Time to Go Home

The Island Games are over and the weather feels free to revert  to normal. The east wind has brought in the haar which was really thick first thing but has hung about all day. It was a warm haar though which I suppose is a plus. Rather than remain in the haar, after my swim (which was shortened because there was a Lion’s ManeJellie trying to share our space) I bussed through to Kirkwall. Stromness Travel Centre was awash with athletes and their cases waiting to get on the ferry to go home  but Kirkwall was bursting with athletes extending their stay a bit longer. It was so much nicer to see young people crowding the streets rather than people off a cruise ship although they were present too unfortunately.
I graced the Willows Garden Centre for my coffee and kuchen. It’s an airy space and a little bit off the beaten track.

In the afternoon on my way to  return a book to EllyJay I was passed by a truck containing a load of lads on a ‘blackening‘ round the Stromness streets, the luckless bridegroom being tarred and feathered and perhaps tied at some point to a lamppost. Later, I saw them wading into the water at ‘our’ slip to try to  wash off some of the treacle used in the tarring.

In the extra, that notice was taped to EllyJay’s door  by none other than one Neil Macpherson - named and shamed!