I'M writing most of this on Burns Day.
And it's heartening to note that, throughout Lochaber, our National Bard is being recognised in various ways by young and old.
New meaning
HOW dare Lochaber not live up to the forecasters' promises of us having more frost and snow than we had this time last year!
Meanwhile, I see that the Met men and women have dreamed up a new phrase for the phenomenon: "Scotland is having a bizarre, mild winter".
Aye, I know there's a long way to go yet, though.
Looking back
THIS time thirty years ago we were reading in the Lochaber News
• The AGM of Lochaber Motor Cycle Club had a good turnout from among its membership of 94, and the meeting heard that local riders had participated in a total of seventeen trials during 1981.
• An extremely good turnout, too, at the agm of the Lochaber Branch of the National Farmers Union, with 37 of the 40 members in attendance.
• An "excellent assembly" at Mallaig Community Association's agm.
• Lochaber Camera Club about to celebrate its 21st anniversary – with a dinner in the Highland Hotel.
• Despite pleas for support by the committee of Kinlochleven Recreation Club, the village's cinema, run by the club in the public hall, has ceased to operate.
• The detailed design of the proposed new Lochaber Yacht Club clubhouse was unanimously approved by Lochaber Divisional Planning Committee.
Closing down
THE Little Chef at Spean Bridge, one of the chain championed by Heston Blumenthal, is among the company's 67 (out of 161) roadside eateries currently being closed down.
Sad to see this outlet go as it had become very much part of the Spean scene.
A quarter of a century ago the familiar Little Chef sign was erected outside the premises.
But it was so huge that the then Lochaber Tourist Officer, Bruce Simpson, was moved to comment on it at local board meeting.
He famously declared that "The Little Chef sign is the only man-made creation that can be seen from outer space – apart from The Great Wall of China".
Correspondence corner
DEAR Roamer,
Just thought you might like to put this in your Column.
My wife, Kathy, and I are in Australia from Canada – on vacation – visiting my cousins, Olga, Lilian and Morag.
We have, of course, met up with Pat and Florence McGuinness, and what a welcome we had at their house!
And, yes, we talked about Kilmallie shinty quite a bit.
Tomorrow night we are all getting together for a barbecue.
In attendance will be the Laird of Frankston, Dodo MacLean.
So it'll be the good times with the Lochaber crowd.
Please say a special Hello to my mother, Mabel, in Caol, and to my friend – and your cousin – John Murphy.
Cheers,
Keith McColl.
(Aye, Boxall, messages delivered, and John says he'll see you in June).
DEAR Roamer,
Could you kindly include this in your Column.
On behalf of the residents and staff at Invernevis House, would you pass on our thanks to the Rotary, Invergarry WRI, M&S Dental Care, local Lodges, and friends and families who handed in – over the festive season – donations of money, chocolates and drinks, and to the staff of the Caledonian Hotel for a wonderful day out.
A special Thank You goes to all those who gave of their time to come in and entertain the residents – this was very much appreciated.
We would, therefore, like to express our thanks to everyone involved, for their continued support, and we wish everybody all the best for the year ahead.
Kind Regards,
Teresa Mathieson, Invernevis House.
DEAR Roamer,
You may recall that, some months ago, I contacted you to express my concern about your apparently diminishing eyesight.
Alas, time and tide waiteth for no man and I, too, seem to have been struck by the same affliction.
Try as I may, I am unable to identify you in the 1922 Fort William Secondary School photo in last week's paper.
It's possible, of course, that you were jinking, had a day off for some reason – or had left school by then.
Yours (Possibly in jest),
Willie Wick,
Caol.
PS I have to comment on the sub-heading "20 Years On", about local events in 1982.
I'm sure Wee Wilson would not have been impressed with the lack of mathematical expertise on display.
(Aye, Wick. Remember you were just three years behind me in FWSSS. And I would have thought that you, whose son is a best-selling author, would know that humble hacks don't write the headlines – far less make them – in the papers. By the way, in the interests of arithmetical accuracy, John MacKenzie was OUR maths teacher!)
Pull together
LOCHABER Mountain Rescue Team's first "shout" of 2012 was, as you would expect, to the aid of a casualty on Ben Nevis.
And that set the trend for daytime/evening callouts on the Ben on four successive days.
One rescue was particularly notable for the fact that the team members harnessed their collective tug o'war skills to haul a couple of mountaineers – "a climbing couple" in fact – up the North Face.
One of the rescuers abseiled three hundred feet from the top of the Ben down into Comb Gully, affixed ropes round the holidaying man and woman – and himself – and then the rest of the team pulled them all onto the summit plateau.
And the winner is...
AND the winner of the Highland News Group crossword last week was – Mrs Mackenzie, Riverside Park, Lochyside.
Talking of winners, Mr & Mrs S Taylor, who have Lochaber News connections, landed four prizes – from five tickets – at Friday night's Burns Supper in Lochaber High School.
Not to be outdone, Brian Hume won the voucher for for Dinner for Two at the Alexandra Hotel – of which he, himself, is manager...
Thank you
HERE'S a different type of "Thank You".
At lunchtime last Tuesday, a Fort William couple, in their 80s, were making their way from Lochaber Deaf Care to the bus stop at Caol Co-op.
They were arm in arm, and turning into Kilmallie Road, when they tripped/slipped.
The lady got up OK, but her husband, who has a walking stick, was in difficulties.
A Kilmallie Road resident saw it all from her window – and rushed out to their aid.
As she was doing so, a car with a local lady at the wheel, came along, and drew up.
She, too, helped with the "lifting and handling", insisted that the couple got into her car, and ran them to town and home.
The family would like to say how much they appreciated the gestures from both helpers.
"You know who you are!", they say.
"And thank you both very much!".
Next time the independent couple in their 80s might well opt for Lochaber's community car service...
Jessie's Journal
WEE Jessie Jamieson's Diary for January, 1959.
• January 25. It was a dry Burns Day. I went to Bible Class.
• January 26. Cycled to school with Marie. We went to the pictures at night – "The Wind Cannot Read", with Dirk Bogarde.
• January 27. We made doughnuts in cookery, and I got my hair cut. Someone took my bike from school, but I soon got it back.
• January 28. I am FIFTEEN today. I got a lot of cards, and a pen and pencil set.
• January 29. Helen and I went to the flicks. This time it was "Ice Cold in Alex".
