Saturday 13 December

Feeling a bit unsettled today, following my journey yesterday. It wasn't unduly long, but it still takes it out of you. Found that the charger for the mobile phone had not come with me, don't know what happened, I thought I had packed it. I lost no time in ordering a replacement on-line. Hope it comes soon. A local shop didn't have it in stock, and referred me to a branch of theirs some 10 miles away. Yeah, like I'm going to spend more money on trains than the actual article costs (about £4). It's quite overcast today, and feeling cold.

Friday 12 December

A day late, I finally arrived at Schiphol Airport at 3.15pm, after a relatively uneventful flight from Stornoway through Inverness. A bit of turbulence over the Scottish borders, which made it a bit tricky to drink the £2.50 cup of tea. Trust Flybe to fleece you. My luggage had inexplicably arrived with me, so I was able to head straight to the railway station to catch the 4pm train to Arnhem. Darkness had fallen by the time I reached there, 5.15pm, and the bus was waiting to take me to my father's place. I'll be there into January.


Ascending out of Stornoway


Snow shower at Inverness


Schiphol Airport railway station

Tuesday 21 January

I am returning to Stornoway today, after quite a lengthy stay of 5 weeks. The Shell Gallery, like its counterpart in the Castle Country Park here, will go back under wraps for the time being. I shall resume posting on my Stornoway based blog Atlantic Lines tomorrow, 22 January.

Sunday 19 January

Started the day by going to church and joining in the choir for a final time, for this visit. After lunch, we headed out for a walk into the Heathlands, which stretched for 8 miles and took us 3 hours. Although it started bright and sunny, it gradually clouded over as we walked down the Eerbeekseweg, 4 miles out of town. Our aim was the Bomber Memorial, a simple plate of rusty steel in the shape of a bomber and its wing. In 1943, a Lancaster bomber had crashed near that site. A total of 8 flyers were killed in this municipality during WW2. There were a few other walkers and cyclists about, but the chilly weather kept most others at home.

Saturday 18 January

Today was the big day: my father's 80th birthday party. Although his actual birthday is still a few days away, a birthday bash was put up today and 55 relatives and friends came to enhance the fun. A number of people had been invited without my father's knowledge, so he was pleasantly surprised. After the majority of folks had left, we had a bowl of soup and cleared up. We locked up the hall at 8.40pm, just over an hour and a half after the party ended. A great day!

Friday 17 January

Another two hours and 5.5 miles (8.8 km) through wood and heath this afternoon. It is a bit breezy, but not too cold - about 9C / 48F. Rain is about to move in from the southwest, so we returned just in time. In the evening, we went to visit my uncle to celebrate his 87th birthday. He is doing absolutely fine.

Thursday 16 January

This looks like another wet day in the offing. I notice it has warmed up in the States, if you want to call -8C warm. Watching the birds round the feeders. In the evening, I had choir practice, but by that time, the cloud had lifted and the full moon was shining very brightly.

Over the past 55 years, a large reserve of natural gas has given the Netherlands unimagined riches. The reservoir, in the northeast of the country, is now 2/3 empty, and beginning to collapse underground. This is giving rise to earthquakes, presently measuring 3 on the Richter scale, but projected to augment to 5. That is a magnitude which could lead to destruction of property, as well as injuries or death. The residents of the province of Groningen are up in arms, and demanding a reduction in the rate of gas extraction. If not, they are threatening with protests and disruption. The more extreme elements threaten sabotage. The damage to properties, such as cracks in walls, is mounting up and compensation said to be derisory. The government minister in charge will visit the region tomorrow. An insufficient offer, for reduction of output and increase in compensation, will cause real discontent, in an area already blighted by high unemployment and unsaleable homes, the latter due to earthquake damage.