Millennium Fayre Part 2

On Thursday morning we went to the Toll Clock shopping centre and we went to the Music Box and played on the game console and it was good fun. At 10 o'clock we went to the fire station. We saw the fire engine, one of them was a van and there were two bigger fire engines. We got to have a go with the hose including Mrs McCaffery and Pat. Tom sprayed us all with water!!!! Duncan McDougall was the man who came into the island to teach us about the dangers of fire. We went to the Clickimin main hall and did our performances at 4:30 and 5:30. We all think that the 2nd performance went the best. We missed out a bit on the first one. After we had done the performances we went for a swim for an hour and went on the flumes, the rapid river and the big pool. When we were back at the Youth hostel we were just about to have our tea when the fire alarm went off. We all walked to the assembly point and the fire engines came and searched the building but it was a false alarm.

On Friday we went to the police station and had a look around the cells. We also got to see the police van but the police car was on patrol. We went to the Museum and we looked around and we also went to the library. We were shown how to look up books and you can go on a computer to look up books. We went to the Clickimin and did another performance, it went well. We went swimming. Mrs McCaffery and Pat went down the flumes with us!!! We stayed in the swimming pool for one hour. After we went swimming we went to the sands of sound and we found two starfish and after that we started to find shells. And at last every ones favourite time - we went to the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant. Charlotte had sweet and sour chicken same as Tom and Cara, Vivian and Calum had Imperial mixed vegetables with rice, Lewis and Mrs McCaffery had chicken chow mein and Pat had deep fried shredded beef and noodles.

On Saturday we were going back home. Until we were meant to go to the plane we just watched TV. Then we went to Tingwall and we heard the plane was going. We got on the plane and Eddie started up the engines and then we were in the air. We flew for 25 mins and we reached Fair Isle and landed. We got off the plane and we all went home.

Primary 4-7

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DA WEEK DAT’S AWA’

LAST FRIDAY, 23rd, was busy. The Northern Peripheries Conference ended after its worthwhile sessions and less formal activities, and the guests realized that not only does the boat stimulate a respect for the weather but also the 'plane, as the mist descended and kept some travellers earthbound. However the cruise ship "Shearwater" landed its passengers for an afternoon of puffin watching, museum visits and tea and craft display at the Hall. When visitors and workers finally vacated the hall, the musicians were waiting to take over for a rehearsal of the evening concert items. What a brilliant occasion it was. The band's repertoire was wide ranging, singing excellent and the finale, when a tired and potentially fretful 3yr. old Alice joined the group on the platform and giving a (silent) virtuoso flute performance, epitomised what it's all about - the fourth generation preparing for the future.

In addition to our guests was a group from a Swedish yacht who were delighted to celebrate their traditional Midsummer's Eve in such a different way. It seems quite a long time since there have been so many people gathered together for a dance and music making. I understand that celebrations continued into the night and that a windy morning came rather quickly for the Good Shepherd's Stugeron supporters.

SATURDAY was clear so an extra flight was laid on for the departing crowds and the walking wounded (Robert with a damaged wrist). I did some baking and found enough other things to do without disturbing the duster or the dust. John spent the afternoon and early part of the evening completing service preparations, then we watched "The African Queen". We were both surprised how little we remembered of the plot, other than the interminable river and rapids.

SUNDAY was a cold dry day. There was a good congregation at the Chapel, an experimental theme and fine singing. In the afternoon, the first of the silage was worked and bagged at Kenaby - finished before Ian's expedition to build a boat at the National Museum in Edinburgh. He departs on Tuesday. Fiona and the children called in and Scott updated me on Pokemon.

MONDAY and the human genome code has been cracked - if that's the word for the years of hard detective work. I think this will be on a par with the dreams and dreads of the early computer revolution and will significantly affect our lives in many ways: medical, social, legal and ethical. Exciting! I can only relate it to the buzz we got in the early `50's when tuberculosis was still a scourge but surgical techniques had advanced rapidly and the range of new drugs brought about dramatic cures for a disease which had been tantamount to a death warrant.

I was listening to the radio and thinking about all this while trying to work on the locker hooking. Why don't I make more cushions during the winter and not need to succumb to summer slave labour?

This afternoon, parents and grandparents visited the school, and saw the children happily working at a range of tasks in the bright new environment - we were ready to sign on the register there and then. By the evening I was having second thoughts because I could never have achieved the performance skills of the pupils who sang, played and danced in front of a large audience in the Hall. We thoroughly enjoyed every item and were pleased to see the "F.I. Tourism" display which the older children had staged recently in Lerwick.

TUESDAY. The cruise ship "Shearwater" was back and I was at the museum for the very enthusiastic visitors - The morning was dry but very cold - couldn't have been above 9° or 10° A friend used to say that there was no point in planting seeds or expecting them to grow if you couldn't sit comfortably on the prepared ground with a bare bottom.

WEDNESDAY. The media were full of items relating to rural post offices converting to banks and internet centres - `royalpobank@) fairisle.com' has a nice ring to it.

I tackled some housework and filled the cake tins, etc. in readiness for Kath. and Stuart Hubbard's visit at the weekend, then Rachael brought the nursing candidate, and Janet from the Health Board, for a cup of tea and chat: another well qualified person, so here's hoping .....

We watched the France v. Portugal football match which was far better than any other that we've flicked channels on. TV has reached an all time low -surfeit of sport and repeats. It was a refreshing change to see the Omnibus documentary on Wallace and Gromit with its humour and insight into the skills of the whole team.

THURSDAY. not much to write today: the cold winter weather continues, household pursuits were interrupted by a meeting this morning and John said that our Ian was interviewed on Radio Scotland.

FRIDAY. The morning `plane arrived safely, in spite of the number of tirricks around the airstrip  must be the largest number ever.

Betty

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The Bryant that’s awa

A note to thank you all for your very generous gift on my last `official visit' but surely not our last - and fixing the weather too.

All the places I have been lucky to work with are special in their own way, but Fair Isle is especially so, not only for me but as much for Sarah and Jane. The jumper will keep the memories warm , literally and figuratively, of all the friends we have made over the years.

Whilst I am sorry not to see FIMETI to a conclusion, (the impossible always takes longer) there is no doubt that it has already had a lasting influence on Shetland and the Trust. At least our `Turning the Tide' initiative, has now been launched, by which the Trust enters marine conservation throughout Scotland. With any luck it will help Fair Isle specifically; I shall watch through the web site with great interest!

With our very best wishes and thanks, as well as an open invitation for any Islanders to visit, or stay should you find yourselves away from the Fair and in the Black.

Anthony and Jane (Bryant)

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STEWART WILSON. b. Stromness, 1934, to Stewart Wilson, Springfield, and Ina Wilson, Taft. Ed. Stromness Academy, Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen University. Lighthouse Keeper, Postman, Barman, Soldier, Teacher, Shopkeeper (Stackhoull Stores), Crofter (Houll), Parish Minister. Ret. to Aesterhoull, 1997.

Hobbies and interests ?

Painting, sailing, Classical music, islands, history.

Your favourite music ?

Mozart's Requiem Mass, Beethoven's 9th, Bach's Concerto for Two Violins, Stewart Thomson snr playing Hen's March ower the Midden (it sustained me, in the mind's ear, during my exile).

Your favourite TV ?

Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, Frazier, Bottom, University Challenge.

Best meal you've ever had ?

Spent a Saturday afternoon fishing off Da Nizz. Came home, ranting hungry, to Quoy with fresh mackerel. Triona rolled them in oatmeal and cooked them in their own oil, reekin blue. Served with beremeal bannocks and mugs of strong tea. A taste of Heaven !

Worst meal ?

Fowler Barracks, Perham Down, Salisbury Plain. We'd just moved the Battalion into new quarters and the cooks were a bit lost in strange surroundings. They serves Steamed Cod which required a spreading of raspberry jam to make it palatable. However, the finest, hottest curries I've ever tasted were also provided by the Army.

Person in the World you most admire ?

Mary Robinson, ex President of Irish Republic and now Head of UN Refugee Agency. She com ‑bines femininity with an agile brain and sharp tongue that cut right through politicians' waffle.

Person you'd least like to share a train journey with ?

Rev Ian Paisley.

Proudest moment ?

Any time I answer the phone and a voice says, "Hi, dad !"

Most romantic moment ?

Five years old, song and dance, "Can you wash a sailor's shirt ?", school concert, delightful, wee blonde called Mabel. She grew up and married a sailor off a Fishery Cruiser.

Anything you hate ?

Not too seriously,

1. Young men who tell me how I should think,

2. Old men who tell me how I should behave,

3. Women of any age who greet me with, "Oh, but you've put on weight !"

Your favourite domestic task ?

Friends in kitchen, good banter and laughter, self with chilled dry White in one hand (bottles of red chambreing) and cooking steak, onions and new tatties with the other.

Your least amenable chore, domestically ?

Changing a duvet cover. It invariably wrestles me to the floor and I end up sneezing and covered in sweat.

Your biggest disappointment ?

Being passed over for Chairman of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

How would you like the World to remember you ?

They say that he tried to put a smile on the face of God.

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