Speccy

I have heard the same story regarding sprouts, a turkey and a loaf of bread, which leads me to believe it's as much a load of hyped-up tosh as the rest of the airlift scenario.

Fort chip shop cafe - still the very best for fish and chips, and good service too. Only one thing wrong - please get bottles of sauce on the table rather than these infernal sachets.

Shetland Times Shop has some.

It's £80,000 a day, isn't it? http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2012/12/01/council-is-still-80000-a-day-over-budget So you make a very good point.

To try and wrest this back on topic, the assistants in Klaize tonight were friendly, cheerful and helpful, and are giving away £10 vouchers if you spend over a certain amount (not sure exactly how much, but I got £20 for spending £145).

The Library hopes to be open for a couple of days between Christmas and New Year, and exact hours will be advertised soon.

The Harbour Cafe is much improved these days - bright, clean, homemade cakes, and they allow you to help yourselves to napkins and sauce, which at one time were jealously guarded and eked out reluctantly from behind the counter. Only fly in ointment is a rather tirn boss lady who stomps about in a stressed mood. Chill pill needed!

The lady who works in the bag shop (up Mounthooly St) on a Saturday. Friendly, helpful, knowledgable, enthusiastic about the products. Doesn't make you feel pressurised or 'hard sold' but somehow I always spend more than I meant to, and come out with something I love.

Any of you fancy getting out from behind the keyboard and speaking in public? The motion before The Althing this Saturday (1st Dec) is 'Mareel is a Sound Investment'. They are still confirming speakers against the motion, and probably need one more, so this could be your chance. If interested, email martin.tregonning@btconnect.com And all contributers to this thread would be most welcome to join the audience!

SIC take six days in fact - Easter Monday is included. Agree Up Helly Aa should be on Friday, much less hassle.

I'm a Foords fan - rich but light, chocolate not too thick or too thin, filling boozy and delicious.

Fusion wrote: No, if you don't need all the beds you just book per bunk and share a cabin.

Very decent coffee cake in the Harbour Cafe today, as good as in any of the more cake-specialised cafes.

I sure hope GRs don't feel responsible for folk who didn't buy things from them, what is it with folk who expect something for nothing?

The consultation document on the proposed new bus services looks very good at first glance. There seem to be extra services and most mainland areas get a couple of late buses. Too good to be true maybe? Wonder if we can afford it? Hope so. See what you think. http://www.shetland.gov.uk/news-advice/BusServicesConsultation220812.asp

Scoop - always pleasant service, nicely presented shop, huge range of spices and dry goods with minimal packaging.

I'm don't think Plain English has been mentioned yet. Letters, reports and emails, to both staff and public should be subject to standards of brevity and clarity. We're not doing too badly, but I have seen some dreadful examples from certain depts.

I'd llke to send some appreciation to Rocio Bolanos and the local dancers who put on a fabulous belly dancing performance in the Garrison on Friday night. Thank you Rocio for bringing such exotic pleasure to the women of Shetland.

I didn't think I was bothered about the royal wedding, but having viewed all the sharging on this issue I feel an urge to watch a jolly good pageant (with nice frocks!!). I think I'll take a day off and sit in front of the telly with my cucumber sandwiches getting mildly sloshed on cheap bubbly. No, I don't particularly think the council should pay me to do so, but staff have a right to feel hard done by since the government decreed a holiday. You would almost believe we did not have to do as the government said.