Norq From Ork

We’ve been building up to Christmas since about August.  At least that’s if the shops are anything to go by. A week ago we were busy ringing in 2017 and yet just one week later it feels much further away than a week or two. We managed to squeeze in one final party though and enjoyed more fun games.  (Orkney Beef is at the end of the table straightening his crown)

Now Christmas is firmly back in its box and everywhere looks very bare. I enjoy getting back into a routine following all the festivities but I always feel a little sad when I see all the lights have been taken down as I drive around.  It seems it’s time to start preparing for the next thing though as I went into a shop on January 2nd and saw Easter eggs for sale. Personally, I think there’s some sort of conspiracy to stop me losing weight for my daughter’s graduation. Leading up to Christmas we are told to treat ourselves and ram all sorts of luxury items of food and drink into our mouths, then a week later we are all chastised  and being told to bust some lard via this diet or that one, while simultaneously being told Easter is coming (in about 4 months) and look, buy all this chocolate! As usual, the struggle is real, see Confessions of a struggling chocoholic.

It’s been unseasonably mild in Orkney leading up to Christmas and in January.  I apologise if my saying that now activates snow storms but it’s been so warm for December/January that I spotted these in my garden as I went to attend to the chickens.  Yes, early signs of daffodils! They may be a long way off but they are on the way.

 

My blog Saying Goodbye to My Wedding Dress lead to a record number of views on the blog.  Over 900 in one day. Lots of people congratulated me on doing a wonderful thing and I felt a bit embarrassed as I wasn’t meaning the message to be about me.  I just wanted to stress what a beautiful thing is being done all over the UK and no doubt other countries around the world.  There are many courageous people involved in this cause and I don’t consider myself one of them.  My job was the easy part, just wanted to clarify that.

 

On Friday night I laughed and laughed until I cried and my stomach felt like it’d had a real work out. The reason had been due to the modern day selfie. Once a year a group of friends gather together to enjoy a drink in one of the local pubs and always wear boots.  One of the members of the group is a tiny bit technically challenged and struggles with taking selfies. For instance one year she had the camera facing the wrong way round. ‘I know how to do it now!’ she said confidently on Friday.  However, the outworking of this proved less so and the results were absolutely hilarious. She eventually managed one, slightly blurry effort and it was worth every minute of the laughing and laughing as she struggled to fit us in in the picture or reach the button only to discover no photo had ended up on her phone. Laughter is such good medicine.  Well done NotTechSupport, you got there in the end 😉

Maybe others are just a bit more practiced 😉

The weather is hugely variable in Orkney.  It was beautiful sunshine this morning where I woke up.  By the time I had reached Stromness 9 miles away we drove into fog and it was overcast, but beautiful all the same.  Stromness, an old unspoiled fishing town is steeped in history and one of the loveliest places in Orkney in my humble opinion. If only I could time travel to see it 100 years ago….

 

There are tiny chinks of light a bit later in the day certainly in better weather.  I remember an elderly Orcadian lady telling me the rule was you would definitely see a difference in day light by January 14th but I’ve heard varying dates.  January 12th is another date and I think I’ve heard a third date.  Either way it’s not far off. Yipee!

Miss Lashes and Notphil are having a great time on a romantic weekend away at the moment.  Can you guess where? Lucky ducks…..

 This week I’m reading ‘Where Memories Go’ by Sally Magnuson.  It’s the story of Maime Baird Magnusson (the wife of Mastermind’s Magnus Magnusson) and her journey into Dementia.  This is a subject very close to my heart and one day I hope to publish a novel about it. This book is fact not fiction and incredibly moving.  I would highly recommend.  I’ve always been a big reader but last year didn’t read as much as I spent a lot of time writing.  I’m hoping this year to strike a better balance between the two.

Thank you to all new readers and subscribers and for all comments and emails.  I love hearing from you all.  Have a great week readers!