June 2026 Update

It has been unseasonably hot – for much of the month into the 30s celsus & frequently reaching 35C. But this has been cooler than Paris. Robin & Teo had to vacate the Parisian garret when it got into the 40s. For Richard & me, between the pool and our cool house with its massive walls, it has been tolerable, although we both have been extraordinarily tired.

Before the heat dome, there was Gabrielle & Matthew’s wedding. On the 4th, Liz and Carol had a reception at Feu. There were many people, but Kelsey was among the most memorable along with Matt’s grandmother. From there, Richard & I walked back over to Penny’s to see, with Twig & Carol, Wendy, Macia & Phil, The Christophers featuring Ian Mckellen & an incredible Michaela Coel.

The next day began our pre-solstice nefastus. So no alcohol during the rest of the festivities. Before the gathering at Moissac-Belleview, we went to Simon Seagal for Anne Marie’s vernissage but were a couple of hours too early. We saw at least the exhibit and then Leonard drove us to the welcome party with Becky and Will. Richard & I had mocktails. It was a lovely occasion with so many people. We saw Peggy who was the one who named our ‘chi-chi’ terrace. Kelsey was equally lovely tonight as was also Zia. We got a ride back with Jessica.

The wedding itself was at the Couvent on the 6th. Gabby & Matt were darling, and there were at least 100 people in the courtyard. I violated the nefastus by having lamb and dessert. The following morning we returned for a much more lowkey breakfast gathering,though for Richard & me it was a 5:2 day. Later in town while having coffee, Dorn & Marilyn joined us. At home after, Anne-Marie & Peter came by.

Before they left, we visited Liz & Alice and Carol & Agnes (?) along with Zia & Ethan. Later at Penny’s we enjoyed pleasant dinner with Marijke and a friend. It was another nefastus violation with duck, ham & dessert, but at least I kept off the alcohol. Venus & Jupiter were virtually conjunct in the sky.

We had a final time with the Becky group on the day that we disposed of the stercum and ended our nefastus. This was a dinner at Becky’s along her, Jessica, Leonard, Peter & Jason and Oliver. The only other dinner with someone was the one we had at Feu with a delightful Rose Freymuth-Frazier, the artist daughter of a good Nevada City friend of Stefanie’s whom we last saw 18 years ago. She’s now 48 but looks not more than 30. Paul & Diana with their

daughter & son-in-law were also there having dinner. Gustave & Marlin arrived later.

I had two or three phone calls with Gin and also calls with Eve, Dieter, and Jim. This month’s family zoom was with Coral and Nancy and later Rosie joined us.

My experience with France-Service has been excruciating. There has been no progress with the carte vitale, andI have been I think six times just for replacing the lost carte gris, but, finally, this has at least been successful. Sessions with Baptiste, our homeopath, continue to be painful but marvellous. And one morning we met Penny at the Mairie to ask Héloïse Alié about Richard’s exhibiting at Simon Segal. Richard himself just continues to be an increasing delight, love and loving companion. He is forever at work on his Proscenium cut-outs of woofers & tweeters and ‘go with the flow’ spirals.

We’ve had an online session with Charlotte & Ben concerning our testaments, etc. I did subsequently finish a Dutch translation of my British will. And with our renunciations, we had session with Moody’s Arshdeep and Cynthia. More immediately focused on the here-and-now, Philippe has been here many times. He fixed the bathroom lights, and then we agreed on the cabanon. We learned at the Mairie that wood structures are not allowed to be built in the Var, so we have since decided on iglues and something larger and deposited the the plans at the Mairie which I signed. Philippe & Virginie have also installed for us a new kitchen refrigerator.

One night I forgot to turn off the pool radio. Our neighbour was very angry. We apologised and gave Jean-Marc and his wife a bottle of olive oil and some courgettes. Three days later, Martine came by with courgette tarts that she had made with what we had given them.

On the 21st, we greeted the sunrise from the pool. A bit later, we went to the lingam for the solstice moment itself at 10:24. Later that day, there was a Streamyard video link with Jeff Lippman in which I was interviewed on the Hittite pantheon. The next day Starmer resigned. I agree that he is not the most charismatic, but I have been opposed to the unnecessary hounding him out of office.

Besides The Christophers, the other films this month have been Jimpa (“As one who has lived through this entire time period it is the closet to 'as it has been'”) and Remarkably Bright Creatures with Sally Field. I accepted it as the evening’s choice without any enthusiasm but got to really, really enjoy it.

Penny drove us to Jacqui’s memorial party for Tony and Bonnie. A lot of people, a splendid house and location, and delicious food. We took for ourselves and finished the Loch Lomond whisky. Enjoyed especially talking with Marlin & Gustav. The next day, I forgot Soteria completely. The day that followed, we bought the champagne in Draguignan and then got to Les Arcs, but not until nearly 15:30 did we learn that Scott & Nicole were arriving the following day. They are now here with us and seem mostly to be catching up with jetlag. Late afternoon for the final two days of the month, we have enjoyed horrendous downpours and thunder. Since the first nine days of July are our post-solstice nefastus, on Tuesday evening we did essentially a Saturday night ritual with Scott & Nicole but with margaritas.

This month I finished reading the fascinating and moving biography by Ursula Bloom of Twig’s great-grandfather, Curtain Call for the Guv'nor: A Biography of George Edwardes (1954), the man who managed the Gaity and Daly’s theatres in London during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. I also (re-)read Lynne Hume and Nevill Drury’s 2013 The Varieties of Magical Experience: Indigenous, Medieval, and Modern Magic which I found to be incredibly comprehensive and enjoyable. And now I am only about one-fifth into James Davidson’s The Greeks & Greek Love (2026). I am also reading John Hamlet’s Khabzist Paganism - Spirits of the Caucasus: the Ancient Faith of the Circassians. While all feels utterly ephemeral, and yet, despite the infirmities, ecstatically happy, and if being in love is supposedly love at some kind of distance (the erastes vis-à-vis the eromenos), I contend that being in love can also be complete intimacy and closeness.

Concerning AI, I believe we have created something that mandates cooperative & global control through all of us together. AI might actually become the instigating factor to cause a world peace / peaceful world for the future. And a global world of togetherness must narrow to some extent & diminish grotesque economic disparity. I know there are dangers with AI, let alone with the same dilemma that the buggy whip makers came to confront, but

if truly harnessed properly, I see it as hugely positive.