The ferry went to Scalloway for refit on 17 th February and was there until Sunday 1st March, when we enjoyed a picturesque run down to Grutness with snow on the ground. Next year, hopefully, essential supplies will be catered for and mebbe there won't be the same pressure on. Since then the weather has allowed us to run a reasonable service bringing in virtually full boat-loads every week. We were concerned about the condition of our ferry slipway so were pleased, this Wednesday, to carry in all the gear to enable a permanent repair job to be carried out, but spare a thought for the guy from 'down under who suddenly has to work in conditions of 300 less than what is 'normal' for him.

Sunday 22nd saw 60 people in the Kirk.. Angus picked the Hymns, the male quartet sang 'The Lower Lights". Emotion, which only these occasions can generate, was evident as we not only bade farewell to the present lightkeepers, but also remembered the generations of keepers and their families who have been part of this Island for 100 years. As they take their memories with them, surely the singing in the Kirk that Sunday morning will rank among them.

Both our Aerogenerators are now operating well, so hopefully our Diesel consumption will be greatly reduced, along with having power for most of the time. With all the best intentions, it has still taken 2 years to put in place, so we hope they now give us a long spell of relatively trouble-free operation, thus enabling us to replenish our funds again, as well as having the benefits of heat and fight.

It is good to see 'fife' again at the Lodge - first sign of spring; so it's a welcome to new faces and old as we all look forward to the summer and all the visitors, again both new and old. We look forward also to the celebration of 50 years - a great achievement and a very strong part of the jigsaw which is the success story of Fair Isle. Although successful, we are nevertheless potentially fragile, as was demonstrated after the plane was damaged by lightning and no replacement was available. We can never be complacent about such situations, and all our own roles in this place in the middle of the ocean. We see the hardship that is going to come to Fetlar with the loss of their Ferry. To have and then not have is a greater strain than not to have had at all. This is the truth of all of the Shetland Ferry saga, as it now becomes the victim of its own success and the Island communities suffer. The saying "Better to have loved and lost perhaps does not hold true for this scenario.

When the sun goes down - metaphorically speaking - Fair Isle comes to life with night classes, choir practising and various meetings which seem more and more to be part of our way of life. On the very social side, the Darts Club held what was, 1 think, our Christmas function on Saturday night, where Florrie leaves no one in any doubt as to her prowess (albeit brief) at the game. The reason that 1 make the point that this was our Christmas function, is that the end of season/summer function must still be to come!!

So now it's Friday, two weeks after the 13th, when we had an extra, uneventful trip to Grutness for cargo. The gales of yesterday have abated, the sun is shining, the plane has been, we have fed various lots of hungry sheep, and a new grid is going in on the Kenaby road. 'How do you spend your time on Fair Isle", we are asked. "in various ways', we can truthfully reply.