Boxing Day

 

The weather remains unseasonably mild. Most days in December we need to be bulked up with five or six layers to keep warm but this morning is a three layer day. Will these spring like temperatures last into Hogmanay ?

Half a dozen ladies are enjoying themselves in the salt water pool beneath the castle. They are in no hurry to leave. After drying themselves off the women  sit swaddled in padded coats on the rocks. Blankets are spread out on the sand and a wicker basket containing a thermos flask ,sandwiches and a bottle of Prosecco appears. It's a Boxing Day picnic. They cheer and laugh as the cork shoots out of the bottle with a loud festive 'pop'. We can hear it, and them, from the top of the cliff.  If you're looking for evidence of climate change look no further.

Horses on the beach. They race along the sand from the golf course to the estuary and then dawdle in the surf before doing the same route in reverse. With the beach to themselves they can run to their hearts delight.

Back along the coast we're greeted by Puppy. Puppy is delighted to see us. A stick is dropped at our feet. Why buy expensive dog toys when a piece of driftwood is as exciting as it gets ? I throw  the stick half a dozen times. Puppy, of course, would like to spend all day playing this game.

Yesterday the Jack Russells got a taste of turkey and roast potatoes. They also  got Chipolatas.  These were much admired. The farmers wife tells us Puppy returned home last night with part of  a human leg bone. She'd been exploring down in the field where the 4th century pre-Christian cemetery has been found. This , for the sake of clarity, is not the same field as the one in which the Bronze Age tombs have been unearthed. Puppy is developing a skill set as an excellent archaeologist. The Police are supposed to be called whenever bones are found but in this instance the farmer decided our local policeman wouldn't appreciate coming out on Christmas Day to look at a bit of 1500 year old shin.

What fun ! : https://x.com/i/status/1871939471480168522

A seasonal substack on life in London. The Smithfield meat market auction ( annoyingly you have to scroll down to find the article ) is interesting :https://www.londoncentric.media/p/last-of-the-christmas-meat-auctions  The Ocado breakdown must have prompted a last minute rush to the local branch of Waitrose.