The Earl and Christmas music #15.

 

We go to a fancy drinks party. We know its fancy because the invite says ' lounge suit '. What a very Edwardian term. Angus doesn't want to go but he's told he has to enter into the spirit of the season.  'You don't want to appear standoffish'. Angus would quite happily settle for being standoffish rather than go driving out into the country on a dark winters night.  A discussion ensues as to whether 'lounge suit' means wearing a neck tie. In London ties have all but disappeared but these are more conservative parts. A tie is chosen. The venue is a rambling tower house located in a remote spot accessed by heavily potholed single track roads. Street lighting is lacking. At the front door a tall middle aged man in a white shirt and multi-coloured bow tie glumly offers me a glass of champagne. He's presumably the party organizer . While waiting for 'The Font' I make polite small talk along the lines of 'This must be your busiest time of the year ' . "No. Not really " he replies. After a few more inconsequential exchanges about the weather, the distance of the car park from the house and a generic ' Will you be going home for Christmas ?' the man in the bow tie disappears. When 'The Font' arrives I discover I've been talking to our host - one of Scotlands wealthiest Earls . 'The conversation doesn't sound as though it was too taxing' says 'The Font' delphically.

There are plates of boiled potatoes and sliced meats for guests to nibble on. This is interesting but impractical finger food.

A calm morning down on the waters edge. The lobster fishermen were out in force yesterday. All their boats were plying the waters by the deep rock pools offshore. We're now expecting our lobsters to be dropped off sometime tomorrow. The local farmers brother will also deliver a turkey.

Work on the repairs to the pier continue ... slowly. More fencing has gone up. The yellow mechanical digger reappears.

Malteaser cake alongside Coffee and Walnut in the window of the Kate meets William cafe. Despite the unearthly hour there's already a group of Chinese tourists waiting for breakfast. Angus rather likes the sound of Malteaser cake. Perhaps there will be detour here later in the day ? Why there should be so many Chinese tourists in town is a seasonal mystery. What sort of tour operator would bring visitors to Scotland in December ? How do they manage to get here while it's still dark? 

And something modern and seasonal from Brazil. Not quite sure what's going on here but there's lots of activity, an enthusiastic choir, a hyper active angel , grannies with i-Phones and a very attentive Joseph. The sudden appearance of the baby is indeed miraculous. What's not to like ? :https://youtu.be/78S2jMVsbXs?t=963

Claremonts review of the best books of the year ;https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/making-a-list-checking-it-twice/

This is, apparently, quite brilliant :https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/lost-and-found/