Unexpected pleasures....

Exactly!  I wonder if the heat is different or more tolerable up here in northern England, because most of the people who are saying it's too hot it seems they are in London or other points southward.  What can I say?  It's good 'oop north'.

One of these days -- I'll have to get up to Newcastle for more of a look around.  We drove through there a couple years ago, when we went up to the Northumberland coast one day.  But we only stopped & looked around at the Angel of the North -- which is fantastic of course!  (Oh that's Gateshead, but close.)  The B of the Bang (Manchester) simply DOES NOT compare.

There seems to be less humidity here...at least in comparison to coastal NC where I grew up!  I think the comparatively lower temps combined with the lower humidity make a really ideal summer (when the weather can actually be bothered to cooperate!).  I do still miss the NC heat, though -- that sensation of opening your car door to feel a massive heat wave thrown at your face is one of my fave sensations....and sitting on hot car seats!  Whoo hoo!   

I'm with you on the 'opening the hot car' sensation, but hot car seats?  Ouch (in shorts).   And you said the right words -- when the weather here can be bothered to cooperate.  I do miss southern Florida -- was in heaven there on the beach a couple weeks ago.

I recently started wearing eye glasses the last two weeks while I was in the states and my glasses would steam up everytime I opened the car door-which then made my eyes tear up.  I do love evenings in the summer in Florida where it was warm but the sun was beating down on you.  Very beautiful, but I still needed the air conditioning.  I think it is warmer down here in London than up north.  I sweat so bad on the tube, I feel bad for the person next to me.   

London is pure misery in the hot weather, IMHO. The tube is torturous and it just feels damp and dirty to me.... But if I can avoid going in to town (not to hard to do at the moment), I love this weather.... Though our house is HOT HOT HOT - our bedroom has been miserably hot for a week now - even on cooler days it doesn't cool off in there. But otherwise I've been in and out of the garden with my book though, which is lovely! And I adore the long days.

Free ice cream samples at Starbucks today!!!  YUM!!!  Java Chip - Mmmmmmm!!  A nice thing on a hot day.

~Liza

It's RAINING here and cool at last!  Woohoo. 

It's RAINING here and cool at last!  Woohoo. 

Send some of that rain this way...it's hot and SMOKEY here!!!

But...the smoke does make for some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.....

getting the recipe for my moms secret sauce, making it last night and it turning out FAB!!

(Shame there's enough to last a full year though.  )

Watching my 1yo nephew watching the fireworks last night.  He was way more entertaining than the fireworks themselves!  Everyone of them got a "wow" or a "pretty" or an "I like it" and a big round of applause.  At one point he had to do a little impromptu dance to the 'kabooms'!  Can't remember the last time I saw anyone have that much fun!

Oh, and I found a lovely ring at a consignment store on sale for $2!  It's just costume jewelery, but I LOVE it!

Pear's Soap.  That stuff is just lovely. 

Well, not totally unexpected, but a pleasure nonetheless.

This week and next are super casual days for us at work.  I get to go from dressing up every day to wearing jeans!!  Woo hoo!!

~Liza

having my daughter's eyes light up when we create something out of something as trivial cardboard and glue 


when the grass is freshly cut and you rediscover your garden again.

Coming home from running errands to find that your husband has done all the laundry - - and put it away. 

Beating my husband at boules!  (I hardly ever beat him!)