The sound of geese

We always stay in One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow but this time we're trying a new hotel. Having made ( and paid for )  the booking they've now started bombarding us with overly familiar e-mails along the lines of ' We so look forward to welcoming you both to our spectacular and lovely hotel. Feel free to let us know what we can do to make your stay here truly remarkable. We have options to make every occasion special '. It then offers a variety of expensive add-ons ranging from flowers, through chocolates and champagne, to what is described as a spectacular candle it dinner for two in a roof top pod overlooking the Clyde. Check-in we are told has been 'improved' so that personal interaction is optional. Instead we will be sent a text with the code for a locked cabinet that contains our key. The early vibe suggests this will be a one off 'experience'.

Before heading off to the station we have a leisurely walk on the beach. Wave after wave of geese pass by overhead. There must be five thousand of them heading noisily due south. We saw, and heard, the same thing yesterday. The dog owners pause and look up at this unfolding drama. The dogs are too interested in playing ball to notice.

The expected influx of golfing fathers now visible around the towns three streets. Today there's a dozen or so folks standing outside the pavillion waiting to tee off. Large Mercedes are lined up outside the club house.

The Christmas Shop is open early. Why it's open in January, or indeed any day before October, is a mystery. Can people really impulse shop for tree ornaments at this time of the year ? Do they do 90% of their sales in November or are sales spread evenly across the year ?

In the coffee shop by the fountain a young father is finishing off his Americano. As he leaves he nods towards the small sleeping figure in the push chair and silently mouths the single word " teething ".

Nothing to whinge about this morning when it comes to the security barriers around the ditch that's been dug for the restaurants new power line. The barriers have  been well weighted down ahead of tomorrows expected gale. The latest warning indicates that we'll see 100 mph gusts.

One of the souvenir shops has a sub genre of hear no evil, speak no evil animals. This morning they're joined in the window by knights in armour.