David!

Today I met an old friend who is about to move away. Normally I would be a bit sad to see a friend move but not this time. David and his family are about to move to my favourite bit of Orkney and I couldn't be more pleased for them. I know the community will take them into their hearts.

You may remember David from a year ago. He said he hadn't had his hair cut since. When I asked why, he said he had saved a fortune in haircuts... He's looking a bit tired because the whole family traveled up and back to Orkney twice last week. The family had to come back for two days in the middle so that his daughter could play Mary in the school nativity. See - a man with the right priorities. David's also been instrumental in helping a community heal after a tragic loss. What a lot has happened in the last year...

After tea with David, I ran into Father Christmas. Actually, I thought this gentleman looked so at home in this chair that I had to ask for a photo. It turns out he was about to buy it (it's a pretty penny!) and he is going to play Father Christmas on Saturday for his village show in Perthshire. He apologised that his beard was so unkempt, but it's part of the role.

Apropos of nothing at all, a song by the inimitable Esperanza Spalding.