ERRATIC HEADWAY AND DOUBLE GLAZING

Artistic headway was somewhat spasmodic of late, but the general tide of progress has been maintained in a roughly forward direction. I finished the pictures of the drifters "Golden West" and "Forethought" going out past the Bressay Lighthouse, and of the dive boat "Laerling". I've continued to work on the commissioned painting of the second "St. Sunniva", which I hope to finish this week, and I've started on artworks 6 and 7 for the Duff House exhibition. I've located and booked a suitable B & B for my stay in Banff towards the end of June. I love staying in these places, where a warm-hearted landlady breezes into the dining room and asks what the weather's been like in Shetland, just when I've got a mouthful of rice krispies, and she has to change the tablecloth after my reply.

The client who commissioned the "Laerling" picture came to see me on Sunday. He seemed to like the painting, and departed with it under his arm, leaving me with something to keep any ravening wolves, which might have been contemplating calling on me, from my door.

Also on Sunday, I observed that the double-glazed window in my living-room, out of which I spend many languid hours gazing on Breiwick Bay, the Ness of Sound and the island of Mousa beyond, had ceased to close properly, and was admitting quite a draught. So, on Monday morning, I alerted the housing repairs service of the Shetland Islands Council to the situation and, in a spectacular display of speed and efficiency, no doubt to prevent me from writing any more dreadful poetry, two workmen arrived at my door, toolbags in hand, and proceeded to their task, their faces set with a grim sense of purpose.

The hinges on my window, along with the screws holding them in place, had become so rusty they could no longer perform their function. It took some time and effort with a hammer and crowbar to dislodge the screws. When this had been done, and my window was now inside the living-room, leaning against my sofa, the workmen discovered that they had brought the wrong size of new hinges with them, and they would have to return to the depot to get the correct ones. Meanwhile the wind was strengthening, the room was open to the elements, and things were starting to take flight from my workstation, situated near the window, or hole, as it now was. All was well, however, for soon the men returned with the right hinges, and my studio is now wind- and watertight once more. Hurrah again for the Shetland Islands Council Direct labour force! They do great works like keeping our roads and pavements clear of ice and snow, so that pedestrians and motorists can get to work, family or recreation safely, and also turn out to do minor repairs for little people like me.