Norq From Ork

It’s officially winter opening hours as of today because all engaged in the funny ritual of setting clocks back an hour.  I’ve written many times about how my body clock is thrown completely by the clocks going backwards and forwards like this.  I try hard these days to embrace some of the lovely things about Winter and Stromness at night is one of my favourite places to be.  Here’s a lovely photo by my friend Alison Campbell which really captures the loveliness of this special little fishing town lit up on a dark night.

Orkney Beef has been away this week which meant I’ve had the house to myself since Monday and much as I love him,  it’s been mighty fine.  He’s back tonight bringing Miss Lashes with him so the solitude stops but for a few days I’ve loved it.  I’ve always enjoyed my own company and it’s never been a struggle to be by myself.  I guess there’s a big difference between loneliness and aloneness.  Having been painfully lonely for many years I consider this halfway place a luxury and appreciate it.  Of course, you’re never really alone if you have a dog and since the disappearance of Orkney Beef she has followed me everywhere for days.  It drove me a bit bonkers to be honest.  On my second night alone I woke in the night I could hear the steady breathing of my husband next to me and lay very still so I didn’t wake him. He doesn’t always sleep well so I try not to wake him if I can help it.  I eventually got back to sleep and in the morning woke to realise I’d completely forgotten Orkney Beef is away and the dog had snuck on to his space on the bed. I’d lain rigid and uncomfortable so as not to disturb the dog.  Here she is after getting sandblasted on a windy walk at the beach the minx.

Just before going away Orkney Beef managed to lose his hearing aid.  He’d taken it out for a haircut and put it in his pocket then dropped it when he went for his keys.  He’s absolutely lost without it and was going to have to go away with no hearing aid and the recurrence of tinnitus.  We have a local by and sell Facebook page which is used for many things, often lost cats. I decided to join in and put the following post up to search for the missing hearing aid.

It was all going swimmingly and there was much hilarity as people messaged to say they had tried to return it four times but he’d refused it etc then I discovered my post had been removed.

Oh the shame.  I thought with the amount of missing cats and random not for sale items I could get away with a hearing aid but no. A friend suggested I say my cat was missing and it happened to be wearing my husband’s hearing aid. Too funny.  I posted a second time and apologized for not selling but really wanted to find the elusive hearing aid and a man messaged to say he had found it and handed it in.  I collected it, dried it out and hey presto it works! All’s well that ends well or at least it will be when the shelves go up!

Whilst he was away Orkney Beef was planning to hook up with Tech Support.  He had caught a train to Glasgow and arrived there in the morning, planning to see TS in the evening once he’d finished college.  OB got off the train and went through the barriers and the FIRST PERSON he saw was Tech Support who was on his way to college.  His face was a picture.  What are the chances of a completely unplanned meeting like that.

Temperatures have plummeted this week and there’s even been snow in places.  Thankfully not Orkney but my friend took this photo whilst hill walking at Lochnagar on Saturday. He gave permission for me to use it provided he got a share in ‘all my royalties’ Sorry Tim, this blog doesn’t make a penny, not even 5p and a Curly Wurly.

Today was gorgeous though and I managed a lovely walk on the beach in the winter sunshine without being blown to bits.  Fabulous.