Windbreak, Rackwick

I had risen early to get more of the weatherboard painted; however CMC indicated that the midges were going their dingers.  Therefore we are awaiting the sun to burn them off.  Meanwhile a tale for your delectation; this is a report from the Orkney weekly newspaper of Tuesday 28th August 1866.

‘A few Sabbaths ago, whilst a minister was conducting public worship in one of the West Mainland churches, the service was interrupted by the entrance of a goose.

The psalm had just been given out, and the congregation was beginning to sing, when the circumstance attracted the attention of the precentor, who so far forgot himself that he lost the tune.

During the silence which consequently intervened the minister whispered to one of the office bearers to put out the goose.

The office bearer, being ignorant of a bona fide animal of the species, thought it was the precentor that was referred to and laid hold of him with the intention of executing his instructions, which he would have done, our correspondent adds, had the precentor not made a powerful resistance.’