Heavy black storm clouds over the mountains, the first in months, a few droplets of rain and a lot of thunder though I haven’t noticed any lightning. Have brought in the garden furniture though just in case because, as sure as God made little apples as my sainted mother used to say, if I don’t it will pour down. Hope Douglas on the high seas is enjoying his journey. He has another four hours to go. That is if the boat is on time. The anti travel sickness chewing gum has probably been brought in to full effect! Whether it’s the stormy weather or not the sky is suddenly full of swifts and there are long lines of them settled on all the electric wires around the house. It’s like Hitchcock’s Birds. I think they’re swifts, could be house martins, could just be swallows, black with white breasts. I’m no ornithologist so I wouldn’t know one from t’other. Whatever they are I only hope they’re feasting on the mosquitoes while they’re here and before they continue their journey south which I presume is what they’re doing.

Mention of Hitchcock made me think of film and watching Arsenic And Old lace the other night before Douglas left for Athens. Both of us felt on renewed viewing it wasn’t quite up to the high marks we originally gave it and our leading man certainly gave a consistently one note performance – high and hysterical. However, we also felt how good it was to have a dialogue scene sans music and, when music was used, how it was background music and discreet, not the thumping great noise we now get in movies. Every budding film director should watch Arsenic And Old Lace and learn how to use music in film to advantage without going over the top. I come back to my constant complaint of not being able to hear dialogue because of the way music and sound effects are used these days; also of course the fact that so many modern actors don’t know how to use their mouths – not to talk with anyway.

Having problems with my server (always at weekends) so this will have to wait until the computer genius sorts it out or greciannet comes back into service.

Sunday – back on line. The storm passed us by but evidently the chewing gum was used!