[Cerys is giggling and cooing to Eustace about how soft his ears are. Credit to him where it's due for being able to carry on a serious conversation while he's being pet like a, well, pet, Barnaby thinks.]

I'm trying. But even with keeping up my training, or research, we have far more free time than I'm used to, so I've been trying to keep myself occupied.

[Back home he rarely had days off, so free time was a luxury to squeeze in around his many commitments. Here, it's more like a struggle trying to find commitments to take up that free time.]

So I'm grateful to have found other ways I can help. [The struggles of a workaholic...] What about you? Do you have any plans, now your, ah... ears aren't causing you any problems?