Battening down the hatches before it gets hot.

The regular tolling of the Todi cathedral bell and the alternate chirps and screams from a family of eagles flying low overhead enlivened our morning walk through the olive groves. The rain bearing thunderstorms earlier in the month seem to have dosed the olive roots at just the right time and the trees are already laden down with masses of bright green fruit. There were four eagles out this morning enjoying the first thermals of the day - from the noise they were making and the playful swooping through the air by two of them it must have been parents and their youthful offspring discovering the wonders of an early summers morning. The boyz, startled by the shrill whistling, looked warily up at the sky and turned quickly back towards the safety of the house.

Wilf skipped breakfast. Any PON owner will tell you that refusing food is a very worrying sign. If he doesn't eat tonight I'll be doubly concerned but it's more than likely that he found something dreadful to devour in the fields. The owl convention were hooting and hollering away between midnight and two in the morning leaving the ground outside the courtyard littered with the remains of their nocturnal feasting - mostly voles by the look of it. The owls also managed to perch on the security sensors setting off the perimeter alarm - twice !

The stage has gone up in the village square and a sea of white plastic chairs was being set out as I drank my morning espresso at the bar. As I was leaving the group of four baseball cap wearing grandfathers who (weather willing) are always positioned at the bench by the bar entrance told me to watch out - 'it's going to get hot'. Considering it got to 40 degrees yesterday I assumed they were just making polite conversation. However, it seems that we are in for a replay of 2003 when a wall of searing heat rolled up from the Sahara bringing 45 degree temepartures in its wake.I have to go to Rome on business on Thursday - what joy 45 degrees and I'll be in a suit. The boyz are asleep by the pool having exhausted themselves , and the 'font' with a protracted 'splosh' game.