Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

@AuntyRach It's still swollen but not too painful now. I don't mind having wasps about but wish they'd put up a flag when making a new residence. Thanks for that info @Ladybird4. I'll remember it for next time.

If you think about where curries and other such spicy dishes come from @AuntyRach you'd realise hot weather is perfect for them. Probably a lot more sensible than our roast lamb but at least I can let the oven just get on with it.

As ever, I came in filthy from my gardening exploits but thought I might, at last, be getting a bit of colour on my legs. Nope, it's all washed off in the shower leaving just a faint mark where my flip flop straps go.

 

Phew! 40 degrees is hotter than I ever wish to experience... we had one day when it reached 30, two summers ago, which was definitely much too hot for me... we've only got to 24 so far this summer. Suits me fine.

I'm puzzled by the hedgehog's timetable. Two nights ago, it was returning to the shed at 8.50pm, and again at 5am, when it appeared to bring back a frog. It seems to have changed its "going out" door so it's a bit difficult to work out exactly what's happening. Last night it was outside at 8.30pm, but I couldn't tell if it was going out or coming back in. Then a cat knocked the camera over at 2am...

Because my sister has had two primary malignant melanomas, I garden in trousers, long sleeves, a hat, and factor 50 on any exposed bits. I'd rather be hot and pale than get skin cancer.

 

What do you all think of this----to put in a sympathy card to my neighbor down at our airbnb. so tired of the old card stuff I see. Bought a blank one. Been thinking for days. She lost her husband recently, he had , had major heart surgery but was better. She's a strong tough lady about 80 years old. Neat person, they both were. anyway---what do you all think.

Pondering for days what words I can say to bring you comfort, But reality there is none. I can use all the traditional phrases: Sorry for your loss etc. But what I will say is –stand on your deck scream at the sky. Hug his robe. Cry a box of Kleenex, Hold his razor. Drink from his mug. Talk to the vacant pillow. Smile at the things he loved. Embrace grief, it is love.

 

Evening everybody, I agree 40c is far too hot!

It's been warm but very breezy all day so I had to wait while the breeze died down before I could spray paint my old cushion storage box. Did 3 coats, 20 mins apart - a very smelly job so had to wear goggles and a face mask. I'm pleased with the result and hope to put it into place tomorrow, fingers crossed it fits the rather tight space I've got for it.

I tend to garden in long trousers and long sleeve top but not keen on wearing a hat, reckon as I've got such thick hair, that's enough.

Hope the wasp stings are abating @Obelix-Vendée , they can be very painful.

Glad you enjoyed your trip out @Busy-Lizzie.

The hedgehog mystery continues......

Have a good evening everyone.

 

Too hot for covering up but I do apply factor 50 on my upper body and arms. Wasp sting are OK now but I can do without any more of those.

@Liriodendron if she's given birth she'll be busy breast-feeding, doing the hedghog equivalent of changing nappies and also keeping the babies warm and the nest clean as well as foraging for food. No wonder her schedule is all over the place.

@resdtar - I think that's really great and so much better than anodine formulaic condolence cards.

Sweet dreams all.

 

thanks folks. I will write it out on a card and send Monday. the card has a boat on it, which was both their loves. thanks again.

 

Good morning all.
@redstar, the words you have chosen are so beautiful - brought a tear to my eye - but they cover 'life' so well. I echo @Loofah - perfect.

 

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I can't believe that we are on the final day of the Olympics. The Womens Marathon is underway. Respect to all those participating as it looks like it is hot already. The sun was beaming down when I first got up then it saw me and retreated behind the clouds. Ho hum!
@Liriodendron I stay covered up in the sun too. If it is too extreme I hesitate in going out. I am so fascinated by the hedgehog stories and am excited to know if there are tiny babies there. It is so nice you can chronicle the activities for us.

 

Good Morning all.

Watching the marathon - there’s a hill just before the end - killer!

Enjoy Sunday folks.

Edit: oh that hill is only 3/4 of the way!

 

Good morning. My forecast now says 41C at 5pm today! I'm off out before it gets too uncomfortable. Luckily the 3 walls of the now roofless barn are east, south and west so provide shade in my potting area till about 11:30.

OH will get back from Nantes airport, ia the car wash, at about midday so I'm off out to get mucky and, no doubt, scratched again. All part of the fun.

Enjoy your day everyone, whatever you're doing.

 

Morning all.

@redstar that made me feel emotional and it brought back memories. I did all that when my first husband died when I was 47 and he was 53. It was his jumper I hugged and took to bed with me.

I wear an old dress and comfy old leather shoes for gardening in the summer. Jeans and jumper in winter.

It will be hot today, late 30s. I'll do a lot of watering this evening. We are going to visit my daughter tomorrow, near Poitiers, for a couple of days.

 

Good morning! Our forecast says a maximum of 22, which is as hot as I want...

I don't object to the hedgehog having a "new mum" schedule, @Obelix-Vendée (I remember it well!) - it's just that it makes putting out food for her less likely, if one night she's out at 8.30 and the next at 3am. But if as I suspect this is her second summer under our shed, she is probably well used to fending for herself. We have a lot of different habitats close by (dry stone walls, thick native hedging, fields, bog and woodland) in addition to our semi-wild garden so I'm hopeful she'll be fine.

Thanks, @Ladybird4 . I'd love to see hoglets, but we have only the one wildlife camera, and the shed is mounted on concrete blocks (the Irish method) rather than wooden bearers, so there are many potential exits for the hedgehog. I tried a new position for the camera last night next to a likely exit, which had signs of scraping next to it, but captured only distant hedgehog pics late evening and again around 3am. But fingers crossed...

Re the hat, @lizzie27 . I have thick hair too, but tie it back for gardening, which exposes my neck and ears to the sun - hate the hat, but there we are!

 

Good morning everyone!!

Another very hot day to come. Bike/run is done earlier this morning but even by 8.15 it was warming up nicely!! I am sitting under the pergola and there is a nice sea breeze coming through.

Thank you @Busy-Lizzie and @Obelix-Vendée for the advice about roses.it's buy 2 get one free. There is lavender going too, so I may as well make hay!!

I have to say, I exterminate wasp's nests - one spot in particular is popular with them, is where I keep the wheelie bins, so every time I put something out - I get dive bombed by the scouts. So when the sun is off the little hut - I sweep them off with the broom and run like the clappers!! When the nest is tiny of course. I have bees here in the roof of the garage and they buzz around me to say "hello". I have never been stung.

@redstar Great idea for a sympathy card! Words are so difficult when people lose loved ones.
I too, did all those things when my husband died. He was 55. Just too young like BL's husband. Just too young. I am selling the family home to downsize after summer. This is going to be really hard as it was my husband who built it. The townhouse I am moving into is next door and my husband built two of them for our retirement. Tradesmen don't get a pension here in France unless you have validated the required amount of time to qualify - or anyone else for that matter. There are many retirees living on the breadline in France because of their stupid system.

I'm like you @Liriodendron I am not allowed exposure and wear 50SPF - hat, gloves and long trousers and sleeves. I must look a weirdo on my bike but UV rays here are strong and I'm not taking any chances. My skin is like parchment and very fair.

 

Hot here, already. 23° according to my weather station in the shade but the sun is very hot. Due to be 32° here tomorrow (ugh) but I'll be on a coach to somewhere more moderate before the heat builds up too much (I hope). On a speedy visit to Cardiff to visit child 1 (Bow) with child 2 (Trill) to buy some student room supplies to store at Bow's flat ready for Trill to move to halls there too in September. It's so long since I've used their 'forum names' that I'm not sure if I've even remembered them correctly, but they'll do.

I've watered the veg this morning but I won't be venturing outside much in this heat. I tend to avoid hot sun, though my weekly volunteer gardening day has taught me to wear a good hat, long trousers and sunscreen as we continue no matter what, pretty much.