It’s been said that youth is wasted on the young. This (mis)quote leaps to mind as I watch, over the course of a sunny spring-end day, the antics of two Welcome swallow fledglings: These surprisingly aerodynamic balls of fluff practise their apparently innate flying skills in a high, wide circle, each with a parent leading the way. Youth is awkward and perilous, actually. While their parents roam free and far, the two fluffy blobs huddle together, drawing courage from company

Most of you will be aware that I returned from a 7-week sabbatical in mid-October and am now ploughing through a backlog of work which, surprisingly, didn’t reduce in size during my absence. The study break was great – productive in relation to my reason for going to the Netherlands (progressing my PhD study) as well as enjoyable. Delft is a beautiful city, and I had the opportunity to travel easily in the region of South Holland on my weekends. Art, cheese and water – a grea