The age profile has changed.

Rain in England ( some of it heavy ) and the return of Harry and Megan are the stories that lead the BBC news bulletin this morning. There's also a slightly prim  segment introducing listeners to the word " Cuck " . This is a term that's unknown here but would seem to be a favoured insult in American political circles. Over breakfast we try to think of circumstances in which we might use it - but can't.

The age profile of the dog walkers on the beach has markedly changed. Last week there were young mothers and the occasional 30 something father out with their dogs. These were often, but not always, accompanied by pre-schoolers at that limitless energy phase. Happy dogs and fizzing children make for a grand start to the day. With the schools back the average age has quite possibly doubled  and now it's mostly retirees ( academics if their cheerful 'Good Mornings' are anything to go by ) and farmers wives. We know most by sight and a few by name. All smile and wave. 

In town there's one of those humourous 'dog' moments. An exceedingly well behaved sheepdog finds a wee terrier to be a thing of great interest. It so wants to go and greet the interloper but has been told to sit - and that's exactly what it does. The terrier is not so constrained and has to be dragged away. This is still a town where people stop on the pavement to observe and laugh.

On the shopping street a truck arrives to pick up a skip. We watch as the driver steers heart stoppingly close to a little white Volkswagen that's parked alongside. He does this at a speed and with a certainty that would seem improbable impossible unless we'd seen it with our own eyes.

Back at home the low tide has exposed the jagged rock formations. Two hundred years ago there used to be a life boat station here but no one has ever explained to me how they managed to get the boat across these razor sharp basalt outcrops and into the sea. There must have been a wooden slipway but if there was it's long since been washed away. In the last war this stretch of coast was garrisoned by Polish troops. An occasional strand of barbed wire and fading 'Prohibited Zone' sign are fast vanishing clues to their presence.  Back towards town there's a couple of concrete gun emplacements but these are slowly filling up with soil from the fields above and will soon disappear. The oyster catchers shriek when they catch sight of us and carry on shrieking until we go.

Certainty:https://miniphilosophy.substack.com/p/why-its-bad-to-be-100-sure-about

This mornings unusual choice of music on the local radio. The Glasgow choir ( linked in the text ) do an excellent job:https://www.classical-music.com/features/works/how-ethel-smyths-march-of-the-women-womens-suffrage-anthem

What a photo :https://x.com/xKnowledgeBANK/status/2089295444966769004

The Brits lose their pride :https://x.com/TomHCalver/status/2088962566164820261?s=20

Not really surprising :https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2026/08/18/hidden-health-cost-dollar-store-groceries