Friend and longtime collaborator Simon Jones was quipping this weekend that I had spawned an adjective singularly my own. To engage in a “Rosarian” task (as in Sisyphusian, I fear) is “to expend a huge amount of energy to very little avail”. Perhaps those closest to me recognise the painful truth better than I.

After what feels like a furiously productive spell I am back home, skint as ever and without gainful employment in the coming months. A time to garden, to decorate, to read, to refresh this flagging blog*. A time perhaps to wrestle a new project of my own into existence… (watch this space…)

*Any suggestions gratefully received