A coo arrives on Graemsay.

Attended a meeting of the Friends of the Hoy Kirk, funnily enough across in Hoy.  We got drenched (twice) on the Hoy Pier.  And by drenched I mean drenched.  This would have made the inventors of oilskins and gortex weep. 

We had the company today of committee member Donny who regaled us with some superb tales in Garson whilst we waited for the ferry.  He told us of Nana who lives in the parish of Dounby.  All week long she had been going round telling friends that she was going down to Aberdeen for shopping (this a few years ago when a trip sooth would have been a rarity).  Nana went down with her friend Doris.

They went down to Aberdeen on a Friday and came home on Tuesday.  On the Sunday, during Nana’s absence, the local Minister entered the pulpit to give out the intimations.  At the end he said ‘Let us pray.  Lord we ask you to take good care of Nana Heddle whilst she is down in Aberdeen Infirmary for her operation’.  The minister couldn’t understand the stifled mirth.

Donny was also telling us about his Aunty who stays in Thurso.  She is 94 years old and she still goes out dancing to the Legion on a Saturday night.  She used to be a district nurse and was a well known Orkney character; when she was doing her rounds she always had a gun with her.  She once shot two ducks with one shot.  However the farmer wasn’t pleased as they were to have gone to the mart the next week.  The case was recounted in the annals of the Orcadian.