Not a bad day, with some sunshine and a few distant showers. The evening began with a tug pulling a barge, loaded with 80 ft lengths of pipe, away from the quayside at Arnish. I also spent some time in the library, where I browsed the Stornoway Gazette for 1941 for tributes to islanders who lost their life during that year of the Second World War.
I really think that the UK government do not have a clue what lay behind the riots that rocked the country last week. Police have stated that there was no intelligence beforehand, suggesting that the unrest was spontaneous. This negates the government's current obsession with tackling gang culture - the riots had nothing to do with gangs.
I have also struggled all day to find a way to pay for some materials that were sent to me from Canada. I am quite pleased and able to do so, but cheques and money-orders cost far more than the actual money which needs to be sent. I am in touch with the provider of the materials to sort out a method that does NOT cost me 4 or 5 times the actual value in costs.
