Innocent pastimes.

The Iran thing rumbles on. One commentator on the BBC breakfast bulletin says things are going to escalate and adds, using a somewhat strange phrase, that 'America is throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks'. Another says things are quieting down. Both speak with that peculiar certainty that is reserved for people interviewed on 6 am news broadcasts. Faced with this vagueness I shall continue to keep the little BMW's tank topped up. 

Here in the UK we're getting ready for yet another new Prime Minister. In the old days he would have been referred to as Mr.Burnham but the BBC has started to call him 'Andy'. Broadcasters prefer 'non-deferential' titles and names . This is fine until hard decisions have to be made and some of the popularity wears off. I'll wager we'll be calling him Mr.Burnham within six months. 

The weather remains unusually warm by Scottish standards. 24C yesterday. Possibly a little cooler today. Here in the village there's the chance of some sea fog.  Sunshine is the cue for the town to start filling up with families taking a long weekend break by the sea. To the delight of three year olds the shops have started to sell buckets and spades. Some innocent pastimes not only survive but thrive.

A few remaining students sunbathe on the grass. With graduation done and dusted most of the teaching staff have left town in search of guaranteed sunshine so the university end of town is decidedly quiet. Parking , as long as you stay well away from the beach, is easy to find.

 

The music department is having some sort of classical guitar symposium. We stumble upon a man sitting on a wall happily playing to an audience of one. He plays not well but brilliantly.

It's a week since graduation and the bakery has redone their prize winning window. The fudge donuts have gone to be replaced by chocolate champagne bottles with ' Congratulations Class of 2026 ' labels. Bizarrely these haven't ( yet ) been reduced in price.

Heat in a Celtic climate ( in this regard Ireland and Scotland are interchangeable ) :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct735UCTMdM

Sumptuousness :https://yakimenko.substack.com/p/on-the-decline-of-sumptuousness-in

Japans love for combining electricity and water :https://monocle.com/affairs/society/japan-electric-baths/

Scandinavian Airlines picks up on the Norwegian rowing trope :https://x.com/alvinfoo/status/2074994641871712721