Thursday 27/04/06

Nice morning, fairly sunny and dry. Mrs B's nephew takes her and myself out for a spin at midday. First we go to the Lewis Crofters shop down Island Road, for spuds and compost. The fishmongers have not had any fish in, probably due to adverse weather. Next we head out to Aird Tong for a spot of housesitting, read: plant watering. The plants are in a sorry state as they had been forgotten. The house is in a very attractive location, overlooking Coll Beach, Muirneag, Broad Bay and Point. A large number of new properties have been built in that village on croftland. Whether the crofts are being used as such is actually a bone of contention. Liked Aird Tong, not been there before. We also went to the top of the road at Newmarket. A diversion up Laxdale Lane and Guershader brings us back to town. We're finally taken to the Woodlands' Centre for lunch, which knows how to serve a BLT baguette, in sharp contrast to An Lanntair. On return, the tide has turned so low (only +0.4m) that the old stepping stones across the Inner Harbour are exposed. The Thursday papers are very interesting. The windfarm project in North Lewis has been reduced to 190 turbines, from 234 initially. Big deal. Another Western Isles news item relates to the dumping of nuclear waste, which may take place on Fuday and Sandray, either side of Barra. The evening closes nice and sunny.