March 2011

  • From gravitas to chavitas in a period of Purdah

    AS we swing into what I was astonished to find out is still called Purdah (curtained-off women’s quarters in traditional Persian household / the six weeks before election during which government must not issue policy which could swing election outcome), the purveyors of gravitas and chavitas furrow their brows and practise their glottal stops. For…

  • That first ride home

    I was, frankly, concerned about riding the old Kawasaki the 35 miles home from Lerwick tonight. It was gusting up to a force seven, sidewinds for the most part. It was getting dark, and my eyesight is increasingly bad at coping with lack o’licht. And this was a £400 bike, old, if well cared for,…

  • Mumford and Sons gie it laldy at the Whiteness and Weisdale Hall

    Marcus Mumford and ‘Country’ Winston Marshall were on the show today, straight off the plane from Inverness, with the lovely Rachel Sermanni, who supported M&S tonight. Rachel played beautifully (both on the show and tonight, though she had to struggle at W&W with a boisterous crowd), the lads were splendid (I mean, from the Grammies…

  • Friday is pie and print media day

    I came into Lerwick on the early bus this morning. Buses, really – the 07.35 from Hillswick to Brae (10 miles) then the main Mossbank commuter run into Lerwick. There’s always a degree of weary grumpiness on said vehicle; and who can blame any of us for being irritable at that time of day, especially…