Today Bertie the cat is four. Here he is in the garden, which is also growing up nicely. (Both being impeccably tended to by friends, but neither loving the heat.)

Ohh! I am sorry! Here is Bertie hoping you can get comfortable somehow

Bonsoir from Bucket the cat, who just scratched the eyes right out of our old owl doormat

The village was very sad. But while we watched, a group of little kids including three tiny Gazans who arrived two years ago swooped around on their bikes living it up under the tilleuls. These days I’ll take joy any way I can get it and this was pretty good.

Just singing Kate Bush in the kitchen and look it’s Cathy she’s come home (actually Bucket, he/him, chronically undercared-for cat of loony neighbours)

This landlubber is setting out for 24 hours on a yacht with a newborn: send me every good thought you got

Houseboating: neighbour lowering herself in for a swim, with proper fluoro tow float, set upon by angry swans and hauled herself out just in time. She said very kindly that they had lost four babies this year and are now down to two, so she understood

Today in house boating: these little squeakers tempted me into the water for a wallow. Hosed myself down after.

I have run away to my ancestral homelands: by the river, under the flight path

Bertie hopes that this weekend you can all find a cool spot that also brings out the colour in your eyes.

Today for my actual absurd job I had to go visit a stone carver and I was very excited to meet the statue representing France(as a property of Queen Anne but let’s not go there). Really want to put this in my citizenship application.

I went to the Pets and their People exhibition (maybe it’s the other way round) at the Weston and they have a mechanized Bertie doll who purrs and miaows. Not clear if he jumps on the bed at 4.30 to be excited about things.

The Frenchman has headed to the hills, and found other creatures doing the same. C’est la transhumance !

Oxford: the great early modern historian Jonathan Sheehan (Berkeley) will be here next week to talk about his enorma-history of sacrifice (which is a cracking read, though I nearly dislocated my shoulder lugging it round): Tue 9 June, 5pm, Pusey Room in Keble, with a reception (and oblations?) after

A hot afternoon needs a cool 17thc water project: I got to peek into the North Hinksey Conduit House with colleagues and collaborators, thanks to Oxford Preservation Trust.

He has a poem about them!

Bertie was up and out early, but now has come back to bed to recover.

In Oxford for one day between two trips - which is a little stressful. But glad I picked the moment when the wisteria and the lilac are doing their thing along Queen’s Lane. Sorry I can’t share the scent…

Leaving the Bay Area with a heavy heart. Hard to say goodbye to dear friends, and especially to Eliza the cat, who is getting on a bit.

Portrait of me chowing down on Bay Area delights

Final session: round table on Montaigne’s essay on cruelty. With Tim, Andie Frisch, Leah Middlebrook, Katie Kadue, Ann Delehanty, Jessie Hock 😍

Chicago elevator sign feeling a bit pointed

Very happy to be tucked up in the Newberry with a fabulous view

A joyous Budapest image from a trip two years ago. Congratulations Hungary!

Good morning!

Passion flower from Robert Thornton’s Temple of Flora (1798-1810), in the Ashmolean’s In Bloom exhibition: a text details how the flower displays a crown of thorns, leaves as spears, petals as apostles.

I had a day out and met a lovely chicken who wears (one cup of) a bra to hold her up when she has eaten too much. Absolutely no comment.

I will lift up mine eyes to the kitchen counter, from whence cometh my fish

I’m inching my way through Duolingo Kiswahili (and will try and find a real teacher soon too)- an excellent procrastination tool but it’s getting a bit close to home

C’est la journée internationale des droits de la femme et j’ai un cadeau poétique !