I've spent the last week lazing about, for the most part. This travel stuff gets more and more strenuous as one ages, especially for one like me who is genetically incapable of travelling light. I've always envied people who could backpack with nothing but a spare pair of jeans and a towel. I've never been able to do that and as I get older I find myself more and more attached to necessities such as talcum powder, vitamin pills and at least three or four books. I always tell myself that I'll pass the books on when I've read them, but when push come to shove I find I can't. And people know I read so they give me more.

I did have a day in Exeter last Wednesday, renewing my acquaintanceship with the cathedral and checking out the oldest churches. Tomorrow I hope to visit the museum and maybe see the old Roman wall.

On Saturday night I attended a lovely concert of medieval music at St Margaret's church, given by a group called Compagnie Guilia. They played a variety of instruments, not all of which are necessarily associated with the period - bass viol, bouzouki, mandolin and concertina - but the arrangments worked beautifully. The program comprised many works by that revered composer Trad, together with pieces by Machaut, de la Halle, Codax, and Anchita. Original material by the group's leader, Julia Thomas, and another modern composer, Dave Whetstone, was also included and were well in keeping with the period. Two members of Companions of the Quest demonstrated dances and led us in a merry farandole. For the first time ever, I danced on someone's grave - several someones' actually, for like many old churches here in the UK, there are graves under the floor of the aisles. I doubt that the old place (St Margaret's dates back to Norman times) has seen such merriment in many a year! You can check the group out at
http://www.myspace.com/compagniegiulia