Motor homes have not enjoyed this much notoriety since convoys of them rolled into rural Scotland after lockdown restrictions were first eased in the summer of 2020. These are strange times.
Bob popped along to Holyrood last week and seemed entirely unfazed by the political drama unfolding around him as MSPs went about the business of electing a new First Minister and confirming a host of ministerial appointments.
My hope had been to use this column to reflect on another hugely successful Orkney Youth Awards, showcasing the astonishing extent and variety of youth volunteering in our islands.
Last week began with a funeral service in St Magnus Cathedral celebrating the life of Robin Preston and concluded with news that Don Peace from Stronsay had sadly passed away.
The political landscape in Scotland suddenly looks very different. Yet for all the timing of Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement last week caught most people unawares, the fact of her resignation was actually no great surprise.
As the latest constitutional clash between Scottish and UK governments ignites over gender recognition reform, I bring you news of a welcome outbreak of collaboration. And not just joint working between both of Scotland’s governments but the involvement too of local councils, invariably the forgotten partner in debates about where powers should lie and decisions taken.