Advice ignored.

The BBC starts the day with the news that Iran and America have been shooting at each other again but have now stopped. The announcer thinks that this is a good thing and might pave the way for talks about talks about talks. There is then a somewhat confusing story about a controversy involving the US Department of Defense War and Mormons. At the end of the segment I'm none the wiser as to what the controversy is about or why it's on the news. Overnight there have been race riots in Belfast.

The farmers wife has received two texts from the Hyatt in Cambridge. " Arrived - all good " from the younger and a slightly more informative " In hotel. Rooms great. Going for burgers " from the elder. This is the 'succinct' no nonsense style of communication much loved by male teenagers. 

We stop off at the recycling centre. This is the time of year when landlords upgrade their white goods and there's quite a collection of ten year old spin dryers waiting to be carted off. The section that takes printers is full. Seems students leave their Hewlett Packards behind at the start of the long holidays and there is no second hand market.

The last mobile phone shop has closed. There used to be three. Two banks and a Building Society survive but they too may soon disappear.

The Orkney jewelry shop is being whitewashed. The workmen have covered the pavement in sheeting which is an unusual touch. Beside them a Belisha Beacon flashes contentedly away.

A Chinese gentleman sits on the steps and observes a group of three lady golfers. There are supposed to be four of them but one has caught a 'bug'. The caddies offer advice which is ignored. The ladies maintain a running commentary amongst themselves and anyone within earshot. When they've sunk the last putt they stand in a circle, wave their arms in the air and do a little celebratory jig. " That was awesome " they tell the caddies. It is the caddies turn to remains silent.

The weather is changeable in the way only Scottish weather can be. Cold and damp one minute hot and humid the next. Yesterday afternoon we had another of those ferocious hail and thunder mixed together downpours. Are these biblical weather events set to become a feature of life in a Scotland in an era of climate change ?

One of the men who takes "memory of a lifetime" photos finishes with the lady golfers and then waits for his next group of Old Course clients looking for immortality. He's dressed from head to toe in black which presumably brings a sense of formality to both his role and the occasion.

A local peony farm. They apparently love the Scottish climate :https://jackblooms.co.uk/

Some folks think this island house on Tiree is wonderful. The old part works well, the tin side takes some getting used to :https://www.denizenworks.com/houseno7

Not sure how this got sent to me but giving birth in Korea sounds different - not bad but different :https://emilyballesteros.substack.com/p/i-gave-birth-in-south-korea-and-im

The primary cause of rising sea levels is not what you might think :https://www.sciencealert.com/sea-level-rise-is-accelerating-and-we-now-know-the-biggest-reason-why