We are taking off for a few days ostensibly to celebrate the Summer Solstice, actually for a break, a rest, a change of scenery etc.

My lovely partner hates flying, loathes it in fact. As for me, I once worked on the design of Concorde for five years, the portholes are all that is visible of my efforts on that great plane, the other bits & pieces are hidden within the airframe.

During my working years I was never a full time aircraft person, even though that type of work on the A320 Airbus & the small two seater Tucano kept the wolf from the door on a few occasions. My actual training was in ship design - naval architecture. So in knowing a tiny bit about aircraft I feel so much more safer on boats, or even trains as I had input on some of those too !

Our journey then will be via cars, trains and a ship (built like an aircraft) to an exotic part of Europe.

My Summer

I like to see Rabbits

in the field scampering

And going about their habits.

I like to see the Barn Owl

swooping through the air

A low, slow cream soul.

I like to see the cricket

being played on the green

All in white and all alike.

I like to see the swifts winging

on summer days at dusk

And hear Blackbirds singing

I like to see the mists

rise up from the rheen

To gently surround the trees

I like to see a sunset flood

blue heavens tinted pink

Atop a hill and silhouette a wood.

I like to sit and dream

on dark winter nights

of summers gone

and of those yet to come.