Tuesday 31/10/06

It is very cold but bright today, with the odd shower. One even falls as hail. A force 9 gale is blowing near the mainland, although the windspeeds here do not exceed force 6. The ferry has been cancelled, as have the ferries to the Small Isles, around Mull and to Gigha, near Kintyre. A cancelled ferry means empty shelves in the shops. Today, the funeral takes place of the 15-year old who shot himself last week. Island relatives will not be able to attend, if they did not travel yesterday, as he is being buried at Ullapool. The medical director of NHS Western Isles (one of three) has been deprived of his position, as the 3 posts have been amalgamated into one. My quitlist for the NHS WI saga has now been reduced to nearly zero. The Finance Director is still in my sights, for failing to address a 2.4 million pound shortfall. After nightfall, one trick-or-treat'er comes to the door. Today's maximum temperatures reach 8C, but drop to 3C after nightfall. Beautiful moonlit night.

Over at Arnish, another cargoship delivers a replacement turbine for the one lost overboard in the North Sea last week. I cannot make out its name. The Sava Hill, having discharged its cargo of coal, departs.