Challenging weather

The forecasters were correct about today's weather. It rained and rained and the wind blew. I decided to drive to Stornoway and see the town.

Many towns look rather bleak in these conditions and Stornoway is no exception!

I did go to see an art installation called Re Soundings in the local arts centre.

Two hours was all I could last in Stornoway, but I drove back on the single track road through the peat beds. No one was working today but you could see where peats had been cut and laid out to "dry".

The rain stopped briefly and I had a short wander on the hillside to this small house. It has a stable stye door, the bottom half of which was open. Inside there was an old bedstead, an old chair, fridge and a few utensils. In th distance you can see the lines of the peat beds.

I understand that these bothies were used by families during the summer and the main peat cutting season. The women cut the peats and the men sat and drank whisky.

Two of my fellow guests wanted a copy of the Guardian today. I tried hard, but no Guardians made it to the islands yesterday or today.

New guests who arrived tonight who did not realise that we Guardian readers might be left of centre. One quizzed me about my work and could not understand when I said I did not see private patients during my career. (His father had been a GP pre 1948.) The conversation deteriorated into disparaging remarks about some rural patients. I rather hope I'm sitting elsewhere tomorrow evening. (PS Of course they turned out to be quite delightful in other ways. )

The meal tonight was yet again superb.

PS I have posted a blip from 2 days ago here so please look it up if you have time.