1 December

The first day of December. We're now on the home strait for Christmas and New Year, the darkest days of the year lie ahead. It was a bright day, not very warm, but with only the odd light shower. Sunset at a quarter to four in the afternoon, we have less than seven hours of daylight (sun above horizon) at the moment. Accompanied Mrs B to Lews Castle for a brief stroll. As years advance, her range has become limited. Nonetheless, she was pleased to find the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) where she would take her grandchildren when they were wee. Now they are grown up and have children of their own. She was also very impressed with the restauration works going on in the Castle Grounds, to restore to former glory the formal gardens to the south of the Castle. The wee jaunt left me quite sad - it put me in mind of a walk I did with Mrs B 14 years ago virtually to the day. On that day, in 2005, we walked through bog and briar from the Iolaire Memorial back to Stornoway. Nearly 3 miles. This little stroll in the Castle Grounds totted up 350 yards. It was enough. Darkness fell as we returned into town. Dinner was roasted chicken with brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. We closed the evening by watching a 1938 version of A Christmas Carol which was recorded earlier in the day.