Wednesday 19/04/06

Am awake at 5.50 a.m., to see a very low moon, barely 2 degrees above the southern horizon. Later on, it starts as a nice sunny day. Mrs B's granddaughter is here for the day, as she is off with tooth trouble. I'm willing target for a game which has something to do with the Simpsons (Matt Groenigs creations). During the afternoon, Mrs B's sister calls in for a chat. A downpour follows at 4.30. I pop down the road to Somerfields for papers and the lottery (no luck, thanks). It drips, but the threat over the western horizon fails to substantiate. Visibility is very good today, can see the snowcapped hills south of Ullapool. This afternoon, the Isle of Arran takes several lorryloads of scrapped cars over to the mainland. When the ferry comes in, very early at 7.40, it is closely followed by the Coastguard chopper. A man dangles below on a line. The winchman is hauled in when the ferry reaches Goat Island. Probably an exercise. The Border Heather, our tanker, comes in for anothervisit. Our two guests went round Harris today, to Leverburgh along the west coast and back up the east coast. BBC Online reports that Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is to reopen the debate on the two Lewis windfarms. The webpage misspells Beinn Mhor (calling it Beinn Vor, as that is the pronounciation) and places Eishken in North Harris, where it is actually in southeast Lewis. The evening closes peacefully, with sunset at 8.50. The two guests will be leaving on the 7.15 ferry.