New hope

It has been 14 days since we gave notice to our previous Estate agents, so the new ones can officially take over now. The brochure is in place and they have done more photos and have better wording than the last one.

We are keeping our removal firm and solicitors up to-date with proceedings, no doubt the removal costs will increase if we don't get to move this year, but with the cost of the estate agents coming down we have a little extra to play with. Our first viewer with the new estate agent has come and gone today and we are no further on,. The viewing was done by the estate agent so we had to disappear for a while, even taking our cat for  a trip, much to his annoyance. How on earth will he survive the 7+ hour trip to Aberdeen and then on the ferry ???

Another property in Shetland has come and gone in the area we are looking for , but that's life, its all about the waiting game. I am sure others will come up once we have moved into rented accommodation in Shetland. We will be better placed to look at properties as they come up, although looking at last winter very few came onto the market.

Its interesting that a few people are now going over to air heating, a cheaper option and one we intend to look at closely. With the price of fuel again set to rise by around 20% other alternatives are looking good. Another one is solar panels, but you have to be facing south.

The football season has started, but our team Sheffield Wednesday has yet to win, with defeats in the first three games, but a draw against Leeds Utd which is encouraging.. It will seem strange not going to the matches, having had a season ticket since 1967 , Diane has had one since 1987, we have only missed a few home matches over the years.

I have a passion for photography, especially  for wildlife and landscape and cannot wait to take up the many photo opportunities Shetland has to offer. For now, we are reliving the past visits in the illustrated talks I am giving to the RSPB, wildlife groups, Probus and women institutes.

We have joined a number of  Shetland groups on face-book, to keep in touch and see photographs taken by others. Its not hard to tell that everyone has fallen in love with the place, such is the passion and enthusiasm shown in the wording.

Very sad to hear about the people who have died in the helicopter crash of Sumburgh yesterday, our thoughts and prayers are with the families