Wonderful news for the village - Heather and Johnny have taken on the Paterson's shop.

When Angie decided to sell there was gloom and doom - would the village be without a shop? would we have to cobble together a Community buy-out? (in Carradale!), but no, these brave youngsters are going to run it .

Heather is one of the extensive Mackinnon family (2 of whom work for us here in the casting business) and old hands will remember the wonderful days when Mum, Josie,  ran the Network Centre cafe. Amazing  baking - what about Effies' Heavy Stuff........?     Heather then went off to Catering College, and the next thing we know she's running 'The Green Room' above the harbour. More wonderful baking. But that closed and off she went to Glasgow, only to return with Johnny and a wee one!  Some girl.

So they took over at the beginning of August and  - breathing a sigh of relief - we all wish them great success.

As well as that excitement we had a busy time last week. The ladies in the church ran their bi-annual flower festival and this year they really excelled. The theme was 'Musicals' and we had everything from 'Singing in the Rain' in one corner to Les Miserables setting up the barricades at the end of the pews. Huge imagination and a lot of hard work made this a terrific display and it seemed a shame that it has to be so short lived.  

We then had the Camera Club's annual exhibition and again we saw just how talented so many members of the community are.  A great cross-section of ideas and subjects and over the years it seems to get better and better. While some Clubs in the village come and go as enthusiasm dies, the Camera Club seems to go from strength to strength  - if only the Bridge Club had been as tenacious.