ThePeerieTrow

Actually I don't see any problem with what you've quoted sukibind! She was just offering a hand of friendship to like minded cake loving (as in baking/decorating/sharing/eating),artsy, craftsy type people that enjoy similar interests with her. I think mikeyboy and sukibind might be related at least see you share similar interests and are like minded as well. Personally boogie ... WELCOME TO SHETLAND ... afraid this isn't the best start for you or introduction to the best of Shetland. But looking at the sunny side, you've seen the bottom so it can only be up from here:) I think you've been lovely and gracious with the abuse you've received. Now, there are night/weekend classes you can take that will develop interests you may have in crafts up here and gives a chance to meet people. Another thing I would suggest is the craft fair and food fair on in November at clickimmin, it's a good thing to go to to get a good cross section of what's here. I would suggest the previously mentioned links as places to join. Winter in Shetland is hunkering down with knotting and crocheting and getting some work done. Have a look at the calendar on here as well as there are groups meeting that you might find you want to be a part of. Also, maybe you can donate teaching time to groups who would love to try what you have to show even if it's just for the fellowship of it and the laughter we share. Chin up!! There are a number of people who are really kind, caring... Oh and humane..up here who have similar interests. We enjoy the sharing and learning and the growth but not the gossiping Very nice meeting you and love your pics!!

Hi Sean I was advised by all not to come it's bleak it's isolated it's got awful winters etc etc. I've been here over a year and LOVE IT!! Best thing my children n I could have done!! Yes to all the negs they exist but the positives WAY outweigh them!! It all depends on your mind set. If you come focused on success you will be. We did struggle for a while after we came up but pushed through and are very blessed for it. Your children will love holidays up here. It's a great place for children. If you need help or anything when you get up give a shout

Stems is the other florist and Steven is fantastic! I'm sure he delivers and he does do such beautiful work and his flowers really last!

When was thE last time you were there? What about at peerie cafe? Thx

Is that for coffee or food?

What is the catch at lunch times? Why are they off the list then?

Where are the best and the worst places around that have good food and good coffee or the worst? And better yet where can you find great service and where are the worst for customer service?

I must agree I've had to make several trips with various members of my family to Gilbert Bain and they were amazing! They were wonderful with my children and made the experience a positive one for them and the nurses and doctors couldn't do enough. I have only praises for the staff. Thank you very much for all you do.

Amen to that Tonydog!! I got someone in to do flooring for me. He did half the work and never came back. He never got paid for any of the work either. It was just Lino too. I haven't found another person since lol Well time to learn to lay Lino. Learned to do laminate on my own for similar reason so this can't be much harder than that I do have a query re the better roads for learners... I don't understand what you mean. Please explain. These roads are an absolute dream I thought. Yes there are a few potholes etc but for a learner there's no traffic and rush hour traffic etc. In that regard it's one of the perks of Shetland.

no PJ it's not slag Tescos site. I guess the part that stinks is the lie you are told by them when you say to them prices are cheaper in tesco in the south and they say no it's the same prices at all tesco. Well, did anyone see the program at Christmas re the pricing tricks used by the supermarket chains that are deceptive? Tesco came out the worst for this. In the one example a couple was in London talking about the pricing difference they found. They showed a bag of frozen corn from tesco and it was just shy of 50 pence LESS than we pay here. It would justbe nice not to be robbed when you go to feed your family. Food is a staple not a luxury Anyhoo I guess the bigger they are the more you can find could be improved.

My experience with Lidls is quite contrary to your comments UnlinkedStudent. There was a great affordable selection of fresh veg n fruit which actually is bought rather quickly. As for ready foods, they have a much tastier and much more affordable choice than tesco. They have sandwich meats TGAT are standard and very tasty. There is a lively yogurt comes in large tub that is usually a £1. The perks are definitely the weekly specials which is everything from electronics to art n toy supplies to kitchenware to clothing and linen to tools to gardening and plants to food items n more. There are good quality items and they are reasonably priced. Sorry unlinkedstudent have to disagree with you. There was a comment that we have a lovely library where children can go for a couple of hours allowing parents a chance to go shopping with out the wee ones in tow. I am an avid library user as are my children, however, children that are peerie can't be left there on their own. They are not childminders. I was referring to a playzone like the one in an Ikea that allows children to play n do their things whilst we do ours. Good therapy for both generations lol It's giving working mums a chance to let their children enjoy an activity when possible whilst they catch up on all the restock the cupboards shop. That was the idea in general...

JustMe I think those are superb ideas A central monthly farmers Market would be fabulous for local and tourist alike. What better way to get a true feel for who we are for tourists and what we have to offer. And it would really allow us to support our local farmers and crofters and craft people. What would be a better way to back our protest of the likes of tesco etc by buying local. The one thing I have as a thought is we do still have to be affordable at the farmers markets. If we are about our community then we have to help support it wherever we can. Encourage everyone to buy and to take the extra bother to plan a wait for the shopping day at the regular local farmers market. Would farmers/crofters etc participate on a regular monthly basis?

Sorry JustMe. You are right it was a combination of things. I will stay objective. Lol

I think an aquarium would be fabulous!!

I must agree. It was a real treat going out to eat. I started with this question not to change Shetlands fabulous innocence. I don't want the same. I doubt we could ever support all that anyway. I do think a lidl would be nice. Not asking for competing chains but perhaps a chain like Lidls will keep tesco on it's toes. The selection of changing merchandise like that is a nice bonus. Unlinked Student have you checked out the Tesco up here? You would be shocked at the dirt under the shelving units. The dust bunnies rival Wallace n gromits curse of the were-rabbit lol. And the practises in the bakery area have shocked me on more than one occasion which is why I definitely do not buy those items. You know the bags of donuts filled with chocolate n custard n just sugared, well those arrive in giant plastic bags and the employees have to fill the bags and then put them out. Well, I watched a young woman pour the donuts on the counter top 4 fell to the FLOOR!! she picked them up and put them back on the pile of others to be bagged. Two other women watched gobsmacked with me. The older lady spoke to her asking her why she had done that and she lied out right to the 3 of us. When we looked for management none made themselves available. I think we need local merchants especially on our high street but what would we as Shetlanders buy that tesco couldn't destroy like they did Clives? What would we like to see made available by our local community? Is there anything? Would we like and support a proper bread making pastry making bakery for instance? If we don't have a dominos but have a proper brick oven pizzeria that supplied yummy made to order real pizza and tasty pastas would we support that? I agree with a place in the evenings to go that is not solely alcoholic based but what would be enjoyed? What about a dinner theatre? What about a place children can go for an hour or two so parents can shop enjoyable and the children can have a fun time whilst they are shopping. Would it be great to have a proper childrens clothing store? Devoted entirely to them? What would keep us true to ourselves and help each other and benefit the economy of Shetland?

Ok ok Ghostrider calm yourself down!! Moderation remember? It's a breath of fresh air, one of the most wonderful parts of Shetland NOT having anything on your colourful list. That's what makes it so great for our children. They are brought up in a different society here. We are not asking for trouble in our community. We are looking for a few creature comforts that lift the community as a whole not pull it down. Who told you we want a Sainsburys?? Having lived in various places on the mainland, even there Sainsburys was one of the more expensive supermarket. Actually ASDA was one of the better in that their baked and deli items were yummy and they did provide more quality items with more variety at a lower price as well. They also in the latest sting on the supermarkets did fare pretty well. I would say that Morrisons had good quality tasty brands too. We enjoyed shopping with them. Their store and ASDA always had a clean inviting welcoming feel into the store and customer service was valued by them. In fact of all the ones shopped at Morrisons had an a fabulous customer service. they also had a very good cafe with good choice and affordable that would be nice for those on that side of the toon to be able to enjoy. But the one with the lowest pricing structure to it's customer was ASDA. I find Tesco lacks manners toward it's customer base and even some of it's employees from top to bottom of it's structure. I don't like being lied to by the management team when they are caught cheating n fiddling. Rather apologise correct it with that customer and say you will look into it further. Honesty is the best policy afterall. Right?? I fin

Thanks Delts for the info Food for thought Poseidon Viability is a quandary. Could it be made low enough in cost to make it accessible to all and yet still cover running costs??

In reference to Suzanna.. You mentioned how in your home town the shops were all closed sown on the high street. I just wondered if you had been on ours of late? There are many places out of business. Many places closed. This happens everywhere especially in this economy. An injection of healthy enterprise in moderation of course would be of great benefit don't you think? Our unique shops are disappearing at an alarming rate and now we even have a charity shop going out of business too..... What can we do to put life back into our high street?

Amen to that!! We are an intelligent enough community to do in moderation. Well, in saying that.... Sometimes the people who were put in positions of responsibility to make solid choices for our community fall way short. They have gone deaf to us. Less bureaucratic brown nosing and more backbone to stand up for our well being as we request as a community against those just looking for professional/personal advancement by being a "yes" man to those that aren't a part of our community and therefore do not have a working knowledge of the workings and needs in our lives and community. Our location creates many exceptions to their one rule. I don't think we are as a rule anti Scottish mainlanders or English, but when for instance you are moving here looking for professional help and their advert says we move anywhere in Scotland and you utter the word"Shetland", All of a sudden we aren't a part of Scotland anymore. Orkney is funnily enough to many of said places but not Shetland. People speak of Shetland as bleak, remote, rural and yes, even backward. They envision us as barbarians grunting to each other eating with our hands and mad with isolation. Quite humourous actually. My immediate thought is they have never been here and how amazingly ignorant they are to the world around them. And then I smile to myself and am extremely grateful we are where we are and we don't care what is thought of us. We get the last laugh. We live in a paradise albeit imperfect in many ways, I believe it is perfect in many more ways than not. Our children can go out and play and be children here. They grow up too fast in most other places. We have a wholesome grass roots type of lifestyle here and our family wouldn't trade that for anything. ( but helping us have a better quality of lifestyle by introducing a little healthy competition wouldn't hurt either)

Thanks to everyone. I think we all have validity in our requests n wishes. In response to Suzanna I agree about all the wonderful things that living in Shetland outweighs the mainland with. I have had the fortune of living in many parts of the world. I agree Shetland ranks amoung the best in the world. I agree we don't want all the commercialism of the mainland but in saying that having a complete monopoly by the likes of Tesco isn't a blessing either. These islands couldn't support the likes of all those chain stores and besides, the council would never allow that much competition and commercialism on the island. A lidl or aldi would be nice for our budgets and choice even just a little is nice. Kirkwall has a lidl and they haven't gone nuts with commercialism. One pound shop would be nice. And must admit I really enjoy the fact there is actually a place in the world that is not plagued by the existence of macdonalds:) I do think that the likes of a bowling alley and soft play area would be great! It gives children young n old some good fun with friends in the community or just family bonding. In our weather a good part of the year it would be great having the additional options. Soft play areas are great for children. They can really put their heart and soul into playing and discovery and just plain old wholesome fun and be safe as well as giving parents a little respite. As for the fuel prices... It still astounds me that it comes from here yet we are robbed every time we fill up. It shouldn't cost as much as it does. And in fact we need it more than most mainlanders. They have a choice and ready access to various modes of public transportation we don't n really do need motors to access.

True. But it's not just the produce looked at. I agree it's always best to support local growers and producers. Absolutely. I was incorporating the clothing items, housewares, n groceries , the things that are not local. For instance Lidls has good quality merchandise at good prices and it's changing every week. It's an appreciated option for families in these times. I know things improved somewhat when tesco came in but they don't appreciate us and they do feel they have us over a barrel. They cheat with sales up here. They take things off sale early n only put it back on if caught. I've even caught them marking up staple products considerably to bring them down as a price drop a couple weeks later. We don't even get the same sales items as the mainland. It really is disgraceful. On another note, it's not just this I posed the question about. I wondered what was on other peoples wish list for Shetland What would put a smile on your face, and a hop in your step if we gained it or for that matter if we got rid of it???

Well for one I would like a little healthy competition brought in by somewhere like Lidls, where we are not slaves to the climbing prices and limited choice of Tesco and Co-operative... Something that might give us some choice on actually seeing the quality and selection available before we have to buy sight unseen and pay daylight robbery prices to have delivered to us. Also forcing the others to stop giving us the leftovers unsold in other stores because , as I was told "it doesn't really matter what we have on the shelf because shetlanders will buy whatever it is we have stocked because where else are they going to go!", and actually giving us a quality choice selection. We get treated like neanderthal ignorants that are too limited to function in a modern society. your turn....

OK, here's a bit of a mischief What would we like to have, see brought to the islands, made available and accessible to us on the islands? What would we enjoy more of or for that matter even a little taste of here on the islands? Come on let it out! We all grumble about it at the neighbours, sigh about it when we get to Tesco, and dream about it as we are tossed about at sea on the ferry trip suffered, crossing to a place we get to taste it, experience it even if it is for but a short day or two..