Monday 07/11/05

Bright morning with showers. Isles FM gives the customary post-weekend rundown of drunken loutishness around town. There was a crash two streets up Island Road, outside the Lewis Crofters store, where one of the cars ended up on its side. Dire warnings in the forecast for tonight's storm, gusts in excess of 100 mph over Shetland and here. Otherwise not a lot happening. Go into town to do some shopping, like getting new pens from Woolworths. The lady behind the counter is suffering with laryngitis and can only whisper. Went into the library to double check some facts about project Timbertown. There was a reunion in the Caledonian Hotel in 1959, but it is not mentioned in the pages of the Gazette for that year. Await the arrival of the gale with bated breath, and it duly arrives after 10pm. Gusts of 77 mph at Malin Head, Ireland; 74 mph in Tiree. Tales from Northern Ireland about people being blown off roads. Lights start to flicker, but we keep the power. Gusts in Stornoway of 55 mph. I hear that South Uist had 97 mph. Go out for a walk at 1 a.m. to record the sound of the wind. The wind is howling, the rain lashing and the waves crashing. Get soaked by a wave that crashes over the seawall by the CG station.