Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Busy

 

It's been cold south of the border . By contrast the weather up here has been unseasonably mild. This morning we head along the track to the salt lake. The geese look at us and honk to make it clear we're disturbing them. A couple of large naval vessels are anchored out in the estuary. The grey of their hulls  almost invisible against the cloud. Not often you see two of them together. Guess the Russians are still busy out in the North Sea. An old friend from Berlin calls on the mobile. As Sophie explores the rocks and the seaweed her companion talks about France and Germany. It's strange how Poland is fast becoming Americas most important ally in the EU.


Town is busy . Despite the early hour folk are enjoying the mild weather and taking  their dogs for a walk. Students - either early rising or, just as possibly, late to bed , are walking up and down the beach. A group of female wannabe kayakers are learning how to paddle in the inner harbour. The young male instructor does his best to maintain some form of order. The kayakers are having too much fun to pay him any attention. Ducks and herons scatter as they approach. Some American girls appear with a tray of Starbucks coffees. Three young men try to impress them by hanging over the side of the railings on the quayside. This clearly does the trick.  They are soon chatting away like old friends. When the students are around you can always catch the sound of laughter.


The wee red lobster boat has been out in the deep waters just in front of the cottage. It potters in and ties up. The fisherman sells us a dozen langoustine . The lobsters are all pre-sold to the large 5 star hotel on the hill. They're on the lunch time menu at £75 a pop. The fisherman asks if we'll be at the Burns Supper. I tell him we will. 


Never in my life have I seen a town with as many dogs as here. The canine population falls into two general categories. Those that require coats to keep out the cold and those that have thick cold repelling  coats of their own. The later group are more numerous. It goes without saying that in a crowded field Sophie wins the 'cold repelling'  category hands down.

13 comments:

Liz Hamblyn said...

We had cold brew coffee at a Mexican restaurant in Petone, Wellington, New Zealand recently and it was very good and as a New Zealander we take our coffee very seriously.
https://newzealandtrails.com/news/guide-to-new-zealands-coffee-culture/

Lisa in France said...

I've been wondering whether coats for dogs were "allowed" in Scotland, but now you've answered my question. I was myself quite anti-dog clothing until Charlie joined us, but he is very fond of his fleece. One of his best friends in the neighborhood is an Italian Greyhound who wears a getup including full body armor, leggings down to his feet and a hood. He looks comfortable, and there are no ruffles involved. Also very interesting to see people kayaking in St. Andrews in January - something I would not have imagined. My son submitted his first graduate school application yesterday, to Glasgow. It would not be at all a bad place to spend a year, although I can't imagine there is kayaking and I do hope he gets the rest of his applications in as well. Edinburgh should be up next and then Cardiff and then UCL, followed by Sussex, which looks like fun, and a couple of others.

Virginia said...

That lobster price is eye- watering!

Coppa's girl said...

I'm always amused at the number of small dogs here wearing winter coats when the weather is still quite mild. Sophie is lucky that she, like Indy, has fur thick enough to keep warm in all but the coldest spells.
Who buys these things - it seems rather a high price to pay for a cup of cold coffee! Not something I'd enjoy, but would think it's a great deal less expensive just to leave my mugful of black, no sugar, to go cold! The nearest thing we have here is iced coffee in the summer months. Unfashionable though it may be, I prefer my coffee piping hot from my Nespresso machine.

WFT Nobby said...

It's good to see that at least some of the lobsters caught in Scotland are for use in the domestic market and not exported to Spain. Nobby is not keen on coats or jumpers and does not seem to have need of them, although his predecessor Bertie, with the same amount of fur, rather liked wearing his. (Perhaps Nobby just objects to wearing hand-me-downs!)
I am definitely into coffee but am not in the market for the product in today's link. Incidentally, I found it surprising in Cuba that they manage to sell any packets of coffee for visitors to take home given that the cups of coffee we were served there ranged from the mildly unpleasant to the utterly undrinkable (and that was not just my opinion).
Cheers, Gail.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
I had never thought about coats for dogs (having been brought up around hardy Border Collies)... but when my angel Jade grew into her senior years, she felt the cold quite badly. I tried her with a wrap just to start with, and she clearly appreciated it, so I crocheted her a jacket. I then had trouble taking it off her; she loved it so much! Mind you, being a Rhodesian/Staffy mix, her fur was very short and very thin. YAM xx

Travel said...

Fresh local seafood, how wonderful. Thanks for taking us along on the morning walk.

Camille said...

We received 16 inches of snow during the past 24 hours here in central New Hampshire so it is certain that winter has finally arrived. Dottie refuses to wear her stylish jackets insisting she has a sturdy Cairn coat designed for such weather. However I suspect her motive is that she very much enjoys and prefers the towel fluffing that takes place at the end of each walk. Such lovely descriptions of your own walk this morning, it felt like we were there with you Angus.

Gemma's person said...

Do you wonder what the students think of you/Sophie out walking every morning?
Getting a coffee and a treat.

Iza said...

My PONette was in a coat wearing category. I giggled about it every time she wore one, but it was easier to keep her clean and drying time after walks was lower. For the worst rain, I'd put her in overalls if I can call it that. That was completely ridiculous, but worked.

Barbara Anne said...

I so enjoy your blog and the various links you often add for interest. Ta!

We've had a Filtron Cold Water Coffee System since the early 1970s, it cost about $30, and you occasionally have to order a new filter, plug, or other bit. It makes the best, non-acidic coffee, and we're quite spoiled by the excellent coffee. The "coffee essence" from 11oz to 16oz of coffee is stored in a glass jug in the 'fridge.

Anonymous said...

Interesting coffee maker. Might show it to my coffee technique fixated friend. Then again I just heard him discuss (in great detail and for third time) how to use a Bialetti to make a “good” coffee.

Angus said...

Gemmas person - Sophie might be noticed but her accompanying human - and indeed anyone over the age of forty - is completely invisible to the average student.