A SHETLAND SPECIAL

Today dawned clear, with a moderate breeze having replaced the storm force winds and rain of yesterday. The Shetland "special" had consigned the last remnants of the snow and ice, which had been plaguing these islands for the last month, to history, and the rays of watery sun were attempting to penetrate my windows, salt-caked from the gale-blown seaspray of the last two days.

This last week, I took two trips out to visit my mother at Whiteness, and my first trip to the pub in four weeks. There were few other imbibers to provide me with company at the watering hole on Wednesday, most of the other male Lerwegians currently spending most of their free time preparing for the big night a week on Tuesday, when Lerwick's Up-Helly-A' celebration takes place. Although I've never taken an active part in this festivity, I have a friend coming up from the UK mainland to see it, so I can't see that week going past without a few noggins being quaffed.

Work has continued on the Fraserburgh fishing boat commission, but I have made little progress on other artworks. Either the light was too bad for detailed work, or other matters had to be attended to instead (excuses, excuses, I hear you say!). The incoming week looks equally cluttered, with Tuesday taken up with a "session" with my web designer, in which I hope to glean a great deal of knowledge about the operation of the new website system, and how to improve the site (www.tait-gallery.co.uk) further in terms of search engine optimisation. I have a flu jag appointment on Wednesday afternoon, another stumbling-block to forward momentum on the "easel". With useful light at a maximum of six hours daily, work-time is at a premium this time of year. Roll on summer!

Have a nice week!