Sunday, November 10, 2024

Poppy day.

It's barely light but two cheerful young soldiers are standing outside W H Smiths. They are reminding Sunday morning newspaper buyers to wear their Poppies or - even better - buy another one. This year the Poppies are being sold with an adhesive strip instead of a pin. In terms of finger safety this is a huge improvement.  The cheeky chappies tell us that the pipers of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards will be leading the procession from the auld kirk to the war memorial. " Ye shud make sure tae come along. They're braw ". We promise to return. Civic organizations are already assembling by the town hall where tea and buns are being provided to some earnest Sea Cadets.

One of the Halloween pumpkins outside the old medieval house near the cathedral  is now looking the worse for wear. It has collapsed. The other  pumpkin is looking dicey.


A group of American and Canadian parents and their offspring are being given a tour by a couple of enthusiastic student guides. The conveyor belt of youthful applicants wanting to come here never seems to stop. It might be chilly but at least it's dry. The student guides have a healthy disregard for historic accuracy. What's an odd century here or there when life is good and you're having fun ? We leave as the young guide starts on a story about the Mary Queen of Scots Thorn Tree. We wonder if there will be more or fewer American applicants this coming year ? Perhaps  our Prime Minister should follow this advice :https://www.edwest.co.uk/p/your-favourite-half-british-president


Newly appointed professors are getting ready to give their first public lectures. The one at the top of the list seems to be strangely relevant.


Christmas trees on sale outside the delicatessen. To avoid needle drop we shall wait a month before having one delivered. 

Plenty of fresh mince pies in the bakers window. Nothing charts the passage of the year like the local bakers window display. Christmas warrants both a garland and a tree. Window dressing excess St Andrews style.


Sunday music :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYMMg7bUUAE

Did you know this was going on ? :https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1855218017430356264.html



6 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

First prize for the most 'niche' Inaugural Lecture topic goes to Professor Tim Greenwood.

Linda said...

Interesting new concept of running all the Inaugurals together into one event. When I retired from my (also ancient) Scottish university not that long ago new professors were still having to do the full whack of an hour's lecture. Perhaps with shorter Inaugurals St Andrews is looking to the drawing power of the "Three Minute Thesis" events.

paphosmuseum said...

Last year, I bought a growing tree. Just saying. It has survived my benign neglect, and will be relit on the 19th December.

Lisa in France said...

The ant article was astounding. And, although I am currently trying very hard not to read anything that relates to He Who Must Not Be Named, that article was interesting as well (although I have great difficulty imagining this particular prime minister sucking up to this particular individual). I'd vote for more American students next year.

jabblog said...

We could learn a lot from ants . . .

Coppa's girl said...

The subjects of the inaugural lectures seem to be firmly rooted in a bygone age. I wonder how many will attend.
Every time I see Christmas decorations on blogs I read, I have to remind myself that it is still only November! Normally we don't have the same problem here, but this morning I noticed that one of the Chinese shops (we have quite a few) had their windows full of Christmas trees - so much for waiting until December!