Diary > Wednesday 12th August

[Roobarb]

Woke at 5a.m., a bit of difficulty going back to sleep but did so. Still felt tired when I got up. Very misty morning, that wet mist that we around here call sea fret, I believe the Scots call it haar. Not the sort of weather you'd want to sit outside eating lunch. Forecast was a bit brighter later so agreed with my friend A that we'd wait till afternoon and if it was better we would meet just for a cuppa.

Went for my walk, NN was talking to my other neighbour at the entrance to the field so I went the other way round. It was warm despite the mist. Back by the same route, had a sandwich for lunch. Was sitting reading when the sun came out so phoned my friend, she was just taking the dog round the block and would pick me up shortly. Then she found that despite living in a quiet cul de sac there was a car transporter blocking her drive. Also, she had arranged to have a piece of furniture taken away and they had phoned to say they could only do it this afternoon, I suggested we leave our get together till another day. She felt bad about letting me down but it couldn't be helped. We rearranged but I won't say when in case I jinx it!

Sat out in the garden, it was hot. I needed a quiet day so achieved that so far. Mist came back about five, phoned my friend L then hoovered the lounge. Had put a chicken in to roast while I was in the garden, had some with salad and new potatoes. More strawberries.

Feel so tired lately, don't know if it's the heat, forecast is cooler tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a good day

[Caw1]

Sorry to hear your lunch/ a/noon cuppa had to be aborted... as you say best to tell us all about it once it's taken place! Think it's probably this very warm weather that could be affecting you... if you suffer from asthma too maybe that doesn't help in this heat.... hope you perk up once it cools down a bit!

I woke at about 7.30 but had a read and got up bit later... it was very warm and humid, despite that I had slept quite well..
After breakfast I vacuumed the conservatory again as full of insects again... I opened the windows and the doors that lead into it from the lounge but pulled the curtain closed and pulled the window blinds down partially to keep the heat out of the living room... it seemed to work as it did feel cooler in there..
Upstairs was the next job to tackle so gave bedrooms and bathrooms a good going over and a vacuum...
Thought I'd do the ironing next as my room is relatively cool until the sun gets round the front of the house... I did have the fan on upstairs moving it round with me so I could get a blast of cool air when I couldn't stick it any longer!
Inside temp reading was 32C....
After lunch got tea things ready for our friends visit...
Left it until about half an hour before their arrival to have a shower so I could at least look cool! Put my hair up as couldn't bear it round my neck and shoulders...
Took the garden chairs and put them under the tree distanced,( luckily it's a fair sized tree!) and put small table next to each set of chairs....
We started off with cold drinks and I'd got some home made mango ice cream which I served thinking it would cool us all down... it was almost liquid by the time I'd put it in the dishes and carried it out! Still it was refreshing...
My friend J's hubbie D loves cake so I managed to get him to eat a few slices... less for us to get through!
They've just bought a three bedroom appartment in  Bournemouth so have been spending time down there ... very nice 10 min walk to the beach... hope when things are back to some sort of normality and we can actually go inside we will get to go and stay with them down there! They've another house in Weardale too and we've had some great w/e up there... needless to say they are not poor! Very generous and unassuming... known them for 45+ yrs when we were all less well off!
We were discussing the fact that a few towns surrounding us are causes for concern as numbers are creeping up and residents from them are not supposed to be socialising willy nilly....
A question that's struck me is this... once we're into autum/winter and still in a situation where you're not able to have people in your home it's going to feel like going back to isolation again... can't say I'm looking forward to that!
Well the four of us decided we were not interested in getting on planes to go anywhere...and  not to go out for meals and we've all given up our season tickets for the rugby club we've been supporting for years... life's going to be a bit dull...
Anyway we had a nice couple of hours with them.... would you believe our neighbours... those of the noisy bins... managed to come out whilst we're sitting in the garden to clatter around with their bins.... sure it could have waited... id never dream of doing that..
Cooked a gammon which we had with salad... sat outside until it was dark then came inbefore we got eaten by the local wildlife...
Watched The Repair Shop... seen it before but always enjoyable...
Another hot night ensues...
Hope others have managed to cope with the weather whether it's been hot and humid or stormy....
Take care all

Caroline

[Annette7]

Didn't have a good night - kept waking up roughly every hour as I was so hot.   Up at 8 as was going to have coffee at 10.30 with my cousin and his wife.   (My sister and b-in-l picked me up.   Cousin has a conservatory but too hot to sit in so suitably distanced around the lounge with a tower fan going.   However, like in my flat, the fan just blowing warm air around.  When we left there went to Martlesham as my sister wanted some cards, etc. from the Card Shop.   Getting hotter by the minute.   Then we made our way to garden centre in Woodbridge, heading for their restaurant.   I just had a sausage roll and a small - and more importantly cool - bottle of white wine.   It was lovely.

Got home around 3pm and sat for around an hour in the shade around my door.   Went inside and felt so tired so lay on the sofa and promptly nodded off for an hour.   Tried working on the PC for a while but eventually gave up as it was so hot.   Eventually went back outside again where it was now much more comfortable.   Joined by downstairs neighbour and sat out there until around 9pm.   Wasn't really hungry but ate some cold nibbles straight from the fridge just to fill a hole really.   

My niece has another scan tomorrow (16 week) - in view of her history and the fact that it's twins they are keeping a very close eye on her.

Just amended my ASDA delivery for Friday and pottering on RC for a wee while before I go to bed.   Hope I sleep better tonight but don't hold out much hope.   Another scorcher forecast for tomorrow
before it changes on Friday.   

Night all.  Stay safe.

Annette

[radstockjeff]

Only one thing of note today--picked our first tomatoes.

[Caw1]

Annette - good to hear yougot out for a while... it certainly was hot!
Hope all has gone well with your nieces scan today... I'm sure youmust allbe anxious... keeping fingers crossed.

Radstockjeff - your toms look good.... we've got one or two at the Orange stage at the moment... coukd do with more sun....

Caroline

[Roobarb]

Caroline, I don't know how you cope with all that housework when it's so hot, and as for ironing - makes me sweat just thinking of it. Hope you manage to get to your friends' place in Bournemouth and in Weardale before too long . My auntie used to live in Bournemouth and a large part of my ancestry originated in Weardale, it's certainly a lovely part of the world.

Annette, don't know if you've had thunderstorms down your way to cool things off but hope you sleep better tonight.

RJ, lovely tomatoes, MMM!