She was simply dressed clothes of summer colours and she had a traveling bag over her back and a flute case as well. She had a travelling bag over her shoulder, and the Estate cats were following her up the path to the Manor House.
She’d been travelling through Europe the previous summer and fall playing at various festivals, so she was well heeled and was willing to pay for her stay here. Ingrid, our Steward, said that wasn’t an issue for now, but asked instead why she came here, and oh, ‘What is your name?’ She said it was ‘Mama Kin.’ Her Irish accent was warm and engaging.
She heard good things about us and wanted to see us for herself, and she’d be happy to do whatever we felt she should do — she’d been a barkeeper, was skilled in carpentry and painting, had spent several summers working on farms so could handle both gardening and livestock, even had emergency medical care skills, and had training in staffing and managing communal kitchens. She said she also spoke Irish Gaelic, French, German and more than a smattering of other tongues. An admirable background for an Estate like ours.
So Ingrid sent her my way as I was short a barkeep this summer. She asked if I wanted references and I said that we take new folk on their word, so that wouldn’t be needed nor desired. I arranged her housing, one of the smaller yurts, got her a tour of the Estate. Mrs. Ware welcomed her in the Kitchen. So it looks like we’ve a fine new community member!
