Last Christmas was massive fun.  My wife blogged about it over at the family blog.  We had a full house, one family to a bedroom, and loads of fun was had by all.  This weekend coming we’ve got my youngest’s Christening and another full house.  Kids will be sleeping in tents in the garden, mattresses on the floor in our bedroom, guests scattered between our house and the lighthouse down at Sumburgh head (top tip for visitors to Shetland, the lighthouses are all automated now so the accommodation has been refurbished and you can book it through http://www.shetlandlighthouse.com).  This time of year, the puffins are nesting at Sumburgh on the cliffs, it’s light all night and, touch wood, the weather will be good for our visitors.

The week before (probably should’ve done this sooner, I know) and we’re planning recipes, cakes, outings to far-flung islands.  As I write this, I’ve made the cake and it’s baking, the whole house smells of mixed spice and it’s lovely.  We have done some forward planning – I’ve been brewing beer and cider since the visitors drained the cellars at Christmas.  And a glass of white wine for the ladies.

So, for the rest of the week we’ll be heading to and from the airport to collect our visitors, herding cats kids and making the curries we’re going to be dining on this Sunday.  Breakfasts will be the usual huge affair – my dad’s a fan of the full English, including mushrooms, tomatoes, fried bread and black pudding.  The second one person in the house is having that little lot, everyone else thinks it’s a good idea!  Fortunately, he’s bringing in the black pudding supplies as Scotland goes completely overboard on the white pepper.  The Orkney stuff is good, but it’s not as good as the one dad brings up from Yorkshire.  It’s amazing how much black pudding the kids will eat!  Local kippers will be on offer, assuming our fish shops don’t run out.

Friday’s Unst day, Saturday afternoon’s the Nesting Regatta (the Gulberwick & Quarff Yoal team now have a time to beat!), Sunday’s the Christening and curry buffet.  If you’re up on your rowing, all the results are on the Bigton website.

The visitors are here with us all weekend, start leaving on Monday morning back to the mainland and normality.

Then we’ve only got 5 birthdays and a wedding and that’s June.