" Nice "

Three maintenance men are noisily delivering new chairs to the hospital waiting room.  A dungaree wearing gentleman with a strong Clackmannanshire accent informs the nurses that ' The new chairs is grey, the old yuns is blue. Where d'ya want them ?'. The nurses think the old ones should be taken away. The man curtly says 'I'm nae in the loop on that '. That almost certainly  means the chairs are staying.  By the time the furniture has been set out and rearranged several times -  the question of whether there should be three chairs or four around a table proving to be particularly vexing -  it's time for me to see the surgeon. Or, to be more precise, I'm moved to another, smaller, waiting area where I sit in isolation for ten minutes. A rather prim woman in a blue smock arrives. ' You're not supposed to be here' she says as if talking to a troublesome six year old.' We've been looking for you everywhere'.  I try to explain but the blue smocked woman is holding the door open and bustling me along to the 'right department'. I'm guessing that grey walls, blue furniture and wooden floors are designed to provide a calm and relaxing atmosphere. In this they fail.

While I wait for the surgeon there's ample time to study the notices on the wall. I'm particularly taken with an 'I Spy'  guide to who's who in the hospital system. The stern woman could be a staff nurse or a specialist nurse whose smock has been washed so many times it's faded. I'm guessing that small talk is not the stern womans forte so questions about staff uniforms can - prudently - wait until another day. A cheerful ' Looking after you ' has been added to the bottom right corner of the notice. 

Back at the Last wee house before Denmark there's a rather fine rainbow. Rainbows are commonplace here but never cease to thrill. The curlews are busy doing whatever curlews do. 

In town the fancy ladies outfitters has changed its window display. A stridently pink outfit that would put Barbie to shame has pride of place.  'Take a walk on the wild side ' is embroidered, vertically, down its front. Angus wonders if this is an altogether apt fashion statement  for the Presbyterian ladies of St Andrews.

The wee barbers is closing. I used to come here for a short back and sides when I was a student. Fifty years later it's still doing short back and sides. What a link to the past. Time to change to the Turkish barbers by the town fountain.  The barber there finishes off his handiwork by whipping out a cigarette lighter and burning off ear hairs. Students seem to think this is great fun. Angus has reached an age where proximity to a cigarette lighter wielding  stranger elicits concern.

The bookstore has taken delivery of a book  ordered for next weeks trip to Japan. ' Going to Japan ?' asks the man behind the counter while carefully studying the cover. 'Yes' I reply. " Nice " comes his response.

Last night we watch the last two episodes of One Day. Our pre-dinner Netflix hour. The ending isn't what I expected.

Tickets have been booked for this :https://www.tobikan.jp/en/exhibition/2023_worcester.html and this  ( although Angus is suspicious that it may be 'trendy'  :https://www.geigeki.jp/performance/theater356/