April 2026
Gosh so many birthday greetings - they’re a joy to read and be overwhelmed by a tsunami of love. Thank you with a smile on my face. It’s been such a lovely sunny week, and on my birthday we broke out of the Mandala bubble to head up to Patokrator, the peak of Corfu. Although cloudiness meant we didn’t have uninterrupted views, we did have a picnic under an oak tree. Prayers are left unsaid for now as I didn’t find the church (or suspect it was down, and then back up a very steep track on the Corfu trail). Instead hallelujah for finding freddo expresso on the way down at a cafe with a stunning view and birthday cheesecake, and four forks, from the Armenian owner who'd always had a dream of a cafe with a view.
Later we had dinner and a sunset at Akrotiri which is one of my favourite places here. The view of the sea from the top of the cliff still catches my breath. Birthday Days like these are perfect and it’s fantastic to feel the sunshine and everything coming alive again, including me! I’m hoping to be here some of May so if anyone fancies a mid-May break, I’d love to enjoy the days with you. After that I intend to disappear a bit into a self chosen writers hermitage as part of my intended recovery time out.
This has been a period of change, spring is here in Corfu with wildflowers, wisteria and warmth. We’ve just had Greek Easter and the tidying up of the house begun in earnest. The cavalry arrived with Christina and Ian and I’m in pointing and asking mode. Walls are being painted white and fresh, mosquito nets are getting washed and hung. The olive press is cleared thanks to Barbel and we’re continuing the potager theme in the newly made bed behind the op. This continues the good work of Martina, (another friend who turns out to be a type 7 on the Enneagram). She’s merciless in the pursuit of space too. I like it. We planted more plants including a honeysuckle, a cucumber and tomatoes. She bought a big bag of salt and now the courtyard weeds are on the run. Paul visited to do no work, to be his fine solid presence and to flirt with the guests. Caroline is here now on her sixth visit.
Greek Easter is big in Corfu and our little village of Magoulades has marching bands, priests and fireworks over the weekend. And it’s a chance to go into the church to see the absolutely stunning gold icons, art works and fabulous hanging light chandeliers.
It’s my birthday and I’m 63, and it’s 3 years since I symbolically grounded in Corfu for the decade. On Saturday we had such a lovely gathering around the big blue table and today we’re off up Pantokrator the mountain in the middle of Corfu, I haven’t been before and I want to find the church there and walk in all the spring flowers.
We’re still scratching heads about how to make this wonderful house enough on the right side of the law to make it viable and visionary. Many mornings I fantasies about selling it and living in a hotel room somewhere. And then I remember I sort of do. If anyone knows my Core Erotic Theme that’ll come as no surprise. It’s fair and legal to say that if you want to visit this year I can’t charge you and you have to come as a friend. Let’s have a chat.
Next I’ll be back in Hebden Bridge at the end of April for Sexological Bodywork training, so that will be a revisit to the green valley and seeing old friends, such a homecoming. The unexpected news is that I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was back in March, so I have a follow up appointment on 5th May. I’m inundated with offers to talk which I’m holding for when there’s something to say other than this news and “I don’t know”. So if I haven’t responded, please forgive me. My circle of friends is vast, wise and I’m utterly grateful. For now I’m trying to be practical and sort out the more immediate implications of living in the unknown, leaving Corfu for a bit, and a chance to simplify aspects of my life. As one wise healer friend asked “which of the beautiful burdens can be let go?” I intend to find out.
