Music

Our five am world is a wonderful place. No cars. No noise. No crowds. Sophie, as you can see, continues to lose weight. 

This morning the PONette leads me slowly to the cathedral ruins and then on to the castle. By the time we get there the sun is rising slowly over the sea. She has a very clear idea of where she wants to go. Our pace is 'temperate'. 

We stop to look at a picture of the new king on a box of shortbread in the delicatessens window. The shop owner tells me that these are big sellers with tourists. The shortbread biscuits have a union flag stamped on them which means they sell at a 'Limited Edition' premium. We both agree that this is one of the 'better' pictures of the king.

Sophie refuses salmon but eats some warm prawn risotto for breakfast. She does this with enthusiasm. Prawns are now her favourite food. She won't touch her start of week favourite - salmon. I can't help but think that our family diva is rather like one of those difficult hotel guests that calls up room service at three in the morning  to order a BLT . ' Leave off the lettuce and tomato but give me double mayo and extra bacon. Extra fries too !  '.

The dog ramp is proving to be a great boon for getting in and out of the car. Tired limbs clamber down quickly and can be hauled up slowly.  There's lots of thick uncut grass out by the golf course . Her enthusiasm for grass is a recent development. Perhaps it's a sign that her stomach is 'unsettled'.  Earlier in the week she didn't have the strength to get out of the car let alone make it onto the beach. This morning she plods across the sand into the water. Gulls are glared at but she can't be bothered to chase them.  A full half an hour is spent grazing on the lush grass. These one foot in front of the other days are , in their own way, simply glorious. 

We receive a letter from the university telling us that the graduation balls will start in two weeks. They promise to keep the noise down and the 'sound equipment under control'. They make this promise every year ... but fail miserably. We rather enjoy living close by the festivities although for the unwary tourists in neighbouring AirBnB's the noise of the pipes and the reveling can come as a surprise.

Here's a wee taste of what lies in store. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PStMByEit_U