Thursday 7th September 2023

Day four of the heatwave, and that's what it is, forth day with temperatures over 30 degrees, coupled with no wind and high humidity, this is what we expect in July, not the second week of September.

I change the duvet for a sheet, so I could sleep, but still have the vibrating purring dead weight that is Cleo during the night. Seems she wasn't quite warm enough.

In the morning, I sat on the patio sipping my second coffee, when a brown ghost flew to the feeders and dropped off landing again on the fence near to where I was sitting. The yellow eye of a sparrowhawk looked me up and down then flew off, without breakfast.

And so to work, which is much the same as the previous three days, other than in a breakthrough one person is very helpful and understanding. This is a marked change and cannot be allowed the spread through the organisation lest it become a pleasant place to work for everyone.

And that'd never do.

Cats vanish all day, sheltering in cool dark places out of the sun. I go down to the lower patio at one point, but the blazing sun beats me back and I find solace in a pint of iced squash.

It feels hotter than Spain did in April, and that was hot, mainly due to the humidity I think.

A headache comes on at half two and I am done. I lay on the sofa with Scully until I cool down at five, then prepare another Caprese and warm the leftover bread.

And so to the evening. No football, no music, just to be early after a shower and wait for the night to embrace me.