Neil was north in the afternoon, the boat's crane being used to load up exiting lighthouse stuff (it's so sad to see the death throes of the South light). What wasn't going to take long of course ended up taking all the afternoon.

It was Valentine's Day and in the evening we had a romantic walk to Kenaby, the fog was so thick and the wind non existent that in the darkness we could imagine ourselves at the bottom of a deep submarine cave, weird. We had a great night with people showing their true colours!

Sunday
Poor Neil woke in the night feeling rotten, he was the latest victim of the fast and furious bug afflicting several folk on the isle.

There was a lovely atmosphere through the service lead by Quoy Stewart, with a lot of people present and I even felt quite relaxed standing in for Neil with the children's address, until I realised I could hardly hold the hymn book afterwards, my hands were shaking so much.

By the time I got home, via Aesterhoull, Neil was feeling a lot better, so we played Scrabble. Plane stranded Steven came to visit just as the Man. Utd. game started on the radio, I didn't know he had Yorkshire blood in him, Barnsley held Utd to a 1-1 draw. Inness returned to Glasgow having had a good weekend with Ross in Edinburgh.

Monday
Sunshine, what a relief, went to the Shop. Robert's a Yorkshire man too! Georgie came home, hopefully feeling a lot better this time. Stained glass at eight, two absorbing hours fly by and I get to grips with the leading. Its been a busy day so I'm glad when Neil arrives to pick me up with the van.

Tuesday
The boat went to Grutness but was delayed by weather initially. More strong SW wind and drizzle which dries up in time for the boat's return. There were, as usual, a good umber of people on the pier to help unload the crates. I had to quickly dash into the house before going to unload at the shop to see if England had managed to beat the West Indies, they had, and that was the most exciting, yes exciting, cricket match I have ever listened to.

Neil had to go back to the boat after a quick tea to fix the hydraulics, so they can finish loading the boat before setting off to Scalloway tomorrow for the annual refit. He arrived in just before I did from Calligraphy

Wednesday
The boat got away in the morning. It was a pleasant day though rather windy. There are tulips, crocuses, snowdrops and tiny little daffodils in flower outside, and quite a few larks on the go. I had to resist the temptation to go and sow a lot of seeds. I fed the sheep, the mud is terrible but the mild temperatures mean the grass is growing.

Went up to the Hostel in the afternoon to give Helen a hand planting Willow sticks. Choir in the evening as we further the music for Easter and in the clearing sky I saw the first Aurora of the year

Thursday
The first thing that happens in the morning when 1 open the door to the porch is Jip running through the house checking all the possible place's Neil might be. I suspect he doesn't do that when I'm away. It was a fine morning, so I hung out washing and burnt rubbish. I even did a bit of pruning. In the afternoon I watched/listened to the Olympics as I finished a cardigan. Neil phoned from Lerwick while he was visiting Eileen. To Stackhoull in the evening for the FIMETI meeting, it's turning into an impressive body of work.

Friday
Wet and windy morning. The plane gets in but the doctor doesn't risk it. Very routine morning: cleaning, shopping, posting, feeding sheep and then school. I hesitated only very briefly when Nanny phoned to see if I'd like to join Pat and her for a couple of games of Scrabble in the afternoon. Hall committee meeting in the evening to discuss equipment and how and where, if at all, to store it.

It's been a busy week, I've been out every night. May-be next week will be quieter. I doubt it.