It aint arf hot mum.

This is intended to be something of a general take in relation to our present heatwave. I admit to having a rather dry sense of humour at times. I planned ahead and paid for my funeral in advance. My wish is to be cremated. The elderly lady at the Co-Op filled in all the forms and explained what I had just paid for. We had a hug and a peck on the cheek.

Now in temperatures of 30plus degrees C. I feel most uncomfortable with this heat. Browing the written word. No where does it mention, pre cremation experiences. That's what this heat feels like to me.

Jokes aside. Here in the UK, this heat is welcomed by some. Fruit and salad crops are up, however due to the abundance, supermarket prices are down. I live in SE London/North Kent. Local Tesco sell a lot of local Kent/Sevenoaks produce. Suddenly foreign imports have dropped. A cue will cost you about 40p Lettuce under a pound. Green veg is fairly cheap. Similar results must also affect the home grower. At present I ask myself. Why do us gardeners go to all the trouble and heartbreaks to grow veg etc. It's cheap enough in the shops.

I fear that 2019 is going to start of with a deficit for farmers and commercial growers, so beware. Your big mac might cost you more.

So friends. How are you doing in this heat wave.

Why when there is sadly so much racism in this world. Why is it that white folk wanr to strip off and become sun tanned, brown....black?

 

Ha ha Mike.
Your remark about racism hit a chord with me esp about us white folk trying to look dark. An argument I have made for years
I have always loved sport esp boxing and athletics. The best in these sports were all black so I never felt black folk were inferior in any way; rather they were superior.
We still claim black folk as british when they are champions.
Racism is for idiots and extremists
We cornish are, generally, a ruddy faced race and determined somewhat by swarthy , dark skinned spanish seamen washed ashore after their defeat by Francis Drake.

Why do we grow our own veg Mike? Because it is free from pesticides, herbicides and other nasties. Because it tastes better. Price does not come into it for me

How am I coping in this heat? Well, I live near the sea so a cooling swim is always available; here we dont get quite the extreme temperatures most others get. Me? I am loving it. It's what summers are about. Wont last forever though; the last of the real summer months is almost here so we need to make the most of it

 

Hello all

I feel as though I need to add my thoughts here, sorry.

I know many people feel energised when the weather gets hot like it is currently but I feel as though those that are not able to tolerate the sun or the heat are somewhat forgotten about.

Personally, with my Autism I find this weather unbearable and find it extremely difficult to function let alone do anything constructive.

I am unable to go out without covering up as the sun on my skin makes it feel as though it is burning which in as of itself makes things difficult.

So please, whilst I am glad the majority of people really enjoy this weather please keep those who suffer with it in mind.

Thanks

Kevin

 

We are a bit thoughtless at times Kevin ..well said and sorry
It's good you spoke out and you have my respect for that

I know many folk who struggle in the heat too; and I think most of us have found night times too hot for sleeping.

This heat wont last long......a change to rain on Friday.....

I guess some of us get a bit excited when there is a heatwave

I hope you can find somewhere cool today Kevin

 

Hello @Verdun

Thanks for the reply.

It is always difficult for me to offer my opinions but I felt as though I had to make people aware .

Also, there is no need to apologise, I would never deny someone else enjoying the weather.​

At the moment I have windows open, door open and the blinds shut, it is not too bad but still too warm, for me.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Windows open, doors open, wrong thing to do if you dont like the heat, you actually let the heat in, most houses are fairly well insulated, so open windows overnight and close them in the morning. Close blinds during the day by all means.
Put fans near the window at night.
Qutie simple, basically the opposite to what you do in the winter.

I'm out at work all day and leave the house closed up when I leave at 7am, when I return at 5pm its like the place has air conditioning, it dont BTW, really cool feel, it has stored the cool air from the night before.

 

Hello @pete

Thanks for the reply.

I should of clarified my post better, sorry.

I only have my doors and windows open when the temperature outside is lower that that in the house.

Kevin

 

Good and not so good news Kevin
Today will be very hot....possibly the hottest day of the year....but its all change overnight to cooler wetter conditions that, hopefully, will suit you better

 

Hello @Verdun

Thanks for the reply.

Here it is forecast to be 29 Degrees today and tomorrow it is Thunderstorms.

I actually like sitting outside in thunderstorms, the feeling in the air is electric, literally.

I do not put much faith in Weather Forecasts though, the best forecast is looking out the window

Roll on tomorrow

Kevin

 

Enjoy it Kevin.
My puppy will too tomorrow when we walk in the rain

 

Hello @Verdun

Well, we have had thunderstorms and heavy rain here on and off all day, the first rain in close to a couple of months now.

Happily, I spent most of the time stood at the open back door watching it, really invigorating.

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin, please don’t be greedy and send some rain this way.

 

Hello @john558

I will try but I have been telling it to rain here for weeks without any success so I am not too optimistic of success

Kevin

 

Hi,
adapting to heat is interesting. We lived for a few years in a Mediterranean country where the summers were 35+ for 3-4 months. I suffered like a mad dog, learning the survival skills to always stay in shade, do playground outings with the kids before 9am or after 6pm, and have the main meal after 8pm when it was possible to turn the cooker on. Water, fruit and salt consumption was ridiculous.

My elderly neighbourg however rarely drank water even though he was tending his garden in full sun every day. (Yes, of course we got to know each other via gardening as you do... dogs, kids, or garden gets you to know new people) He said he only drinks coffee and his own white wine, and a glass of water occasionally.

Apparently our bodies adapt well to the temperatures, and start to balance the output of essential salts and water we lose with sweat and urine. The trick is that it takes time, and a few months a year during a lifetime of different acclimatisation is not enough to do the job. Our baby who was born there never seemed to suffer from the heat and slept peacefully under a duvet when us grown ups suffered under a dampened sheet.

Inversely, I was freezing the first few years here in the UK as the indoors temperatures never hit my comfort zone of around 20C. In Finland the norm indoor temperature is a stable 20C around the year, day and night, so the British home "normals" took me years to get used to. Now I'm fine, but visiting relatives have chattering teeth and beg for sweaters.

So I guess the level of comfort and adaptation to the weather is very much biological and will take time for most of us. And obviously there are many individuals who are truly struggling with this unexpected heat we are having now.

@Mike Allen , you have heard of cryogenics haven't you?

 

Well Kevin I watered the Pots, Runners & P/S Broc at 7.30, by 8pm a few minutes of very high wind and then Thunder & Thanks for sending it SE Kent's way; still very humid.