Last night five planets and the moon were visible from the garden. We stand by the corn field with a glass of champagne and watch them. Venus and Saturn down on the horizon, Jupiter like a small diamond next to the moon. Mercury and Mars overhead. 'The Font' was given a small, light pocket telescope for Christmas. Great for tracking out the ships in the North Sea. This was just fine for picking out Neptune and Uranus. https://uk.hawkeoptics.com/endurance-ed-marine-7x42-monocular.html Any passing villagers will think we're batty.
A dark suited Manhattanite tells me that America has 24 square feet of retail space per head of the population. The highest number of shopping Malls in the world. By comparison the UK has 4.6 and China 2.8. On line shopping and the slowdown in the economy are reducing that US figure ... fast.
40 mph winds and snow and sleet forecast for later today. We manage a quarter of an hour on the beach before the weather turns for the worse and the snow starts. It goes without saying that Sophie thinks this weather is wonderful. The family diva gives me her 'What's the matter with you ?' look as she strides off down the deserted sand. The usual early rising dog owners have all sensibly decided to stay at home in the warm. A couple of jets fly off to intercept some Russian bombers coming down over the top of Norway. The sound of their engines mixing with the storm.
Although it's barely light and extremely cold there are a couple of dozen golfers outside the R&A waiting to tee off. They are of the hearty 'I've paid all this money to get here so I'm going to get two rounds in no matter what ' type. The ground keepers joke with the Americans among them them , ' You'll be enjoying this mild Scottish weather rather than the cold you've got back at home'. The responses are jocular but unprintable.
As compensation for the short walk Sophie is taken to the bacon roll cafe. We are the first, and indeed the only, customers.
Heading back to the car we pass one of those shops that sells sensible products to local farmers. In the window an alarming mannequin catches my eye. Angus cannot for the life of him think who in this northern Presbyterian town would ever wear a yellow hat. Certainly not a local farmer. The jacket, shirt and tie combination is also on the 'improbable' side of fashionable.
11 comments:
There must be a move afoot to smarten up the local farmers, or are these dapper outfits aimed at your American visitors? The hat looks the sort of thing that was popular in 40's American movies!
I suspect that the bacon roll café opens specially early to accommodate you and Sophie.
Sadly it was cloudy in Aberdeen last night, so no planet alignment visible here.
And yes, that yellow hat is distinctly 'un-Presbyterian'...
Sending fond ear scritches to Sophie.
Yes, the number of malls is dwindling. This is the latest closure in our area: https://www.nj.com/news/2022/12/farewell-liberty-village-nations-oldest-outlet-mall-is-a-ghost-town-in-final-shopping-days.html
I'm past my "cruising the mall" age, and I no longer need to dress smartly for work. When I DO shop, I prefer to do so in person. Unfortunately, so many times I get to the store and they don't carry the item in store, or they don't have my size. So...online shopping it is.
Wonderful pictures of Sophie as always. My guess, the pops of outfit color are inspiration for young literary dandies in the making. Shoes to the left and right with walking sticks/canes in the rear, it is all there.
What do we do with excess retail and office space? It would be nice to have more small independent shops. You should buy the hat, for wind free morning strolls.
What a perfect gift for the Font. Didn't the Font take an online astronomy class a few years back? And the rabbit? Did he make it home as well?
Now I'm left wishing I had a light pocket telescope. This is after my recent commitment to a more minimalistic lifestyle.
That yellow-hated outfit would have been right at home in the Beverly Hills of the 50's!
Snow at the beach must be quite a sight to see. Am I the only one, who seeing Engelbert Humperdink in video title expected to see a popular singer from years ago?
Yesterday's photo of Sophie in the boot. Looked familiar....I looked back today and by golly it is Art Garfunkel. :)
Standing by the cornfield viewing the planet line-up with a glass of champagne. Life is good.
Post a Comment