主播大秀

We can put up with no electricity, the wind howling and the rain falling but loss of the heavenly internet throws Mr Barebraes into a turmoil. On Monday afternoon we were unable to get connected to the Internet, Shock Horror no email no browsing no online Backgammon. Are we really cut off from society!!!!

A call to BT only added to the frustration as the person in the call centre was obviously reading from a script and asking stupid questions

Call Centre in India ' Have you turned off your Router Sir?'

Mr Barebraes 'Yes I have made various investigations and all I need to know is when the service is to be repaired'

Call Centre ' I cannot tell you that sir until I have followed proceedure'

Mr Barebraes ' At 50 p per minute surely you can look at your database and tell that there is a problem with the exchange and not my pc , the fact that a number of our neighbours are having the same problem would suggest the problem lies with the exchange. All I want to know is when it will be resolved'

Call Centre ' I have to follow proceedure Sir'

Mr Barebraes ' Would it be possible to speak to a manager'

Call Centre ' You need to ring this number Sir ' Proceeded in giving Mr B a number, on examining it realised it was a number we had already tried and got an automated service, No help at all !!!!

After several phone calls and lots of Cups of Coffee we made our own deductions that the Balfour exchange had a problem and we would have to sit it out until it returned.

Today (Thursday) It returned as if by magic and Mr B is now happy.


Why is life made so difficult by making services more complicated?

The Shapinsay Smoke signals work better than any internet anyway.

This Friday saw the annual Harvest 主播大秀 Dinner and Dance for Shapinsay. This year was my second, the first year was spent on the posh side of the Do this time I was behind the scenes in the kitchen. The wonderful chef and chefs husband were in need of extra helping hands and Mr B and myself turned up armed for the battle of the dishes.

The kitchen was extremely organised and all the very large saucepans were full to the brim with neeps, tatties, carrots and peas. A wonderful aroma of Roast Beef and Onion gravy mingled with the many trays of Roast Tatties. The fridge was full of strawberry delights for pudding and plates of shortbread and mints were laid out in neat rows. The kettles were ready in military rows to be filled for after dinner refreshments.

Inside the hall the Birsay Boys were warming up and it was very difficult to walk around the kitchen without breaking into a jig. Tables were laid, Cups and Trophies were polished and displayed on the top table ready to be presented.

The time for Kick Off was 8pm with people arriving at 7.30pm.

Approaching time for serving up saw frantic mashing of tatties and neeps to be mixed into Clapshot. Yorkshire Puddings placed in the oven to be ready when required. In all there were 5 helpers and the cook and her husband ready for battle with the serving up of approx 100 plates of Roast Beef and Gravy, numerous dishes of vegetables and Roast Tatties.

The Committee Members played hosts for the night and donned waiter and waitress roles to convey the food from the kitchen to the tables. It took about 10 minutes for the feast to dissapear from the kitchen to be replaced a short while later by stacks of empty plates. The pudding course dissapeared in much the same way and teas and shortbread were consumed after.

The washing up was done and all the tasks finished so all 7 of us sat down to our own table in the kitchens and ate a wonderful meal and said thanks to the chef for all her hard work.

Even though Harvest 主播大秀 was seen from a different perspective this year, and even though by the time we had finished we were too tired to dance. It was an evening I will not forget.

I wonder what next year will bring?

Well the weather has hampered our progress a peedie bit and we have not been able to get on the roof for a few days because of high winds and rain.

But Super cat to the rescue!!!!!


Pickle (by name and by nature) took to the heights to survey the lack of building work. Scaled the wall, scrambled up the eaves and perched herself upon the old roof to spy on the room that up until now she had been shhhushed out of every time she decided to look into or over a wall or window ledge. She seemed very interested in the maze of roof trusses and I am sure that her next expedition is to scale the wall and use her sharp claws to mark a new scratching post within the new roof timbers. Oh to be a cat!!!!!



Meanwhile clever Billy was fast asleep on the couch wondering what all the fuss was about ......................

It has seemed like an eternity but we have finally reached the point where the roof work has met our target , that being the bedroom wall of the living accommodation. The final 7 Trusses went up interupted by severe winds plenty of rain and a handful of sunshine. Typical Orkney really !!

It seemed like a monumental moment when Mr B nailed the last nail in the Plywood at the peak of the roof that we took a break to admire the roof with a well earned cuppa coffee. Only the felt, batons and ends to be sealed off now and if there is any winter left when that is done then we can have a few more relaxing days to admire the lovely sunsets that we have noticed in the dusky night as we are perched on or in the roof space trying to do a little bit more till the light disappears for good and all that is left to give us a glimmer of light is the moon peeking out from behind the clouds and leaving an eerie glow on the water towards Kirkwall. The view from the rafters is one to be savoured and I will enjoy looking up at the night stars from the velux windows when they are in.