Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
Start a campaign to bring them back…
I’ve been campaigning for years to reintroduced the Stinger cocktail…
Quite enjoying the hot weather, sitting alfresco with a cool drink in the last blast of summer.
But by gum, there are few bodies improved by tattoos.
I think - I hope - we are past peak tattoo. It was largely a millennial thing in the same way binge drinking was a Gen X thing (and still is). I'm not sensing many people in their teens now getting tats like they were a decade or so ago.
I think you might well be right, though I do notice an increasing number of tats on Gen X as a manifestation of midlife crisis.
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
The decline of kippers for breakfast is one the finest metaphors going for the decline of England.
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
My Dad LOVED kippers!
I love a smoked haddock, with poached egg, and toasted sourdough: a classic breakfast. You can still reliably find it in good hotels
But that omelette was fucking amazing. And I rarely swear. Absolutely ace. Very rich, but perfectly small, so you didn’t feel overfed, or stuffed, you just left the breakfast table with a smile and a feeling of “yay let’s go”
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
The decline of kippers for breakfast is one the finest metaphors going for the decline of England.
But I can happily report that smoked haddock and poached egg never went away, and now new chefs are doing new things with fish for brekkers
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
Four green energy tidal stream projects have been given the green light. Marine Energy Wales has welcomed today’s announcement that tidal stream projects based in waters off Anglesey. They will provide electricity to the National Grid.
It comes as part of the latest round of the UK Government’s renewable auction. Over 22 megawatts (MW) of tidal stream capacity has been contracted in Wales and will be deployed at Morlais Tidal Demonstration Zone on Anglesey. The projects include:
Hydrowing: 10MW Verdant: 4.9MW MOR Energy: 4.5MW Magallanes: 3MW
Overall, 93 projects with existing planning permission across England, Scotland and Wales have won contracts through the competitive auction process. The greatest capacity – almost 7GW - has been secured from new offshore wind projects around the coastline of Great Britain, enough to increase the country’s overall capacity built and under construction by 35% and take a significant step towards meeting the government’s 50GW of offshore wind ambition by 2030.
Tidal stream technology, which produces power from tidal currents, is a predictable and consistent source of energy. It has already delivered over 70GWh of electricity to the grid – which is said to be enough to power more than 25,000 households for a whole year.
Chicken feed.
Cardiff Bay tidal lagoon would power 1.3 million households for a whole year.
50GW of offshore wind is a shit target, because in 30 years time you have.....0 GW and a vast array of rusting turbines and bases to replace.
But, none of today's politicians will give a toss. They will be long gone.
Time to get off our arses and do the job properly.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who was the Democratic Party’s long-serving House leader and the first woman to hold the post, announced on Friday that she would seek re-election in 2024, ending months of speculation about her political future.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
Just as I thought...
You guessed I might head off to South East Asia in late autumn? It doesn’t take a genius, TBH
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
My Dad LOVED kippers!
I love a smoked haddock, with poached egg, and toasted sourdough: a classic breakfast. You can still reliably find it in good hotels
But that omelette was fucking amazing. And I rarely swear. Absolutely ace. Very rich, but perfectly small, so you didn’t feel overfed, or stuffed, you just left the breakfast table with a smile and a feeling of “yay let’s go”
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
My Dad LOVED kippers!
I love a smoked haddock, with poached egg, and toasted sourdough: a classic breakfast. You can still reliably find it in good hotels
But that omelette was fucking amazing. And I rarely swear. Absolutely ace. Very rich, but perfectly small, so you didn’t feel overfed, or stuffed, you just left the breakfast table with a smile and a feeling of “yay let’s go”
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
I didn't even know Cambodia had islands.
I love PB!!!
They do. They are the new frontier of Indochinese tourism - basically Thai islands about 30-40 years ago
The truly great undiscovered paradise around this corner is the islands of Myanmar. There are thousands. Many utterly untouched. Probably they should stay that way - but I doubt they will…
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
Breeding season.
Thanks for asking but it's been a long week and I'm a bit tired.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
I didn't even know Cambodia had islands.
I love PB!!!
They do. They are the new frontier of Indochinese tourism - basically Thai islands about 30-40 years ago
The truly great undiscovered paradise around this corner is the islands of Myanmar. There are thousands. Many utterly untouched. Probably they should stay that way - but I doubt they will…
I didn't get to the islands when I was there, but it is a fascinating place. I particularly liked Mount Popa, the Hill of Nats (Bhuddist Saints), including this one who should be the patron Nat of PB:
For Dr. Foxy, an example of the potential complexity of deciding which set of US police should take charge of a crime in the US, from Tony Hillerman's "Dance Hall of the Dead"'
In chapter 2, Hillermans's senior Navajo detective, Joe Leaphorn, is thinking about a case he has been assigned to: "An old Singer had complained that he had given a neighbor woman eight hundred dollars to take into Gallup and make a down payment on a pickup truck and the woman had spent his money. Some of the facts were easy enough to establish. The woman had retrieved almost right hundred dollars of her pawn from a Gallup shop on the day in question and she hadn't given any money to the car-lot owner. So it should have been simple, but it wasn't. The woman said the Singer owed her the money, and that the Singer was a witch, a Navajo wolf. And then there was the question of which side of the boundary fence they had been standing on when the money changed hands. If she was standing where she said she had been, they were on Navajo reservation land and were under tribal-federal jurisdiction. But if they stood where the Singer claimed, they were over on nonreservation allocation land and the case would probably be tried under the New Mexico embezzlement law."
Leaphorn is musing over that problem while at a meeting with officers from three other agencies on an apparent murder. Later in the novel it gets more complicated, and he attends a meeting with five other agencies.
(I recommend Hillerman's detective stories to almost everyone, more for the descriptions of Navajo culture than the detection. But I should warn legal folks that his detectives sometimes prefer following their idea of justice, rather than the letter of the law.)
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
Breeding season.
Thanks for asking but it's been a long week and I'm a bit tired.
That's OK, you probably don't have enough legs anyway
Plenty of interesting polling about today especially for those of us in London.
I think @Foxy had it right earlier - Khan has overplayed his hand going for a third term. He probably thought Starmer wouldn't beat a Conservative Government with an 80-seat majority but events have not developed to his advantage and he's made a huge personal and political blunder.
Even if he gets over the line he'll be an irrelevance if Labour are in Government (and more likely a nuisance) whereas he could have found himself a nice safe constituency and got a reasonable job in a new Starmer Cabinet. His only saving grace is the Conservative candidate - instead of a moderate centrist who could have hoovered up the anti-Khan vote, the London Tories have chosen so'meone who may go down well in Harrow but probably less so in Newham.
We also have a London VI poll which has Labour on 47%, the Conservatives on 27% and the LDs on 17% so that's Labour down one, the Conservatives down five and the Liberal Democrats up two. That wouldn't mean much change but presumably IDS would be in big trouble in Chingford & Woodford Green.
73% of 2019 Conservative voters are loyal to the party - that's higher than in other parts of England and while R&W think it may be connected to ULEZ, I'm more of the view the Conservative vote has been progressively hollowed out - in 2019, unlike most other regions, the Conservative vote fell by 1.2% - the only Conservative seat lost to Labour in the whole of the UK was Putney.
As to ULEZ, it's morphed into a general pro-car driver protest now encompassing the Congestion Charge which has been in place for 20 years. Successive Labour and Conservative Mayors have backed the Congestion Charge and to be fair I've not heard Susan Hall say she would abolish it but she seems the sort of candidate who will jump on any bandwagon going so who knows?
Another excellent meal here in Clearwell, Glos, at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel
That’s five good or great dinners in a row. I wonder if British cooking has taken another step up
I have also had one of the best breakfast dishes of my life on this trip. The smoked haddock, whipped egg white and black bomber omelette at the Haughmond
Up there with Robuchon’s scrambled eggs in Monte Carlo, and I do not jest about such serious things
That sounds very fine. Have you read "Red Sauce, Brown Sauce" by Felicity Cloake? Basically a tour of the UK in search of the perfect breakfast. Very readable. My lament when it comes to breakfast is for the increasing scarcity of kippers on breakfast menus. Haven't seen them for years (not that I frequently eat breakfast out).
George Hotel, Inveraray serves Loch Fyne kippers; as it should, being on Loch Fyne.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
THE ISLANDS OF CAMBODIA, in early November, for the Gazette
I didn't even know Cambodia had islands.
I love PB!!!
They do. They are the new frontier of Indochinese tourism - basically Thai islands about 30-40 years ago
The truly great undiscovered paradise around this corner is the islands of Myanmar. There are thousands. Many utterly untouched. Probably they should stay that way - but I doubt they will…
I didn't get to the islands when I was there, but it is a fascinating place. I particularly liked Mount Popa, the Hill of Nats (Bhuddist Saints), including this one who should be the patron Nat of PB:
After my rather excessive working last week, in the three days so far this week (nb I had Tuesday off, so my 'week' started Wednesday) I've already done thirty eight hours (twelve on Wednesday, fifteen yesterday and eleven today), And I'm working the next five days
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
There was a long period of decline, but then homicides began to rise again in the last two years. (Gentrification probably had more than a little to do with the decline.)
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
Hmm ireland maybe. On current form, not sure about SA
And you write off the French at your peril. The only team other than the All blacks who can run in 3 tries in the last 5 minutes of a game, but with more panache that the all blacks
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who was the Democratic Party’s long-serving House leader and the first woman to hold the post, announced on Friday that she would seek re-election in 2024, ending months of speculation about her political future.
To be fair, she's just a rank and file Congresswoman, and it's just a two year term.
BUT
Yes, she should retire.
She should retire simply on principle. These bed blocking billionaires are a fucking disgrace
Move over, you old crone, give someone younger a go. UGH. No wonder Americans don’t bother voting, no wonder the young are utterly disengaged
Biden and Trump likewise, of course, and Mitch “Call the Mortuary” McConnell. All of them
I remember when we in the west used to scoff at China and the USSR for their dysfunctional octogenarian politburos
You raise an interesting point re turnout - easy to forget how bad it can be.
Wiki lists two measures - voting age population % and voting eligible population %.
The former goes from lows of 49.0% to a high of 62.8% since 1932, the latter is only listed from 1980 goes from 51.7% to 66.9%.
2020 was actually the second highest on the table running from 1932, second only to 1930, and so highest on the VEP level. Thanks Trump? But historically 50s was common.
Again a bit of a contrast to here, where turnout was consistently above 70 and only dropped severely in the 2000s, being now comparable to the latest US presiedntial.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to growth-hack a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
I cannot say I recall all the various grubby details, but if it was something we'd always wanted to remain part of, it's hardly part of some Brexit escape.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Thankyou!
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Whoever could they have learned that sort of downright cynical, dishonest behaviour from?
So far in the oldest-family-in-the-same-place stakes (non royal) we have the Berkeleys of Berkeley Castle, and the Eltzs of Eltz Castle
Plus maybe some Japanese hoteliers who pre-date both of them by about 500 years
It’s surprisingly hard to find an Italian family which goes back, in situ, before about 1200
My family seems to be the kind to up sticks and move somewhere completely different every generation.
Philosophical question: what is 'my family'? If you go back 10 generations you have 1,024 ancestors (ignoring a bit of in-breeding). Which of those is 'your family'?
I attended my graduation today, and shook hands with Mary Archer.
Christina Lamb and Sir Nicholas Coleridge got honorary doctorates as did (@ydoethur will be annoyed to note), Amanda Spielman.
Ahead of me was Paul Nuttal, who got a Doctorate in politics for his thesis on Alderman Salvidge, the Boss of Liverpool in the early 20th century.
Congratulations on the big day, hope you enjoyed it.
I do feel sorry for you that you had to share the stage with not only a notorious pseud and failure, but also Paul Nuttall.
In fairness to the latter, his doctorate was earned.
It was an homage to my finest hour - a comment that OGH retweeted and caused much anger among Corbynistas.
I feel extremely sorry for the voters of Stoke on Trent Central. They are being asked to vote for a party led by a serial fanatsist and liar who appears to be unaware of where he was or what he was doing at key times, who are trying to appeal to the northern working class despite being the party of wealthy Londoners, who appear to be searching for a new role in the aftermath of Brexit, and whose leader is only in place because of a massive cock-up during the brief and inglorious tenure of some woman nobody had ever heard of leading to a massive rise in sexism and retreat to a badly defined and unworkable emotional comfort zone in the party.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the alternative is Paul Nuttall!
Reports of the Ukrainian army making progress towards Donetsk (city). I hadn't realised how close to the frontline it was already.
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Whoever could they have learned that sort of downright cynical, dishonest behaviour from?
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who was the Democratic Party’s long-serving House leader and the first woman to hold the post, announced on Friday that she would seek re-election in 2024, ending months of speculation about her political future.
Some say that the current administration is really being run by 30-year-old staffers and the superannuated office holders have lost control.
Some say Trump is a dangerous sociopath, who could wreak untold damage on the world. On his last outing he corrupted the Supreme Court and he trashed the constitution in January 2021. But you are comfortable with that and keep posting Maga s**te which p*sses most right thinking posters off.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Whoever could they have learned that sort of downright cynical, dishonest behaviour from?
Someone they claim to be better than, naturally.
The phrase sauce for the goose springs to mind. No point moaning now.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Thankyou!
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Maybe I should go to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu?
Well, if you're into lazing on beaches and on boat in the backwaters, Kerala is definitely for you!
Seriously, if you are flying to Cochin, a day or two checking out Fort Kochi, where the aforementioned Mattanchery and St Francis Church are located, might just be worth it.
Reports of the Ukrainian army making progress towards Donetsk (city). I hadn't realised how close to the frontline it was already.
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
Even during the height of the 2022 invasion the front near Donetsk did not seem to move much. I assume the existing Ukrainian forces were as dug in there as the Russians have attempted to be in their recently taken areas.
Reports of the Ukrainian army making progress towards Donetsk (city). I hadn't realised how close to the frontline it was already.
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
Reports of the Ukrainian army making progress towards Donetsk (city). I hadn't realised how close to the frontline it was already.
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
Even during the height of the 2022 invasion the front near Donetsk did not seem to move much. I assume the existing Ukrainian forces were as dug in there as the Russians have attempted to be in their recently taken areas.
From what I've read, Ukraine are very near Donetsk airport, where afaicr much of the heaviest fighting occurred in 2014.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Thankyou!
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Maybe I should go to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu?
Well, if you're into lazing on beaches and on boat in the backwaters, Kerala is definitely for you!
Seriously, if you are flying to Cochin, a day or two checking out Fort Kochi, where the aforementioned Mattanchery and St Francis Church are located, might just be worth it.
Beaches not really my thing (also Maldives beaches are the best anyway). I want weird deep India, spiritual India, ancient India
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Thankyou!
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Maybe I should go to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu?
Well, if you're into lazing on beaches and on boat in the backwaters, Kerala is definitely for you!
Seriously, if you are flying to Cochin, a day or two checking out Fort Kochi, where the aforementioned Mattanchery and St Francis Church are located, might just be worth it.
Beaches not really my thing (also Maldives beaches are the best anyway). I want weird deep India, spiritual India, ancient India
Oh Lord, the heir of George Harrison is amongst us.
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Whoever could they have learned that sort of downright cynical, dishonest behaviour from?
Someone they claim to be better than, naturally.
The phrase sauce for the goose springs to mind. No point moaning now.
Which parts of the rejoin propaganda aren't just revenge lies?
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
To be honest, there's nothing really architectural in Kerala, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have plenty to offer there, but having said that, there a few historical sites in Kerala notable for their, er , history.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Thankyou!
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Maybe I should go to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu?
Well, if you're into lazing on beaches and on boat in the backwaters, Kerala is definitely for you!
Seriously, if you are flying to Cochin, a day or two checking out Fort Kochi, where the aforementioned Mattanchery and St Francis Church are located, might just be worth it.
Beaches not really my thing (also Maldives beaches are the best anyway). I want weird deep India, spiritual India, ancient India
Oh Lord, the heir of George Harrison is amongst us.
Didn't we want to still be part of Horizon but they said we couldn't?
It was in the withdrawal agreement, and reiterated in the TCA. The EU witheld final formal association as leverage over NI. The UK was suing the EU at the ECJ over this, claiming it broke the WA.
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
Whoever could they have learned that sort of downright cynical, dishonest behaviour from?
Someone they claim to be better than, naturally.
The phrase sauce for the goose springs to mind. No point moaning now.
Which parts of the rejoin propaganda aren't just revenge lies?
Dunno. Not really in favour of rejoin. But am a bit weary of Brexiters pretending they are still the put upon, edgy, sneered at insurgents, rather than the very epitome of the actual Establishment in full control of the agenda for the last seven fricking years.
There was a long period of decline, but then homicides began to rise again in the last two years. (Gentrification probably had more than a little to do with the decline.)
Homicides in London are still on a downward trajectory. 73 so far this year. The population is 9 million. 6 of those 73 have been shootings.
That seems like a weirdly specific thing to judge a politician on. Are you aware that there are competing policy goals even with the realm of crime reduction. I can't lie, I'm a little concerned at the metric you've chosen."
You may have missed my "For example:"
But I chose that example because -- if you think black lives matter, and have the courage to look at crime stats, you will almost certain conclude that the most important thing you can do to help blacks out is reduce the crimes committed against them -- mostly by other blacks. If, for example, you reduced murders of blacks down to the white level you would probably add years to black life expectancy.
When I was young, our news folks rated the importance of crimes in this decreasing order:
black criminals, white victims white criminals, white victims white criminals, black victims
black criminals, black victims
Now our news folks order is more like this:
white criminals, black victims white criminals, white victims
black criminals, white victims
black criminals, black victims
Both orders are racist, of course.
I think you're probably going to need to offer something quantitative on your media claims. I simply don't trust what you're saying.
I don't know whether you're White, but your claim that the media is, to the first approximation, uninterested in crimes by Black people reads a bit like deluded racial self-pity.
But what do I know? I don't consume anything more than a tiny fraction of American media. You might be right. But I won't take your word for it without something a little more robust and scientific.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
I was there in Feb, so going to un-lurk to drop some travel KNOWLEDGE. Great place, surpassed my expectations.
Kuttikkanam - go mountain biking around the tea plantations. Absolutely stunning.
Periyar Tiger Reserve - just up the road, very little chance of seeing tigers but nice to see elephants in their natural habitat.
Backwaters - ruined by massive houseboats blazing music, we hired an old local guy to row us around for a day and take us down the quieter canals. Recommended.
Varkala - interesting place. Basically Indian Khao-San road filled with domestic tourists.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
Without wishing to come over all Rogerdamus I genuinely expect England to beat Argentina tomorrow, quite comfortably.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
I was there in Feb, so going to un-lurk to drop some travel KNOWLEDGE. Great place, surpassed my expectations.
Kuttikkanam - go mountain biking around the tea plantations. Absolutely stunning.
Periyar Tiger Reserve - just up the road, very little chance of seeing tigers but nice to see elephants in their natural habitat.
Backwaters - ruined by massive houseboats blazing music, we hired an old local guy to row us around for a day and take us down the quieter canals. Recommended.
Varkala - interesting place. Basically Indian Khao-San road filled with domestic tourists.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
Yeah if they have an easy run in their pools, stay injury free and their confidence and cohesiveness build, England could be in with a shot. Same for Australia and maybe Wales.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
Without wishing to come over all Rogerdamus I genuinely expect England to beat Argentina tomorrow, quite comfortably.
Me too. Not sure about the "comfortably". But I'd be surprised if they don't win the group unbeaten. Then beat Australia or Wales. Then have a huge "It's coming home" wave from folk who don't know their rugby union. Who are then stunned by the 30+ point semi final battering.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
Without wishing to come over all Rogerdamus I genuinely expect England to beat Argentina tomorrow, quite comfortably.
Me too. Not sure about the "comfortably". But I'd be surprised if they don't win the group unbeaten. Then beat Australia or Wales. Then have a huge "It's coming home" wave from folk who don't know their rugby union. Who are then stunned by the 30+ point semi final battering.
I know nothing at all about Rugby Union but I do know that unfortunately we are not a good team at the moment.
5th day in a row with temperatures over 30C in London. We should end up with 7 days by Sunday. Possibly just squeezing out a final 8th on Monday though that's unlikely.
Before this year the record number of consecutive 30s in September was 3. The record for consecutive 30+ in any month is still held by the June/July 1976 spell, followed by the record breaking August 2003. But this I think ends up third longest of all time. In Autumn.
Yesterday's mean Central England Temperature was 23.3C. The warmest 24 hours in September history and one of the warmest 24 hours in any month in the UK.
France has has a week of mid to high 30s. Widely record breaking and completely unprecedented for the time of year.
But next week it's back to Autumn, folks. Will come as a bit of a shock
Early and mid September are summer, not autumn. And the heat is grim. A cool down cannot come soon enough. I have barely slept all week.
They are astronomical summer but meteorological autumn. A debate as old as time (well almost). September is autumn just as March is spring. Leaves start turning orange in September. Lambs frolic and birds tweet in March. Schools are back for the Autumn term. Occams Razor, or its Met equivalent.
Both are valid. There's also the 'what does it feel like' test which is deeply subjective. For me, Autumn starts when the kids go back to school; winter when you open the first window of the advent calendar; Spring when it starts to feel Springlike - here, that's typically mid to late March - and summer some time in early June, or earlier if it's a particularly glorious May - or else when the first test cricket match starts. But summer also sometimes ends on August bank holiday Monday, leaving a few seasonless days before Autumn starts.
Congrats on your 10,000th and the charming cameo of your daughter
I’d have thought in Manchester summer begins on the first properly warm day - over 25C - in early June, then ends on the only other warm day, a few weeks later
Haha - no, we just have different standards of warm. But I think trees and flowers are more relevant than temperature. While there is still blossom, it is spring; once these give way to green leaves, summer. Once the leaves start to turn, as they already have, calling it early Autumn doesn't seem daft, even if it's 26 degrees.
I’m sitting outside in the garden of a charming boutique Tudor hotel in the Forest of Dean. It is 25C at 7.30pm, there are wasps and drowsy flowers, and a pastel pink sunset hazed by the warmth. This is still, definitely, summer. Late summer, but summer nonetheless
Autumn for me - in southern England - reliably begins around September 15th. Looks like this month won’t be an exception
Well the leaves here are already on the turn, and the light of early September is not a summer light. Dark by 8ish, for a start. But mainly for me its because my seasons are so governed by the activities of my daughters. Once they are back to school, it just seems self-deluding to call it summer. As I say, it's all highly subjective and personal. This is just how I feel about it.
I entirely agree, and I find it equally fascinating
And for me it really matters coz I get SAD and the British winter fucks me up, big time, so I need to know when to FLEE
I'm looking forward to the updates on PB of this coming winter's "FLEEING".
Anything left on the bucket list?
I actually have quite a few bucket list destinations left to tick off. All of Polynesia, all of the stans, all of Central America, all of southern India
Be sure to check out Isam's shop and the Chris Waddle Museum if you're ever near Kannur, northern Kerala.
Serious question
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
I was there in Feb, so going to un-lurk to drop some travel KNOWLEDGE. Great place, surpassed my expectations.
Kuttikkanam - go mountain biking around the tea plantations. Absolutely stunning.
Periyar Tiger Reserve - just up the road, very little chance of seeing tigers but nice to see elephants in their natural habitat.
Backwaters - ruined by massive houseboats blazing music, we hired an old local guy to row us around for a day and take us down the quieter canals. Recommended.
Varkala - interesting place. Basically Indian Khao-San road filled with domestic tourists.
The opening game is always nervy. Especially when big teams are playing each other.
Yep - like the football World Cup
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
I think that's fair. Who would you put your money on, though?
Good question
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
Without wishing to come over all Rogerdamus I genuinely expect England to beat Argentina tomorrow, quite comfortably.
Me too. Not sure about the "comfortably". But I'd be surprised if they don't win the group unbeaten. Then beat Australia or Wales. Then have a huge "It's coming home" wave from folk who don't know their rugby union. Who are then stunned by the 30+ point semi final battering.
I know nothing at all about Rugby Union but I do know that unfortunately we are not a good team at the moment.
But you never know!
The key thing to remember is that rugby is going through an unusually egalitarian phase. There are 6-9 leading teams who could beat each other on a good day, especially in the fevered atmos of a World Cup
So in that light 16/1 on a team like England is generous. England are fairly shit but not that shit, in context
Reports of the Ukrainian army making progress towards Donetsk (city). I hadn't realised how close to the frontline it was already.
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
Comments
I’ve been campaigning for years to reintroduced the Stinger cocktail…
I have resisted temptation myself.
Jumpers at the ready...
HUZZAH
The hours have been long, and the heat has been pretty heavy. What's been rather heartening about that is just how many drinks I've been offered; there isn't a street where I haven't been offered one, and I got offered five this evening on one quite long road
Sadly when, after 6pm, I reply "Oh, is it Pimms O'clock?", they all think I'm joking!
The worst thing this week has been the spiders
OMFG, I've never seen anything like it. I must have walked through twenty five spiders' webs a day. The ones I've seen I've skilfully taken down with my envelope machete. Most I haven't noticed until I've felt them on my legs, my arms or my face
Then with my hands full of mail I've tried to brush them off me, and then started searching for the spider. Each day I've found at least ten dangling from me, or on me
They've all been the same kind of spider, in varying sizes. Hidden for arachnophobes
Cardiff Bay tidal lagoon would power 1.3 million households for a whole year.
50GW of offshore wind is a shit target, because in 30 years time you have.....0 GW and a vast array of rusting turbines and bases to replace.
But, none of today's politicians will give a toss. They will be long gone.
Time to get off our arses and do the job properly.
Anything left on the bucket list?
Let's hope this country doesn't go the same way.
But the days are bloody hard work.
https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/murder-homicide-rate
Nonetheless, I think presidents have had some effect on those rates.
I love PB!!!
https://southeastasiabackpacker.com/destinations/cambodia/the-islands/
The truly great undiscovered paradise around this corner is the islands of Myanmar. There are thousands. Many utterly untouched. Probably they should stay that way - but I doubt they will…
I may be in the Maldives in a couple weeks, and I’ve thought about taking the chance to go to Kerala when my assignment there is over. it is just a short hop from Male to Cochin
If I go to Kerala, where must I go? What’s a MUST SEE? Any hidden jewels?
Min Kyawzwa
In chapter 2, Hillermans's senior Navajo detective, Joe Leaphorn, is thinking about a case he has been assigned to:
"An old Singer had complained that he had given a neighbor woman eight hundred dollars to take into Gallup and make a down payment on a pickup truck and the woman had spent his money. Some of the facts were easy enough to establish. The woman had retrieved almost right hundred dollars of her pawn from a Gallup shop on the day in question and she hadn't given any money to the car-lot owner. So it should have been simple, but it wasn't. The woman said the Singer owed her the money, and that the Singer was a witch, a Navajo wolf. And then there was the question of which side of the boundary fence they had been standing on when the money changed hands. If she was standing where she said she had been, they were on Navajo reservation land and were under tribal-federal jurisdiction. But if they stood where the Singer claimed, they were over on nonreservation allocation land and the case would probably be tried under the New Mexico embezzlement law."
Leaphorn is musing over that problem while at a meeting with officers from three other agencies on an apparent murder. Later in the novel it gets more complicated, and he attends a meeting with five other agencies.
(I recommend Hillerman's detective stories to almost everyone, more for the descriptions of Navajo culture than the detection. But I should warn legal folks that his detectives sometimes prefer following their idea of justice, rather than the letter of the law.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hillerman
Plenty of interesting polling about today especially for those of us in London.
I think @Foxy had it right earlier - Khan has overplayed his hand going for a third term. He probably thought Starmer wouldn't beat a Conservative Government with an 80-seat majority but events have not developed to his advantage and he's made a huge personal and political blunder.
Even if he gets over the line he'll be an irrelevance if Labour are in Government (and more likely a nuisance) whereas he could have found himself a nice safe constituency and got a reasonable job in a new Starmer Cabinet. His only saving grace is the Conservative candidate - instead of a moderate centrist who could have hoovered up the anti-Khan vote, the London Tories have chosen so'meone who may go down well in Harrow but probably less so in Newham.
We also have a London VI poll which has Labour on 47%, the Conservatives on 27% and the LDs on 17% so that's Labour down one, the Conservatives down five and the Liberal Democrats up two. That wouldn't mean much change but presumably IDS would be in big trouble in Chingford & Woodford Green.
73% of 2019 Conservative voters are loyal to the party - that's higher than in other parts of England and while R&W think it may be connected to ULEZ, I'm more of the view the Conservative vote has been progressively hollowed out - in 2019, unlike most other regions, the Conservative vote fell by 1.2% - the only Conservative seat lost to Labour in the whole of the UK was Putney.
As to ULEZ, it's morphed into a general pro-car driver protest now encompassing the Congestion Charge which has been in place for 20 years. Successive Labour and Conservative Mayors have backed the Congestion Charge and to be fair I've not heard Susan Hall say she would abolish it but she seems the sort of candidate who will jump on any bandwagon going so who knows?
Ireland and the Boks both better than this?
But great French kicking
But Ive been expecting the all blacks to win this one
There was a long period of decline, but then homicides began to rise again in the last two years. (Gentrification probably had more than a little to do with the decline.)
Both sides will qualify so there’s also no need for any player on either side to risk a broken spine
For me France have faded a little since last season, and the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable albeit with sparkling runners. I’d have the Boks as favourites, Ireland second, France and the ABs equal third
One of those will surely win, despite the unfair draw
They have the optimum combo of aggression and fluidity. Ireland are superbly organised. One of those two, for me…
But France might ride home advantage all the way, of course
Wiki lists two measures - voting age population % and voting eligible population %.
The former goes from lows of 49.0% to a high of 62.8% since 1932, the latter is only listed from 1980 goes from 51.7% to 66.9%.
2020 was actually the second highest on the table running from 1932, second only to 1930, and so highest on the VEP level. Thanks Trump? But historically 50s was common.
Again a bit of a contrast to here, where turnout was consistently above 70 and only dropped severely in the 2000s, being now comparable to the latest US presiedntial.
St Angelo's Fort in Kannur, built in its original form by the Portuguese as early as 1505, then taken over by the Dutch in 1663, then sold in 1772 to the native king Ali Raja, and then taken over by the British in 1790.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Angelo_Fort
In Cochin itself you have the Mattanchery Palace, again built by the Portuguese, but taken over by the Dutch and then the Brits. And a few miles away, the Paradesi Synagogue and Church of St Francis, dating from 1503, and also Portuguese in origin. It was the resting place of Vasco da Gama from his death in 1524 until 1538 (re-interred in Lisbon).
Kappad Beach near Calicut was the site of da Gama's landing in 1498. Not much there apart from a rocky promontory, but thought you might find that interesting too!
Hardcore Remainers' attempts to magic a Rejoin narrative into existence by claiming that Horizon membership is some sort of undoing of Brexit, including on PB, have been strange. It's not clear whether they don't know the above facts, or whether they do and have just spotted an opportunity.
In the light of what you say: Why do people rave about Kerala then? That sounds a bit disappointing TBH?
Maybe I should go to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu?
I feel extremely sorry for the voters of Stoke on Trent Central. They are being asked to vote for a party led by a serial fanatsist and liar who appears to be unaware of where he was or what he was doing at key times, who are trying to appeal to the northern working class despite being the party of wealthy Londoners, who appear to be searching for a new role in the aftermath of Brexit, and whose leader is only in place because of a massive cock-up during the brief and inglorious tenure of some woman nobody had ever heard of leading to a massive rise in sexism and retreat to a badly defined and unworkable emotional comfort zone in the party.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the alternative is Paul Nuttall!
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/1441628#Comment_1441628
After Crimea, Donetsk is obviously the next biggest prize for Ukraine. The challenges of taking control of a city like that are not insignificant. However they were fairly close to defeating the separatists in 2014 before Putin intervened.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG5rhG1wZjQ
Biden 81 million votes
Trump 74 million votes
On his last outing he corrupted the Supreme Court and he trashed the constitution in January 2021. But you are comfortable with that and keep posting Maga s**te which p*sses most right thinking posters off.
From Derbyshire the Fitzherberts of Tissington Hall and the Manners of Haddon Hall - both back to 11C or so if you accept a transfer by marriage.
There is still a gap in the Monsal Trail walking / cycling route where Lord Ill-Manners refused to have a railway built on his estate iirc.
Also the Percys of Alnwick Castle, and the FitzAlans / Howards of Arundel Castle.
Hard work watching two games at the same time. So humid, Edinburgh feels tense tonight.
Seriously, if you are flying to Cochin, a day or two checking out Fort Kochi, where the aforementioned Mattanchery and St Francis Church are located, might just be worth it.
I’d have two bets. One for the likely winners: springboks - they’re 9/2
As an outside bet I’d go (bear with me) for England. They have a fair sprinkle of talent but are devoid of confidence and they’ve got a shit coach. But on the day they might just beat anyone and they have a very favourable draw, and they tend to do well in world cups
England are 16/1
You should be on that one - just looked up the oldest vineyard in Italy.
https://wineandtravelitaly.com/wineries/barone-ricasoli/
France: Goulaines of Château de Goulaine.
Even older winery - and in situ for 1000 years with one short interruption.
Not really in favour of rejoin.
But am a bit weary of Brexiters pretending they are still the put upon, edgy, sneered at insurgents, rather than the very epitome of the actual Establishment in full control of the agenda for the last seven fricking years.
73 so far this year. The population is 9 million. 6 of those 73 have been shootings.
https://www.murdermap.co.uk/victims/murders-london-2023-total-how-many/
I don't know whether you're White, but your claim that the media is, to the first approximation, uninterested in crimes by Black people reads a bit like deluded racial self-pity.
But what do I know? I don't consume anything more than a tiny fraction of American media. You might be right. But I won't take your word for it without something a little more robust and scientific.
Kuttikkanam - go mountain biking around the tea plantations. Absolutely stunning.
Periyar Tiger Reserve - just up the road, very little chance of seeing tigers but nice to see elephants in their natural habitat.
Backwaters - ruined by massive houseboats blazing music, we hired an old local guy to row us around for a day and take us down the quieter canals. Recommended.
Varkala - interesting place. Basically Indian Khao-San road filled with domestic tourists.
Springboks/Ireland still faves for me
Not sure about the "comfortably".
But I'd be surprised if they don't win the group unbeaten. Then beat Australia or Wales.
Then have a huge "It's coming home" wave from folk who don't know their rugby union.
Who are then stunned by the 30+ point semi final battering.
But you never know!
So in that light 16/1 on a team like England is generous. England are fairly shit but not that shit, in context