Ot and Umid again here in SE BoJoland, though a breeze from Europe (thank you, EU friends!) is welcome.
Cool ALE is being consumed, though I may have to drag myself to the corner shop later today for fresh supplies.
Re St Fagan's, I love the reconstructed mediaeval church! Such vibrant colours for the wall-paintings, though one is forced to wonder how accurate a rendering (pun intended) they are...
I’m a mozzie magnet too. We’re going off in a narrow boat for a couple of weeks later in the summer (the Cheshire ring and the Llangollen canal) so I imagine I’ll be eaten alive.
36 degrees predicted here tomorrow. I’m going to melt.
Good news today, I got my formal offer for the doctorate through and I’ve just sent off the acceptance, disability form, staff fee waiver, etc. So I’m back to being a student in October and I’m unbearably excited.
Some of the medieval wall paintings at St Fagan’s are reconstructed originals from that church, but only about four or five as far as I recall. The others are consistent with wall paintings of the same period.
I think the originals include Ecce Homo, the painting of spitting at Jesus, and the St Christopher. If you ask the guides they have a handbook with some of the details.
I’ve been visiting St Fagans since 1973 so have watched the reconstruction of many of the buildings. It is an amazing place and I’m only surprised it hasn’t won an award before.
We went to a Welsh "plygain" carol service in that church back in January. It was very cold, and I had to stand - but it was a great experience. Although plygain carols are sung elsewhere (even in London!), the Museum is determined to keep the tradition alive.
Enjoy the Cheshire ring etc @Heavenly Annie. My dad was a painter of 'Roses and Castles' and lived up there for the last ten years of his life selling his 'tat' as he called it so I know those canals well.
I know have Wi-Fi again after our router died at the weekend. Feeling rather pleased with myself at getting the new one installed as I'm not very technical.
Hot here, so I've stayed indoors most of the day, but tomorrow I've booked in for Zumba and Pilates. I hope the aircon is working otherwise I'm going to be feeling a bit hot and bothered.
No rain for us last night though I thought I saw some lightening.
I’m a mozzie magnet too. We’re going off in a narrow boat for a couple of weeks later in the summer (the Cheshire ring and the Llangollen canal) so I imagine I’ll be eaten alive.
36 degrees predicted here tomorrow. I’m going to melt.
Good news today, I got my formal offer for the doctorate through and I’ve just sent off the acceptance, disability form, staff fee waiver, etc. So I’m back to being a student in October and I’m unbearably excited.
Give a wave to Whixall Marina near Whitchurch, it’s where we kept our narrowboat (Jamm Butty). We often travelled the Llangollen canal. We were on the boat most weekends with two boys, dog and cat.
The cat would be out all night and always sitting on the hatch to come in in the morning ready to travel on.
Not sure when you're arriving, @Piglet, but next week looks like the familiar mix of sunshine and showers. I am enjoying this warmer weather - but then we won't get above 25, probably (though it was a torrid 27 in Inverness yesterday when I was there) and there is a breeze to offset things. In fact it is a Great Day for Doing the Washing, and the Giraffe will be arriving home from a festival so there will be plenty to wash!
When I pulled back the curtain at 06:15 the sun was blindingly bright and shining, hotly, straight into the sitting room - but I was pleased to see see that there was a good breeze blowing.
Then I opened the french doors....yes there was a breeze, but it was a decidedly warm breeze, rather like having a warm blanket thrown over me. I stayed out long enough to water the tomatoes and beans, and am now indoors until tomorrow morning, when I hope that outdoor conditions are more sensible.
I might spend the night in the bath. In fact, I might also spend much of the day in the shower.
As I am now an honorary Spaniard, I rose early-ish today, did various errands (including shopping for ALE), and am now back on board the Ark for a siesta after lunch.
Forecast is that around 4pm will be the hottest part of the day (why? I thought it would be midday or thereabouts) at 37C, possibly even 39C.
All the portholes are open, so there is a tiny bit of through breeze, but I intend to carry out No. More. Errands. Or Jobs. Today.
I'm quaffing a 'Splice The Mainbrace' as we speak. It is a combination of ALE and ALE...most (hic!) refreshing!
That's reminded me of a once-popular drinky at our local bar - a 'Rusty Nail'. Other Shipmates may have come across this peculiar blend of Cider and Guinness...
Whether you pour the Cider in first, or t'other way round, an Interesting Chemical Reaction ensues, as the two elements foam to high heaven, vying for supremacy.
Just to clarify a meteorological point... The sun is indeed highest around noon, but it continues to heat the atmosphere through the afternoon even though it appears less intense later in the day. At noon, the sun is still "burning off" the overnight cooling. The transfer of energy continues through the afternoon. This, of course, doesn't account for something like a moving cold front. I hope that that helps.
Just to clarify a meteorological point... The sun is indeed highest around noon, but it continues to heat the atmosphere through the afternoon even though it appears less intense later in the day. At noon, the sun is still "burning off" the overnight cooling. The transfer of energy continues through the afternoon. This, of course, doesn't account for something like a moving cold front. I hope that that helps.
I was probably told that, back in the dear, dead days, beyond recall, when Ah wor a Lad at Skool.
Thanks for the clarification - it is indeed getting hotter as the afternoon wears on, though it looks as though this corner of Piffle Island may not quite break the record. Too much Hot Air being used up by the Piffle Group playing in London, I fear.
Cambridge is the hottest place in the uk at 38.1, hottest July day ever and second hottest day.
And i’ve Just got the washing in as the first drops of rain come.
36 degrees here in South West London. Its clouding over, so I'm hoping for a bit of rain.
Congratulations on being accepted for your doctorate btw @Heavenlyannie. That will keep you busy for the next few years.
Not sure when you're arriving, @Piglet, but next week looks like the familiar mix of sunshine and showers ...
We leave here on Monday, arriving in Glasgow at silly o'clock on Tuesday morning, then head north after a couple of days in Edinburgh.
I had a look at next week's forecasts for Edinburgh and Orkney and they look rather nice (low/mid 20s in Edinburgh, high teens in Orkney). Mind you, a friend in Edinburgh just posted on Facebook that it was 32° in the shade in his garden ...
Meanwhile, my mozzie-bite count has crept up into double figures.
A measly 31C here in SE Piffle Island, but also with a freshening Wind (which doesn't seem to be able to make up its mind as to direction), accompanied by apocalyptic Clouds, and occasional flashes of Lightning.
O, the apocalyptic Clouds have just devoured the Sun, BTW.
Parts of the southern UK are getting odd coloured sunsets because of (a) dust from the Sahara, and (b) bits from the wildfires currently raging in Portugal.
The sun is indeed highest around noon, but it continues to heat the atmosphere through the afternoon ...
This is true if you are in the center of your time zone and you don't have Daylight Saving Time. I am in the western part of my time zone and we do have DST. Right now, where I live, the sun is at its highest around 1:40 PM.
Violent thunderstorm in these parts. Not necessarily doing much to clear the air, but it's cleaned it for sure, moistened the ground and killed the street lighting. Anarchy rules in the suburbs of the Fine City...
I understand that there have been thunderstorms - they passed to the east of us, so we saw no rain (other than a short, heavy shower that arrived unexpectedly at lunchtime and wet my line of dry washing). The rain coming with the next front will, from what I saw of the local weather map this evening, pass us by on the west. I expect I will have to put the hose on the beans and tomatoes in the morning.
The garden is beginning to provide us with edibles. We were able to go straight from picking the last of the 2018 sowing of chard to starting on this year's crop and we had our first serving of this year's home-grown beans today. The courgettes have started producing proper courgettes, not the weird miss-shapen ones of a week or so ago, I have four home grown outdoor cucumbers in the fridge, and some of the tomatoes will be ripe enough to pick by tomorrow. I should have been picking raspberries and 'alpine' strawberries today, but it has been far too hot to stand out in the sun
Re: yellow skies, over here they're reckoned as a portent of hurricanes, and I can testify that shortly before the one true hurricane I've witnessed (Igor in 2010), the sky did indeed appear to be somewhat yellow.
We get some pretty good thunderstorms here: from the château we can watch them rolling along the river, and they're really a sight to behold. We had one last summer that lasted for the best part of an hour, and was far more entertaining than any of the cr*p on television.*
The dirty yellow sky eventually provided us with a VERY LOUD thunderstorm at 4am, with a fair dosing of rain. It feels much fresher now, so it's time to sally forth for more ALE...
I'm holed up in the gloom of my study - shutters and windows closed and mini-USB fan going. I have to share my desk with a cat who has discovered that the fan is cooling. She is lying directly in its air waves! Asyou can see!
Cool Britannia...definitely not this afternoon! Especially if you’re in a train with wonky aircon. Groan. 😒
Much sympathy.
I was profoundly grateful that both trains I needed yesterday were running to time and fully air-conned. Especially the return one as I arrived back at the station to a large departure board full of cancelled and delayed trains. Except for mine which I expected to be over-crowded with people trying alternative routes but it was surprisingly empty.
Apart from the odd ten minutes of someone choosing to squeeze into the airline-style seat next to me, to be able to chat to a companion across the aisle in a table seat, where three of the seats were taken up with a businesswoman spreading her devices all over the table, her bag on the seat next to her, and her feet (shoes off) on the seat opposite to her. And I was getting the evils from the two of them for not taking their silent hint they wanted me to move from the one reserved for me seat I was occupying! Well, my and my bags at my feet and on my lap. I was not aware of any evils they were giving to Inconsiderate Business Woman.
Fortunately, at the next station lots of people got off and they moved to an airline seat of their choice, and Inconsiderate Business Woman put something on the fourth seat... until a succession of people travelling only one or two stops got her to move the stuff. And her feet.
We had rain as I went home yesterday, some more overnight and a little this morning but coats are only being worn by those little old ladies who wear them 365 days a year anyway.
Comments
Cool ALE is being consumed, though I may have to drag myself to the corner shop later today for fresh supplies.
Re St Fagan's, I love the reconstructed mediaeval church! Such vibrant colours for the wall-paintings, though one is forced to wonder how accurate a rendering (pun intended) they are...
Oh, and the score is now WBTs 4, Piglet 0.
Boots the Chemist here in Bojoland sell something quite effective (alas, can't recall the make), which may be available on your side of the Pond.
It does require the wearing of Flowing Garments, with Long Sleeves etc.
I blame Trump.
36 degrees predicted here tomorrow. I’m going to melt.
Good news today, I got my formal offer for the doctorate through and I’ve just sent off the acceptance, disability form, staff fee waiver, etc. So I’m back to being a student in October and I’m unbearably excited.
I think the originals include Ecce Homo, the painting of spitting at Jesus, and the St Christopher. If you ask the guides they have a handbook with some of the details.
I’ve been visiting St Fagans since 1973 so have watched the reconstruction of many of the buildings. It is an amazing place and I’m only surprised it hasn’t won an award before.
I know have Wi-Fi again after our router died at the weekend. Feeling rather pleased with myself at getting the new one installed as I'm not very technical.
Hot here, so I've stayed indoors most of the day, but tomorrow I've booked in for Zumba and Pilates. I hope the aircon is working otherwise I'm going to be feeling a bit hot and bothered.
No rain for us last night though I thought I saw some lightening.
Give a wave to Whixall Marina near Whitchurch, it’s where we kept our narrowboat (Jamm Butty). We often travelled the Llangollen canal. We were on the boat most weekends with two boys, dog and cat.
The cat would be out all night and always sitting on the hatch to come in in the morning ready to travel on.
I really hope it's not going to be like that in Scotland when we're over - I'm looking forward to a break from heat that I don't want to be out in.
Congratulations, @Heavenlyannie - exciting times!
Then I opened the french doors....yes there was a breeze, but it was a decidedly warm breeze, rather like having a warm blanket thrown over me. I stayed out long enough to water the tomatoes and beans, and am now indoors until tomorrow morning, when I hope that outdoor conditions are more sensible.
I might spend the night in the bath. In fact, I might also spend much of the day in the shower.
Forecast is that around 4pm will be the hottest part of the day (why? I thought it would be midday or thereabouts) at 37C, possibly even 39C.
All the portholes are open, so there is a tiny bit of through breeze, but I intend to carry out No. More. Errands. Or Jobs. Today.
Take care, all, and drink plenty of ALEwater...
That's reminded me of a once-popular drinky at our local bar - a 'Rusty Nail'. Other Shipmates may have come across this peculiar blend of Cider and Guinness...
Whether you pour the Cider in first, or t'other way round, an Interesting Chemical Reaction ensues, as the two elements foam to high heaven, vying for supremacy.
It tastes nice, though.
I was probably told that, back in the dear, dead days, beyond recall, when Ah wor a Lad at Skool.
Thanks for the clarification - it is indeed getting hotter as the afternoon wears on, though it looks as though this corner of Piffle Island may not quite break the record. Too much Hot Air being used up by the Piffle Group playing in London, I fear.
And i’ve Just got the washing in as the first drops of rain come.
Congratulations on being accepted for your doctorate btw @Heavenlyannie. That will keep you busy for the next few years.
I had a look at next week's forecasts for Edinburgh and Orkney and they look rather nice (low/mid 20s in Edinburgh, high teens in Orkney). Mind you, a friend in Edinburgh just posted on Facebook that it was 32° in the shade in his garden ...
Meanwhile, my mozzie-bite count has crept up into double figures.
O, the apocalyptic Clouds have just devoured the Sun, BTW.
Cthulhu, have mercy! Yog-Sothoth, save us!
Is this a Bad Thing, do you think?
Be on your guard, citizens of SE Piffle Island!
Parts of the southern UK are getting odd coloured sunsets because of (a) dust from the Sahara, and (b) bits from the wildfires currently raging in Portugal.
This is true if you are in the center of your time zone and you don't have Daylight Saving Time. I am in the western part of my time zone and we do have DST. Right now, where I live, the sun is at its highest around 1:40 PM.
The garden is beginning to provide us with edibles. We were able to go straight from picking the last of the 2018 sowing of chard to starting on this year's crop and we had our first serving of this year's home-grown beans today. The courgettes have started producing proper courgettes, not the weird miss-shapen ones of a week or so ago, I have four home grown outdoor cucumbers in the fridge, and some of the tomatoes will be ripe enough to pick by tomorrow. I should have been picking raspberries and 'alpine' strawberries today, but it has been far too hot to stand out in the sun
We get some pretty good thunderstorms here: from the château we can watch them rolling along the river, and they're really a sight to behold. We had one last summer that lasted for the best part of an hour, and was far more entertaining than any of the cr*p on television.*
* not that that would be hard
But I'll soon be putting out my washing, which is bound to attract it.
Much sympathy.
I was profoundly grateful that both trains I needed yesterday were running to time and fully air-conned. Especially the return one as I arrived back at the station to a large departure board full of cancelled and delayed trains. Except for mine which I expected to be over-crowded with people trying alternative routes but it was surprisingly empty.
Apart from the odd ten minutes of someone choosing to squeeze into the airline-style seat next to me, to be able to chat to a companion across the aisle in a table seat, where three of the seats were taken up with a businesswoman spreading her devices all over the table, her bag on the seat next to her, and her feet (shoes off) on the seat opposite to her. And I was getting the evils from the two of them for not taking their silent hint they wanted me to move from the one reserved for me seat I was occupying! Well, my and my bags at my feet and on my lap. I was not aware of any evils they were giving to Inconsiderate Business Woman.
Fortunately, at the next station lots of people got off and they moved to an airline seat of their choice, and Inconsiderate Business Woman put something on the fourth seat... until a succession of people travelling only one or two stops got her to move the stuff. And her feet.