Three and a half weeks

This is going to be the longest holiday from work I've ever had! Of course going to a tiny Greek island these days (Tilos has a local population of 750) doesn't actually cut you off from much: wifi is everywhere and the mobile signal covers much of the island. Last time I was in Greece was so long ago I took a shortwave radio with me and certainly no mobile!

Surprisingly two people have told me they have been to Tilos. Small world.

Still, we've arranged with Angela's brother in South Africa to spend a month with him early next year, so that may be an even longer break. Life is becoming one long holiday. Well, let's hope so!

Walking across the fields a couple of evenings ago we looked again in vain for swallows or swifts. Will they ever make it? Will we ever hear a cuckoo? The skylarks are there aplenty. I hope they can raise their young and protect their eggs between downpours and frosts.

To the Memorial Hall this evening and a performance by the Charlbury Community Choir and Kismet. A real feel-good musical evening. Charlbury feels really warm and vibrant on occasions like this and it's as if all your friends are there. You can't believe, just for a moment, that anyone could be absent. Then you pinch yourself and realise that of the 3000 people who live here, well over 2900 will have stayed away. Such is life and such are communities.

Next morning — well, good news on the swallow front. Heard last night that they have been skimming the lakes in Cornbury since mid April. And someone has heard a cuckoo. 

Concert lived up to expectations. Lovely to be in such an upbeat and happy place.