Limitless energy.

No prizes for what's leading the news this morning. 'Confusion' might be the politest way of summarizing what's going on. Some of the European and Asian politicians being interviewed are markedly less polite in their description of unfolding events :https://www.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2026/03/14/a-week-is-a-long-time-in-politics-and-war/

Today the weather is calm and sunny. In fact the air's warm enough to make you believe you're not in Scotland but somewhere exotic like Kiawah.

Yesterday, the Old Course was borderline hectic for the first time this year. The cold weather has been a deterrent. We pass a long line of visitors chatting amicably while they wait to tee off. From their pristine golf wear I'd reckon they're London based surgeons and barristers squeezing in a round or two while they visit their offspring.  In amongst them we notice our informally attired local builder and his mates from the village. They are utilizing their time honoured right as locals to play the course. Their bobble hatted Presbyterian egalitarianism makes us laugh. 

The students are also out in force. For a moment we think they're up early but it's soon apparent they're winding down after yesterdays revelries. There were three outstanding rugby matches played on Saturday afternoon so the local hostelries were well frequented from noon to late. Scotland were beaten by Ireland.

Last night there was an 'Oktoberfest'. This is some sort of fancy dress event where the lads wear lederhosen and the girls dirndls. It starts late and is only winding up now.  Angus can't help but think that for a whole host of reasons lederhosen rank right up there with the kilt for the most impractical male attire ever invented.

I find I'm rather jealous of youngsters with energy levels that don't peter out around midnight. At the coffee shops early rising locals studiously ignore the bizarre Bavarian look of the youngsters.

Remember bank tellers ? :https://davidoks.blog/p/why-the-atm-didnt-kill-bank-teller

I have not shown this article to the farmers wife - or her football mad sons :https://newrepublic.com/article/207273/trump-2026-world-cup-chaos  Is this sour grapes or is there some substance to the story ? Will a group of teenage lads even notice ?

Dog people  and Crufts:https://observer.co.uk/style/features/article/among-the-dog-people-at-crufts

It's been talked about over the last couple of weeks but Cuba makes its first mainstream appearance here thanks to our local Professor :https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/phillips-obrien-on-iran

France beat England 48-46 in one of the most exciting Six Nations games ever. This unusual Marseillaise is a reminder that alone among all the nations of the world only the French know the words of every verse of their national anthem :https://x.com/Valen10Francois/status/2031325300701704347