ECHO 24/11/05

- the Alum House, tiny, two rooms, quaint; where they used to treat the water with alum presumably to remove hardness or softness, now the music director is in there and happy with her keyboard and sequencer set up listening to her Cuban music and learning Spanish;
- Barn Owl waiting, hunting out by the disused airfield; she does not move at our approach but stays in her position, those huge black eyes stare back through the fog;
- Throckmorton disused airfield is something of a lie, there are men in puffa jackets working there all day, opening holes in the ground; a company called ‘Armorcall – security training’ own part of it. I wonder if this isn’t some mercenary outfit, or else a cover for some other clandestine activity? The property id divided at one end of the field and there is a sign on the fence which says ‘MOD Keep Out’ but it is the only one and I suspect it is a leftover from previous use; if not then the mystery deepens because if this is MOD property then it is being used for something secretive – no planes ever land there, the runway is split now by the road to Pinvin and Pershore in any case; but there does remain the two radar meshes, what are they used for? Virgil needs to investigate;
- party games and fresh country cooking in Corner Cottage, the cast assemble and get to know each other in the warmth of an open fire and the friendliest, most welcoming family around; what can I say of those gathered? Most are young, fresh and fragile in their own way;
- lesson of the day: I am not keeping my eyes and ears as open as they should be.