Firstly I have started a new diet. I hesitate to use the word "diet" because it has all sorts of modern concepts attached to it, the first being the automatic assumption of weight loss. I am certainly not trying to loose weight, in fact Im trying to put a bit on. The truth is we are all on a diet of some sort, if you didn't have a diet you'd be dead. So I have changed mine, and I am glad to say I feel better for it. I don't eat potatoes anymore, unless someone cooks them for me of course, and I try to eat as much fresh fruit and veg as possible whilst limiting the amount of dairy products. Sound silly right?! But let me tell you, a good portion of spinach a couple of times a week and fruit and nuts as snacks will really sort you out!
Secondly, and probably the most important piece of news I have is that I have been offered a permanent job at Aquatera. As you can imagine I am very very happy man! So now I have to look for a new place to live as the lease on this house runs out on the 13th of March and I think the land lady has it rented out for holiday makers very soon. I am going to the estate agents tomorrow to arrange some viewings for the coming week. Im not entirely sure what I am looking for yet, but I will have a look around and see what there is. Being in Stromness would be the best I think, but living just outside wouldn't be a problem. There is a place for rent near Skail Bay which is about a 15 minute drive from Stromness on the west coast of the island. Its a 10 minute walk from the surf break! I told mum about this and she promptly told me with the "don't be so stupid" tone that everything in life doesn't revolve around surfing. I guess in retrospect she has a point, but then again it would be nice to be in walking distance of the surf. I would definitely use it more than coop and the pub which would be a similar distance away if I was to live in Stromness.
My third piece of news is that I have an agreement with my good friend Olly regarding a vegetable patch. We have dug a big one in his garden and he said that I can have a space on it if I help him dig and maintain it. Of course I jumped at the chance. We have had a bit of a go today and made some progress but its still quite wet here. Roll on summer! He goes away for a few day this week so I will be taking Hamish, his dog, out for a couple of walks which will be nice.
It has been a nice day here today, although the wind picked up in the afternoon. I took the pictures below from the hill above Finnstown. On the first picture you can see a little island with a small dwelling on it. I believe this, Mr Alistair Shepherd, to be a crannock! Can you confirm? You can drive there at low tide, it would be such a cool place to live! To buy an island, isn't that the dream?