A peedie chap inspires.....

'peedie' is orcadian for wee or little or small. I have a very peedie dog, cairn terrier, so much the runt, his human 'dad' breeder affectionately called him 'the peedie pup' and so our lovely garden dog got his name, Peedie.

I'm a peedie lass, being of short stature.

We've an Italian student staying with us, a friend of my daughter....tonight was a 'roller disco' at the islands sports centre for our Italian exchange students. How exciting to travel so far and have adventures.

Going into town from our homestead, means 13 mile drive each way. In times of high petrol and good life type income, when we pop to town we stay in, to save the return trip until we go home. So we find 'town' things to do...

As I waited, having walked on the beach, there are several by the main town, in the fading light to enjoy a bit of the 'free' time, after that, I sat in the car, reading a gardening mag.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a young uni cyclist. Only in Orkney you'd not be phased by such a sight. Curious I watched a while, up he bumped, bunny hopping on his bike, with one wheel. He bumped up rocks, he bumped up and own steps, what a sight. Over and over again.

What reliance, if my spirits needed a breathe of fresh air, here he was, roaming around, maybe 12-14 years old happily on his own, in Kirkwall, playing on the steps quite happily, over and over again, up and down and up again, on a uni cycle.

And I laughed. And I took stock.

I garden, but I also cycle. I get out when I can on my bike, depending on the wind.

It made me think. Whilst I wibble on about the winds effect on my garden, that peedie chap has clearly been out practicing bunny hopping and charging own steps in orkney, in the wind and the rain, finding exciting things to practise, getting amazingly good, on a uni cycle. What ingenuity and resilance.

Talk about dedication and hard work, in this climate! I need to do better myself, despite the wind! and the side ways rain.

A peedie chap inspires......