No Change

Not much change over the past week or so, just one couple came over to view the house and they have yet to give feedback, but we know that if they were due to make an offer it would have been within a couple of days.

The estate agents have told us to expect less viewings as at this time of year people are looking more to Christmas. Its odd that when we first put the house up for sale we were sure that we would have settled in Shetland before Christmas, you can take nothing for granted. While our friends and family are happy that we are staying a while longer our thoughts are always on Shetland and what is happening.

With snow hitting Shetland this week, together with strong winds we are glad we are not making the move at this time, even the ferry is not stopping off in Orkney with storm force winds imminent. In Sheffield we have only had rain and plenty of it, but these last few days are very cold. We are surprised that most of the trees are only just changing colour, it seems to get later each year. I am sure that they turned in late September about 20 years ago, or is my mind going?

I have been doing Photography courses for the adult education and are working on developing others for later on, both current courses are full and the students are very eager. The other night I finally made it out to give a 1:1 Night Sky course to someone who came all the way up from Leicester to Sheffield. The forecasts are never very good down here but it does seem more reliable in Shetland, especially needed when living on an island.

We have just started to write the Christmas cards, starting with the ones which will be sent to Australia and America. This is early for us so we must be well prepared and have got plenty of cards in hand.

This is the only snow I have seen so far- A Snow bunting on Fetlar

Thanks

Over 1000 hits, thanks very much, didn't think it would be so popular.

This week has been dominated by poor weather, with heavy rain throughout. Similar to that in Shetland. Tonight I am giving an illustrated talk on Shetland down at the other side of Sheffield near Endcliffe park an area we know well as we lived there for 15 years after getting married. I also lived there for over 40 years in total, man and boy ! before we both moved to the south side of Sheffield.

One thing that has happened both in Shetland and Sheffield is that the small shops have disappeared. As a lad I remember that on our road we had two corner shops which seem to sell everything. It was more than a shop really as it was a place to share information and where people cared for each other. The shops even delivered food to the house bound and would get items that they wouldn't normally sell.

                                                                                          Two supermarkets in Lerwick

In  Shetland we have seen the biggest change on Unst, with all the shops closing at Haroldswick and Uyeasound, leaving only the ones at Baltasound. Overall the problem is that around 1/2 the population left the island when the RAF decided enough was enough and now around 500 people are left. Its far worse on other islands but on Fetlar the shop/ cafe is still running have been taken over twice in recent years.

                                                                                                 Cafe with a difference

Every shop has to be diverse to survive now that Supermarkets control things. If fuel was cheaper in Shetland i think that even more people would travel to Lerwick to shop in either the Co-op or Tesco.

                                                                                   Shop at Uyeasound Unst now long gone

Of cause if you can think up something original then you might just survive the onslaught

Changing times

Having now reduced our price by another £5000 we have had 4 more couples round, but the same old problem still crops up, the small garden.. That's one of the reasons we reduced the price yet again. Another one said they would have to replace the carpets to something they liked.

Today, the younger ones don't seem to grasp that they can do what ever they like once they have bought the house, they expect everything perfect, without doing anything to it. We Diane and I got married we had to save for every thing, having second hand things and other handouts from family and friends got us through some difficult times, even had the killer 15% interest rates to cope with. How times have changed !

The weather has taken a turn for the worse with rain most of the week and strong winds. We have talked about when the move will happen and we are agreed that any time of year would be good as we are getting a bit frustrated with the viewers, Of course winter is always going to be the worse time with the weather a major factor, but we would cope with this.

Had a problem with the starter motor on the Citeron this week and twice had to bump start it. Good job Sheffield is hilly. The AA managed to get us to a garage but we were ripped off when they said it was something else, despite me saying it was the starter motor, and yes it broke down again a day later. This time we managed to get it to a reliable garage which we have used before and got a new starter motor.The first garage didn't know what to say when i returned but they wouldn't give me any money back even after heated words , certainly wont be recommending them to any one.

Would have considered this when we moved to Shetland, a great little hut at Grutness, a great spot. Now this has been demolished- very sad.

Changing Times.

It now feels more like winter has come, the rain falling, foggy and cold days arrive in force. But even though Shetland is considered to have a harsh climate it is often has better weather than down in England, check out last winter for instance. We do have compensations, the leaves on the trees have just started turning, it seems to get later each year, at one time September was thought to be the best month but now November has the better colours. I think this is going to be one of the things I will miss.

Everyone who has been on the Autumn colours photography course I run, always goes away loving trees

This week we tried to move things on a bit , as we reduced the price of out house having had no viewings for three weeks. Now we have three couples coming to view tomorrow, we keep our fingers crossed. If things happen then we would be looking at a move around Christmas.

With the Power companies increasing fuel costs again it makes you wonder how many more people will not be able to afford to have the heating on this winter. Its only going to get worse !

Another reason to get out of a large city such as Sheffield is the crime, new figures have just been published for the April - August period in South Yorkshire which has had 2523 burglaries and 5054 vehicle crimes and its getting worse. Also Fire arms were used 30 times over a year in one area of Sheffield. Most of this drug related.

Tickets are going well for my talk on `Shetland' on the 26 October in Sheffield, over 30 sold and more hopefully this weekend. All proceeds to St Augustine Church. The Power point presentation has been finished and will include many images from this years visit.

                                                                    Shetland has the best `White House'

Island Travel

Did you see the Grand tour of Scotland programme on BBC Scotland the other week it featured Foula and Fair Isle, neither have we been to.We did try once but as Foula was fog bound we never made the trip. On one occasion we talked to a couple who had been to Foula the previous year and had set off from Tingwall on a small plane, how ever as the day progressed the fog came in and the plane was unable to land. At the same time the sea was rough and they couldn't even get the boat in either, so for three days they were stranded on the island and missed the ferry home !

                                                           Ferry to Fair Isle anyone- must have good sea legs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Living on an island, well small island is totally governed by the weather what ever the time of year. Looking back to last Christmas the ferry couldn't get into Lerwick for several days so Tesco hired a Hercules transporter and flew food in time for Christmas, that's what I call service.

We all complain about the weather but normally living on mainland Britain its not that much of an inconvenience unless it snows heavy, then for the odd day we may be without our cars. Island life is not straight forward, with power cuts sometimes for days, gale force winds to knock you off your feet, horizontal rain it is going to be completely different but that's what we are looking forward to. Yet the good things about Shetland far out weigh the bad points.

The people are very friendly and we have already struck up friendships with a few people, we look forward to hearing alot of live music, which we love, yes the dark nights as well as we want to see the Aurora and photograph the night sky. That's not forgetting the superb scenery, the sunrise and sunsets, the tremendous wildlife, peace and quite, great tasty food and fresh air to fall asleep to, and much more.

Talking about food, well done to Frankie's fish and chip shop at Brae they won the best chip shop in Scotland the other day

All we have to do is sell our house, you would think that someone would buy it, but for the last two weeks we have had no viewers and are feeling a bit frustrated, but we just get on with life as it is now and dream about the day it all happens , when ever that is. It must be the same for others in the same boat, none of the other houses in our area have sold as well during recent weeks and one house has been up for sale for the same period as ours. Anyone know a buyer please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling Flat

Two more viewers this week, one a builder who seemed quite disappointed that our house was in such good condition. The other came over from Hull as she is wanting to move closer to her daughter, we will wait and see
A further two houses nearby have sold which reduces the competition and with no new ones coming on it may give us a better chance.

Its always difficult deciding how far in advance you can make plans in and around Sheffield. You cannot just stop as you can ever tell when the move will happen, but on the other hand we don't like letting people down, a tricky one. I have taken bookings for later this year based on a normal three month period to when a house is sold, which keeps moving along , so now it would be December sometime if it sold this week.

Supporting Sheffield Wednesday is never easy, and we have had many lows since i started supporting them back in 1967. A week ago last Saturday we played Yeovil a team that has just been promoted, they went down to 10 men and this couldn't even inspire us to a victory. It is going to be a long hard season , unless our manager gets to funds to bring in at least 4 players quick.Now we have also lost to Birmingham and just managed a draw last night at Brighton
                                                   











 This Owl would be in my team any week - A Barn Owl

I will never stop supporting them but it leaves you very deflated after a match. What we need is to see a Shetland Landscape or sunset, or go out photographing the fantastic wildlife which never leaves you feeling flat.Come on you Shetland !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We as we are not yet in Shetland I have had to make do with visiting some ponds to visit Dragonflies, one of my favourite and most challenging insects, Still quiet active in the warm sun, with about 10 around on pond in Chesterfield

Derbyshire

Well this week we have already had three couples round to view the house, with one spending 35 mins looking round we thought they might be interested but all three came back with a no. Its proving frustrating as we want to move to Shetland asap and there is a couple of houses in the southern mainland we would have gone for

Others are trying to sell their houses in the area, with two having reduced the price, one by £10,000. No movement on any houses in the area as the school holidays have ended now and people are getting back to a normal routine.

With the weather being so good decided to get out into Derbyshire and get some photos near to Fox House, which has some interesting rock formations. With the kids back at school it wasn't as busy as last week when I was running a landscape photography course for someone who had come all the way up from Cardiff.  It was good to get some blue sky but also some more stormy clouds as rained threatened later on.

                                                                                             Sunrise in the Peaks

The nights are drawing in now and there has been some good sunsets in Sheffield, but nothing to rival the ones in Shetland, and if you add the superb scenery where else is better.

I am doing an Illustrated talk on `Shetland' next month down at St Augustine's Church, Brocco Bank, Sheffield 11, tickets are £3 which includes cheese and wine, available from Christine Markham on 0114 2360200 or 07429 269304. All the talks I do for the RSPB, Wildlife Trust, Natural History Groups, Probus and Women Institute, etc are always well received and very well attended, such is the interest in the isles. A bit far to come from Shetland but will interest others closer to Sheffield.