Stornoway: 21st Century

A few posts ago Adrian mentioned that the Co-op Supermarket in Stornoway was tiny which rather surprised me because I believe that it is the largest Co-op in Scotland.  I eventually got off my bum and took some photos of the store in its beautifully manicured grounds.  I also managed to taka a few inside but as taking photos iside a supermarket is a hanging offence (ask Pauline!) I had to do it on my phone and rather discretely.  I think that the 'supermarket' that Adrian saw was the town centre shop which is small and was, when I came to Lewis nearly 40 years ago, one of the two main grocery stores.  How times change.

Taken specially for Adrian - sorry they don't do a decent draught beer

This represents about 2/3rds of the store

Glimpses of a Week Gone By: Harris

A few pictures from a day spent exploring in Harris with Viv.

First Fruits Tearoom, Tarbert

Not quite B&Q or Mitre 10 Mega NZ but more character!

The Bridge to Scalpay

East Coast of South Harris

St Clements Church, Rodel, Harris - of which there will be more later

Seilabost, West Coast of South Harris

Luskentyre Sands, Harris

A wee township near Tarbert

The hills of North Harris looking North at the valley through to Lewis

Loch Seaforth -the Harris/Lewis boundarylooking East to Skye

Friggatriskaidekaphobia

Perhaps after last Friday I should have realised that there would be a word meaning 'fear of Friday the 13th'.  However, not even being superstitious and as it had not even registered with me that it was Friday the 13th, it's not a phobia that I can claim to have.  It was only when I read CJ's blog Words, Words, Words (and Phrases) that I even became aware there was such a word.

Frightful Friday

OK so the whole day wasn't frightful but it sure came pretty close in parts.  The Good Bits were that in the morning Viv, Pat, Briagha and I went for a walk round the Lews Castle Grounds followed by coffee at The Woodlands Centre.  Well actually they did most of the walking 'cos I met a friend and chatted for ages before meeting them coming back. In the afternoon Viv and I went up to Traigh Mhor.  The weather permitted both in between the showers so I suppose that was a Good Thing too.

Lews Castle and Stornoway Inner Harbour

Braigha at the mouth of the River Creed

Panorama of Stornoway across the Outer Harbour from the Castle Grounds

A tree feller with a sense of humour

Traigh Mhor, Tolsta

Meanwhile Blogger was down and I didn't see the comments that had been made on the last two posts and couldn't comment on anyone else's.  I shall go back and do that.  What was irritating was that the information on Blogger's own blog was very sparse.  Blogger had been down when I tried late Thursday evening so I assume that it was down for nearly 20 hours.

More of my emails have ended up in intended recipients spam folders.

My £500 HTC Desire S phone newly acquired when I returned to Scotland decided to give up the ghost on Monday and on Tuesday Vodafone agreed to replace it on Wednesday.  I didn't expect it on Wednesday 'cos of where I live but Thursday would have been reasonable.  Yesterday (Friday) evening there was no phone and a call to Vodafone elicited the information that they hadn't sent one and wouldn't be sending one either.  They hadn't bothered to tell me.  The saga is so bizarre that I shall have to do a separate post but needless to say the situation has not been resolved.

Viv went home to France.

Needless to say there were other irritations which prompted my outburst of Frightful Friday but overall and looking back from the serenity (who am I kidding in this weather?) of Saturday morning I should have just reiterated my mantra "Don't sweat the small stuff; and it's all small stuff!"  It wasn't such a bad day.  No, it really wasn't.  There.  I've convinced myself.