Only one topic of conversation on the radio this morning. The breakfast programme journalists can understand the control tower in Washington was short staffed but find it embarrassingly difficult to fathom out what DEI has to do with it. The implicit assumption is that aircraft disasters are simply not the thing that politicians would ever be expected to comment on other than to unite the country around praying for the victims and their families. Judgements are what accident investigators are for. " Of course we've sadly not been blessed with politicians that are omniscient " says one pundit with the faintest undertone of what might, or might not be, comparative irony.
Down to Edinburgh ... and back. The trains run on time. In fact the return journey sees us arriving three minutes early. Parking at the station is 60p a day. Can't be many stations where 24 hours parking is less than £1.
What should have been a ten minute visit turns into an hours ordeal of trying out cushion fillings to judge their hardness. Whoever knew cushions came in so many varieties of firmness ? The workshop is tidy which may indicate the man works alone. He tells me he's been building sofas for 40 years and all - bar one lost in a house fire - are still doing what they were designed to do.
Gordon Ramsays on St Andrews Square does a £20 two course lunch. Sea Bream with steamed vegetables for 'The Font' and a steak and chips for me. There's Apple Crumble to follow. We're in and out in 45 minutes which means we can get the 1:30 train north. Six identikit Scottish ladies are at the next table. It's the eightieth birthday of one of them. Her name is Jessie and she's come in from Falkirk. All are wearing their party outfits. A bottle of wine is ordered and then a second. By the time we're leaving a third is on its way amid expressions of ' I shouldn't but I will '. The six ladies were happy when they arrived and are well on course to be even happier when they leave.
Recommended by a Professor at Columbia. Slightly out of tune but very French. The violins are great :https://youtu.be/6Pa-M3qtquo
India through Indian eyes :https://siddhesh.substack.com/p/culture-shock-2
Is this unexpected ? :https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2418077122
The bizarre restaurant reviewer tries a Scottish chain with outlets in London, Tokyo and Bangkok. Who has ever heard of a Scottish restaurant chain ? Bars yes but restaurants ? Irn Bru makes an appearance :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkYnEykGloY
11 comments:
Hari Om
That was a full and useful day out by the sound of it! Here's to the sofa meeting expectation... YAM xx
There's too much choice in everything these days. Maybe there should be more Henry Ford choices.
I absolutely hate purchasing large items these days whether it be a sofa, a refrigerator or a car. As Jabblog said, “Too many choices” to say nothing of the salesmen pushing the item. Today’s links were very interesting. I especially enjoyed the article about life comparisons in India as well as the Scottish breakfast feature.
The older we get the easier it should be to say, why not?
Your first photo looks like a water color :)
“A terrible thing happened. All he had to do is go out there and say, ‘This is a tragedy,’ offer some comfort to the families, to the military families, promise to get to the bottom of it. But he can’t do that, because he’s callous, he’s racist, he’s sexist, and, most of all, he’s stupid. He’s a deeply stupid man.” — JIMMY KIMMEL
I can confirm that the porridge-serving café, Hata, is excellent. I also think I know the sofa maker of your visit. We have been through the cushion-testing exercise there and have been very happy with the result.
That furniture maker looks to be a true artisan, works of art come to mind. The role of a President in times of tragedy like the DC crash is to offer words of condolence and reassurance, not spew garbage and make it all about himself and blame it on previous administrations or make up garbage to politicize it. His behavior yesterday was deeply disturbing, but sadly typical.
Buying a sofa can actually be very difficult, at least if you have any hope of it's being comfortable. So hopefully, your time was well spent. As to the terrible accident in DC, it's now becoming clear that it was the usual story where numerous things all went wrong at the same time, none having anything to do with DEI.
He displayed an appalling lack of common decency.
He’s an appalling person.
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