For those of you from North America, or Australia, or anywhere else with long hot summers, let me explain that British summers can sometimes be a little cool and rainy. Highs of 60-something fahrenheit in July don't really surprise anyone. If temperatures reach above 80, everyone gets very excited and sometimes utilities don't work, if it goes on for several days (infrastructure supporting rail travel, or the electric supply, just sort of melt!) So, highs above 80 are a big deal. Highs above 80 in October, after the equinox, are a once in a lifetime situation.
All of us here were hunkered down for a long, dark, cool and wet Autumn. And then, the jet stream veered off and this is what happened:
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| October 2nd, Sunday afternoon. Warm enough to run in the sprinkler! |
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| The site of Sunday's big wiffle-ball blow-out. |
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| We are getting a second crop of strawberries!?! |
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| The climbing rose on our North facing wall is looking gorgeous. |
With Halloween and Christmas stock in all the grocery stores, the whole of England it seems decided to wheel the BBQs back out for one more extravaganza. We grilled out all weekend. Children took over our street and rode their bikes and scooters all over the close, normally it is too cold and wet to gain the critical mass needed to turf out the cars. Also, when the weather is good, everyone makes big plans and isn't around, but this balmy shot of vitamin D caught out all the grownups and everyone was home with nothing to do. My eldest daughter described it as the best weekend of her life. She rode her bike constantly, ran in and out of neighbour's yards. We capped off the weekend with an impromptu wiffle-ball game in our back garden. We just dragged in kids from the alley behind our house and the end of the close in front. With six different families and three dads to help, we all had a ball.
Temperatures start to drop back towards normal levels tomorrow. Highs in the high 50s are about normal. Sigh. The best things in life really are free. I'm off too bath the kids, and then sit out on my patio and enjoy being outside with soft, warm air on my skin rather than a jacket.
Yay, I found you! I'll post a link to your new blog...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great weekend. We're getting some warmer weather here, too. Can't complain about that!
Wow, sounds like a truly lovely moment of shangri-la. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI found you through Joy's blog. So so so sorry that happened to you! How awful. I put your new link in my blogroll.
I saw you posted about having a virus in your original blog - unbelievable, I didn't realise it happened to blogs! Could you salvage any old sewing history from a Reader or something?
ReplyDeleteMoving right along though, your weekend sounds brilliant! Your strawberries look really yummy too.
And btw thanks for your comment on my V1228 - I was quite disappointed with it, I was mentally comparing it with your beautiful silk number and it just didn't cut the mustard :-(
Glad to find you - my computer wouldn't open your site.Thanks to Joy, I was able to track your new site. Sometimes a fresh start can be just the ticket to new and better things.
ReplyDeleteWonderful weather! It's warmer now than in July here. But the forecast is SNOW for the weekend!!! :-((
ReplyDeleteHi. Just found your new site through Joy's link.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to find you, also thanks to Joy. I couldn't find you at first...
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you lost your old blog... do you think it was related to the new blog style you tried out briefly, then went back to the old style?
Anyhoo, I'm certain this new blog will be at least as gorgeous as your one one...
What a magical weekend! I hope your lovely weather will travel around the globe until it reaches DC, where it has been rainy and chilly much earlier than usual.
ReplyDeleteClimate change is actually really scary.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your blog - extremely frustrating to say the least. Looking forward to your new rendition though.
Yay, I found you via the comment you left on Sherry's site .... our sewing records are quite precious - it's a worry that bad things can happen to them - Google could simply just pack it all up and go home! Anyway, how wonderful to have lovely lovely weather - we tend to take it for granted (Aussies that is), however, our weather these school holidays has been drabsville - so I hope you continue to get the warmth on your skin.
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