Monday 24 May

It's ten past nine in the evening, and it's about forty minutes from sunset. The Arctic terns are wheeling around the basin, splashing into the water every now and again to scoop up some small fish.

The ferry came in an hour ago, amidst the second shower of the day. After a cloudy start, the afternoon brightened up, but just as you start to praise the nice weather, here come the showers. It is noticeably cooler today, witih a nippy northerly wind. Just as well the Icelandic volcano has (temporarily) stopped spewing out ash. Only if this is sustained for three months is it considered dormant.

I've continued my look-up of Canadian soldiers originating from Lewis. I have also completed the transcript of the Napier Commission regarding St Kilda, June 1883. If you're interested, have a look here.

Sunday 23 May

Although the rest of the country is basking in hot sunshine, the Outer Hebrides are under a cover of cloud and rather lower temps. I cannot complain about 15C / 59F, which I prefer to the near 30s that the south of England is currently afflicted with.

I have been busy today looking up the attestation papers of Canadians who fought in the First World War and who originated from the Isle of Lewis. I have also been updating an old blog, that was transferred from the BBC Island Blogging service to a new server last year. This process takes a long time, even more so because some of the pictures were hosted on AOL - and they pulled the plug on all our pics in December 2008.

And finally, I am transcribing the Napier Commission Report from 1886 on the circumstances of the people in the Highlands and Islands - in particular the entries related to St Kilda. Those islands were evacuated in 1930 at the request of its inhabitants, even though the authorities were aware of their deprived state fifty years previous, as highlighted by the Napier report. I shall open a new blog to display the transcription.

What was for dinner? A stroganoff with rice, and a strawberry gateau for afters.