With the forecast on BBC Radio Shetland indicating storm force N or NE winds
Thursday lunchtime to Friday lunchtime, with gusts 70-80 mph, and frequent
heavy squally snow showers, the electricity company are bringing up 2 teams
of linesmen from the mainland on the overnight ferry (14 hours of bliss
....). They will be stationed on the two most northerly isles of the group,
Unst and Yell.

Me? I've cleaned, re-fuelled and test-run the generator, so at least we
should keep the freezers, lights, microwave and telly, if it all goes
pear-shaped! Our worst in recent years was to lose power on a Saturday
morning, and get it back about 8 pm Monday. I felt like kissing the
linesmen, but they indicated a preference for hot, home-made soup and
scones! On that occasion wet snow froze on the power lines, some of which
stretched so much they actually touched the ground. 4mm fencing wires became
20 mm ice tubes. Give me the dry, powdery stuff any day.

Sheep flocks have been moved into fields with the best shelters, and extra
hay bought. Poor old hens - they will go from being free-range to very deep
litter for the next few days. They DON'T like being confined!

Maurice Smith
Sandwick, Shetland