A SHETLAND PARTICULAR

I suspect that the fog, to which Dickens referred as a London particular, contained a few atmospheric elements which are peculiar to a 19th century fossil-fuel-fired nineteenth-century city, and absent from the blanket which has covered these islands in varying degrees of density over the past three days. Nonetheless, today it makes for a miserable prospect, as I survey the lack of scene from my top floor window. I saw nothing of the arrival of the Norwegian barque "Statstraad Lehmkuhl", making her first visit of 2010 to Lerwick today. In fact, the only way I know she is here is from the Ship AIS package on my computer, from which I also know that she is occupying the berth at the head of the Victoria Pier.

Having returned to composing this post after making, eating and clearing up after my midday meal, I observe that the fog has lifted somewhat, to be replaced by rain of the incessant miserable sort. This, however, will do nothing to deter the passengers from the "Statsraad Lehmkuhl", who will never let a bit of weather interfere with a trip ashore, if they have a mind to take one. The Norwegians, distinguishable by their helly-hansens and brightly-coloured umbrellas, are a recognisable feature of the crowds on Commercial Street on rainy summer days.

The week had started so promisingly weather-wise. A dry day greeted my mother as she returned from her regular fortnight's respite care at the Wastview Centre at Walls on Monday. I was there to greet her on her arrival, as I usually arrange to be, and I was looking ruefully at the rapidly-growing grass in her front garden, while regretting my inability to do much about it. As the week progressed, the sun continued to shine, until late on Thursday, when it disappeared behind a bank of fog and has not been seen since. Is this it then? Was that our summer - between Monday and Thursday of last week? Will it be like a few years ago, when I missed summer completely, due to an untimely visit to the toilet? I do hope not!