Far North - March 2006

Well we're now back to school after our enforced 'holiday'. We were last in school on Mon 27 Feb (it's now Wed 8 March). Despite steady rain since yesterday, some pupils have not been able to get in - a few roads are still impassable. Coming along the main road past my house many drifts were higher than me and more snow makes the road into the school just wide enough for cars. The school buses are unable to get along it, so pupils are being ferried by Land Rover & minibus.

A letter in the Shetland Times copmplained about the Education Dept closing all the schools on the islands. The writer said that all the roads in the south mainland were fine. Not so, I know of people who could not get along their road at all. The letter writer also stated that people he knew were able to get in to work - if they wanted to! This implies that teachers are a bunch of 'softies' that are looking for any day off. Not so! Teachers work far longer than their contracted hours. My pupils are now having to work hard to complete work that MUST be finished by the Easter hols - for their Standard Grades. 6 days off school was regrettable but necessary - for safety's sake.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing - OK so we were often told the day before that the schools would be closed. But this makes it easier for parents to seek alternative arrangements for their children.

All it would have taken would have been 1 child to be hurt when 1 bus slid into a ditch then the proverbial would have hit the fan. No, far better to be safe than sorry.

The letter writer also said that projected in-service days should be cancelled to make up. He does not realise that these days are part of teachers' contract for continuing professional development. They are not a skive for them.

He also states that Shetland is a land of extreme weather. Yes, it is in some respects but we don't get huge amounts of snow - the Scottish mainland gets far more. We're not prepared for such weather - certainly not so late on in the winter.

Ach well, there's always someone who wants to hit out at education.

Not able to get off Unst at weekend - so ended up giving BT a lot of custom using the phone.

The last couple of weeks have been hectic - making up for lost snowy days (6 in total). Having to ensure that pupils finish work by next week. That and preparing for the end of my sojourn in Unst.

As damadcoo has already said Unst has being doing astounding work in fund raising - despite the unsure financial future & the laying off of many people from their jobs.

Consort and I went to the curry night for the CAT scanner appeal. Very tasty followed by delicious sweets - we had pavlova (yummy). Ruthodanort & damadcoo waited on us, looking glamorous in their saris. As well as the meal itself there were raffles and rolling money to win a bottle of Highland Park. In the raffle, Consort won some shower gel for me, so I now smell even more exquisite. In the money rolling competition, I did see someone trying to use licorice allsorts - but he didn't win.

The Big Breakfast in aid of Cancer Research was well-supported by staff, pupils and members of the public. So successful that the RAF men still here have continued to use our breakfast club.

Damadcoo has also mentioned the Relay for Life. At times it was a very moving, almost spiritual experience. The Relay was started off by a piper leading 36 survivors, followed by the almost 600 competitors. Candles were lit around the track at the Clickimin Centre. Over 500 candles flickering each represented a life lost to cancer - a life that meant something for someone on the track.

The support from Unst was tremendous!!! A fifth of the Unst population was there!! Everywhere you looked you saw Unst people - all from 1 tiny island with a population of only 500 or 600. The organisers of the event had set out with a target of raising £1500. The amount raised is currently standing at £40,000 and rising!!! Astounding.

Going back to Unst's contribution, with the indomitable spirit there is on the island, I know that, despite its hardships, it will not go under. I urge everyone to come and see for themself.

After all that, it was nice to relax at the cinema on Sat & Sun night - Brokeback Mountain & Memoirs of a Geisha. Shetland doesn't have a purpose built venue so one must grab the opportunity when 1 can.

Winter has returned to us. But not enough to close us, although some pupils were meant to be travelling to Lerwick for a badminton tournament & a music festival. This trip was cancelled because of road conditions. There are some pupils already down there - hopefully they'll get back OK.

Well, here we are...the end of an era. (Do I hear cheering in the background?) I am leaving the Baltasound School to take up a post in the deep south (of Shetland). My Unst citizenship will have to be revoked. I'll have to pay full fare on the inter-island ferries. One thing I have discovered though, is that the shop near to where I am going stocks Unst bread - yummy. And Unst beers are all over the place.

But, in the words of General MacArthur, "I will return." I will reinvent myself in another part of Shetland, under another name.

Now to get on with the packing. It is amazing (horrifying) how much junk one collects over the years. I'm looking at so much things, thinking that if it's been in a box for over 6 years, it can't be useful.

So, it'll soon be cheerio to ruthodanort, puffinbillyunst, damadcoo & eviltwinny & hello to Consort. Sorry, folks - no contest!!

However, I've been already booked to provide a pub quiz for the Unst Simmer Dim Fishing weekend in June. So the ghost of farnorth will continue to haunt the island.