I live in the Outer Hebrides AMA

[WeeFreeWhiskyGalore]

We chain up the play park swings on a Sunday

No Waitrose/Asda/Amazon Prime/deliveroo

On a clear day you can see Canada (if you squint...)

A four bedroom house sells for £130k

No one locks their doors

There's definitely no heatwave here

I am just here for the drugs. Cocaine & Heroin.

Also would unmarried couples/divorcees be shunned by some?

Oops!!!

How many people live on the island you are on?

Do you know everyone?

I grew up here but moved away for twenty years. I came home last year.

I don't know everyone. The population is about 14,000. I reckon we put people in a context though. If I don't know someone I will know a relative or a neighbour. Community is very important here.

Drugs aren't rife. I suppose I would be able to get some if I wanted them though. Same as the mainland.

So you literally stop children from playing on Sundays? Because what - they will go to hell otherwise? Sounds like a lovely place.

Thanks.

This is maybe hopelessly naive but I imagine most people are employed locally? Does that mean a smaller gap between rich and poor?

I think we aren't using the air ambulance as much as you are using the emergency services for motorway crashes or robberies or asthma inhalers...

Do you really chain up the swings? With 14,000 people surely there are a few less religious ones who might want to do other things on a Sunday.

Midgies are usually brutal but have been strangely absent this year. It was glorious early on this year. They've not coped with the heat maybe?!

Why can't children play on a Sunday? It's not work, is it? What do they do instead - are they allowed to play with other things instead? Or is there a general diktat against children's play? And who goes round chaining them up?

Can you really see Canada?

Employment isn't too bad but not particularly well paid. Council/NHS are good steady jobs with decent wages. A lot of people are doing lots of different jobs. My father is a crofter and he weaves Harris tweed for example.

What's the best and worst thing about living there?

I'm absolutely fascinated with the theory of island living! I've lived in London all my life and often holiday on small islands. It's such a contrast and I'm always intrigued by what makes people stay.

The sabbath is for prayer not for playing. Apparently.

I should say I think it's a lot of bollocks but most play parks have at least a sign saying not to use them on a Sunday if not an actual chain. I suppose if you were a bit of an arse you would ignore the sign but I reckon you have to live with folk.

Best thing

Beautiful and safe and really, really happy.

Worst thing

A bit cold

What are winters like? Below zero?

No. Can't really see Canada. You could if it wasn't for the curvature of the Earth and the whole of the Atlantic though.

Sorry. I was just kidding about that.

What sort of shops do you have local to you?

People are lovely. Really kind and interested in you. If you are mixed race couple you'd in the minority but certainly not be finding nastiness I don't think.

How many different Churches do you have & do you only have 1 Mosque.

Someone I knew was divorced and didnt feel she could go back to visit.

Fantastic healthcare and easy to get a doctor appointment. You need to go to the mainland for anything like a MRI though. Fabulous maternity unit.

There's lots of cultural activities: plays, poetry, art, sculpture, dancing. Several music festivals. Book festival. Food festival.

Amazing food!

Except for the gannets. Eating gannet is a local delicacy. Totally minging.

Mosque is being built just now. Probably about 20 denominations in the main town. I think it's the only place I've ever seen a pub be turned into a church rather than the other way around. Religion is taken seriously whatever your faith. I was at a Ba'hai wedding last night in fact.

Don't think anyone would care if you were divorced. Maybe 30 years ago but not now.

The sabbath is for prayer not for playing.

What, all day?

Fuck me, those are some long prayers!