Well here we are at the Longest Day, with the depressing thought that as from today, the days start to shorten and if we get cloudy weather, it can happen quite quickly.
Really pissed off today when reading blogs, the newspapers and listening to the radio - gawd, there's almost a national crisis - we've had five days of hot weather and people can't handle it. I know that summer in England isn't supposed to happen, or if it does it isn't actually supposed to be hot but come on, five days can't surely justify being called a heatwave.
Some blogs this morning are talking about how their dogs can't be taken for walks because they and their owners are too hot, well if the owner is lying sleepless in a sweaty bed, why then, get up earlier as I do, and get out with the dog in the early morning cool and freshness, both will benefit from it. Radio 5 Live went on and on with people ringing in to say how hot they were at work and asking if it was acceptable under H&S guidelines to actually be at work when it was hot and so it has been going on. Bloody hell, in the 1976 real heatwave, we didn't have just five days of hot weather, we had it continuous for three bloody months, every day, blue skies and hot sunshine! Yet we went to work throughout those three months and still lived to tell the tale.
I wonder how many people complaining about this current "heatwave", spend two weeks a year holidaying in some very hot and sunny country.
Fine rant Derek, a rare thing in blog land nowadays.
ReplyDeleteThat's an accurate fact Steve, most of the blogs I read are supported by like minded people who spend every posting telling the writer how wonderful they are. One blogger will even delete comments from people who dare to disagree with her.
ReplyDeleteI may have to remind you of this come winter when you are sick of the cold and damp! ;-) We are having a relatively cooler day (highs in the mid80s) and some nice gentle rain right now. Glad Barnie and I went for our walk at 5:30 this morning when it was dry.
ReplyDeleteDerek,
ReplyDeleteI well remember the "drought" of 1976 and the catastrophic effects of the rain, on the fish stocks of Tring Reservoirs, when they came. If people didn't have the weather, then they'd have nothing to talk about? Too hot, too cold, windy, wet, snow, ice or simply crap? We're in England, what else do we expect?
Too hot to walk a dog? Then don't - it doesn't require an IQ of 120+ to work that out. I had the distinct misfortune to bump into a dog walker, whilst carrying my camera on a mono-pod. The dog went nuts and started snarling at me. The apologetic owner saying "he doesn't like sticks! (referring to my mono-pod I assume). "Well don't buy him one" was my response. Not particularly relevant, but it's good to see you doing what you do best - ranting!
Hoping all is well? - Dyl
Good to hear from you Dylan and I note that you enjoyed your holiday. Either don't walk the dog or take it out earlier as I have been doing.
ReplyDeleteTop rant Derek. I agree, take the dog out early as we do,, its common sense surely. My memories of the sweaty `76 summer were running for the Devonport Field Gun Crew, happy days...Whilst on the subject of whinging Brits, an item in our local newspaper summed up how soft we`ve become where a fruit farmer hereabouts is having trouble recruiting labour -in five years only one local person applied for a job. That speaks volumes to me. In my village I was one of the last child labourers to plant spuds during the Easter holidays(15 shillings a day) and that was after doing a paper round, could you imagine the smart phone, ear piece wearing, zombie teenagers doing that today? I think not. Keep those rants coming!
ReplyDeletePaul, your comments re. the fruit farmer are dead right and that's why so many have to employ foreign labour. English youth simply have no intention of working in the fields and besides, they get benefits equal or better than wages.
DeleteIf folk think that was hot they should try living and working in Bangkok, Thailand. Christ - they know about heat there.
ReplyDeleteExactly YP, five hot days out of 362 and people were complaining, bloody ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteAh yes shared many a bath in 1976..
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