A CORNER OF STORNOWAY HARBOUR




The flu worsened last week and I ended up spending three days off work. Although I do enjoy curling up on the sofa in front of a warm fire with a cup of cocoa and watching rubbish on TV, I much prefer to do it when I'm feeling well. This dose of flu has hit me hard and made me feel quite old. Can't cope with even minor illnesses now as well as I did just five or six years ago. I'm left with a permanent headache and catarrh, but went back to work a few days ago because it was more interesting there than here.

Signs of Spring abound. The weather here has been vile for the last month or so and I'm getting mighty fed up of it. This is not the place to come for tropical sunshine and banana trees growing in the street, but the weather has been seriously crap this Winter and It's time for an improvement. The daffodil stalks are up in the garden, though no flowers yet, and the rock doves are cavorting with each other in the most outrageous and wanton manner, usually in full view on top of my bird table. Having led a reclusive, modest and sheltered life so far, I've been quite thrown by their shameless antics.

For the last two or three years, the frogs have spawned in deep ruts in the access road to the house. Now that the road has been levelled and improved beyond recognition and a proper drainage dyke opened at the side of it, the frogs have adapted well. Sauntering down there this morning, I came across almost continual masses of spawn for about 100 yards along the dyke, so it looks like being a good year for amphibians. Whilst the Winter has been rubbish with almost daily rain, it's not been too cold and I've been surprised to note that the frogspawn is about two weeks later this year than last, which was much colder.

Pleasingly, I've been adopted for the last week or so by a trio of beautiful greenfinches, who are feeding from the bird table for all they are worth and look very healthy and colourful. A couple of hooded crows have also started to feed from the birdtable every day and they scare off all the other birds while they're here. They are quite handsome creatures though and I'm grateful that a variety of birds are now visiting the garden on a regular basis.

Over in Sin City, Stornoway, the Co-Op have announced that they are going to open a franchise of Peacocks the clothing shop, within the store, but more importantly, they're also going to open a Fairtrade coffee bar. That's a very good thing and I'll be pleased to give them my business. Tesco are also expanding and I think that's got the Co-op a bit rattled.

Off to work in Uist and Barra for a few days from tomorrow, so see you soon.