View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Sunday 30 October 2011

Sunday 30 October

The day after the clock changed, and the weather was so abysmal that we put the lights on at 3.30pm. Wind and rain. The ferry was two hours late leaving Stornoway, due to "technical difficulties". As it stands at present, it won't be back until about 10.30pm, an hour and a half late. Oh, Russia has decided to stay on summertime year-round.

Reports came in a little earlier of a housefire between Leverburgh and Strond in South Harris, which has claimed a life. No further details are known at present, as (presumably) next-of-kin will have to be informed. As everybody knows everybody else, whoever lost their life today will be widely mourned.

Before the weekend, Dutchman Vincent Tabak was found guilty of the murder of landscape artist Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December last year. Tabak strangled his victim, inflicting 43 injuries on her in the process, put her corpse in the boot of his car as he went shopping. He then dumped her remains in a ditch by the roadside outside Bristol and went on his merry way. Initially, his landlord was accused of the murder, but increasing amounts of evidence began to emerge against the Dutch engineer. At his trial, it was not mentioned the depraved nature of some of his internet searches, but Mr Tabak can expect to remain in prison for at least 20 years, having been sentenced to life in prison. As they say where he came from, he'll soon have tobacco of that [meaning, he'll soon be fed up with it].