Saturday 5th August 2023

In 1816, there was no real summer. Due to the eruption of Tambora.

Some say that the dust-laden skies causing spectacular sunrises and sunsets inspired Turner all his life.

I don't know.

We have had a summer here in 2023, but it has been cool and wet. Not just damp. All of March it rained, the April was grey and cool, and since coming back from Svalbard, apart from a few days of sunshine, it has cloudy, breezy and cool. And there has been higher than the average amount of rain.

While elsewhere, the US and southern and eastern Europe roasted and burned, the jet stream has brought the rain instead of blue skies.

And Saturday was to be the wettest of the wet summer's day, with a storm being blown through by gale-force winds driving bands of heavy rain. Lots of events across the country was cancelled, those that stuck events out, found the ground turn from soil to mud.

We decided to do nothing, it was the first day of the season, so I had something to listen to, and follow, with time for some cooking along the way.

We went to Tesco first thing, just managed to get there despite Jubilee Way being closed due to a orry fire and pollution leak, meaning on the busiest day at the port, all traffic had to either go along Townwall Street from the A20, or wind its way down Castle Hill and then join the main queue of traffic on the A20.

We got the stuff we needed, in and out in half an hour or so, then we drove to Preston via Sandwich to the butcher as the freezer was getting a little empty. Clouds grew leaden, and rain began to fall, it was the start of the very wet day.

With sausages, lamb and pork chops bought, Jools drove us back to Whitfield, then along to the Duke of Yorks and home. It was half nine, we had done all chores.

After breakfast, Jools went swimming, while I made Aioli and Tzatziki for the forthcoming week. The first lot of Aioli, I didn't let the egg yolk and garlic warm to room temperature, so once I added the oil, it all separated and was unusable, if very garlicky.

I made the Tzatziki with the leftover cucumber, then tried to make another batch of aioli, which went very much better, only having peeled and chopped two whole cloves, I stank of garlic, and nothing, but nothing could get rid of it. I could still smell it on my hands when I went to bed, and even on Sunday morning, there was more than a trace still.

At three, the footy kicked off, and so the pain begins again.

Sigh.

Norwich played Hull, and despite dominating the first half, fell behind thanks to a defensive mistake, but levelled just before half time. And then a much more even second, but City scrambled a winner in the 96th minute. So, a first day win, for a change.

The day ended with me reading in bed, during the day, the season preview of WSC was delivered, my favourite edition of the year.