Mayhem and moustaches.

Youngsters starting to drift back into town. The local cabbies busy collecting bleary eyed teens from the London sleeper train. This morning the average age of the towns residents seems to have halved. We meet a Professor from the International Relations Department with a Schnauzer called 'Mayhem'.  The Schnauzer lives up to its name and chases the pigeons in the car park. We briefly discuss yesterdays events in America. The Professor, as one might expect from someone who calls his dog 'Mayhem', is expecting 'expand our territory'  turbulence.

Down on the beach the dog walking fraternity are out in force. The weather has again turned out to be spring like and mild and people are making the most of it. The rooks are busy feasting on shrimp washed up along the tide line.

The new hotel down by the golf course has had workmen beavering away through  the weekend. This morning the lights are all blazing away and finishing touches are being made to the restaurant(s) and bar.  The work seem to be going on 24/7 which is unusual in Scotland.

Through the windows we can see that artwork is going up on the brasserie walls while two fitters can be seen wrestling with an over sized chandelier in the reception. When the art work goes up the punters can't be far behind. The website still gives an imprecise opening date sometime in March:https://www.seatonhouse.com/  We have high hopes for the fish restaurant although we don't know where they will find qualified staff.

To the cheese shop for some Orkney Cheddar and our favourite brand of Aberdeen smoked salmon. They're out of smoked salmon. 'The Font' observes that the male fashion feature of the New Year is a moustache. True enough on our way back to the car we pass three youngsters sporting them. Some moustaches, it has to be said, are more successful than others.

Later this week we shall be going here and then on to try a new hotel in Glasgow :https://newlanark.org/

Our battery drains as if it's going out of fashion on a cold morning. The 50 mile range that's advertsied is closer to 15 by the time the windscreens been defrosted :https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/12/22/are-evs-useless-in-winter-a-guide-to-getting-the-most-out-of-your-electric-car-in-the-cold