Dearth

Should we turn the heating on or not ? This morning we decide we can do without it for a few more days . It's a close run thing. Tomorrow, the same question will be asked and the answer my well be different. As an interim solution the light weight duvet will be brought out of hibernation. In France this conversation would take place a whole month later.

The farmer informs us his wheat yields are down 7% from last years levels.  " It was the dearth of rain " that was the root of the problem. He rolls the 'r' in dearth so it sounds truly apocalyptic. We commiserate but leave him to sort out his expensive new potato harvester which has developed another 'teething' problem.

This is probably the best time of year to be in St Andrews. The town is filling up with first year students and their families. New faculty members can also be spotted. The men wear jackets with leather patches on the elbows and the women sensibly heeled shoes to cushion their feet from the cobble stones.  It's a time of new beginnings and bubbly enthusiasm. The real peak will be next weekend when the remaining 8,000 youngsters decant into town. In Starbucks we overhear two girls talking about their respective boyfriends. " I've told him repeatedly how the spin cycle works but he still hasn't done the laundry ."  GLWT!  Overhearing student conversations ensures a happy plus ca change start to the day.

Archie the arthritic labrador and his owner are down on the beach. He trots along behind while the younger dog races ahead chasing the curlews. We wave to them  across the sand.

Hints of autumn everywhere but a few bursts of summer colour in the hedgerows tells us not everyone got the message.

The hardware store now displaying a depleted range of summer products. Fish nets seem to have been a slow moving item this year.

Only one West Highland Terrier left. How long will it be before the box it comes in deteriorates in the winter weather ?

The Bulgarian strawberry lady says she expects to keep on harvesting the crop for another month.

Life here is following its reassuring old routines.

Parrots should be thanked for the establishment of the National Institute of Health :https://www.tpr.org/economy-and-labor/2024-12-02/texas-leads-the-country-in-net-migration?stream=top

Westerns :https://www.woman-of-letters.com/p/i-love-the-myth-of-the-good-man-with?hide_intro_popup=true

THE in place in Paris according to a villager who teaches in the French department:https://mokochaya.com/

French power :https://www.worksinprogress.news/p/liberte-egalite-radioactivite

On the news this morning :https://x.com/PeterTwinklage/status/1963621013226246306