The year is racing along .

The days are getting longer. Not long ago it was pitch dark by three thirty in the afternoon, now it's light until nearer to four. Such things are noted in these northerly parts. Soon the mornings will be bright enough for a walk on the beach by eight. The cheese monger continues to look festive and the little restaurant near the post office has taken delivery of some jolly  yellow pavement furniture. In the village the ladies are already  busy decorating the hall in readiness for the Hogmanay gathering.

With the students away evening events in the book store appeal to an older audience. Questions tend to be more academic and more direct.

I pick up Volker Ullrichs latest book. I've enjoyed, or at least been impressed by, his earlier works. He may be Germanys leading historian although there are other worthy contenders for the title.

The opening lines of the first chapter are a reminder of Mark Twains belief that history doesn't repeat itself but it does rhyme.

The wee house in town now ready for Hogmanay. Even the small ( and neglected ) ground floor bedroom has been made ready by the cleaning ladies. 'The Font' thinks it looks spartan but it's too late to do much about that now.  I shall go down later this morning and dead head the roses in the garden. I'll also take the leaf blower as the flower beds are looking a little wild. The year is suddenly racing towards Hogmanay. Later today I shall go in search of my sporran and sgian dhub.

It was only a matter of time before this song made its first appearance :https://youtu.be/CQxbWeJGoI0?list=RDCQxbWeJGoI0&t=128

A polite Scandinavian disagreement :https://www.sciencenorway.no/children-and-youth-vitamins/is-it-actually-dangerous-to-give-children-multivitamins/2590204

The head of the International Relations Department isn't pulling any punches :https://phillipspobrien.substack.com/p/weekend-update-165-why-the-pantomime

This is what Pluto looks like:https://x.com/konstructivizm/status/1578070981947658241

Better than the real John Lewis advert ? :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w97a6jUbbRw