The Heat Wave

...and so most of Britain continues to bask in glorious sunshine going through what we call a 'heat wave' but which most of the rest of the world would call 'pleasantly warm'. We do like to over react here to any mild deviations from the 'norm'. If it snows a bit we close down the country just to be on the safe side; if it's cold for the time of year the media starts whining on about the cost of heating; if the mercury hits the high 20s then we begin to wilt and start every conversation with the obligatory "Hot enough for you, then?", accompanied by optional blowing out of cheeks and fanning gesture.

Geof's home-made greenhouse!

It never ceases to amaze me how a bit of sun can make people act in a way which they would not normally even contemplate. Huge white beer bellies and wobbly moobs are put on display to anyone unlucky enough to be within a 3 mile radius (I don't get my breasts out as soon as it gets a bit warm so why do you feel the need to?), old men dig out that 'jazzy' Hawaiian shirt from the back of the wardrobe which they last donned in the summer of '76 and so the list of crimes against fashion and general human decency continues.
The advice churned out on regional TV is incredible too. The other day, on the local news,  I heard someone they'd clearly dragged in off the street or possibly from a local agency 'Help The Total Cretins' say "Make sure you stay in the cool, wear loose clothing and drink plenty of cold drinks". Oh, and just in the nick of time for me. I was off to the greenhouse with my sleeping bag and thermos of cocoa which I'd laced liberally with salt.