My girlfriend and I

We're all home in Shetland now, my girlfriend and I, and of course the wee cat. In all honesty, not so long ago he was a kitten but he's settled quickly and yesterday he made his first visit into the back garden. The window was left open for him, he took a quick sniff of the air and jumped out. Now he jumps in and out all the time.

The sun is out today and the wind is non-existent which is good for people to move into but it won't be long until both Kate and the cat are both aware just what the weather can be like on the Atlantic coast - and let's be honest - it's only three or four miles away from the North Sea. No protection to be had here at all.

It's going to be a good life for us here in Northmavine at the northern end of Mainland, here in Shetland. It's a good place to live if you appreciate a quiet life, surrounded by lots of natural life, both on the land and in the sea. It's amazing how many seals, dolphins and whales that you see in the water.

Must admit, I've never caught a kipper yet though :))

Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham

Strangely enough for someone that lives in Shetland, at the moment I'm sitting in Nottingham where my girlfriend lives. It wasn't a long trip down. A night on the boat down to Aberdeen and then the train to finish off the journey and I'm so glad that I made the trip. Anywhere, or everywhere, is the right place to be with the girl that you love.

Nottingham has turned out to be a lovely place. Lots of trees all around, which is a novelty to me because you don't see them up in Shetland as many years ago neolithic cut them all down and used them for fires and to build houses or whatever.

Haven't seen anything of old Robin Hood yet. Haven't spotted the Sheriff either. Perhaps it's because I've behaved myself or the Merry Men are out fighting.

Thanks to all the nurse's

Please, show the nurses some love, some care and some consideration. I've just spent a fortnight in the  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Aberdeen in Scotland and I have been superbly looked after. If they wern't there then it would have been entirely different. Please give the doctors a pat on the back too.

If they didn't do their jobs, where would you and I be now?

Strawberry, garlic and mint.

I always like to use my garden to provide some of my favourites but up here in Shetland I'm never sure of what will actually grow but I'm about to find out.

I've just ordered seeds to start me off (hopefully) with mint, garlic and something that I really am looking forward to growing, strawberry.

I think that I've ordered enough of all but we'll have to wait and see there. If I haven't then I'll just have to order more. I know that mint was successful here in Shetland because my grandfather on my mothers side grew it very successfully but I know nothing of the other two, other than the fact that I love them.

All of it should arrive within a week to ten days and I think that I'll get it all planted immediately. It won't produce this year but next year, hopefully, it will sprout away and offer me something to enjoy.

Happy again

The weather hasn't been too good since I got home but today it has changed. There is no wind blowing this morning and there's only very light cloud overhead.

Yet again it gives me the chance to potter about in the garden, feed the birds and keep myself happy. It's amazing just what you do to entertain yourself, isn't it.

Right, better get down to it before I'm too old or lazy or the winter sets in or something. Not that he'll give me any help, jumping around in the water like that.

Back home in Shetland

Sorry that I’ve not been around for a while but I’ve been in hospital in Aberdeen for a fortnight, dealing with skin problems that are not solved but hey, that’s life.

I’m back home now, thank goodness, and feeling good about it too. The weather is a bit fresh but better than that of a ward, eugggggh!!!!!

Now I have all the time that I need to look after my trees, the willows and black hawthorns that I grow.

Perhaps I’ll start some more, maybe something that produces some fruit. That’s difficult up here in Shetland because of the wind and the salt that we suffer but if I make the effort, I just might get a result. I will need to grow a bit around the garden as protection and then , inside of that I can put some apple, or possibly some pear, we’ll see what happens.

All these dreams, grown at ward 29 in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and they may well turn into reality in the not too distant future.

Fingers crossed, if I try any of it, it will produce something, fruit maybe!!!

In hospital for perhaps two weeks

What do you do when you are stuck in hospital for perhaps two weeks and there is no, wait for it, internet connection available.

Personally, I am lucky in many ways as I have my eReader with me which means that I have all my eBooks with me too. I also have blogs etc on board it, which, surprisingly, update as and when there is an update available. That’s great but it would also be good to have internet access with your laptop as well, so that you could remain in contact with your friends, or if an idea came into your head you could follow it through on the internet, at no cost to the NHS, or yourself,  whatsoever. If you were able to remain in work while in hospital then there would be no time off sick and therefore no loss of earnings.

Here in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, in sunny northern Scotland, we are told that things are on the change. Supposedly, in December of this year, there will be internet access across the board for firstly the staff working here and  secondly, the patients who can remain here for large periods of time with nothing but the copy of the Scotsman that they arrived with and a magazine about fishing that they used to get every month.

I live about three hundred miles north in the Shetland Islands, which is an absolutely gorgeous place to live, but it is very small so there is no more than purely basic medical services available. This means that you go down to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for attention to your problem when necessary and that is where I am at present.

I must admit that I’m wallowing in the care being taken but miss access to the internet terribly. As I said earlier, this will change, hopefully in December when Internet access is provided across the hospital for all and sundry to enjoy.

The staff all care very well for me but the internet will make the difference.