We've now finished watching Ripley on Netflix ( the cast devoid of emotion but the black and white screen shots sumptuous in a 1980's Chanel 5 advert sort of way ). There's nothing else that piques our interest so we go to the cinema where there's a choice between a demonic nun movie, something to do with super heroes and 'Civil War'. The few students queueing for ice creams seem keen on the demonic nun option . We show our age and opt for 'Civil War' as being more palatable than a night in a haunted house with a vampiric wimple wearer or a group of folks in leotards battllng alien monsters. Our seats are upstairs but we're directed downstairs due to a leak in the balcony ceiling. "It's the wet weather we've been having "says the lady at the ticket counter as if rain is something unusual in these parts. The place smells slightly damp. Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake can't start updating the place soon enough as far as we're concerned. Sunday evening ahead of exams is clearly not peak cinema going time. We reckon there are twelve customers - in total. At £9 per ticket that's not going to cover the staffs wages.
Be warned - the soundtrack to 'Civil War' is very loud - as in very loud.
Monday morning. A group of four American golfers have parked outside the Medieval History department. They're talking loudly and we can hear them from the other side of the road. I'm guessing they've flown in overnight, hired a Mercedes at the airport and driven up. The Mercedes is smaller than they thought it would be and extracting themselves, their clubs and their baggage - while dealing with jet lag - is not a simple process. Having the steering wheel on the wrong side doesn't help. They get in each others way. The alpha male amongst them is called Ryland. He claims to have been to St Andrews before but his ' I know the way to the club house. Follow me ! ' would be more convincing if he was heading towards the golf course rather than away from it. Ryland is also of the opinion that as it's an electric vehicle you don't need to pay for parking. He's in for a surprise. We both wonder if Ryland is a popular name in America.
The good little Italian coffee shop closed at this time of the morning. We go to Starbucks instead. It's warm enough to sit outside without having to wear a hat and quilted jacket .
I make a note of a lecture on Thursday evening.
The gutters on a house down by the harbour are alive with noisy sparrows and gulls.
Back at the parking lot we find a well behaved dog sitting watching his mistress feed breakfast to a set of lively two year old twins. The tailgate of their car is up and they're sitting in a line swinging their legs and watching the oyster catchers. The twins are messy and enthusiastic eaters. What doesn't go in their mouths is picked up off the grass by the dog. The dog seems to think this is a pretty good deal. When breakfast is finished the twins, mother and family pooch go for a stroll along the waters edge. The twins are attracted to the water like moths to a flame. I'd reckon mother will be frazzled by noon.
So starts a Monday morning when the sun, is at last, making its presence known.
8 comments:
Every tour group has its Ryland character.
Lovely music this morning and the accompanying painting made me a wee bit homesick for England!
Cheers, Gail.
Catching up after a few days away. Loved your Kate Kennedy procession photos from the weekend!
Good tip about Civil War. I recall taking my husband to see Dunkirk and having him leave after 10 minutes to sit in the (quiet) lobby. Same thing with Hamilton. We're going to see Springsteen (God of New Jersey) in Marseille next month, and I have no idea what's going to happen but I'm planning on earplugs for him.
In the US, Hulu is airing a new version of “Shogun.” If you can get it in Scotland, I highly recommend it. It is excellent. The best series I have seen on television in a long time.
I checked the census report and it seems Ryland is a rather rare name in the US; Yet as Gail so aptly observed, every tour group does seem to have one.
We rarely go to the movies these days as the ear shattering soundtrack levels, being surrounded by candy box cellophane rattles, and cell phone users drive me batty.
A new one for your blog Angus, I had to prove "I'm not a robot" this morning by choosing pictures of bridges out of a photo montage.
Sorry about the ugly Americans, younger one's at that. Likely the Mercedes was the largest car with an automatic transmission, few men in the USA under the age of 50 can drive a manual. And having driven a right hand drive car with a manual transmission, I have to say that shifting with my left hand was more challenging that driving on the left.
Travel - Read an article yesterday that only 29% of cars sold in the UK are manual - that's down 50% or so in half a decade.
I've not heard the name Ryland. Ryan, though, is very popular. But, as Gil states, there's one in every group.
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