Two unusual events today. Firstly, the fox seems to have run off with one of my gardening gloves. I was working in the garden this morning, and as we went out to lunch, I just left everything. When I came back, one glove had gone. Annoyingly I think this has happened before, so I should have remembered. It rapidly became too hot to do much outside, but we were invited out by Emma, a belated birthday celebration for me.

Secondly, I have received an invitation to give an Arts Society lecture, on the Gold Lyre of Ur, in October 2023. I have accepted with alacrity, in that my calendar for 2021 is fairly blank, but for 2023………..not even this year’s diary has space for two years hence. Still I am very excited to be asked, as lectures have been pretty thin on the ground for the last 18 months, that is to say, non existent.
I watched a programme about Austrian railways. My word, what a very smart transalpine train. Spectacular scenery, lovely lakes and villages, snow covered mountains: what’s not to like? An 87 year old was interviewed, who still skis in the old way, in traditional clothing, with wooden skis. Speaking lovely English, and saying how his heart bursts when he wakes up in the morning and looks out at the mountains. There was also a spot of yodelling. On the top of a mountain, much more authentic than this, but this is funny.