I do think that it must have been mid-may. Now we're in mid-August that's a long spell with no water. Still no hose pipe ban where I am, I'm now only watering garden every other day. I'm lucky I can do that. After last year's bumper crop of apples, this year there's just one apple in my garden and it's on the tree that grows the inedible apples. Though I still have some stewed apple after last year's marathon effort so there's still the chance of some apple crumble when it gets a bit cooler.
On the subject of gets a bit cooler, it is actually, first thing in the morning I'm having to put on a jumper to take the dog for a walk. So there's a very slight autumnal feel to the air.
Going back to the subject of no rain, the ground is absolutely parched. The banks on our front garden are now so dry that there are mini mud slides (because there's no mud) all the grass has died and dried up completely so there are no roots holding the banks in place. Out in the fields many of the crops have failed or are not doing particularly well. The field in the picture is usually beautiful and lush, but this year it's literally hay. At least the animals will eat well this winter.
On a positive note, for the first summer ever dog hasn't spent whole summer with grass seeds being picked out of her coat. The plants are really struggling and there's not really any grass to grow. If it's been mowed it's just not got any longer. This is obviously a huge moment of joy for husband who doesn't have to mow the lawn. I'd like to say the same for the bamboo and bind weed, that are my responsibility - they are absolutley loving the weather (bastards).
Last week was unremarkable - there was the horror of changed routine. Inexplicably I arranged for our weekly food delivery to be on Tuesday rather than Thursday. This may seem small fry to you, but in a family that doesn't deal with unplanned change this was a jarring moment to our weekly routine.
I've had a summer cold, not one of those brain storming ones that leaves you flattened, it's just been an underlying snottiness, thick headedness and a bit of chestiness. Though I'll take that over one of the brain storming ones any time.
On Saturday I had the horrors of having to go to a supermarket for a mini shop (because of the early delivery). I literally never do this, can't bear it. So I headed down at about 7.00am before all the humans were out and about. To my irritation I discovered you needed a pound coin to be able to get a trolly. I mean, who even has a pound coin on them these days. I used to have one of those key rings that did the trick, but no idea where that is now because I never go to the supermarket.
I asked the man pushing the trolleys into place if he could help and got a hard no. So I went into store and asked somebody there, who told me the only person who could help was the person pushing the trolleys outside. So the person pushing trolley's obviously hated me. I did my best with a basket, but it soon became too heavy to lift so I pushed it into a corner and then went around the shop gathering what I needed. Once complete and ignorning how stupid I must look I dragged the basked on the floor until my back started to hurt. I finished the journey to checkout literally kicking the basket in the direction I needed to be. I was furious and literally daring somebody to come up and complain. Though if they had I'd have just asked for some help.
These are the reasons I hate going into supermarkets. Just hell on earth. I'm old enough to remember that it used to be if you worked full time the only time you could get to the supermarket was Saturday. The shops were shut in the evenings and shut on Sundays. It was absolute bedlam. There were queues about 40 deep. Things are at least better now than they were then.
On Sunday some friends came over for a picnic. We've been friends for absolutely years. Many moons ago I pursuaded 'her' that we should do Tai Chi. I was rubbish at it and gave up reasonably quickly. I found it hugely stressful trying to learn the form and given that I wanted to do Tai Chi to relax it rather defeated the point. Friend continued to do Tai Chi and now many moons later, she's married to the Tai Chi instructor. Destiny you see!
I decided not to take the dog down because I figured we'd spend the whole time entertaining it - or - trying to keep it cool. So we headed down to the beach without dog. I took them to one of the quieter beaches. Just too far out from all directions for people to bother to go there - well except for me. It was a perfect choice actually - we had the whole area to ourselves and even went and investigated some of the chalk channels created by the sea.
It was great to catch up with them. A great natter and they are always a lot of fun.
Anyway, that's it really an unremarkable week but nothing particularly bad happened and it was good to catch up with old friends.
I was just thinking about the full solar eclipse in 2006. The night before I'd had my leaving party from my job. Back then I had a really tight friends group - many of whom are the people I still talk about now. We all really knew how to party. My leaving do consisted of a curry and lots and lots and lots of booze and went on long into the night.
There's been lots of good old fashioned scare mongering about the eclipse in advance. The next morning I woke up with the worst hangover I think I've ever had. We were all packed into my friends one bedroom flat (I forget why - we all lived locally). The eclipse started and just as it reached its pinacle I had to rush to the loo to be sick. There were no windows in the loo and I remember wondering when I was in there if the world really was slanting or whether it was just my head.
I guess I'll never know, well obviously I do really.....
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