Sunday 13/03/05

By far the coldest day of the winter, even though we’re just a week from the spring equinox. A layer of 2.5 cm of snow has fallen in the night, and shows no sign of melting right through the day. The sun shines at times, and where it reaches the snow, it does melt. I set out for a walk at 3.30. There are no papers in the filling station. Walk along Sandwick Road and Newton Road to the Battery Point RNR Gun Emplacement. A plaque commemorates the fact that a rescue mission was launched from there on New Year’s Night 1919, to aid the stricken Iolaire, stranded just over a mile away on the Beasts of Holm at the entrance to Stornoway Harbour. I walk round to Lower Sandwick, and back again along the shore. It’s quite cold, particularly in the wind. Being plied with cake and pancakes by mrs B and her 9-year old granddaughter. The girl is keen on music, and she tells me all about those girls at school she likes and those she hates. As I play the keyboard, her hands are twitching musically. Some talent there?