08:49:50 Today again, the weather wasn't that marvellous. Having learnt from the day before's failings, I decided not to make any ambitious plans. I spent some time in the morning taking pictures from the bedroom window trying to get the camera settings just right for the Hebrides - I'd been a bit worried some of the pictures had lacked in detail somewhat...

09:12:32 Alex's back, at breakfast. I took this picture for my mate Simon, "Obs!!" being one of his catchphrases, to denote anything unusual. The fact that it was found inexplicably on the back of a t-shirt bought in Borneo, featuring an Orang-Utan, was, it could safely be said, fairly obs.

09:16:25 Chie plunges the coffee.

10:13:57 We weren't taking any chances today, and Chie got her hands on every piece of waterproof clothing she could find.

10:16:53 You would never believe these three are just going to the shop.

10:39:12 The little island that will one day become Eigg's controversial new harbour.

10:39:36 I was rather fond of this little sign.

10:42:33 Dad wanted me to take this picture to capture all the different colours in the sea... Not sure it really came out too well - I still don't think I've quite got the hang of the settings on this camera!

10:45:21 A few boats moored in the harbour. It's difficult to see from this picture, but it was pretty choppy.

10:57:25 Waves crashing around the harbour coastline. In an attempt to get a better feel for the movement here, I took a video at this point, although even in that it doesn't look as rough as I remember it being (although you can at least hear the wind)...

11:09:45 Dad and Martin enjoy (whether they want it or not) huge lungfulls of sea air. I took a video just before this of some of the builders working on the new harbour setting off after a quick break in the tearooms in their little boat.

11:11:09 Me fiddling about with the colour adjustment on the camera. This usually occurs whenever I discover something big and red.

11:13:07 The little boat that goes out to meet the Loch Nevis.

11:13:55 Hmmm... it was a lot more choppy than it looks here!

11:20:41 Chie being a bit battered by the weather but seemingly not minding too much.

11:20:51 Words like "brisk", "bracing" and "invigorating" spring to mind.

11:21:57 I rather like this picture actually.

11:24:44 Aha! Now that definitely looks quite rough wouldn't you say? Well, still not totally accurate, but I guess you get the picture.

11:25:02 The Sgurr seems to creep into most pictures one way or another.

11:25:53 I seemed really intent on getting a good picture of waves crashing over the rocks, it would seem.

11:26:16 A close up of a rock and some waves crashing over it. Errr,

12:16:51 On the way back from our little foray down to the harbour, Chie and I decided to stop off at a friendly looking log near the house, and spend a while in an utterly traditional fashion for around midday, mid-August in the Hebrides, drinking McEwan's and eating prawn cocktail crisps.

12:17:36 When actually happy, I'm often mistaken for looking really quite stupid.

12:18:28 Here I seem to have at least managed stupid and happy.

12:36:28 This was oddly one of the nicest times of the whole holiday, just me, Chie, a log, some prawn cocktail crisps, and a load of McEwan's.

12:46:30 Chie is expert at falling asleep almost anywhere.

13:47:49 Back in the house, probably just after lunch.

14:39:22 Taken from the bedroom window again. It was looking pretty inclement out there, so we decided it much wiser to stay indoors for the afternoon.

14:40:31 Chie started shouting "Usagisan! Usagisan!", which I believe is Japanese for rabbit. Yes indeed, there was a rabbit on the lawn.

14:44:15 Still fiddling with my camera, I thought I'd try a few photos in black and white.

14:51:58 If Kettle Chips want to use this in an ad campaign, then please get in touch.

19:00:53 After an afternoon spent napping and generally lazing about, here's Chie looking through a load of questions from a kid's quiz, intended for ages 8-9. It was alarming how many we couldn't answer between the two of us. Anyway, both of us really liked this picture - I think it would look really good framed.

20:17:52 Alex got his A level results today (by phone), and having done very well, and got the grades he needed for his first choice of university, we naturally had a celebratory game of cricket after dinner.

20:18:23 Actually, come to think of it, it wasn't cricket, it was rounders.

20:18:30 There's something I really like about the colours in this picture... Maybe it's just Alex's hat...?

20:31:10 If you look carefully on the full sized version here, you can just about see I have a can of lager in one hand and a cigar in the other. I was clearly taking the game very seriously.

20:31:30 The curious angle here makes me wonder if this might have been a mid-action shot...?

20:31:45 No-one was allowed to purely spectate. This lot were just waiting for their turn to bat. Honestly.

20:40:23 This one seems to have come out a bit funny - there's an odd line along the top of the little hillock there. How bizarre.

20:53:22 Hmmm... probably towards the end of the game.

21:54:52 This oddly brings student theatre to mind, but I'm not sure why.

21:56:27 The other side of the table was clearly in possession of more colourful characters...