Friends

If ever I wanted to show off the loveliness of Orkney, it was today when my two London friends arrived on a cruise ship in Kirkwall and bussed through to Stromness for a meeting.
The weather omens didn’t look good when I woke to mist hanging low over Hoy and light rain falling. The latter did stop for 2 hours allowing for a dry walk to the slip, a dry walk to the library, I dry meeting with the friends at the bus stop and a dry walk back to the house. I suggested a walk to the Ness and although they were equipped with hooded anoraks, I am a slow learner and was abroad again in my down jacket with no hood.  There was the inevitable soaking - no chips today but a coronation chicken roll.

Because the bus service was running late and a bit unreliable and they had to be on board there by 4 pm, they didn’t stay long enough to see the rain stop. However were greatly taken with the campsite at the Ness and were talking as though this might be a future stopping place, imagining how it would look in the sun.

Before their arrival I saw a tour guide waving in my direction from one of the buses parked at the pier head and wondered who behind me was intended recipient of the wave . I eventually realised it was me and the waver was none other than blipper Northern.
At some point today I realised how good it is to have a companion alongside me. I feel I have done well on my own for so long this holiday  but I do miss having someone at my side.