Two of the Jack Russells are out on patrol bright and early. The eldest is at an age where she prefers to linger by the AGA on chilly mornings.
The younger dogs greet us enthusiastically but finding us devoid of biscuits are soon off in pursuit of excitement. A large flock of pigeons feeding in the barley field have to be chased. This is done noisily and inefficiently.
The Volvo's thermometer says it's minus 8 . I'm usually somewhat sceptical about what the cars ageing electronics tell us but it could be correct as there's a thick frost and the tops of the hills on the far side of the bay are coated in snow . This blast of Antarctic air isn't enough to deter a group of students from enjoying the perfect surfing conditions in the bay.
There are twenty or so cavorting in the waves when we arrive for our morning walk. By the time we retrace our steps this has risen to forty. Yet more arrive and soon the car park is full . Kayakers and canoeists also start to show up. Lunacy !
The local dog walkers, prevented from going onto the beach by the high tide and waves, watch the students from the safety of the grass bank. We all agree that the youngsters inhabit a different planet.
So starts a decidedly nippy Wednesday morning in a small university town on the North Sea. The new car is supposed to be delivered this week but the BMW dealer is adopting a ' If I don't answer their e-mails all will be well ' approach to their customers. After six months neither of us can remember much about the new car, our enthusiasm has disappeared and if given the chance we would go and buy a Kia. So much for that premium German experience.
2 comments:
The robot dog is peculiar. The coastguard patrol is scarier.
I'm not surprised at the influx of kayakers, etc. My husband is a sea kayaker, and I now know from listening to (very) lengthy descriptions of wave conditions that those look ideal for a relaxing paddle. Quite a bit of snow on Speyside - I had a journey home to the hills from the nearby market town that was in a convoy of traffic at 30mph, with a few cars sliding and failing to make their way up infinitesimal gradients. Luckily we had the winter tyres put on to the Volvo last week.
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