Ruthodanort

Ok, just letting you all ken that life still goes on up here in Unst.  I guess a little news is in order after such a long absence.

Well.  I’m trying to mind what’s been happening in oor bonny island since the last time I blogged.  Um, Up Helly Aa (both the Unst eens) have been and gone, with the usual frantic preparations and hilarity.  Our squad dressed as nuns for our acts this year, and we practiced for months (well, it felt like months but was probably only weeks) in order to perfect our routines.  And they went down pretty well, almost without a hitch.  (Well, I think that’s what happened, my memories of the evenings are not quite my clearest.)  I think both Up Helly Aa’s had at least 12 or more acts, so the audiences were well entertained both evenings.  The weather was kind, which is fairly unusual for February but very welcome.

Sisters!

Since then Unst has been gearing up for the summer.  The lambing has been underway for a few weeks now, so the place is filled with people in boiler suits who manage to go about their daily routine of 24 hours constant work while actually being half asleep.  The weather has been beautiful until this last week when the wind and rain returned with a vengeance, and the forecast is pretty bad for the next few days too.  Not so good for the lambs or the crofters.  Fingers crossed that they manage to stay healthy.

The football season started a few weeks ago, and now that the pitch is not sirpin weet our indoor Sunday afternoon training has moved outdoors.  I go along to the women’s training, mainly for the work-out though, as I am SO bad at football.  I prefer to say that in advance so that no one can inform me that I am rubbish…  I already KNOW I am.  But I enjoy it and it’s a fun way of exercising, so I keep going.  Maybe I will actually improve eventually.  Unless my ageing bones get to me first!

Sailing returns in the next few weeks, and people are giving their Maids and Albacores a bit of a rub down in preparation for the points racing.  Hopefully I’ll get out on the water at some boating club’s adult training sessions. 

We are hard at work preparing for Unst Fest, 10 whole days of fun and frolics in July.  So far we have a really busy schedule filled with concerts, dances, peat casting competitions, bannock making classes, guided walks, spinning and knitting workshops, dance classes, quiz nights, sailing, boat trips, a viking feast, jewellery making workshops, yoga on the beach, dying and felting workshops, fun football tournament, ok ok, have you got the gist?  If you’re interested in finding out more go to our website on www.unstfest.org .  It should be fun!

Bethany my oldest lass returns from school in India in a few weeks.  At the moment she’s studying for her exams which give her predicted grades for her UCAS form, so by the time she gets back she’ll need a break.  My older boy is in the middle of Highers just now.  At his age the kids stay in Lerwick during the week and go the the High school there.  Which leaves me with my two younger bairns, or at least it normally does, but Boy number two is on a school trip to Edinburgh this week.  They have managed to fit SO much into every day, and he has loved every second, but I think he will have to sleep for a week to recover. 

Girl number two and myself have had a nice week together, in oor peedie hoose here in Unst.

I had a peedie party a few weeks ago...

They're all famous divorcees, can you guess who they are?

First post on my new blog.  I’m wondering what would be appropriate. 

What about some verbal hammering of the Beeb for the enforced flitting of IB?  Ok, no, done that already on the original IB site. 

How about some pleas for help with this new site?  Well, no again, I think that’s assumed.  A lot of us are a bit dense in the IB community when it comes to tecky stuff, and I’m pretty certain the IT-friendly ones among us will be sharing their skills liberally. 

So I’ll tell you what’s been going on in Unst lately, at least from my point of view.

Leaving work at 3.45pm these last few days (I work in a school) has meant leaving in the dark.  This far north we don’t get a huge amount of light at this time of year, and you would think it may have a bit of a depressing effect.  And you could be right.  But, in order to combat this we keep ourselves pretty busy.  

It’s difficult for me to actually find a whole evening to spend home these days, with various sports - in Shetland we are very lucky with our sports facilities - I play netball, football, squash, and a little badminton most weeks.  I must say that my actual ability in all of these sports is next to zero, but what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm, and it helps to keep me healthy-ish.

I’ve been going to a nightclass in photography in Yell, which has been informative to say the least.  Finally I understand some o those buttons that were such a mystery before!  In the New Year the Norwegian class starts up again, and I’m looking forward to that.  Min norsk er dårlig!

The local hotel has just refurbished the famous Back Bar.  (And not before time!)  The grand opening was on Thursday.  Apparantly lots of fun was had by all.  And no, I didn’t go, with work the next day and the bairns home I thought I’d wait a few days to see what all the fuss is about.  So I’m going along tonight for a few bevvies.  A fairly abridged account will no doubt be given in the fullness o time.

At work the school is gearing up for all the stuff that happens at this time o year.  Concert rehearsals are nearly daily now, the decorations are being brought down from the loft, we’re all discussing the staff night out with enthusiasm, and the fourth year pupils are planning the school dance.  But the main topic of conversation is the holidays.

This year my peedie hoose is will be bursting at the seams.  Arne arrives from Norway the same day that Bethany comes home from school in India.  My parents arrive 2 days later.  On Christmas day we’re entertaining another 4 people, ïncluding Muness Views and Damadcoo.  There is hardly a day in the holidays that is free from a social event on the island, what with the Bonxies playing in the Baltasound hall on the 27th and a few days later the ZE2’s playing in Uyeasound.  And a quiz night between in Haroldswick.  Then New Year kicks in, which means lots of visiting.  And of course, I couldn’t allow Beth and Arne to be here without having a party of some sort, so that’s on the 2nd. On the 6th it’s Auld Yule, so that requires further socialising.

I think an early January holiday should be invented to recover from the excesses of Christmas! 

Ok, just time for a few general Unst photos, mainly so I can check oot the technology!

And finally a picture of Mac.  Island Blogging wouldn’t be the same without him!  (Hope that’s ok, Muness?)