Award!

Last night I was at the Museum restauarant for the judging of the short listed buildings for two architectural awards. This was the Orkney and Shetland section of a Highlands and Islands competition and the 7 short listed buildings had been selected from some 30 entrants. There were two categories ... New Life for Old Buildings and New Buildings. We were entered in the former and up againt 3 others. The finalists for each to go through to the grand final in November in Inverness. I was there with Richard and Victoria, Fred and Magdelena and a couple who owned a new building Richard had entered. I have to say that I had mentioned this competition to Richard some months ago!

First, yesterday morning, I had had a visit from the four judges (all architects). They were all very complimentary about the extension, inside and out, and the setting ... I had a good feeling!
Richard's photos must have been taken last autumn as I have finished the wall below. Well, Richard won the category with the Muckle Bousta extension!! The judges commended everything it seemed. They were especially taken with the high quality of the detail and finish (need to thank Archie and Andrew for that) and the way the extension adds to the old house. Richard had entered it as 'phase 2', which I did not know when the judges were here. One of them had said to me 'of course, this is still in progress, isn't it?' I had the gumption to say 'yes' but didn't know what he was talking about! Richard had meant that phase 1 was the old house; phase 2 the extension; and phase 3 Sorley's house!! In fact the chairman of the panel said to me last night that Muckle Bousta could have been entered in a category for 'place in a settlement (Bousta)' and that when Sorley's building is up we must do that!

The evening didn't end there. Richard then won the other category with a building he had designed for close to Clubbs. I was speaking to the couple who were the owners and we found that we had met, way back in 1974 when we were living at Netherton, when Dirk was overseeing some dredging for one of the first oil developments (a shore base across the bay from Netherton). This is their house below. They live near Southampton and have another house in Italy. When I suggested we might meet in Inverness in November he said unfortunately not, that they would be busy picking olives in their grove ... ah well.

I'm really delighted for Richard that he won and that he scooped both awards! So they go on to Inverness in November. I'm quite tickled of course to be part of it ... I did have a wee influence here and there.

The meal was not very great but the company was good anf I had a fascinating discussion with Magdelena about Slovenia and with Fred about his wool (fleece) insulated water (heat reservoir) tanks he is working on with Oxford University. Had a wee dram when I got back at midnight and smugly stroked the cat.

Sandness Hill

Last Friday, Elizabeth (Crossroads) came in the afternoon for 3 hours to look after Mum. It was a beautiful day so I took off for Sandness Hill (249m). Great feeling to be out in the open spaces listening to curlews, skylarks and ravens. From the top there was a great view back to Bousta in the distance across Sandness. The bare gravel in the foreground indicates that the climate here can be arctic-alpine! Bousta is in the middle of the picture on the near coastline ... if you look very, very hard. Looking south west gave me itchy feet but the old leg muscles said otherwise. That's the walk back to the Dale of Walls that I think Sorley has done.
The view north to Ronas Hill takes in the Melby area of Sandness.
The white house on the far end of the row of houses on the righthand side is Sand Cottage where Gudrun, Maya and Sage will be staying.
Using the full zoom this is all you can see of Muckle Bousta. Sitting at my desk and turning my head to the left I can look up and see the top of the hill from where I took the photo.

This is an old (relatively, Gudrun) poem that I just had published in a Borders poetry journal.

Leaving Edinburgh

When Gudrun left that morning
for the Guildhall in London,
Tricia went to Marks and Spencers
to buy curtain rings,
I went home over the Bridge
listening to Tippet in the fog
and Beth went back to the flat
to have a good cry and
await the plumber.
On the counter were her earrings,
in the sink, her hair,
and in the music, her song.
Now that she has gone, somehow
we have to come to terms
with the Gudrun she left behind.

You may know it but hope you like it.