How's My Bonnie Loon?

Agnes and Jim are my fantastic next door neighbours. Agnes keeps me well fed with the best of
North-East Scottish cuisine. She also has taken up the challenge of teaching me the fine points
of the Doric Tongue. She's a fine teacher, talking to me at least once every day. Jim, Agnes's
husband for nearly fifty years, is blessed with one of the nicest smiles on the face of any man.
He's always on the go, always doing something for one of their sons or grandchildren. They
also have taken on the assignment of keeping an eye out for me. They've helped me out in so
many ways. They are the best of neighbours. I've posted a picture of Agnes in a previous post.
Jim is shy about having his picture taken, even when he flashes his award-winning smile.

Rarely does a day go by that either Jim and I, Agnes and I, or the three of us, don't have a long
chat over the concrete wall that separates our two yards. For several weeks now Jim has been
using a different greeting than I have heard before. He asks: 'how's my bonnie loon?'It literally
means: how is my nice young boy? But in this situation, it means: how is my nice young man?
I reply with the standard North-East reply: 'nay bad' (not bad). Coming from Jim with his infa-
mous grin, I hear it is a term endearment. Sometimes I feel flattered that he refers to me as a
young man. But then I realise that from his vantage point of being nearly 70 years old, any per-
son younger than him is a young man or young woman. I am really humbled by the affection
and care that the two of them lavish upon me. What did I do to deserve that? Three weeks ago,
we had one of our two communion services of the year at the church. Agnes always comes to
the communion service, but Bill never has come, at least until three weeks ago. There he was,
sitting in a pew, and taking communion at the service. I really desire that both of them exper-
ience the depths of Jesus' love for them and enjoy him forever. I am glad they are my good
neighbours. I am truly blessed.

Blessings to you and yours,