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…is remarkably easy. No excuses. Well, all right, one or two: The Tom Morton show is completely unscripted, and occasionally things can become a little fraught, what with technical breakdowns (we had a weather-related loss of my connection to the BBC yesterday) and the need to do four or five things at once ( check…

A truly dreadful trip home on the MV Hrossey, 14 and a half hours of misery, not really because of feeling sick in the dreadful conditions, but just the discomfort and inability to sleep. Susan reminded me that I once wrote: “The difference between the ferry and the ‘plane is this: On the ‘plane, you’re…

Terribly saddened to hear late last night about the death of Harry Horse (Richard Horne) and his wife Mandy. All day I’d been wondering about the identity of the couple found dead in Shetland. Devastating to find it’s people you know and admire so much. It’s all over the papers, as I suspected it might…

BBC Scotland is in the middle of installing something called VCS Dira, which is basically a piece of software for taking in, editing and playing out everything from news to music. I hope I’m not letting any digital cats out of pixellated bags here, but the only effect on my work at the BBC has…

Grey and wet, as per usual. Managed to get here in the dubious Ford Maverick, no trouble so far except for what sounds like a small hole in the middle silencer. I am so sick of bad cars. That is the last time I buy anything vehicular on eBay. I’m 51 years old and it…

…and a good 2007 to you and yours.I’m looking forward to an alcohol-free period of detoxification, exercise and less indulgence in chocolate and rich foodstuffs. But then, ain’t we all? I should say that despite the – suprising – reappearance at Hogmanay of last year’s Broons documentary, I am NO LONGER writing the Broons and…

Old year: I’m 51 today. These are the rotten beams from our recently re-roofed steading. the man from Historic Scotland, alas, found some adze (axe) marks on them, and began muttering about replacing the brand-new ones with some of the old ones. What to do? Hmmm…let’s have a wee think…Old year: Burning the rotten beams…

….might include… Hallo Saferide – Introducing Hallo Saferide (album) AND Would you Let Me Play This Record Ten Times a Day? (EP)The Feeling – I Love it when you Call (single)The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America AND Almost Killed Me (albums)Josh Ritter – Girl in the War (single)Neil Young and Crazy Horse…

Nigella (and that’s Lucy the St Bernard, not Nigella. She’s watching Quoyle the labrador have his annual dip) loomed large over our Christmas foodstuffing. Several recipes were downloaded and printed out, and there were parsnips, there was goosefat (frozen since last year’s goose, in fact) and other such delights (including pomegranate cous-cous). Bed, eventually, after…

…and the preparations are just about done. Susan’s away to visit her mother in the care centre. Tragically, Audrey’s just not fit to come home for Christmas dinner this year, and it’s the end of an era. Scott was just here with a card and tremendous news from the Sullom Voe oil terminal, just down…