Haykush has made me jump twice this morning. I hadn’t expected to see her in my hallway when I got up at 7am to go to the loo. She was rootling to find chicken feed I think. Later I came out of my living room and nearly ran into her by the kitchen door. She was dropping off herbs wet with rain — freshly picked from the garden.Both times we laughed as I clutched dramatically at my chest and tried to regain my composure. The second time she poured me a cup of water and made me drink it, explaining that this must be done when someone is made to jump. “The water will calm you” she said.

These are jumpy times in Armenia– for some, exhilarating and for others scary because the usual order of things may be threatened. We must all drink lots of water.