I was awake at 4.30 ish this morning - K and I fighting for the sheet! I grabbed the first one I could find last night and it was fitted - but not fitted on the bed of course, just loose - and I was getting too warm even that early. After half an hour or so I got up and was rewarded with the sunrise, and although you can't see it as I saw it then, the sky was pretty red and the sun, through a slight mist, looked red and threatening.
I went down to get the paper early this morning, 7.15 ish and no problems with traffic or parking today. Because it's Show week, there were a couple of portaloos put up where there are broad steps and a sitting area. Fair enough - only loos apart from that are down by Eco Chic and The Strand Hall. Imagine my surprise to see beside them two, ahem, outside urinals for blokes coming out of the pubs at night. I've never seen the like anywhere, but someone thought it a good idea. Shapewise they were a bit like a pyramid, and tapered to a point at the top but would accommodate up to 4 blokes at a time with 3 sides in full view of passers by . . . I just I just hope they don't get used during the day as there was absolutely NO privacy! (For a photo, Google "Outdoor urinals of Charing Cross". They are clearly in regular use in London!.
Another day where we will be doing very little. I shall continue - very slowly! - with my x-stitch. Gosh, so many changes of colour, literally every other stitch, so I can only do little runs of 3 or 4 stitches and count to where the next insert is. This is the Widdicombe scene I bought last year and will be stunning when it's done.
21 deg. C here now (it was 32 at highest yesterday). The forecast showed the Red Alert area to be the Midlands, South and East and we were to be cooler with cloud and possible showers. Tomorrow is MUCH cooler - thank heavens!
I think I’ll be dancing in the rain when it arrives. Everything is looking limp but I am NOT watering, instead I mulched a couple of precious newly-planted shrubs in the woodland edge with rhubarb leaves and covered them with scaffolding netting. I know they will perk up as soon as it rains. You were out early, As soon as we have digested our porridge we’ll be going for a cycle and then home to read in deep shade. I am alternating two novels (Miss Austen and Golden Hill) with the short stories of Mollie Panter-Downes. Unusual for me not to be plying a needle but it is too hot. We stood at the bottom of the meadow to watch the sunset last night and after a cool bath I slept well until 7.30am. Take care BB. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of fresh Perennial plantings this year so the poor things are still trying to get their roots down. I may have lost my beautiful blue Corydalis, and one of the Hollyhocks in planters has become dessicated right up the stem to the flowers, despite being watered daily.
DeleteGood reading by your side by the sound of things. I have several on the go - need to get back to the doorstop sized Diana Gabaldon I asked for for Christmas (Tell the Bees That I am Gone). For some reason I found it difficult to get into this time. I think she is writing for the sake of it now. Also reading Elizabeth Chadwick's Daughters of the Grail and The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves. A good mixture!
Those open urinals sound a strange idea!!!!! It was awful at home yesterday high 30's and so hot overnight!!! Going to be even hotter today too - must admit I loathe this weather and won't be doing a lot!!! I envy you your cooler weather - please send it here!!!
ReplyDeleteHeat like this is so wearing isn't it? Especially when it stops you sleeping. So far today it seems a little cooler, just 25 deg. at the moment but it's early yet. I can hear the loudspeakers on the showground when I go outside. Sounds busier today.
DeleteI remember those male urinals, open to the sky but discreet, hopefully those fields full of caravans and tents have proper sanitary stuff, nothing could be worse than portaloos! It will very hot for showing the animals, but I expect everyone will enjoy themselves.
ReplyDeleteI fear they mostly have portaloos as it would be a long hike to the main toilet blocks on the actual showground - several fields away from the tents. Let's hope those loos are discrete - I suppose there have been p'ing in the street problems in the past.
DeleteUrgh! I went to look at the Charing Cross urinals 😶ummm no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI've just come back from work, set off very early to beat the heat, it was 19.5 Deg C when I started it is now ..25 and it is only 9,30am!
Yes,I have to say they're not a great tourist attraction! Oh my goodness, you are obviously East of me! Try and keep cool if it's possible. Midday here and 29 deg. now.
DeleteFor some silly reason blogger has put me down as anonymous!! Yes, I am east of you - Lancashire 😁 and the temperature now is ... 29! certainly not the 37 that was forecast 🥵
DeleteBlogger is playing up - must be the heat! Lancs - ah, OH came from up that way. Glad you didn't go up to37 but 29's bad enough. Still 25 deg. here and it's gone 8 p.m.
DeleteBetter a urinal than the smell of pee in every building corner - especially in hot weather. I recall that smell being my first impression of central London when I arrived there in the height of a tourist season.
ReplyDeleteVery true, which is obviously what has happened in the past (they are opposite a couple of pubs).
DeleteScary, I never thought the still had them let alone use them I thought it was a French thing
ReplyDeleteFortunately they are but temporary . . .
DeleteYou awoke to a beautiful sunrise this morning, the early morning is my favorite time, the colors and hues can never be duplicated. It looks especially lovely with the mountains. Hollyhocks are lovely. I grew last year, it was big & tall, it came back this year about half the size. Mine was in the garden/ground, it got to about 6 feet last year, I had to look it up for meters 1.8288, I hope thats right. Anyway it was tall and flowers were lovely. I hope your Hollyhock gets some respite from the heat and a nice drink of rain water, which is the best kind.
ReplyDeleteI have a few Hollyhocks in the ground which I grew from seed last year, but they are struggling too. I daren't water everything as we MUST have water for washing in and toilets and if this goes on, it's looking dodgy as lots of folk on the same spring/well (farms too). I have a pale yellow H/hock, a deep pink which has dried up, and a nearly-black one in pots, and then a white one in the ground is flowering.
DeleteWell at least there shouldn't be queues for the open urinals !! Not my cup of tea at all, and it reminds me of the first time we went to Paris and Alan went to the 'Gents' if you can call a band of wall around a post that. Legs and feet visible and waist upwards also visible ... he thought it was brilliant and made a point of waving to me every time he 'went'.
ReplyDeleteKeith sniggered when we drove past tonight. An improvement on peeing in the street but hey-ho. Smiling at the thought of Alan "performing" in Paris!
DeleteThe open urinals are disgusting, tho having men pee on the curb would be worse. Of course women and children...what? We just hold it?
ReplyDeleteMy main AC is not cooling, my doggy is suffering.
There are two closed "portaloos" for ladies and children, but I don't need to imagine what THEY are like inside by now, having experienced them on Archaeological Digs. After a week in summer, it was hold your breath and in and out as quickly as you could.
DeleteLike you say, hopefully used in the dark of the evening. Not too sure I would enjoy seeing men standing with all hanging out at all.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Haha - not a good look in the High Street that's for sure!
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