary Yoeman, waiting with her check-in list in the Assembly Hall. Neatly printed name tag, right class and all. No queue, no fuss, no waiting.

Not only that, I got assigned to a dormitory in the house nearest the Refectory and pub (Durham House). Wandered over and puttered around in the dormitory and was looking at the beds trying to decide which one would be easiest to climb in and out of. Then I discovered that one of the low beds had a sign neatly taped to the table beside it: "Low bed reserved for Hamish Sutherland" Hooray! No stubbing your toe or falling off the ladder in the middle of the night this year.

Which just left the snoring problem to overcome. The "night-time chorus" turned out not to be much of a problem this time. Probably because I was mostly too tired to wake up and hear it after jamming industriously ‘most every night until much-too-late next morning. After unpacking my suitcase I went back up to the main building and the Assembly Hall to see who had arrived. That was much more fun this year, with people remembering you from last year and saying hello. Somebody said "Ivan Rosenberg (our dobro tutor) is in the Assembly Hall, have you met him yet?" No I hadn't so introduced myself and gave him a quick guided tour of the area's Essential Facilities (i.e. the Refectory and the Pub).

Dinner that evening was a bit of a surprise - the food no longer seemed to be "traditional" school food. The school chef had done a very good job indeed with the planning (and subsequent execution of) the week’s menu. He’d even gone so far as to prepare a nicely-printed "Bluegrass Menu" for the whole week. Only once did I hear a complaint about "school food", and the chap who tried it on got promptly shouted down. It was all very well done indeed.

Ten out of ten to The Wirtzes, Jill, Mary, the school staff and everyone else doing the organizing.

"Now that you’ve disposed of one Mark, what about the other?" I hear you ask. Well, when it’s all over, you have to get from the school back to the station. Mark Langmead who sat beside me in the dobro class kindly offered a lift to the station. Didn't even have to twist his arm very hard ...  So, two Marks!