Saturday 4th July 2026

Life seems to have slowed down, judging from my photographs taken so far this month.

I expected to take hundreds in the New Forest, but then dropped my camera and lens in the bog, and the lens filled with water.

I could only think about explaining to Jools how we had to spend £800 on a replacement.

But I live in hope that the misting will ease, and that the autofocus still works, despite the mist, maybe I'll get lucky.

In fact, after putting the lens out on the storage box to warm up to evaporate more water vapour, I tried it out, and was delighted to find it mist-free, and able to take shots of the flowers nearby.

It remains to be seen if there will be long term issues, but for now, happy days.

There is supposed to be a heatwave coming next week, but for now temperatures in the low twenties, and with a cooling breeze, and we had to get back into the habit of phys.

So, I set the alarm for six, though that wasn't needed, as I was up and attem at quarter to. We had a coffee, so ready to go at ten to seven.

I did thirty five minutes, which was what I had aimed for, though was pretty sweaty come the last five minutes. But my recovery time is much, much better, so after standing outside for a couple of minutes, I was fine.

We then go to Tesco as we were short of a number of things, but mostly to buy salad stuff, so I don't need to cook. Or cook much.

Back home again, we have a brew and breakfast. I have a shave and shower, then try on the new B-52s and Devo t shirts I bought which arrived Friday. They fit fine. Probably could have done a size smaller, but comfort is everything.

Good news is that Saturday was the first stage of the 2026 Le Tour. Sadly, ITV Sport lost the rights last year after some 30 years, and its presenters became friends for the four weeks of the tour. Now live coverage is on TNT sports, and so for a months subscription of thirty pounds I could watch all stages.

Until we leave for La Belle France in fifteen days!

I made the first stage of Rumtopf: added strawberries and pineapple and some sugar. This will be left to stew in a bottle of cheap rum until Christmas. I may add more fruit as and when.

Eeeek.

So, I set up the channels, but being a Team Time Trial, it began at four and would last for just over two hours, and overrun with the first round of 16 games at six.

Barcelona looks a very fine city, and a place to visit, though perhaps not at the height of summer.

Then the football, Canada v Morocco. Canada dominated the first half, though failed to score. Which would be a huge problem. Morocco score in the second half, after waking up. And as Canada pushed for a leveller, Morocco scored another, then a third in injury time.

here was no way was I going to sit up to watch the France v Paraguay game which kicked off at ten.