I think I've had a sense of humour failure as I also couldn't read to the end. When some people are having to use food banks..... I’m not saying this to be controversial but I get that feeling whenever I read of anyone spending what must be considerable sums of money on vets fees for a poorly chick...

I don’t know LadyA but if that’s what they want to spend their money on then so be it. After all we all own stuff and to some extent what we own is an expression of who we are and who we aspire to be. In my case it’s books, CDs, food and drink. Certainly all four of these can be a vehicle for my inn...

All things are relative. Some people here laugh at me for feeding my dog on Eukanuba when you can buy Dr Johns at a third of the price. Last night I watched a programme about a wild life hospital. A fox received complicated surgery on its thigh bone, convalescence and subsequent release. My thought ...

Brilliant Marigold. You’d fit right in on Fair Isle. Mind you, such jerseys are so expensive nowadays that the locals mostly wear synthetics!

View the Marigold link and get knitting. I look forward to seeing all your Roadside Beanies. My preferred colours would me brown, sage green and mauve but unfortunately I can’t knit

Yes bym. The aspiration of youth for a life beyond their island homes is a factor in the problem of depopulation. Also lack of employment, remoteness from essential services and the higher cost of food. Tourism makes a contribution to our island economies but not as much as you may think. The cost o...

No-o-o! It’s a wind blasted hell hole with long dark winters, infuriating isolation and an absence of cultural pursuits. Nearly convinced myself! But the inexorable downward slide in the population (57 as I write this) engenders great sadness in us all, incomer and local alike. After at least 4000 y...

I first holidayed in the Scottish Islands when I was 17 with a schoolmate and have returned every year since to one island or another. I always knew that I would end up on one or another and retirement gave me the freedom to do so. I sometimes muse that I must have lived on one in a previous lifetim...

In the end decided not to. The breeder I’ve dealt with before has a batch of Rouge x Texel lambs so Ive booked a ram lamb now to be sent up next year as a teenager, or shearling to any sheep fans. They are of such quality that I couldn’t resist. This should throw quality stock in both carcass and mi...

That’s a new one on me, Tweetypie. Might give it a try if the Rare Breeds Society can’t help.