Christmas song #10

On our way down to the heron pond the farmers two teenage sons stop us for a wee blether. They are keen Scotland supporters and reckon they can go to the World Cup on a joint budget of £7,000. This is the sum of their two bank accounts and what they reckon they can earn by doing additional work around the farm over the Christmas holidays. They want to know if £65 a night will get them a hotel room in New York. " That should be no problem at 'aw " says the elder with the logic defying certainty that is peculiar to seventeen year olds. Angus isn't sure where you can find a hotel for that much anywhere in the US but suggests they Google the prices of hotels in Philadelphia and use that as a base to travel from. This is a 'letting them down gently' strategy. The cost of food doesn't seem to have entered into their calculations.  Basic tickets for the Haiti-Scotland game ( ie those seats that are high up in the stands and where the view is partially obstructed by a pillar )  are going for $265 if you can get one. Slightly better 'Standard' tickets are going to cost $500. A single seat for the final match will cost more than their combined budget. This is an expense that is unlikely to face Scots fans as they may be home well before then.

The Christmas tree is up and the creche has been set out on a shelf on the half landing.

Considering it comes from the Communist era Czechoslovak Socialist Republic the creche has survived being dragged around for the last four and a half decades in remarkably good condition. One of the angels has had a dual wing malfunction but this is soon put right with a dab or two of super glue. The creche may yet move.

We pass a dozen chaffinches sitting sunning themselves on the long grass down by the 4th tee. There's a crackling sound in the air as they open the seed pods with their beaks and hoover up the goodies inside. The second I bring out the i-Phone to take a picture eleven of them fly off. Can you see the remaining one that's unbothered by our presence ? If only someone would make a phone with a great zoon lens.

A few students hurry along quietly  getting in a few holes before the ticket office opens.

The beach sauna is busy. It's being used by four pretty girls and one Scots lad. Every so often they charge down onto the beach and then, ten minutes later, return to warm up. Someone has put a Christmas wreath on the side of the sauna. Every day the town quietly becomes more festive. This may come as a surprise to J D Vance who seems to think we follow Sharia law and traditions.

Only 72 views so far for Christmas song #10 from Linkoping in Sweden. Some of the echoing chords have a very medieval sound that wells up:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5haGB3_ypc&list=RDl5haGB3_ypc&start_radio=1  The girl fourth from the right seems to be feeling the cold.

Weekend reading :

The all important role of sleep :https://www.sciencealert.com/one-critical-factor-predicts-longevity-better-than-diet-or-exercise-study-says

Irans water problem isn't getting better :https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/irans-water-crisis-a-national-security-imperative/

Coke shows how not to do it :https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-coca-colas-calories-out-myth-backfired-spectacularly/

The success of Singapore:https://www.richardhanania.com/p/human-capital-not-industrial-policy

Amsterdam hip :https://www.dylanamsterdam.com/

Young journalists uncover some interesting facts :https://www.digitaldigging.org/p/they-droned-back