Winter day

Today's colour has been grey. This blip was taken at 2.10pm.

First came the wind, then the rain, then the puddles - by now some of them probably contain fish. At one time we couldn't distinguish any difference between the sky and the sea.

First Hoy disappeared, then South Ronaldsay disappeared, then Flotta, then Fara, then Burray and then Cava. Cava re-emerged magicaly from a wall of water, complete with a preternatural shaft of sunlight.

I had to go through to Stromness to the dentist. Headwind was such that on rounding Houton Head I had to accelerate downhill.

Through in Stromness the trees were getting a fair rattle and the bairns came flying out of the school, even they had no time to dither today. I ran into Sandy ootside the Co-op. he's always very lightsome and we spoke about swaying palm trees. Stennes Loch was whipped up into an incredible frenzy

I came home and baked my first ever loaf. CMC very impressed and has given me th rest of the day off.

My mother phioned from Anerdeenshire to tell me to read Wolf Hall and more Nan Shepherd. Coincidentally my box of 'winter books' arrived today. The postie didn't arrive ubntil 15.23 today - inbound mails delayed in Inverness.

However the good news is that the forcasted gale didn't really arrive, so we got off lightly.