Am beginning to get used to the humidity. You have to walk very slowly everywhere. For dinner, you have to eat a large salad, mostly because you can't handle the idea of working in front of a hot cooker for any length of time. Fortunately, Italy is well cut out for good salad eating. It's easy and cheap to prepare a large plate of dark rocket leaves, perfectly ripe Sicilian tomatoes (called "grappolo" when they are sold "on the vine"), and some Crudo san Danielle, which is the main rival to Parma ham. It's not as sweet and has a more distinguished texture, in my opinion. Add some fresh sardines perhaps, a couple of panini, some high quality olive oil and a little pepper, and you're sorted out.

Almost two years ago, our AI building in Edinburgh burnt down, and today it seems we're finally getting the first installment of the insurance money. This is great - I'd completely forgotten about it, so it's like winning money.