Blog readers from countries that regularly have hot summers must be fed up with reading about our English 'heatwave'! So I'll apologise to them in advance - here are more words from the 'record breaking temperatures' of our unusual week in June....................................
It was a shock on Tuesday morning to find the water pressure was really low- down to a dribble - and then I found a text message from Essex and Suffolk Water saying there were problems in the area. That wasn't ideal to read on what was expected to be a Very Hot day! Luckily when I make my evening coffee I always fill up the filter jug in the fridge so had plenty of water for drinking. Also still have water in water butts so used a watering can to fill the cistern for loo flushing - thankful for a toilet with accessible cistern when the en-suite was changed.
The water was back to normal by midday for me and earlier in some places. The primary school was closed due to the water problems and the moans on the 'Next Door' website were ridiculous (People saying " they wouldn't have closed the schools in MY day" etc) but having children in school even for a few hours on a hot day without a water supply would have been a nightmare and there was no way of knowing when it would be normal again.
I went to the next village to see who turned up to the Over 60's Keep Moving Exercise group and most of those of us that did arrive decided it was too hot. There were a couple of the new people who reckoned it wasn't too hot but as they don't want to have any involvement with the running of the group they couldn't really complain! They've started their own group in their village anyway............... so can do what they like in the heat there!
The qualifying for Wimbledon (or possibly the Eastbourne tournament - as I'd been watching either/or depending who was playing) might have been affected by the heat too when their automatic line judge machine refused to work for several hours...........it wouldn't have happened if they'd still had human line judges! I do feel sorry for the poor ball girls/boys who have to stand there holding an umbrella over the players at the changeover breaks, it's about time someone invented a sunshade for their seats that could come up and cover them and then fold back down again while they were playing.
It's been lovely to see Jack Draper back from injury and playing well at Eastbourne, he is the main "hope for the future!" Three British guys got through the Qualifiers for the Wimbledon main draw - well done to them. All together there are 21 Brits in the main draw, mostly qualifiers or given wildcards. Hopefully some will go further than the first round.
It all starts Monday.
Anyone else enjoy watching Countdown on Channel 4? The standard during this week of quarter, semis and final of this series was incredible. How the winner could get the conundrum in 3 seconds every time - I have no idea.
Thursday was better with a nice breeze blowing through the bungalow with doors and windows open everywhere. I got the few bits of ironing done and remembered ironing at the smallholding dressed only in underwear. I had the ironing board upstairs then and in a chalet bungalow upstairs was often unbearably hot. There's hardly any ironing now - I don't miss doing shirts.
Friday was the hottest day here for sure - even without a thermometer to tell me. The was no breeze and the air was just like a brick wall.
Wet tea-towels are my new keep cool accessory - draped over head and neck! I still have no fan - I did buy one a few years back when it was hot but it was so noisy and clunky I passed it to Son to sell at their yard sale. I'm sure fans just move the hot air around anyway.
There's a Sale Trail - garden/garage/yard sales in a nearby village today but doubt I'll go to look if it's still 30° +.
So that's the news from Mid-Suffolk-in-the-heat - with commiserations for people in New Zealand who are having a vicious winter.
Thanks for comments yesterday it was too hot to hold the lap top to reply!!
Have a good weekend. I'll be back Monday.
How can a school possibly function without water? How ridiculous - maybe hygiene standards were very low where they were or maybe they were just thinking about drink/hydration?
ReplyDeleteRound here it's supposed to be hot again with the cooling air arriving overnight. At least it is 'only' an amber warning and temps up to around 30.
xx
Not a lot cooler here today, Suffolk broke more records yesterday.
DeleteIt has been the rule that schools without water MUST close for at least 50 years. Ive worked in a number of schools where this has happened. Considering that Suffolk was the hottest place in the country yesterday, I think these moaners must have let the heat addle their brains.
ReplyDeleteThe Next Door website is full of people who will moan and jump in on all sorts of comments. It's useful for finding out about things happening around but there are some strange comments everyday
DeleteIt is funny how people take natural events so personal. But there it is the moaning and grumbling if the timetable of the day is disrupted. It was very hot in your corner of the world, not so hot up here in the North. This is an old house and keeps fairly cool but of course in a bungalow you are nearer to the roof.
ReplyDeleteI think Suffolk broke records yesterday. just a bit of breeze today so probably a few degrees cooler. An old house with stone walls would be quite appealing - although there aren't many about around here as we don't have stone!
DeleteWoe betide anyone should have to change their routine because of an unexpected event!
ReplyDeleteI remember having lessons in a fire-damaged building for weeks on end. It was like trying to work sitting in a giant barbecue - I could taste the smoke as well as smell it. Goodness knows how the kids with asthma coped with it. I wish someone had employed a bit of common sense and moved lessons to the school hall.
The fire damaged classroom sounds horrible to work in.
DeleteSometimes there seems no common sense left in the world!
Thanks for your concern about New Zealand. The weather in Auckland is not too bad, but Wellington and the South Island are experiencing very strong winds and a lot of rain.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we need to be prepared for an extra hot summer. Swimming on Christmas Day could be a good idea, after eating pavlova with strawberries.
Swimming in the hot weather of our last few days sounds wonderful. I expect the road to the coast are chock-a-block today
DeleteApparently there used to be fixed umbrellas by the player's chairs but they were removed after the attack on Monica Seles. I do feel sorry for the ball girls and boys having to hold these big umbrellas with outstretched arms during the breaks, must get very tiring. What happens if there is a breeze? These big umbrellas must be really difficult to control.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that re Monica Seles.
DeleteCan't imagine playing any sport in this heat but they seem to survive
I did not know that either!
DeleteIt's even too hot to watch tennis, for me!
ReplyDeleteI hope they have fine weather for Wimbledon with sightly less heat for Monday's start.
DeleteI’m glad we have lovely sunshine today but significantly cooler than the last few days.
ReplyDeleteFans can be very noisy but ours isn’t too bad and I’ve relied heavily on it this week.
Alison in Devon x
We had a good small fan in our last house but it fell of a window sill and smashed. The cheap one I bought after the 2022 heat was useless.
DeleteHave you been watching Only Connect this past week? It's been brilliant watching the first ever series as I didn't used to watch it back in 2010, so it's all new to me. Somehow I thought the questions would have been easier ... they weren't. 😄
ReplyDeleteJenny 'The Vixen' Ryan from The Chase, was one of the contestants the other day ... looking extremely young. But weren't we all 16 years ago. 😄
Is it being shown again or on iplayer? We watched right from the start i think. It was on BBC4 - Colin was a Victoria Coren Mitchell fan!!
DeleteIt's been on BBC4 every night at 7.30pm. One more week left I think. 😀
DeleteIn Minnesota we get extreme winters and days that qualify as extreme heat in summers. I don't mind hearing the complaints as us babies in the US typically gave air conditioners. At least windows units if not central air.
ReplyDeleteI would guess that 1,000s of air-con units have been sold this week. I like my 'doing nothing' method!
DeleteWe will get very warm next week but I have A/C. I don't keep it too cool - don't want to spend too much $$ on that. I take my walks in the air conditioned mall or the air conditioned community college so I get my steps in without over heating. ;)
ReplyDeleteHope you get relief from your heat spell.
No doubt that we'll be moaning about the rain in a few weeks and wishing it was sunny again!
DeleteYes, Friday was sweltering and as you describe, the air was completely still. I don't think schools are permitted to stay open if the water supply is out, even on days with normal temperatures. (I know this because our school almost had to shut once or twice when we had temporary water outages thanks to nearby infrastructure projects by Thames Water.)
ReplyDeleteSome people like to get onto the Next Door website and moan!
DeleteThe high heat is worthy of moaning! The heat is breaking records. If everyone had AC, it would be no issue as some relief would be available.
ReplyDeleteOur schools would close if there was no water. It would be considered a public health problem.
Staying hydrated and cool the best you can is important.
I like my doing nothing method of keeping cool with wet teatowel, wet flannel and ice packs - it's a lazy way but works.
DeleteI understand your moaning. I do it all the time lol. I'll be joining you next week as we are going to have a hot week. I really hope things cool down for you soon!
ReplyDeleteWe've been moaning a lot in Alberta, Canada because we've had tons of rain and lots more to come. They have the retractable covers at the Australian open as the heat there can be unbearable. I don't understand why they don't have them at all the majors. I have seen some players tell the kid holding the umbrella over them to sit down next to them and hold it over both of them!!
ReplyDeleteI live in an area that has 100 degree temperatures. I’m still not used to it and have lived here 18 years now. I grew up in San Francisco. Summers were cool ocean breezes to fog. Loved it. I’ve learned, for myself the more I walk around the house moaning about the heat, the hotter I get. It’s discipline but it kinda sorta works for me! Plus I do have AC.
ReplyDeleteStay 😎 cool.