Magnetic north

More visitors expected today, or tomorrow, from Dunbar. Hectic and great fun. I'll be able to look back at this during the long lonely winter and remind myself what it is to speak to people. Winter conversations with sheep and dead parsnips can be surprisingly stimulating and considerably more unpredictable than your average day to day, but ultimately unsatisfying.

Meanwhile, I opened a book this morning. The first lines of books are supposed to be crucial - they are supposed to be enticing so the reader launches into the rest of the book. This one started:

"A Turkish heavyweight boxing champion sauntering down a Hamburg street with his mother on his arm can scarcely be blamed for failing to notice that he is being shadowed by a skinny boy in a black coat."

I reckon this must be one of the best first lines I've ever read. So good in fact that I had to read it a few times, put the book down to reflect upon it, and fall back to sleep. The Germans liked my beer - there's no greater compliment than a German liking your home brew.