The Day The Earth Caught Fire

1951 film which predicted global warming, drought, and civil unrest. Notable for a tiny walk-on part for the unknown Michael Caine as a traffic cop. Not many people know that.

40.2 degrees is a new British record, something some Sun reading morons will no doubt see as a cause of national pride. The Daily Mail said "keep cool and carry on - it’s not the end of the world" by which they mean Johnny Foreigner is suffering more than us and we should just eat ice cream and be grateful we live on an island in the northern hemisphere. 

We went to an air conditioned pub again and had cold drinks and played Cluedo (see extra). The cats just conked out. Dylan disappeared for about eight hours and I am sure was holed up in a favourite cool spot. I wish he’d let me in on the secret.

Having survived the day we were struck late afternoon by a breathless humidity and strange rolling clouds. The temperature started to drop but the air was heavy with unresolved meteorological tension. Extinction Rebellion protestors smashed Rupert Murdoch’s corporate windows. Something had to give. Then the flags went limp, the skies turned a heavy yellow and what little breeze there was disappeared. Spooky. A little bit of rain fell.  The hoped-for thunder and lightning failed to materialise in any significant quantity to clear the air but we did get some freaky gusts of wind for a little while. I drank shandy and pretended things were better. With heatwaves, unlike wars, you can safely predict they will be all over by Christmas - right?

Apparently we’re now looking at temperatures in the high twenties for the rest of the summer. No sweat. Or at least only normal amounts…

TSM greatly improved. Had another excellent day. Remarkable woman. And she won the Cluedo, of course …