The chubby Pomeranian

Yesterdays arrival of the large coach remains the topic of conversation for the local  dog walkers. The retired judge is surprised it managed to make the sharp right angled turn by the village notice board without getting stuck. 'He must have been an experienced driver' said in a knowledgeable tone of voice although the word lucky might just as easily apply. The lady with the well behaved labrador wonders if tour groups are set to become a regular feature of our Sunday mornings. We leave the two of them discussing this improbable scenario and continue into town. Daffodils now sprouting among the snowdrops along the woodland walk. 

By the harbour we pass the taciturn Chinese gentleman on our morning walk. He used to be seen with two dogs - a Puli and a Pomeranian that clearly likes its food. For the last few days he's only been accompanied by the chubby Pomeranian.

The usual cast of dog walkers on the beach. Town has two beaches. Each of them has its own cast of characters. There's an easterly wind that just slightly too strong to be comfortable so they're walking along briskly as are the posse of mutts that surround them.

At this time of the morning traffic is not a problem. In fact prior to eight in the morning there is no traffic. Between eight thirty and nine, when lectures start, the old town suddenly fills up. 

Work seems to have stopped on the three houses that the US hedge fund manager is planning to turn into a single family home. The postman tells us  plans have been submitted to dig down into the bedrock to create a basement swimming pool. Good luck with getting planning permission for that. In fact this will probably be the first ( and quite possibly only ) time anyone here has thought of excavating into the ground rock to install a basement pool. The neighbours have woken up to the fact the excavations are likely to be intrusive and have lodged a series of objections. Basement swimming pools are very London and decidedly un-St Andrean.

On our way back to the car we're met by the Chinese gentlemans Pomeranian walking slowly up the hill from the harbour. 

New Mexico:https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/20-000-year-old-evidence-of-ancient-vehicles-discovered-in-new-mexico

Good news:https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/reaching-net-zero-emissions-might-be-much-easier-and-cheaper-than-we-thought/

Poverty fell :https://justismills.substack.com/p/journal-club-how-poverty-fell

Not often you see both Canada and Sweden mentioned in the same piece :https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/canada's-expulsion-from-five-eyes-would-be-a-disaster?