Dents in the bodywork

Three and a bit weeks ago a tourist drove into the back of the little BMW in his Mercedes van. Yesterday, the repair shop came to pick up the car. They've rescheduled five times ( strange how you remember these things ) so we're delighted that they show up on the sixth attempt. 'It'll probably be ready in a week or so' says an ill shaven young man in blue dungarees before adding the even vaguer qualifier ' but nae promises '. Garage workers worldwide are masters of imprecision.  A Ford Kuga has been 'loaned' to us as a replacement vehicle. It has myriad dents in the bodywork which I carefully photograph just in case there's any misunderstandings about what state it 's been delivered in. The Ford is not as sporty as the BMW and has a high driving position not unlike a tractor.

There was a time when Scottish rain would politely announce its arrival with a few gentle moments of drizzle before morphing into the main act. These days it's dry one minute and whoosh! you're in a power shower the next. Yesterday  started off  clear and bright and then without so much as beg your pardon moved into a full on monsoon. We even had thunder and lightning.

This morning the floral display outside the small hotel looks vibrant after three solid hours of rain. At the Old Course three American gentlemen spend a full five minutes unembarrassedly limbering up before teeing off. A group of Spanish tourists watch them. We are now past peak golf ( that was Labor Day ) and there's no queue of impatient golfers telling the balletic trio to get on with it. The stands continue to go up ahead of the Dunhill tournament and what looks like a medium sized medieval tent village has appeared by the starters hut.

Some students are sitting in a circle on the lawn outside the International Relations Department. This is a strangely old fashioned scene. Some lecturer, presumably a Scot, must have thought it a good idea to move outside and benefit from the fresh air while they still can. I've got to an age in life where I wonder if the grass is still rheumatically damp from the prior days rainfall .

The first year students enthusiasm for walking together between lectures hasn't waned. We meet a large group heading towards us as we head back to the car. Young women lead the way while the males follow meekly behind. They look like a Roman legion on the march. The students continue to find cars and anyone over the advanced age of 30 completely invisible. We step aside to let them pass.  Youngsters wearing those large pilots headphones unconcernedly wander off the pavement and into the path of oncoming traffic. This kamakaze spirit forces us to drive through town 'super cautiously'. 18 mph is our preferred speed although the Ford has spongey brakes so 15 might be more advisable.

Scottish Gannet photo wins prize of the year :https://edition.cnn.com/travel/bird-photographer-of-the-year-2026-winning-images-c2e-spc?Date=20260922&Profile=CNN

Back to wind power :https://gcaptain.com/the-return-of-sail-power-cargo-ships-are-turning-back-to-the-wind/

Learning from the French :https://www.kqed.org/science/2002033/heres-what-california-is-learning-from-solar-panels-built-over-irrigation-canals

Caffeine addicts  :https://www.popsci.com/health/morning-coffee-bad-sleep/

How will they make money ? AI is getting ( much ) cheaper :https://epoch.ai/publications/the-plunging-price-of-thought