June 2008

St Ninian’s Isle in Shetland’s South Mainland, yesterday. Mediterranean conditions (which means a survival time in the sea of, oh, 20 minutes). A tombolo is a double-sided beach. I think this is the largest in Europe.

The news on the state of Gloria (the Ford Transit Camper) is that she will be fixed (new wheel bearing, brake caliper sorted) on Monday. How much do you think it is for a new disc brake caliper for a 1989 Ford Transit? £150. Hell’s teeth! And I thought VWs were expensive. I fear Gloria’s…

Decided to take the newly-MOT’d camper down to Brae for Martha’s music lesson (ideal for parental hingin’-aboot) much to M’s fury – she HATES the thing. With good cause, as it turned out, because Gloria nearly caught fire on the way back. The near-side front brake caliper jammed on, leading to a red-hot brake disc,…

This is Billy Long and Jean Carmichael of Dalry in Ayrshire, currently on holiday in Shetland. Regular listeners to the TM Show, they came along to the Radiocroft to see how it all happens…great to see them and I hope they have a splendid Hanseatic Trifle at the Hay’s Dock Cafe tonight!

The idea that someone should be fined for having 13 people in a Volvo estate seems…a little unimaginative. The police wanted the car to be confiscated! IT’S A VOLVO, for heaven’s sake! Admittedly, only an S70, but still. As for the BBC reporter who could only fit TEN in, pshaw! I can remember when I…

Saturday was officially midsummer, though I believe that Friday was the longest day, for abstruse astronomical reasons. And so to Lerwick (again) for the launch of the Vaila Mae, a beautiful sixareen, the traditional open Shetland fishing boat of the 19th century. It’s called a sixareen because it has six oars, each rowed by a…

Absolutely knackered after today’s show, which went really well, I think, apart from a two-minute hiatus when we apparently fell off air (not that we knew anything about it, as it wisnae oor fault!). Well done to Jenny, Fiona, Ian and Ken from the BBC team. They came up on the ferry overnight, arriving today,…

…but everyone is in good spirits. Met up with Edwyn Collins, his wife Grace, Roddy Frame and Andy Hackett last night and had a great meal at the Hay’s Dock Cafe in the new museum (cheers Mike and staff). Susan and Grace were on the QM Union board together at Glasgow University many, many moons…

The Fratellis are in the USA…and on yesterday’s TM Show, we featured, at the request of LA listener Kevin, a list of suggested ‘Scottish heckles’ which Kevin could utilise during their acoustic set at Virgin Records in Hollywood Boulevard.The gig is already on YouTube, and Kevin’s blog shows the sign he made to reflect the…

Both of these pictures were sent in by listeners to the show – the first by Kirk Hargett over in the USA, showing the full extent of camper van extremism, and the second by Ewen Cameron, who has a vision for a Volvo 240 4X4, and the skills to at least come up with a…