Boxing Day

Overnight the in box full of New Year greetings from airlines and travel companies thanking us for our past custom and hoping they'll see us again soon. It's clearly the time of year when people make travel plans. The Chairman of a large airline sends me ( and ten million others ) his picture. He's sitting, smiling broadly, in front of a bookcase with half a dozen books in it. Do the half dozen books signify he's smart but in an unthreatening way ? Underneath the picture the message 'It's been an extraordinary year for us. One that wouldn't have been possible without you and your passion for travel and unbridled zest for life'.  Who speaks like that ?

Another trip to the 'Chariots of Fire' beach. Cloudier this morning but there's no wind. Dog and human are making the most of this milder weather. The forecast shows sleet arriving at lunchtime and lasting for the better part of a week.

A woman with five huskies comes jogging along the sand. The five huskies are decidedly proprietorial. Sophie is not made welcome. She turns and looks wistfully as they disappear along the sand. The family diva's promised a compensatory trip to the bacon roll cafe. The good coffee cafe is closed until the start of term time in January.

Then it's home for a restorative snooze.

British cheese has made leaps and bounds in recent years. This Brie is quite outstanding.

The new carpet is 'cheery'. It looks better on the stairs where the stripes run up and down rather than across. 

Outside the cheesemongers this man and his dog. Have you noticed how often dog and owner look alike ? 'The Font' wonders what this truism says about Angus .

Turning to the New Year. A Scots song sung in Dublin :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0086LpnGxk

We dine, virtually , here last night :https://www.roosterowl.com/menu