Heatwave

I couldn’t live with the humidity in the tropical areas in Summer, not so much the high temperatures as the unrelenting sweat bath. At least down here in the South of Australia we get breaks every few days and it cools off. More of a dry heat generally.

I couldn’t sit outside in the evening in the UK. The breeze ensures I end up with a cold.

MissChateline.... I'm with you all the way. I live in the very south of England and it's always hotter here.
On our patio today the Thermometer hit 44° but that was directly in the sun.
Nearly 8pm and where we have just eaten it's reading 22° so a significant drop.

I found the heat here in Norfolk particularly oppressive today but that could just be me.I find as I have got older ,now 75, that I cannot enjoy the sun as much a I could in the past.

I have never enjoyed hot weather, I burn so easily despite sun cream and now have small spots of skin cancer. The humidity overwhelms me(I have m.s.) so tend to hide out in my bedroom then go out in the evening. I enjoy autumn.

I love every minute of the sunshine and heat. The hotter the better. I suspect that I’m really a lizard basking in the sun. I delight in being able to get up, put on shorts and a vest T shirt and spending all day outside.
I hate the winter and having to put on layer after layer of clothing to go out. Coats all over the place and the time it takes to divest myself of the layers when I get in.
Winter holidays to the far east and winter heat. Bliss

Hottest since 1976 but we have fans now to keep the air moving so it is tolerable, cooler mornings and evenings now which is nice, in 76 the weather broke early September and it rained for weeks

We are plagued by the bloomin’ spiders that take up residence in the garden this time of year, I have to go out in the garden armed with a broom to get rid of their webs which stretch right across the route I am taking.
Hate getting caught in their webs and imagining the spider sitting in my hair. What ensues is a remarkable dance whereby I shake and throw myself about in order to dislodge any spiders.
And they aren’t harmless, when doing some weeding I got bitten several times.

I hated the heat even as a child in the tropics. I can cope now, blinds down, fan on but I don’t go out after walking the dog very early.
Someone today mentioned puddles, remember them? We haven’t had significant rainfall since March and the land is parched.
Autumn can’t come quick enough. I loathe late summer with its stinging biting insects, nettles and brambles, dead grass and itchy dogs.

As a Leo, a Sun Sign and a summer baby, I always felt sad when the sun was low, the summer coming to an end and the beautiful Autumn light and colours took over. Along with the end of long Summer days, I felt greatly affected. I still feel like this even though the seasons of good weather here are long and it honestly doesn't matter if you don't have a BBQ at a weekend since the sunny weekends go on and on and on.

However, since experiencing more and more heat, much higher temperatures and the sheer effort of staying cool for long periods of time, I am always quick to tell folk that it's not the heat that I'm wanting, although warmth is ok and offers great comfort to 'older bones' and allows us to drop our shoulders, unwind and relax.

No. It's the light. Over 300 days of sunlight can make a world of difference to how people feel, live their lives, how they react to each other. We are mostly like flowers - like Sunflowers who turn their faces to the light each day in this part of France. We mostly thrive on waking to a day with sunlight. ( A day of extreme heat and possibly humidity too is a different feeling altogether.) It's not hard to smile and feel positive when there's sunshine and a blue sky above you.

Blistering days may work for lots of people on holiday. They have saved hard for their time in the sun and are determined to enjoy it. It works less for those who work, who have homes to run, families to care for, shopping to do. I can see that being able to dry lines of washing outside can be a rare treat for many in these conditions although I am now in a position where even turning my laundry inside out, I risk fading and ruining clothes which can almost dry to a crisp on the line as I peg things out. Standing in front of the oven door temperature, I am always grateful to come back into the house again.

With no respite from the heat - early mornings or night times - those of us no longer 21 take a huge impact from being overheated and uncomfortable. Remembering to drink enough, to add salt, to watch out for swollen limbs, to get enough sleep can become an inconvenience.

I can see that lots of people will likely be thinking of installing a 'cool space' at home - especially after this year. Just one room which is air conditioned and cool enough to enable a comfortable siesta or good night's sleep, can be such a blessing. Even those across Europe who are used to temperatures way above those normally in Northern Europe need a Plan B once the heat takes over. They stay inside. At present there is only silence outside - except for the very loud Cigales (Cicadas) who are so loud in these temperatures. People walk only slowly and lurk in supermarkets and big stores where the air conditioning makes such a difference and this was my experience maybe 35 years ago. Stores were forced to stay open all night, just for emergency sleeping for locals. In Greece, there was often a nightly pilgrimage for entire families to the beaches and away from overheated buildings. After the scary temperatures of 2003 when we lived in Normandie, for days there was nothing to do except sit in front of fans in 43 degrees,, until we had a bedroom fitted with an air conditioning unit. Our lives were transformed because the whole family had a place to go when things got too much. You need to sleep or life definitely takes a turn for the worse!

As long as we have food and drink and somewhere comfortable to be, shopping can be delivered, dogs really don't need walking, outdoor activities can be postponed and anything really strenuous can be postponed indefinitely.

So maybe the best plan is to embrace the idea of a holiday - at home. Ignore all the things which take energy and effort and can wind us all up to feeling exhausted or uncomfortable. Just do what we want, stay cool and concentrate on tasks which are truly enjoyable and support the Lazy Gran theory! Slow (very slow) and steady probably wins the race in this kind of weather and, above all, we want to stay fit and well.

Take extra care everyone.... and I shall wait with great interest for the first posted rainy weather complaints !

Yes up to 36C but after that I keep away from it. We usually get a few days over 40 C every Summer.

41° in Dordogne. 26° at night, not so good!

Whitewavemark2

I do like the heat, but at 80 I have to be sensible about what I do. So at the moment am sitting under the parasol after getting up early to fiddle in the house.

Nothing will get done except sitting on GN, reading, knitting etc until it is cooler.

If it gets too uncomfortable we will go to our north facing sitting room - very comfortable in there.

Just sat down, my crochet bag is next to me but it's too warm to start!

Thanks Caleo is worth a try x

I absolutely loath it, I can't cope with the heat. I really sweat and then I get mithered and it makes me panic a little. And before anyone says anything no I don't moan about the winter

Aveline 🤣🤣

I do like the heat, but at 80 I have to be sensible about what I do. So at the moment am sitting under the parasol after getting up early to fiddle in the house.

Nothing will get done except sitting on GN, reading, knitting etc until it is cooler.

If it gets too uncomfortable we will go to our north facing sitting room - very comfortable in there.

Babs03

Woken up to another red hot day 🥵 and have to take my DH to Queens hospital in Romford where it will reach 29 degrees.
He is very unwell and not coping with this weather. I absolutely hate it now. I have had cluster migraines and cannot sleep at night and neither can DH who has two tower fans but keeps turning them off because he thinks they are medical equipment and he is back in hospital.
Am praying for cooler temps 🙏🏾🙏🏾

Babs if I may suggest, there are plasticky pads about one square foot by an inch you put in the freezer and apply to the body where you like them. Your husband may also accept a bag of frozen peas on forehead or chest.

Not medical advice ! but it seems harmless.

My anger today is directed at builders, architects, and financiers of tower blocks who willfully did not make the residences climate -proof.

I did not let my son take my dog for a walk of the hottest day, and only very short walk on grass on other hot days . I was surprised and a little disappointed that my son tried to persuade me dogs need to be walked daily, heat not withstanding , including my elderly dog who has a coat like a Carpathian Shepherd's

Just back from Sainsbury's. Deliciously cool there. I wonder if they allow sleepovers?

I don't enjoy the heat at all, though we try to have meals outside in the shade if we can. I've bought two portable air conditioners and they make a huge difference to me though.

Strange that all the anti Christmas people start complaining about it in August.

Temperature forecast to be over 40 here today, think I'll move to Wales.

I am sorry for all those not coping with our summer.

I cannot apologise for loving the heat, the sunshine on my skin, along with the long days, light nights, eating and spending most of my time outside.

My brain needs blue skies, when we have the endless grey skies of winter my mood reflects them, I become even more introvert, grumpy and generally lethargic.

Woken up to another red hot day 🥵 and have to take my DH to Queens hospital in Romford where it will reach 29 degrees.
He is very unwell and not coping with this weather. I absolutely hate it now. I have had cluster migraines and cannot sleep at night and neither can DH who has two tower fans but keeps turning them off because he thinks they are medical equipment and he is back in hospital.
Am praying for cooler temps 🙏🏾🙏🏾