Wednesday 26/07/06

Last night's guests were doing the sound at a gig in the Town Hall until 2 a.m. this morning. The band was called the Hayseed Dixies and are of the Bluegrass variety. Heard some of their songs on local radio, sounded OK. American Midwest readers will probably know more about this sort of music than I do. Anyway, the sound guys had to get up at 5 a.m. to catch the 6.15 am ferry. At that exact time, I go downstairs and join mrs B for a cuppa in the early morning light. Sea is as smooth as a mirror. Return to bed at 6.45 and resume slumbers. Radio Scotland carries a report on bullying, 1 in 5 have experienced it in the nursing profession, according to trades union RCN. Reminds me of the situation in the local health board, where bullying stretches all the way to the top-management. The Canna mice were returned to their island after the 5,000 rats were exterminated last winter. I told the story a couple of weeks ago in this entry. The oldest living woman in the Western Isles has died in Scalpay, aged 110. She put her longevity down to a healthy diet and no drinking or smoking. The oldest woman in Scotland is aged 111 and lives somewhere near Aberdeen.
Weather is sunny but hazy and fog descends over the tops of the Arnish Hills. Two motorcyclists arrive, who come from Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. They are quite taken with the quiet island life. Later in the evening, two French guests appear who booked sort of 4 months ago. All 4 guests are due to leave on the 7.15 ferry in the morning. The fog descends and covers town and harbour. The 7pm ferry sails into a thick fogbank and blasts her horn. There is a high demand for accommodation in Stornoway and one German chap calls round to book in for the following two nights. I learn that Clan MacLeod are celebrating a 400th anniversary and doing so in 5 events in Skye and Lewis.