Too hot here. Although my computer tells me it's 26 deg right now, when Tam left (4 p.m. ish) her car registered an outside air temperature of 32.5. Too darn hot. She stopped a couple of times to put cool flannels on Rosie and rub her down with cold water. When they got home it was only 25 deg and there was a sea fret, so hopefully it won't be too hot in their house to sleep tonight. She is now looking at magnetic window mesh so I can have the windows open at the back of the house to let cooler air in and keep bats OUT. I may get a similar door mesh too. Keep the flies (and bats) out as well, as they drive me mad in summer.
Below: Apple Dappy. Yummy with ice cream.
Well, I have sorted out why my small Lumix camera's not working and it's crap batteries - they don't hold the charge. I have had to fork out for decent ones specifically for the camera, not the "should work" cheaper type. It will be nice to be able to take decent photos again.
Rosie has been running round commando today - in fact, no clothes at all as so hot. We have been potty training her and she has twigged what "needing to go" feels like and we have had lots of wees and a couple of poos too, so Tam is delighted as she thought it was going to be a lot harder than this. "How do I get her to sit still?" How it will be with clothing on is another matter. I had to smile, because she had one of those puppy training pads to put on the sofa, just in case there was a mishap!
I am covered in bites - several horse fly ones once more . I got these going out to water round first thing and having to walk through longish grass in the orchard to reach Tam's Winter Squash to water them. I will put my jeans on first thing when I am watering round and liberally spray myself with Avon Skin-so-soft to deter the bitey things. Of course, the hotter you get, the more they itch and I had to go out earlier to get the replacement bulb for the UV Water system and a spare filter too. Then I had to go out again a couple of hours ago to take the little chair to my carpenter to do the back splat on it and glue an upright on it. I thought I would faint as it was so hot and airless when I was driving. We don't have the humidity we had with the last heatwave but it is going to be 31 deg tomorrow (around 88 deg. F). I will be lurking in the kitchen with my patchwork.
Of course, this is just the time when the water pressure upstairs has decided to get weak and feeble. My fault I think, because when Sam (helpful neighbour) changed the water filter for me a few weeks back, he hadn't done it before and asked if I wanted the water turned back on full. I didn't know, so said no, and checked the water pressure downstairs which seemed ok. I was wrong. I have texted my plumber to come and change the £91 worth of UV bulb and filter anyway. It runs out next week but is beeping annoyingly to let me know it needs doing. I texted him again to say I couldn't shower, because of the low pressure upstairs, could he come out sooner? He's texted back to say he'll be out tomorrow afternoon. Phew.
Tam and I finally got the proper curtain pole up in the guest bedroom and the pretty cream curtains hung again, so I could pull them and keep the bright sunlight out (south facing room, along with my sewing room). However, it hadn't got put up before because we couldnt' find the hand drill (not sufficient room to use the electric one.) Well, I had seen it recently, behind the front door on the shelving where the useful tools etc live. But could I find it today? I looked and looked, pulled things out and it was NOT there. Tam went to look and put her hand straight on it - on top of the box of chisels! I would be willing to bet good money that it was NOT there when I was looking, so Keith must have come along and spirited it out of hiding. Then we couldn't find the wood drill bits - eventually ran one to earth, ONE. He had dozens. It was exactly the right size for the screws we were using too. How odd is that?
Watching: he Pendragon Series on Prime. Based on the novels of Stephen Lawhead - Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur. Then come Pendragon, Grail and Avalon. Tam still has her copies in one of the bookcases upstairs.
Podcasts - Lots of TImeteam this week, and today it was back to The Three Ravens and a very good interview with Philip Carr-Gomm, who is a Druid and well known for blending modern psychology with Druidry and nature-based spirituality. Very interesting.
I have to ask: do vehicles there not have built in A/C? We sometimes have to take our older cars or trucks to have the A/C system tinkered, but with such long hot summers going anywhere with it not working is torture. Vehicles of my childhood didn't have such--I doubt we even imagined it. Windows all cranked down, wind tearing through one's hair, dust from the dirt roads blowing in.
ReplyDeleteI could seldom find the simplest tool needed in Jim's workshop. I'm wondering as he slowly rebuilds both his tool collection and the shop to house it, will he be more systematic in storage [?] Of course he claimed always to know where everything was kept.
Yes. I have A/C in my car but it was so suffocating in there, despite windows left open all day, that I couldn't bear shutting the windows and waiting for the A/C to kick in. YOur childhood memories are spot on, though without the dirt roads. Not driving anywhere today!
ReplyDeleteKeith's workshop always looked a complete mess - tins of tacks, screws, nails etc etc - none of them labelled - yet he could always put his hands on anything he wanted. Even when he couldn't get out there any more, he would say third tin down on the right on my workbench . . . When I went to Paul's last night (carpenter) his workshop was so neat and tidy - a place for everything and everything in its place. I am guessing our minds all work in different ways. At Ynyswen, I could put my hand on any particular book I wanted as they had been in that place on that bookshelf for 30+ years . . . NOw - not quite the same! Though I did find the Better Basics book Tam requested yesterday, along with Carla Emery's huge Encyclopaedia of Country Living and a couple of similar others.
It's been far too hot for me and I hate that opening windows to let in some air also lets the heat in too. Of course if my husband and son would let me leave the curtains closed on the south side and keep all the internal doors open to allow the air to circulate the house would stay much cooler, as it did when I used to be at home on my own, but I think that's too much to hope for!
ReplyDeleteBecause of the bats coming in, Tam wouldn't let me open the windows in my bedroom or on the landing. I have done so today as there is a flow of air now instead of walking upstairs into an oven! I only found one (baby) bat this mornin, in the litter tray again . . . It is now Elsewhere in the stables. I have brought my sewing machine etc down to the kitchen and pulled the curtains on the south side of the house. I tried a walk before it got hot but my lungs not happy with exercise from being in the hot and airless car yesterday afternoon (hot airless air coming in through windows . . .)
ReplyDeleteThe three velux windows in the roof in this house have been covered on the outside with towels, though how Andrew did it I don't know. We just use opening backdoor and windows at different times during the day helps cool the house down. The Aga is still going, because it costs over a £100 to reignite it. We also cook with it of course because it is just so easy.
ReplyDeleteI don't even have to walk through long grass to get bitten, they just home in on me and you name any deterrent and I've probably tried it. Annoyingly they leave OH alone. Wanted a water filter jug and couldn't find one in our local shops so had to trek to The Range. Got a Brita reduced, so happy there, but looked round the plant section and could have wept at the sight of rows of dying plants. I did buy a new watering can though, just waiting for Severn Trent to say there's a hosepipe ban! Take care. Xx
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I feel your pain with the horse fly bites. I'm terribly allergic to them so I used to suffer a lot when we lived in Wales, I've not had one since we moved.
ReplyDeleteWe have just driven down to the Cotswolds. The car was reading 38 degrees, so the air-con was on max all the way. It's now down to 33 outside. Still far too hot for me, I can't breathe. 🥵
Way too hot here as well at over 35c, like my neighbour says we are hiding like a couple of trolls in a cave
ReplyDeleteIt is horridly hot here and feels humid even though apparently it is not as humid as the last heatwave. It has been about 34 degrees here today. Even the fan seems to blow out warm air!!! Pleased you have sorted out the problem with your camera but sorry about the horse fly bites.
ReplyDeleteThat apple dappy looks just so delicious!! Its minus one degrees here so maybe we can swap some cold for some heat !! I hope you get some cooler temps soon & I hope we get some warmer ones.
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