Keeping cool

As the nation swelters in a heatwave here, I am fascinated to see that in Australia, members of the Winwickmum Sockalong group are rather chilly - and if I am honest, perhaps I would prefer to pop over there for a spell!  I have long been someone who prefers cooler weather, based on the premise that I find it easier to get warmer than I do to cool off........hot-water bottles and warm rugs hold far more appeal to me.

However, we shouldn't moan when the sun is shining, and that it is here this morning again.  I don't think the thermometers are going to hit the heights that they did yesterday today, and the forecast is indicating a few drops of rain this afternoon - that will freshen things up nicely.  The garden is loving the warmth, and I am watering everything regularly, so the tomatoes are growing like triffids in the greenhouse, and the lettuces will be ready any day now.  We have a cucumber ready to be plucked, and there are more courgettes getting longer and filling out beautifully!  UJ gave me six tomato plants which are in the greenhouse, but there are six more in a trough by the verandah - he potted them up from the veg bed where they had self-seeded from last year's plants.  We have no idea what will happen: they may have been "real seeds" so they might come true - they were tiny little tomatoes there last year, so I have my fingers crossed that we get more of those this year and not some weird throwback tomatoes!

I'll have to take some photos of the garden to share this week.

In other news, we are off to the hospital this afternoon to see the Orthopaedic team about the YFG's sore wrist - so I am really hoping that they can actually track down the source of her pain and do something specific to help her as she has been taking painkillers and wearing a support for long enough.  She's only 15 and it isn't good to be laying on your bed crying with the pain.

Financially, the updates from the end of June show that the savings are doing well, as we are still being ultra-cautious with all spending, but I know that this month is an expensive one coming up: there was an advisory on the MOT on the Skoda last year for corrosion on the rear silencer, and I need to get my garage here to check that that is either still OK [just] or deteriorated to the level at which it needs replacing before the MOT.  I also have to have the MOT done by the end of the month, pay the annual line rental on the phone to BT to get that discount, and pay my NI.  We have a weekend away booked next weekend, so there will need to be some pennies available for ice creams and fish and chip treats, as well as a little extra diesel to get us there!  And the tax credits forms still need to be done.......

Hope you have a lovely sunny day, wherever you are - keep cool if it is warm, and if you are somewhere chilly, stay warm!!