September 2006

  • A funeral and a voyage or two

    Bob Holyoak’s funeral in Ollaberry yesterday was incredibly moving. It’s still very hard to believe that we’ll no longer see him in that old blue anorak, coming round the house at tax-return-time, parked up in that wee Saxo with binoculars to his eyes, noting another bird sighting. The old kirk at Ollaberry was more than…

  • Back in Shetland, momentarily

    Phew, that 6.30 am flight from Aberdeen is certainly not for wimps….but given the Shetland residents’ Air Discount Card, it’s amazingly cheap. Well, it would be if it wasn’t for Gordon Brown’s iniquitous tax on anyone travelling by air within Scotland: £16 for the one-way ticket, which is great; an additional £24 to Gordon. Insane…

  • Bruce proving it all night (or at least for eight minutes or so)

    Bruce proves he’s still got the magic Lindsay Hutton (not the world’s biggest Brooooooce fan) first sent me an MP3 of this (originally recorded in 1979 by the electronic duo Suicide) being performed live, and then forwarded this (camera phone) video of the song. Amazing. It makes you realise that despite the horrid autocue folk…

  • Flying without shoes

    Terrible news yesterday that our friend, neighbour and accountant Bob Holyoak had died suddenly. He was a crucial part of not only our lives, but of the Northmavine community, and everyone is very shocked. Up at 5.00 am to catch the early Saab aeroplane for Aberdeen, wondering if I should cancel the planned trip to…

  • A St Bernard, one day old…

    Mother and eight puppies still doing well…

  • Wir Tommy, The Man of La Mancha, whisky and Red Brian The Viking Socialist

    SINGING and politics may seem natural bedfellows, from the Horst Wessel to the Red Flag, from Billy Bragg’s A New England to Andy Stewart’s well known nationalist anthem Donald, Where’s Yer Troosers. But never has the formation of a new party been so…well, perhaps tuneful is the wrong word – as that of Solidarity (West…

  • Only eight left…

    One male puppy didn’t make it, I’m afraid. Apparently 24 hours is a danger period for St B pups. Och well. Lucy has been to the vet along with all the other wee ones and everything appears fine. Can’t wait to see them! I think a trip to Yell will be in the offing at…

  • Back on air, nine puppies delivered, and that’s it for eBay…the guilt! The guilt!

    Aberdeen, and onto the airwaves for the first time in four weeks. The first hour of the first programme feels a bit odd, but after that it’s plain sailing, encouraged by the hundreds of emails, texts, letters and the occasional bottle of whisky welcoming me back. Back home, Lucy has delivered nine puppies, mother and…