The perfect prelude.

This morning we stop and watch a flock of small birds drinking from the bog at the side of the farm track. Sophie discovers that if she leaps from the track into the bog she can make a very satisfying 'splosh' noise. To add to the fun the birds fly off. This bog leaping / bird scaring routine is repeated more frequently than one might imagine. Sophie is firmly of the opinion that a girl should take her fun where and when she can find it. If fun includes making a noise and getting muddy so much the better.

Back at home there is  carrot to chew....

.... followed by a nap under the small tree in the 'zen' garden. The small tree also provides sterling service as a back scratcher. 

It stayed dry until it was time for last nights St.Andrews Day fireworks. At the very moment the display was due to kick off the rain started. This in no way dampened the enthusiasm of the thousands of students and out of towners who showed up to hear the pipes and party.

This morning at the good coffee cafe we watch a young man drive up and park his car outside the front door. He discovers he's chosen to stop alongside a large puddle . This makes getting out of the the drivers door difficult . Rather than drive forward he contorts himself into a standing position on the the door sill before leaping onto the pavement. He misses. One foot lands in the water  with a loud 'splosh' . Sophie is not alone in starting her day with wet feet.

Armed with a sliver of shortbread Sophie heads off for a quick tour of the town. A walk up one street ( stopping to sniff the doorway of Starbucks, Boots the Chemist and Greggs ) and a walk down another is the perfect Sunday morning  prelude to returning home for a long and well deserved nap. The two street spanning Christmas tableaux are blazing cheerily away. Despite the early hour the street is busy with students returning from overnight revelries.

This is an interesting insight into a rapidly changing part of the world :https://mattlakeman.org/2022/11/22/notes-on-saudi-arabia/