Hard working electricians.

The Alaska summit the lead story on the news. There is an underlying tone of 'the world we knew has gone' weariness which the BBC does it's best to hide. This is quickly followed by a segment on a spat between Ms. Laura Loomer and Marjorie Taylor Greene. The presenter thinks this is a relief from never ending rehashing of the Epstein story. I'm not so sure. Having 'done' England we learn that the American Vice President has now arrived in Scotland for the next leg of his holiday. He will be staying here :https://www.carnellestates.com/

God bless Scottish power. They've made three appointments to fit a smart meter and simply not shown up for any of them. Explanations or apologies are notable by their absence. A text book example of customer service without the service. We've now given up and moved our electricity contract to Octopus. Their fitter shows up as promised at seven am to install the new 5G meter. That by any standards is an early start and is why ,when we look out of the window, we find the ship that's anchoring in the bay is still ablaze with light. The fitter will work through lunch installing meters and then take his three year old to the beach. This seems a very sensible work life balance.

Guess who is sitting on a rock glaring at the cormorants ? She hurtles across the sand and up onto the path towards us. Does she never sleep ? Puppy follows us as far as the old lifeboat station and then heads off in pursuit of a partridge.

The strip of barley field that was 'missed' yesterday is being harvested. Afterwards it will be the turn of the large wheat field behind us. We will need to keep the doors and windows tightly shut.

There's a shuttle of tractors that run back and forth past The last wee house before Denmark collecting the grain.

By seven thirty the local are heading down towards the sea with their children. The good weather is expected to last through the weekend. This provides the perfect excuse for families to take the last of their holiday allowance before the autumn weather arrives. So far this morning a dozen toddlers and their picnic carrying parents have made it down to the shore. There is much laughter. For those who work at the university there's two weeks to go before the class of 2026 arrive. For those who work at the local school there's two days. Time is no longer rushing by. It's sprinting. 

This is a very French thing to do :https://archaeology.org/issues/september-october-2025/features/how-to-build-a-medieval-castle/

A surprise to come across this. I'm surprised  ( but delighted ) DOGE hasn't defunded the Library of Congress :https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2025/07/everything-is-peachy-summer-recipes-from-historic-newspapers/

This seems sensible but what alternative is there ? :https://www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/why-i-stopped-being-a-climate-catastrophist

Information you'll never use :https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/quantum-deception-attempts-turning-water-into-wine/4021991.article

MIT take on the human condition :https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/why-human-irrationality-is-evolutionary-not-accidental/