Massive praise

It could only happen in Shetland - On Out Skerries the school only has one pupil and he is lonely, word on facebook got round and now he has received 5,000 Christmas cards and presents. On the children theme, NHS Shetland has received donations of over £5,000 towards toys for Christmas. Shetland folk are so generous with time and money - so its a massive praise to all.

Shetland recorded its highest winter temperature ever on Saturday with nearly 13 degrees recorded. At least its keeping the snow away , so we now have Gales, hail. heavy rain and cloud until Christmas. At least we missed the thunder and Lightening which covered a large area from 50 miles west of Shetland - Norway

We have had a number of Christmas meals all of which have been excellent, normally at this time of year the standards drop and its often better to have one after Christmas. On Christmas eve, we have another meal booked down at Sumburgh Hotel, always a good venue.

                                                                                                        Sumburgh Hotel

The postie has been very busy delivering cards and presents, they have a job finding where places are, either they need to know the person who lives in the house or the cottage name, both difficult and Sat Nav does not cut it here. Sat Nav is best to find where the road is in thick fog or where the snow has covered the road making it difficult knowing where the road ends and the ditches begin.

Tesco has been very busy and it was difficult finding a parking space the other day, some people managed to get their shopping done with Tesco Direct and have it delivered to their home for a £1 which is great for those living on Out Skerries, Unst, Fetlar and so on. Sometime it doesn't work well, the local news reported that someone in the Isle of Wight ordered three items as Christmas presents, one turned up and the other two ended up here in Shetland over 700 miles away.

                                                                           Fair Isle

We are so glad we no longer live in a big city, in Sheffield we had Meadowhall, bad enough any day but at Christmas it can hold 110, 000 people and car parking can be a problem. Down at Bluewater near Dartford people had to wait 6 hours to get out of the carpark, that last minute Christmas shopping for you. In Shetland we don't have such `distractions' and have to plan well up front. We delivered some of our presents when we went to Sheffield in September, now that has saved Santa a trip.

                                                                                                            Sheffield

We have been getting in the Christmas mood for a week or so now, having recently been to a Nativity play, carol concert, Christmas services at Church, Christmas meals and even saw Santa arriving in a Lifeboat at Living Lerwick festival. Last year Santa even flew over our house in the coastguard helicopter waving at everyone- where else could this happen.

It was good to hear that Shetland has again come out as one of the best place to live in Scotland- well we knew that all ready, that why we are here.

                                                                                                                    It's me

Lerwick is quiet now most of the Gas and oil workers have left the island, they will not be back until February, only the accommodation barges are a reminder of there presence.

I will leave you with some Shetland Christmas lights, have a great Christmas and New year.

                                                        see more at my other blog - shetlandsky.blogspot.co.uk