I’ve got a stinking cold and sore throat…the kind you might get once a stressful period is over and you can finally afford to collapse in a heap… yes…we have a beautiful new extended kitchen…and yes, it was worth it. And yes, we are still cleaning up the dust.
It’s steaming hot here in London (and everywhere else I believe, including Sweden!)…I don’t think we’ve had such consistently hot weather since 1976..up in the 30s centigrade (80s/90s Fahrenheit) for most of the last 6-8 weeks I think. The media is panicking, saying this is the future of British weather (I’m sure they said we’d be having warm, wet summers a year or two ago); people will die (young and old in particular); we’ll run out of food/water soon; interest rates are going up from about nothing to a bit more than nothing, and of course Brexit is very, very dire. Not even a fine summer – that thing we consistently wish for, that thing that means we do not have to go abroad for a holiday, or buy expensive foreign currency for, or queue up at airports for; where we can plan barbeques and be certain of good weather; can buoy up a determinedly doom-focused media.
Friend A and I took a walk through 4 of London’s parks – St. James’, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The trees are stunning and though everything is somewhat parched, the gardens and lakes are just beautiful. We couldn’t believe we were in London. The Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens, plus the heat, make us feel we are in…Italy! Everyone looks as though they are on holiday, with scant clothes and swimming trunks as they swim in the Serpentine at Hyde Park. Old Rolls Royce cars, converted into ice cream vans sell their wares in the Royal Parks…we are having lazy, hazy, crazy days. Hand-held fans are making a come-back (apparently). I remember having a great time in 1976…
We have a beautiful new terrace and the new kitchen is spacious and comfortable to be in. We are undoubtedly amongst the most fortunate. My cold will pass, the hot weather will pass and…all is well here…if a little sweaty.
jx
Stewing very early Bramleys…
Ain't we got it made? 
It looks lovely J, well worth the wait!
Definitely. Should we have installed aircon though…?
What a lovely view from your kitchen! It’s so hot just about everywhere and I guess I’m one of those who is very concerned about the future of our planet (well, our planet will be fine and probably better off without us humans messing things up). I’m not sure what we can do at this point except try to lessen our impact.
Hi Janis! Yes we have a lovely green, though currently untidy view! I’m with you re concern for humans on our amazing planet…I have to be hopeful we will come to our senses and do as you suggest – lessen our impact. But regular news stories just make you miserable…and while I’m here, I want to feel the best I can; I’d like to hear news about people (governments?) that recycle, use less, find alternative carbon-free energy sources, who find they can exist on less than they thought, who share what they have; plastic-free shops/supermarkets….more of the good news, maybe.