5400 steps.

The UK election continues to dominate the airwaves. Last week saw the parties setting out their 'vote for us and get a microwave' promises . This week they've moved on to laying out ever more miraculous ways to spend more money without raising taxes. So far we've not seen a single election poster. This may reflect the lack of passion this campaign is generating. By now, barring some unexpected scandal,  the result is pretty much baked in.

The new paint for the wee house in town arrives. I drop it off for the painters. Showers are forecast for later in the day so it remains to be seen how much of the outside they manage to get done. At the start of July the decorators 'lads' are all off with their girlfriends for two weeks holiday in Magaluf.  The 'lads' are exceedingly keen to work as  much overtime as possible to provide a last minute boost to their bank balances.

Two youngsters are standing in the salt water pool on the beach below the castle. Having made it into the water they seem to have run out of the courage needed to plunge in and get their shoulders wet. They stand looking at each other in shivering silence. They have discovered that the North Sea is colder than it looks - even when the sun is shining.

At the top of the hill we come face to face with a solitary duck standing in the middle of the road. To say the town is quiet would be an understatement. We're enjoying the pre-graduation week calm. Come Thursday the first of the soon to be graduates and their parents will start arriving for next weeks ceremonies. Every night will soon be party night.

There's a cheerful municipal workman watering the plant pots by Starbucks. He's watched by a smattering of jet lagged golfers sitting nursing over large sized espressos at the pavement tables. This morning a group from Durham , North Carolina are impatiently waiting for their tee off time on the Jubilee course. 

Our pre-breakfast walk has covered a hearty 5400 steps . 

Not sure I want to believe this :https://theconversation.com/cost-of-living-if-you-cant-afford-as-much-fresh-produce-are-canned-veggies-or-frozen-fruit-just-as-good-229724

Is this alarming or reassuring ? :https://www.popsci.com/technology/rubiks-cube-robot/