Wild swimming and Christmas music # 15

 

A local BBC programme reinforces my view that wild swimmers are completely mad . In fact I'm sure there's no clinical word for this sort of masochistic behaviour :https://youtu.be/Act1veCANwY?t=192

We watch the final episode of Wolf Hall. Casting Timothy Spall as the Duke of Norfolk was inspired. He has the most lugubrious of faces and brought the evil aristocrats role to life. 

The news this morning informs us that Canadas government is in trouble, the German coalition has collapsed, South Korea remains in turmoil and heaven alone  knows what's going on in France. In the UK the new government is unpopular. The MSM seem intent for blaming it for all the things that were left undone and unpaid for over the last 14 years. How quickly people forget. Not surprisingly, the dollar has surged in value against Europeans currencies which may - according to the manager  - explain the last minute surge in demand for rooms at the towns best 5 star hotel.

Only a few more days to the winter solstice. In the seven am darkness we're rewarded with the sight of the cathedral ruins outlined against the setting moon. The harbour spotlights are on and the fishermen are up early and ready for a day at sea. The local hotels demand for Christmas lobster remains robust. We greet 'Lob' our local fisherman and his two Boxers. They are real sea-dogs and keen to get underway. They leap onto the boat, rush to the bow and whine with anticipation. They have been bought flashing collars which can be seen twinkling away as the boat passes the pier and heads out to the point. It's calm and mild and 'Lob' hopes to be back and moored by early afternoon.

Not a soul to be seen between the harbour and the castle.

Even the centre of town is deserted. I'd reckon a third of the students have gone and by tonight that will be closer to half. Pity the poor souls who have to wait until Friday afternoon to finish their last papers. From the lack of cars it would seem that many of the university staff have also headed off.

The town fountain sparkles under the Christmas lights.

Christmas music #15 - something of an orchestral rarity :https://youtu.be/9qpP15t3Lh0

A New York exhibition :https://folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/anything-but-simple-gift-drawings-and-the-shaker-aesthetic/

Indo-Anglians an interesting concept :https://sajithpai.com/indias-newest-fastest-growing-caste/