Good to have backup.

 

Not yet six. Sophie's woken super early. Adjusting to northerly latitudes and twenty hours of daylight isn't easy. There are four deer in the field by the gate. By the time I've got the i-Phone out they're off onto the safety of the band of wild grass that lines the shoreline. Sophie sniffs the air but decides that deer chasing is best left until after breakfast. Lots of shore larks about this morning. The farmers wife  walking her labrador stops and says they're late leaving this year.  Does any bird have a song as light as a shore larks ?

Sophie has some roast salmon left over from last nights dinner with her breakfast kibbles. She heartily approves of roast salmon with her kibbles. Then we're off into town. The family diva makes a beeline from the back of the car to the beach. As we cross the dunes she turns to make sure I'm following . When faced with water it's a good idea to have backup. The look makes it abundantly clear that I need to pick up my pace.

There is some sort of 'event' at the golf club on the course closest to the car park. We wander over to see what's going on. The number of golfers waiting to tee off is growing in size. We seem to have crossed some golfing  rubicon last week. Where there were twenty plaid wearing enthusiasts milling around the first tee there are now fifty.  During Covid the young golf pro was laid off and to make ends meet she started making chocolates in her kitchen. Although she's back at work the chocolate production line remains in place. She's doing well enough for boyfriend to roped in with the marketing. He looks as happy as any man can be standing in a metal shed  at this time of the morning. The chocolates are very 'colourful'. 

The best seller is the 'golf collection'. These are snapped up as soon as a batch is made.  I buy a box . These will be presented to 'The Font' who will remark on how wonderful they are, taste one and then leave Angus to polish the rest off. As far as I can see the rest of todays batch will soon be heading off in the carry on baggage of a group of cheerful forty year old men from Carmel. They tell me their hotel here was as good as the Inn at Spanish Bay. 

This weeks reading. How Westminster works #1, followed by Looking to Sea in #2nd place. Last night we went to hear Sylvia Plaths daughter talk about her new book 'George: A Magpie Memoir'. This was an unexpected delight.

Reading ahead of Saturday : https://www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/oxford-people/George-Garnett