Diary

"Are you ready for the snow?" Facebook started asking me. Not very helpfully, I thought, given that I was going to an outdoor rehearsal of tomorrow's passion play.

I mean, I did what I could: I was wearing two layers of thermal underwear and a couple of shawls that went with my costume. Which in the end I didn't wear, because the director, being at heart a kindly soul, didn't insist we wear costume. Even though it was supposed to be a dress rehearsal.

So, wearing a slightly eccentric selection of outdoor garments,  we all set off into the great outdoors.

The play follows a well worn route round the grounds of the kirk and the manse and then round the village, with a wonderful tea break half way round. And I drank some utterly gorgeous tea, ate some jammie dodger biscuits, recommended a book called "The Master and Marguerita" to Pontius Pilate (knowing he'd enjoy it) before admiring Jesus who was looking especially fetching in his crown of thorns. As he ate a bag of crisps.

And Jesus carried his cross round Duddingston village.

There is something about being involved in the re-enactment of Christ's sufferings in the middle of people's streets and houses that makes it unbearably poignant, somehow.

And I guess it was only appropriate that it was during the crucifixion scene that it actually did start snowing.

And then I did my scene and led the way back, limping somewhat on my swollen ankles, all the way to the church hall where we all began.

The hall was beautifully heated and felt like heaven.

And the forecast is for sunshine tomorrow.