Saturday 1st saw us head into Kirkwall and get caught in a February monsoon so had to escape into the usual sheltering shops (Woolies, Boots etc.). The Lichties match at Dumfries against QOS had been cancelled in the morning so I was able to spend the afternoon listening to the rest of the Saturday Football without worrying how my team was doing. I was however a bad afternoon for the team as Alloa won with the result that we are now bottom of the League. In the evening, with the snow now gone, we headed into Kirkwall for a birthday party and when we returned home at midnight it was a bright clear starry night but not freezing.
The snow came again on Sunday interspersed with sunshine and the occasional thunder cloud. It was also bad on the mainland as the Dundee v Hibs match was cancelled during the match due to the falling snow. The snow showers continued on the Monday and Mary started worrying as to whether or not she would manage to get to Stornoway on Wednesday on business.
A power cut in the middle of Monday night which affected the whole island caused havoc in the Supermarkets with the few cool fresh provisions which were left on the shelves having to be disposed off whilst the on-going effect of the sailings (well lack of sailings) between Stromness and Scrabster resulted that there were no replacement provisions until the only northward ferry arrived in, via Scapa Flow, around 2pm. The bad weather on the mainland also meant that the A9 between Helmsdale and Dunbeath was blocked whilst rail travellers heading north of Inverness were being advised that they were making the journey at their own risk and could end up back in Inverness.
The weather did however pick-up and Mary duly got the flight to Inverness, then Edinburgh and finally to Stornoway as scheduled on Wednesday morning. After doing her business and eating out at the Stornoway Thai restaurant prior to spending the night in a local B&B shed headed back, via Edinburgh and Inverness, on the Thursday. It was apparently a beautiful day for flying back with clear views of the snow covered Scotland. There was a lot of tanker activity in the flow on the Thursday night.
Saturday morning saw us get our first exercise of the year as we drove to Stromness and parked then walked out to the Atlantic coast (into wind driven rain) and then back along the coastal path along Hoy Sound, past the Golf course to Stromness. It was just as well we went when we did as in the afternoon the wind got up and the rain poured down. The Lichties match against Clyde was played but alas we went down 2-1!!
A fine sunny Sunday afternoon saw us drive to Marwick Bay and sit in the car for 10 minutes as the only cloud over the islands deposited rain on top of us. After the cloud blew over we headed along Marwick bay and up Marwick Head to Kitchener's memorial enjoying the light breeze and beautiful blue skies.
The next weekend saw us head to the mainland with me heading down to Perth for a Cruse Treasurer's meeting on the Saturday morning (did manage to catch up with a couple of old SSE workmates on the Friday night). Heading to Alloa after lunch for the Lichties match I was at Kinross when the news came through that the match was postponed due to the frozen pitch - Ba Humbug!!
Heading back to Orkney, via Scrabster, on the Hebridean Isles, we were able to see the latest damage caused to the new Scrabster pier (known as expensive berth for new Northlink Ferry which is currently sitting in Leith - was it Northlink who designed the ferries or the Scottish Executive?). It is now highly unlikely that Hamnavoe will be able to do the Scrabster run until the middle of the tourist season (not saying which tourist season!!).
Back home on the island, I attended the HIE Broadband seminar - one wonders how they can justify having PC's on all the time so they can utilise the "benefits" of broadband. Friday 21'st was a cracker but alas I had work to do!! We headed to the Kirkwall Farmers Market on the Saturday (last Saturday of the month) on a cold windy day and purchased a selection of South Ronaldsay lamb. The Lichties were not playing as it was Scottish Cup day and the teams who had outstanding matches against us were otherwise employed. After church on Sunday we headed into Kirkwall so Mary could go to the Debenham's promotion whilst I watched the Rugby at the Ayre Hotel (happy hour prices). It must be noted that it was Mary's idea as it transpired that the Debenham's show was delayed (something to do with the folk who came up wanting to see round the island!!) so she sat and read the newspaper whilst I watched the French stuff the Scots.
Monday was a beautiful day so I decided to have a break from Web design. First I washed the windows (outside as the waves had splattered them with salt - all from half a mile away!!), then cycled (yes cycled!!) to Orphir to post letters, painted the van (rusty bits only), did some gardening, got the van stuck in mud getting sand from the beach, eventually got the van out of the mud, washed off the mud, tried to secure the wobbly fences then went into Kirkwall for the first golf of 2003 (did 13 holes - 1x4, 3x5, 4x6, 2x7 and 3x9 - room for improvement over the next few months!!). Tuesday saw the winds and cold come back in and the Lichties sealed their relegation fate by going down 3-2 to Alloa to leave us marooned by 6 points at the bottom of the league. A trip back to the golf course on Wednesday afternoon saw me get out of the car and then back in due to the strong icy winds - wimp!!
The last couple of days saw me finish of the work on the new Birsay Heritage Trust Website ready for going live in March.