Au revoir, Angelo!

Angelo has gone to Italy until September. Yesterday, he stood at the top of my allotment on his way home, waiting to say goodbye. He said he would be back in September "...if God allows". His health is so poor that as I watched him walk away, I wondered if I would ever see him again.

He is fed up with the weather here, even though it's been nice and sunny: it's too dry. Most gardeners will complain whatever the weather: it's always too something - wet, dry, hot, cold. But when he described the weather in Calabria, you can understand his point. He said they can grow two crops a year down there: two crops of beans a year, and they are already taking off the first crop already.

He has kept up with the work on his allotment this year - just - despite a very slow start. Now I expect his brother, Joe, will do the minimum to keep it going, while keeping his own two allotments up to scratch too.