Concentration you could cut with a knife by the first tee of the Old Course. This is the golfing holy of holies. Eight earnest American gentlemen all practising their putts in front of the R&A. They've started their day early. Not even the caddies have shown up yet. In quarter of an hour there will be a tannoy announcement and the first four will be teeing off. A group of tall college kids from Arkansas congregate and watch them. The college kids seem to think this is all 'awesome'. The youngsters are part of a volleyball team and have spent the night at a rave on the beach. They are drinking beer from cans. One of them opens a new can which jets all over his face and on the ground. This sacrilegious behaviour attracts glares from two of the putters. I'll put money on the fact that the late to bed ravers inhabit a world that has little in common with that of the early rising golfers.
It's been so dry the council workmen have come out with their 'watering wagon'. Who would ever have thought you would need to water the flower beds in Scotland ? The newly planted begonia beds are getting a good soaking under the watchful eye of a highway maintenance man standing on the back of his truck. The hosepipe man seems oblivious to the light wind that's blowing the spray towards a group of oncoming holiday makers. To avoid getting drenched a group of golfers sensibly detour down the hill towards the fancy fish restaurant. On the beach the windsurfers are already heading out to sea.
Hotel spaces now at a premium as adoring parents congregate here ahead of this coming weeks graduation ceremonies. Parking impossible. For the first time I notice that restaurants are providing live feeds to the ceremonies. This enables family members without tickets to watch the proceedings while drinking champagne. This innovation seems to keep everyone happy. With town this crowded the chances of getting a dinner reservation over the next few weeks are zilch. We shall be dining at home for the duration.
At the wee house in town we're waiting for the joiner to come and install more bookcases. He was supposed to have been here last Monday. The bookcases are needed so that all the books in the garden room can be moved out before the builders come on the 19th to demolish it and the old conservatory. 'The Font' is hopeful that the bathrooms will be finished this week. The kitchen may take a little longer. We're thinking of putting any more work on the kitchen on hold until the two teams of builders have finished the walls and roof of the new dining room.
Lawns have been beautifully cut in readiness for next weeks garden parties.
After the morning walk it's time to head off to the espresso bar. The owner tells me he is heading back to Sicily for a working holiday. Outside the bar I meet a lecturer in the music department. She is writing an article for a magazine on Janaceks Glagolitic Mass. I'm told Glagolitic ( a word I've never heard before ) is the alphabet that Saints Cyrill and Methodius invented before it was simplified into cyrillic. You learn something new every day. The Glagolitic Mass is not easy listening : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv4mGFr7kBo . The music lecturer says that as no one knows for sure what Glagolitic languages sounded like you could say the choir are singing gibberish. She heads off leaving me to deal with this ever so slightly unsettling thought.
