Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Ghouls.

 

St.Andrews is home to an army of aggressive seagulls. They open up all the dustbins in search of food and drop whatever they can't eat across the pavements. The gulls have a particular love of discarded fish suppers. In an attempt to outfox them local residents have been issued with large beak resistant black bags for their rubbish. On dustbin day these have to be tied to either your front door or a downpipe to stop the gulls scattering the contents everywhere. The dustmen won't collect anything that doesn't meet these new seagull defeating standards. On our walk this morning black bags can be found lined up like ghouls outside all the front doors.


It's difficult to get a good picture of the  installation art that's appeared on the chapel lawn.


 I spot one Japanese lady standing wondering what it is.


There are a lot of Australian theologians about. In a particularly unscientific observation I note that it's a  near universal truth that they prefer backpacks to briefcases. The large marquee that was set up for the debaucheries of the graduation ball has been repurposed into a 'theology tent' for the incomers. There is, I suppose, a moral in that.


Down on the coast the fancy Edinburgh builders are hard at work. Five of them showed up yesterday. Two of them dig holes and the others load the demolished conservatory into a skip. The skip has been filled so another will need to be ordered today. The  supervisor is not a 'ray of light'. He tends to the ' If that's what you've agreed with the architect then I'll do it - but it's not ideal '  view of life. The good news is that the bathrooms have been completed . The less good news is that the water in the house has been turned off until the electrics in the kitchen are installed. 


Meeting the Toulouse rugby team the French President has been videoed downing a bottle of beer in 17 seconds. Critics say this is an example of toxic masculinity :https://twitter.com/CanalplusRugby/status/1670453429259456514

This London museum re-opens tomorrow after a subtle make over . The architecture is said to be both understated and good :https://www.npg.org.uk/


15 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Shortly after I moved to Aberdeen in 1999 the council introduced wheelie bins as an anti-seagull measure. Interesting that St Andrews has apparently not followed suit.
I look at the video of Macron chugging beer and see it as a small guy's rather pathetic attempt at proving to all those big muscly rugby players that he's one of the gang.
Cheers, Gail

Coppa's girl said...

It is rather surprising that St. Andrews hasn't adopted the wheelie bin - or are the seagulls so canny they know exactly how to open them?

Angus said...

WFT/ Coppa - Lots of wheelie bins but only for those houses with doors big enough to take them and a yard to store them. And, yes, if the lids are closed tight the gulls will get in there.

jabblog said...

Are there no plans to introduce contraception to the gulls - spermicide in the food remnants, for example? I jest, of course.

Charlotte said...

Very interesting blog this morning. Thank you for the delightful insights of what happens in a different location than where I live. Great pictures.

waterdog said...

I agree with Charlotte. Thank you for taking the time to write about St. Andrews and the surrounding area. A college town is somewhere that something is always happening. Additionally, following the construction project is interesting. Having done it several times, it seems like these things have a way of taking more time no matter where you are in the world. Also I keep hoping that when we followers least expect it, a puppy will appear in the Angus/Font household.
JoAnn in Maryland

Angus said...

Waterdog - I think the next time ( after catching up with family ) we shall go for the rescue dog that no one else wants . There again after generations of PONs the change would b difficult.

Diaday said...

Your last photo of the garden looking toward the sea is beautiful.

Jake of Florida said...

Are there PONs who need to be rescued? Or would you open your hearts to a different breed? Two of the three WFTs who have owned us have been rescues, including our Joey who was 13 when we brought him home 4 years ago. I am convinced that it is my angel Jake who from on high finds those who need us.

Leslie Piper said...

They do look like ghouls! Having watched way too many moody, atmospheric crime dramas set in Scotland, the ghouls seem appropriate to me. (Of course each time I visited St Andrews the sun was shining and there was not a hint of malice, but why let reality get in the way of a good ghoul sighting?)
I am fully on team rescue dog. Choose the one who needs the most care and find the equivalent of the storm drain to sit on while you tell him that he is noble and beloved.

rottrover said...

What IS that art installation? It looks like a bunch of tree branches stuck in the ground. Yes, I've become MY father!!

Travel said...

Gulls can be annoying. Glad to hear about the progress on the remodel, it will be finished before you know it.

Lisa in France said...

Maybe one of each, a rescue and a PON? Meanwhile, Macron is certainly an interesting character. The rugby players seem quite happy with his effort.

Louise in Az said...

I quite like the big twigs but think I'd prefer if they had a giant marshmallow on top.

Tigger's Mum said...

On a visit to Lerwick years ago we noticed that everyone seemed to have a heavy cargo net out front on rubbish day - to pin down the bags and deter gull predation. Not sure how well that worked. Old fashioned metal trash cans, of the kind that need two hands to prise the lid off should surely foil even the most determined gull. (They are a noisy opportunity for students on the lash however.)