I still exist!
It has been a busy past few days. London is floundering under a "5-day heatwave," as the tabloids and the news tell us. People pass out on the "death-trap" that is the tube, little old ladies melt away in their non-air-conditioned homes, and everybody else moans a lot. I'm amused because frankly, it's nothing like as bad as Boston, let alone further south - yet everyone says, "Ohhhh, it's sooo hot. I'm not made for this weather!" They're like me (English-rose-complexion types) except even wimpier.
I've now survived not only the heat on the tube (so far) but also a five-day holiday with my mother, an afternoon with ALL the Furbers, an hour or so combined of Guv's slightly drunken ramblings, a tearful phone call from my sister - and two days of work! I think I'm hardy indeed. The holiday was really very enjoyable, all told. We schlepped to Devon (with far too much luggage) and then spent the week extremely uneventfully: eating huge breakfasts, doing Sudoku puzzles obsessively, reading, walking along the coast and on the golf course, swimming in the outdoor pool, and sunbathing (!). I've returned with significantly darker skin, actually tanned for me, although some people would probably hardly notice the difference. It's funny that the last time I sunbathed was I think in Italy 3 years ago. I liked it better this time - it wasn't as hot and I managed to get the amount of sunscreen right, instead of just emerging lily-white after SPF 30 all day, which defeats the purpose. In the evenings, after all this, we ate 4-course dinners with a good deal of wine. My mother attempted to teach me about the different grapes, although it didn't work very well because we only wanted white wine most nights. After dinner we would take our coffee and tea on a little silver tray upstairs to watch TV. I must confess I was a bit afraid the combination of wine, very high heels, a bumpy elevator, and a heavy tray would lead to disaster, but I managed to keep it together.
Apparently - and not terribly surprisingly - I am a better co-holidayer with my mother than my sister is. She herself has said so.
Was going to write about the family party next, but I am SO TIRED and SO HOT that I think I will go to bed instead. More to come and transatlantic hugs!
I've now survived not only the heat on the tube (so far) but also a five-day holiday with my mother, an afternoon with ALL the Furbers, an hour or so combined of Guv's slightly drunken ramblings, a tearful phone call from my sister - and two days of work! I think I'm hardy indeed. The holiday was really very enjoyable, all told. We schlepped to Devon (with far too much luggage) and then spent the week extremely uneventfully: eating huge breakfasts, doing Sudoku puzzles obsessively, reading, walking along the coast and on the golf course, swimming in the outdoor pool, and sunbathing (!). I've returned with significantly darker skin, actually tanned for me, although some people would probably hardly notice the difference. It's funny that the last time I sunbathed was I think in Italy 3 years ago. I liked it better this time - it wasn't as hot and I managed to get the amount of sunscreen right, instead of just emerging lily-white after SPF 30 all day, which defeats the purpose. In the evenings, after all this, we ate 4-course dinners with a good deal of wine. My mother attempted to teach me about the different grapes, although it didn't work very well because we only wanted white wine most nights. After dinner we would take our coffee and tea on a little silver tray upstairs to watch TV. I must confess I was a bit afraid the combination of wine, very high heels, a bumpy elevator, and a heavy tray would lead to disaster, but I managed to keep it together.
Apparently - and not terribly surprisingly - I am a better co-holidayer with my mother than my sister is. She herself has said so.
Was going to write about the family party next, but I am SO TIRED and SO HOT that I think I will go to bed instead. More to come and transatlantic hugs!