Birds and Bees

Mhar Monastery was founded in 1619. We arrived on a crisp, sunny Saturday morning. The church was built in the 1680s, funded by two Cossack leaders, hetmans, one of whom is our old friend Mazeppa. 

Lubny

After Friday morning sightseeing in and around Poltava, we drove north west for about 200 km along a two lane highway to Lubny, our Area of Observation on Election Day.

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On the Battlefield

In Chisinau in February I averred that Englishmen, perhaps not women, prefer not to talk at breakfast. Rules are made to be broken. On Friday morning over scrambled eggs, ham and black coffee I found myself discussing the Battle of Poltava with a Spanish observer.

Pottering in Poltava

As a postscript to yesterday’s post, Pamela and Tatyana (by e mail) amplify by referring to Byron’s narrative poem, Mazeppa, which, as with Onegin, inspired Pushkin.

The Battle of Poltava

Yesterday evening about twenty of us took a train to Poltava. Not a place I’d heard of which exposes my ignorance. I hadn’t heard of Tchaikovsky’s opera Mazeppa either; there is a connection.

Floating Voters

Countries in the Former Soviet Union have a broader franchise than many western countries, including the UK.

Groundhog Day

After such a lovely French sojourn it was brutal catching the 05.28 Piccadilly Line train from Hammersmith to LHR T5 yesterday morning.

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Jam Today, Jam Tomorrow

It yields 5.5%, the dividend is up 4.8% and revenue earnings per share are up 8.6%. Indeed, there have been thirty-seven years of dividend growth. Is it a bird, is it a ‘plane … no, it’s The Merchants Trust, 130 years old this year. A dividend super-hero that trades close to its NAV. If you… Continue reading Jam Today, Jam Tomorrow

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Taxidermy

You don’t see a stuffed animal for ages and then three come along, This beaver was an unusual centre-piece at a lunch party in London last week.

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Walkies

Yesterday’s treat was a morning walk terminating on a sunny terrace for a delicious lunch washed down with gallons of jammy rosé. There are sixteen of us and, remarkably, still a few spare bedrooms but only nine chose to walk. The others had tennis boot camp with Robert. 

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