It’s always nice to return to a place in the sun. London was fun in parts but the weather there left a lot to be desired! One never knew what to wear, the wind was irritating, and leaving the umbrella at home (or anywhere else one might have left it in one’s daily peregrinations) was asking for a good soaking.

London highlights for those readers unable to read the posts I write from that city in Italian included walks down the rural riverside of Richmond and Twickenham, grand verismo opera at Covent garden, a melting evensong in the choir stalls of Saint Paul’s cathedral, a booty of a gold pen when we broke into a safe at the Bank of England (no arrest was made), almost finding the grave of Ernest Dowson, lots of people watching, the usual medical appointments, a very welcome and long overdue meet-up with a class-mate I hadn’t seen since leaving primary school last century… and much else.

However, it is lovely to wake up to true blue mornings with the sound of birds resonating across our accurately green and pleasant land, to have a decent cappuccino at a decent price, to see the capers growing on our garden walls, to be able to meet our cats again, (thanks C. for looking after them so well!), to breathe really fresh air (in the early morning at least, before the temps go up to over 30 centigrade) and to have the prospects of going sea / river bathing without catching pneumonia.

Yes, I’m glad to be back, that’s for sure…