A return to where it all started
I'm writing this in Fair Isle. I flew in with my great friend Ingirid Eunson four days ago for a two night stay, but the weather closed in and we're still here. Fair Isle is where my love affair with Shetland started more than forty years ago. I've come to say farewell to Margo and Bill, who were so kind to me when I first arrived. They're about to leave the Isle to be closer to their daughter. It's also where I met Tim, so it's a way of saying goodbye to him too.
We're staying in Skerryholm, a croft at the south of the island with Florrie and Jimmy. There's a view of the South Harbour and the wheeling beam of the lighthouse comes into my room at night. When I first came into Fair Isle, Jimmy's father was skipper of the mail boat, The Good Shepherd. Jimmy had very dark hair then, so it's natural that he thinks of himself as the original Jimmy Perez. And perhaps he is. He has the same mix of authority, wisdom and compassion. And a terrific sense of humour.
Having extra time in the Isle means that we've caught up with all our old friends. Ingirid used to live here -she and Jerry ran a croft and the shop - so she's even more attached to the place than I am. We've met new babies and folk who are quite elderly now. Stewart, who makes beautiful spinning wheels, celebrated his 94th birthday yesterday.
The final episode of the drama SHETLAND aired on Tuesday in the UK. (If you live in the US look out for the series later in the spring). I watched it with Ingirid, with Margo and Bill and Florrie and Jimmy. We ate Jimmy's lobster and drank champagne and cheered at the end when it was announced that the show would run again. The cast and the crew will soon be back filming. I hope the weather treats them more kindly.
Posted by Ann on Monday, March 26th 2018 @ 08:23 AM GMT [link]
