Gorgeous day, sunny, cloudless and not too cold. Reports suggest it was about 7C / 45F at midday, and although there was a force 4 southwesterly wind, it was quite acceptable. Went out for a walk to Sandwick at 2 o'clock, round by the Coastguard Station, the Powerstation, down Miller Road and along Sandwick Bay. I had intended to cut through the graveyard to Sandwick Road, but a burial was taking place. As I was going down Miller Road, I could hear a piper playing "Amazing Grace". A group of darkly clad people were standing by a grave, with a heap of sand beside it. I carried on past the cemetery to Lower Sandwick. Walked up the road to the A866 main road and made my way back to town. Along there stands a pile of a mansion which looks horrendously out of place. After dropping the camera off at mrs B's, who is out shopping, I went on to Somerfields for some shopping of my own.
Note: The pictures were intended to replace some for walk 3182 with Walking World, but the heavy shadows put paid to that idea.
Supper tonight: runner beans, spuds, onion rings, fried balls of minced meat.
Sunday 29/01/06
The weather is the same it's been most of the week. France had a large helping of snow yesterday, southern England also had a swipe of that. There is a man staying for a few days, who is helping to take down an exhibition at An Lanntair called Sharmanka. It is something to do with clocks. The previous exhibitor hung pieces of wallpaper from the ceiling and called it art. Our guest went round the west side, to the usual places like Callanish, Carloway and Gearrannan. Today he sets off to Harris. There is a cold southwesterly wind blowing. Lunch consists of peppered mackerel with rolls and lettuce. Discover a website which shows 15 cams from inside one couple's home in Daytona Beach, FL, USA. It shows all rooms from their sumptuous premises, and every aspect of life (including the salacious) is shown. I sit in the sun to write down info about the nearly 700 pictures I have amassed in Lewis and Harris. The sun sets at 4.40 (pic above), after which mrs B's third son comes in with his boys. Mrs B cooks me supper, alternative pastabake. Well, the pastabake was a success. Using aubergines instead of courgettes is not something I'd really repeat. What was not a success was the wine. It just wouldn't stay in the glass. I sent one glassful flying all over my portion of pastabake, over my jumper and into my lap. Absolutely incredible how much wine comes out of one glass. One change of clothing!
Saturday 28/01/06
Slightly brighter today, with breaks in the clouds. This gives nice images on the webcam. Friday saw 109 people watching proceedings; today it's a lot less. A naval vessel is out on patrol in the Minch. The ferry comes in by 1.05. Tide is well out at that point. Go out to Somerfields at 3.30, with a new microwaveable dish of vegetable chilli concarne. Nothing much else happens today, apart from an extensive chat with mrs B.
Friday 27/01/06
This morning dawned overcast and chilly. The blanket of cloud seems to have coalesced , and the clearance over the Minch disappears by midday. It's not very warm today, but still no or little wind. Go into town at 2pm to buy a watchstrap in the jewellers. The Glasgow Herald newspaper has sold out at Nicolson's, but is still for sale at the Baltic Bookshop. Nearly had an accident at the corner of Kenneth Street and South Beach Street, after somebody didn't indicate they were going to turn left. Have a wee natter with mrs B's nephew who comes to call. Otherwise a quiet afternoon and evening. Watched a series of programs about Holocaust Memorial Day on the History Channel. Very harrowing images and accounts from the time of the liberation of the camps, early in 1945.
Thursday 26/01/06
Mrs B tells me her alarm went off at 5.40 a.m., but she does not remember what for. Well, it wasn't until she heard people stir (not me), that she did recall. Yesterday, 3 workmen came to stay to go off on the early ferry. They had been installing a large kitchen in Barvas. Sunrise shows a blanket of cloud moving across the sky, leaving Skye and Applecross in the clear. Forgot to mention I met David's cousin Heather, who lives in the keeper's cottage at the Arnish Lighthouse. Isles FM has no local news today - nothing ever happens here. The roadworks are dragging on in the road outside. It's not sunny today - a blanket of cloud has crept in off the Atlantic, and only a sliver of sunshine is visible on the horizon. There is hardly any wind so it doesn't go anywhere. Go to buy the papers, which are full of the usual: little local news. In Lewis and Harris, 15 plots of land are for sale for house building. One of them is on the Eishken road, 3 miles southeast of Balallan. No neighbours, no other structures. YET. A windfarm with 133 turbines, each 450 feet high, is proposed for the hills overlooking Loch Seaforth and Eishken. That is not mentioned in the sales blurb. Pity about that, it is a glorious location. Dinner is microwaved sweet & sour.
Wednesday 25/01/06
A brilliant sunrise, and not a cloud in the sky all day. It's quite chilly though, with the thermometer barely above 5C / 40F all day. It's windless and sunny. Mrs B shows me some of Robert Burns' poetry, whose works we celebrate today. Radio Scotland has organised a poll for the most popular poem in the country, and Robbie Burns' works come top. Tam o' Shanter is number 1, An' a' that is second, with Hallaig by Sorley MacLean a shared third. Go out for a walk with mrs B at 2pm through town to Bayhead Bridge. Here we meet up with her nephew. A slow amble ensues to Lews Castle. Next port of call, the butchers shop outside the Coop on MacAulay Road. Mrs B wants some smoked salmon for her Burns Supper tonight. Unfortunately, the butcher has not checked the expiry date on his stock - some of it went out of date yesterday. The supper consists of: smoked salmon; steak in creamy whisky sauce, vegetables, chips; trifle. Nice Australian wine, a g&t (or two) as aperetif and a Grouse afterwards.
Tuesday 24/01/06
The day starts nice and bright, and it only gets better as the day wears on. Mrs B goes shopping at 11. Her grandson is with us today, like yesterday, because he's not well. It would appear that a bug is going round. The granddaughter was unwell at school yesterday, headache and being sick. Mrs B's brother-in-law calls in to return the plate which held Saturday's goodies. Her nephew also pays a visit after lunch. At 2pm, I sally forth for a walk around town. I want to take a handful of pictures, two of which are required on Island Blogging. The item gets published, but I spot a mistake in the idiom. In the first entry for today, I did not mention the route I took for the walk. Up Island Road, for the derelict Harris Tweed mill. Turn left into Sandwick Road, where the Council offices and the clocktower are located. Up Matheson Road, where the well-to-do houses stand, complete with cast-iron railings - I mentioned these in an entry early in October 2005. Across to Cromwell Street via Church Street, to picture the pink and the blue buildings. In the evening, I have a look through the Coastguard website, which has finally been updated. The MCGA were involved with quite a few rescues surrounding a trans-Atlantic rowing contest, from the Canary Islands to Antigua, over nearly 3,000 miles / 4,700 km. About 3 crews have had to be rescued following capsizings, damage &c. The British MCGA passed the maydays on to other ships and agencies in the area. Another rescue took place on the Pacific coast of Mexico.
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