First Light

After a night of heavy rain it looked more hopeful with this sky at first light this morning and so it proved to be. Although a drizzle persisted for a while, it eventually gave way to sunshine. It was warm enough for me to have to stop on my walk round the houses before lunch and remove my jumper.

There were maybe 10 ladies a- dipping at 1pm. Slowly I begin to remember their names. Some are thoroughbred Orcadians while others are incomers- ‘sooth moothers’ but everyone is friendly and welcoming.

Our visit to the Merkister Hotel last night was very enjoyable. Gougons, as it happened, did not feature on anyone’s plate but nut roast and vegetable curry did.
The boss of the Cheeky Monkey Taxi Service was distracted by not having a blip at the time of eating and with darkness descending on the picturesque Loch Harray, he was beginning to look desperate. It was a revelation to know the stream of consciousness that seems to flow effortlessly in his blips is in fact carefully crafted. I see he managed in the end to put something up but it was not totally what he had in mind.

Erlend Flett who was rescued from the Orkney Cats’ Charity Shop joined us for the meal. See extra