Parliament is not formally back in business quite yet. But having not been near the Holyrood office for five weeks, the day dawned when it could not be postponed any longer.

Bressay is having a lively debate. No, not fixed links. We will be pushing up daisies before that one re-emerges. No, not the splendid new lambing park that’s been created at the back of Fullaburn. That park is currently masquerading as a football field on which the might of the Bressay Parish Cup Team will strut their stuff.

Bell’s Brae Primary occasionally has a lot to answer for! Cameron came home from school one Friday late last year and decreed that he wanted to see the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy.

I’ve often wondered why we are all convinced by the computer and IT industry to buy a shiny new laptop and accompanying “new” software every few years.

I’m writing this after buying a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar in the parliamentary canteen. I needed a caffeine burst to encourage the grey cells to commit thoughts to paper.

I have a terrible admission. Saturday was a day off so I went with half of the Highlands and Islands to Hamp­den. The Scottish Cup Final, for those not of a footballing fraternity, was played between Dundee United and Ross County.

The 20th April every year is emblazoned on this former farmer’s heart. The world snooker champion­ship starts in Sheffield, there is invariably some kind of election campaign under way and it’s the start of lambing.

Many things can be planned in General Elections – the launch, the manifesto, the daily photo for the television, but not a volcano erupting in Iceland.

So the country is gripped by election fever. People are on the edge of their seats and can’t wait for the first of the leaders’ debates on TV.

This past week has been schools, shipping, air services, oh and the budget.

The general election is just weeks away so the chancellor took no tough decisions on Wednesday. Instead he put everything off until after the election.

A former Lerwick optician is suing his estranged wife and erstwhile business partner for more than £800,000, claiming that her actions after they went their separate ways six years ago effectively left him out of work.

New SIC chief executive Alistair Buchan came face to face with all councillors this week for the first time since taking up the post for what he described as “very positive” initial discussions about how to react to major criticisms in the Accounts Commission’s recent report on the local authority.

Multiple Grammy winner Steve Earle, the outspoken singer-song­writer responsible for a host of classic Americana songs including Copperhead Road, Guitar Town and Galway Girl, will be stopping off in Lerwick next Thursday for a re-arranged show at Clickimin.