No pictures today because I forgot to carry my camera to the croft both before and after lunch. However, the day most definitely warrants a post as it was an unusual one. It was the day when our barn was scheduled to receive its first pulse of grid generated electricity and consequently more than half the island had to do without between 10am and 2pm. The cafe and museum were closed as a result but the shop stayed open. However, it was difficult to distinguish between a parsnip and a carrot due to the dim light. I felt a glimmer of guilt in the same way as one might, having infected a school with chickenpox, however the guilt was overshadowed by the anticipation and excitement of finally lighting up the croft and hoovering the barn floor.
I spent the morning watching the electrician scale freshly creosoted larch poles as I wandered up and down the hilltop field zapping thistles with Grazon 90. At lunchtime I wandered back to the farmhouse with my neighbour Stephen, and we marvelled at the handsome, newly erected pole on our croft. After lunch we ambled back and it gradually dawned on us both that the handsome pole was no longer there. For a short while I wondered whether it had ever really existed. Had it perhaps just been wishful thinking after months, nae years of speculation? but as we approached it became clear that the huge beast had entirely fallen down…splat! It had crashed through the march fence bringing half of it down with it and warping the gate to boot. The event had also resulted in broken fuses and a badly bumped transformer. Ohhhh dear.
Mr Scottish and Southern and crew tried to appear cheery as they attempted to attend to the damage and figure out why and what to do about it. Something was mumbled about dry, stable ground becoming wet, jelly like ground and nothing was said about stays (or the lack of one). However, Mr S and S assures me it will all be fine in the end, whilst muttering ” Nightmare, nightmare”.
Tomorrow, our slightly less handsome pole will be re erected and the island will, once again have to abstain from cups of tea, computers, television and, in some case, income for the sake of our bright and buzzy barn.
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