The Ears Have It!

''The thing is, dear lady, if I can't see you, you can't see me. It's alright for big Mama to give you the glad eye, but I'm quite shy and will only allow you see my lovely brown ears while you hold that metal thing up in front of me. It doesn't make any difference that you are chatting to us all the while, that just makes you sound ridiculous and even more scary.''

His Lordship and I paid our annual pilgrimage to Birsay today, and although the scones in the tea room were straight out of the oven and delicious, the causeway to the Brough was under water because of the high tide. Bad timing and we will have to return.

Our route home was leisurely, along single track roads via the Kitchener Memorial, the Distillery Visitor Centre and the craft shop at Dounby, to Stoneyhill and the field of cows.

We bought newspapers back in Stromness and read them in the sun outside the Pier Art Centre.

Tonight we are eating at the House of Creel, recently awarded a third Michelin star. Best bibs and Tuckers will be worn, and table manners polished up.