Two sachets.

 

Snow, possibly heavy, is forecast for next week. Out here on the North Sea coast it's already turned decidedly nippy. This, of course , does not bother Sophie who continues to model her cold weather look. Seems the super smart Los Angeleans called this late bout of frigid weather spot on. They are making the local pension funds a lot of money trading natural gas futures.

Yesterday,  Angus went to Edinburgh. A return 1st class train ticket - coffee and sandwich included - a reasonable £26. The train was punctual, to the second, on both legs of the journey. On the way down the lady pushing the trolley asked me how I wanted my coffee - ' one sachet or two ?'   I thought she meant sugar. Seems she was actually asking if I wanted two sachets of instant coffee in my cup. Don't think I've ever been asked that before. Be advised that one sachet of ScotRail instant is more than enough - a two sachet cup is akin to drinking battery acid. 

Princes Street, which used to be a great shopping destination, is now a sad shadow of its former self. All the old department stores have closed and are being turned into hotels. The street level windows soon to be home to a mass of identical coffee shops and banal restaurants.

The family lawyers is a twelve minute walk from the station. The old firm is oblivious to the changes going on around them. They continue to operate from the same premises they've been in since Moses parted the Red Sea. Angus is in and out in twenty minutes. If polite small talk was excluded the whole signing and witnessing procedure could have been done in half that time.  Four of the old Georgian houses further down the road are being converted from offices back into houses. People are rediscovering the city centre and finding it to be very liveable.

Just enough time before catching the train home to visit one or two art galleries.

This picture of dogs grabs my attention. I can't decide whether it's good art or whether it's the subject matter that appeals.