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[Tora]

That’s good news ATB, I hope you get rain ASAP and hopefully everything’s survived. I’ve never seen vine’s look this bad in higher temps on the continent, 40% chance of rain is forecast here at 20:00 thankfully.
Cats are great, they adapt so quickly, no faff. I’d underestimated how much hen’s poop and can’t wait to get back to normality!

I was thinking exactly the same about hot flushes too! I really, really feel for women suffering those.

[CLKD]

Hydranges need a deep soak, mayB stand the pots into a bucket over night.  They do recover quite well.  Astrantias also wilt ........

Hens poop, when dried, can be swept up.  I miss mine around the plot Tora, how many do you have, R U in the UK?

[Tora]

Hi, the hydrangeas are in huge stone pots so watered heavily tonight, it took 2 hours and is hard work using a heavy (full of water) very long pipe.
I’ve been scooping choock poop all day as they’re in the cellar with me! I’ve got 22.

I’m in London

[ATB]

Yes Tora, I really do feel for women who experience hot flushes in this kind of heat. Must be so difficult. One of my cats has an eye infection so he’s also being kept in and isn’t happy about it! But I don’t think any of them would enjoy it once it heats up. I got an ok sleep, kept a fan on but I’m such a light sleeper I don’t think I got a very restful sleep.
22 chickens to clean up after in a cellar? I do not envy you! I used to live on a farm so I know how much work that is. Hopefully you can get out of there tomorrow!

[Gilla999]

Good luck with the heat today ladies - I will also be keeping my cat in as he doesn't seem to understand outside is hotter and also likes to frequently sit in the greenhouse and then get annoyed when it's unbearably hot! 22 chickens Tora!!!... and in London too!! All my life I've wanted to live in a farm, but I'm stuck in the 'burbs!

I had texts and messages from my water company saying not to use water unless necessary but I confess I did quickly water the veg plot yesterday and I also had two mature trees delivered/planted yesterday so they needed a water.

Has anyone got an air con unit and do you find it works? I bought one a few years back where you stick the pipe out of the window, but it's of limited help 

[ATB]

I’ve had those texts too, but they frustrate me. This is the time we need more water, and we are being asked to use less? What’s the point of a water company that restricts access in times of greater need? We are told to keep cool, drink plenty of water… but also not to use more? The plants would die without water in this heat!
Same with power. We are told we may get outages but why? The demand is greater? But then what’s the point of paying them if in times of need, we can’t use it?

[Tora]

Good Morning. Hope you’re cat is getting better, hopefully today is the last day of this and he’ll be able to get out tonight.

I risked watering again at 5am, let hens out and walked dogs. It’s a beautiful day so far. I got about 4 hours sleep so will get a nap at lunchtime. Will need to catch the hens and get them back in by 9. The hens are rescues and only been here 8 days, I hate confining them but they aren’t very intelligent and would bask in the sun all day without a care 🙄 They are quite bald so will burn.

Have your plants and veggies survived ATB? I think I’ve lost two hydrangeas and a few young vines.

[ATB]

Oh bless you for rescuing so many! My parents had lots of rescue hens and my cats are all rescues, I think my big injured boy is a bit of a fighter so I have to keep him in more in general I think, there’s lots of strays near us. But in this weather even cats can get sunburn so good idea to keep animals in. Mine flop onto the cold stone tiles.

It’s actually so cool outside this morning, I’ve been sitting out since 6.30! The cows all came over, maybe hoping for a drink! So far the plants are ok. I’m worried about the tomatoes and beans. But we put a parasol over the pumpkins, not yet in the ground, the cucumbers and things like that. We aren’t using the hose so trying to just give enough without being too irresponsible with water. But we have a lot of plants so I can’t watch them die! None of the flowers seem to be suffering. I have a wildflower bed that’s looking fine. I don’t have hydrangeas or many in pots though.

I was starting to worry about even my thyroid meds but then realised nobody I know in Australia worries about that kind of stuff in their summer. Hormone creams and soft capsules I think is sensible to put in a cool box but I’m not going to worry about hard tablets.

[CLKD]

It annoys me that the UK Utilities haven't taken on board that they need to build desalination plants and water catchment areas. 

1959 was a scorcher; we played out during the 1960s in hot summers; after 1975/6 there were several during the 1980s and 90s, the year I had radiation treatment was extra hot.  Apparently.  2002 was hot throughout which was probably a saver for many during lockdown.

I sent a reply to 'that' e-mail telling me to save water ........ no reply.  Of course.

Many underground water pipes are Victorian so aren't repaired until they burst.  Plus the continual leaking ..........

Keep using the hose at the bottom of shrubs/trees etc., lots .......... I put ours over at dusk as I am. not prepared to lose trees etc., particularly those that I can see are wilting.  Why they think that we would get power outages? I can't understand  as when the UK is short, which is quite often, we buy from Europe.  Often it's nuclear followed by water powered ........ ?? hydro electric ??

[VanillaLover]

Hope everyone’s hydrangeas are doing ok …..mine are in the ground but they are no good in dry conditions so I am watering them. I also have an agapanthus we’ve just planted which needs watering daily.

I’m in the midlands and it’s silly hot today. Walked with my son as he went to school this morning to post a letter and it nearly killed me ! 29 degrees at 8am.

I do get hot flushes but strangely they are totally independent of the weather. It’s some internal setting thing. I was dreading summer because of it but they are no different in frequency to any other time. Obviously feel worse if they do happen though!

[Tora]

Bless you with your rescue cats! I wish more people would rescue to stop the pop up pet breeding trade and commercial breeders.

I was only planning on getting 4 hens but how do you choose which 4? I was the last re-homer there and nervous about where they’d end up. I’m struggling to re-home eggs now!

I’ve not had any communication from the water company and reserves are unlikely to last through summer. I’ll be creating shade spots and reducing pots after yesterday’s heat.

I think you’re right about the meds being ok, you’ve reminded me to book a thyroid panel test, thanks!

Gilla, I’ve got an AC specialist coming on Friday at work, it’s horrendously expensive but necessary. Where did you get your unit from please and what’s the problem with it?
Off to catch hens, it’s 33 degrees here at 09:26!

[VanillaLover]

Yes I do have air con to who asked about it, my husband insisted we have one 16+ years ago while I was pregnant with my first. I am useless in heat and I think he was sick of the moaning! It’s a life saver. It’s a portable unit so you put the big tube out the window …only cools one room (our bedroom) but that’s enough. My kids sleep on the floor in there too if it’s bad.

God knows what it costs to run though. I don’t even want to think about it! It’s same unit as we orig8nally bought, obviously it doesn’t get used often, a few nights a year.

They are about £400 from Argos for a very basic type.

I think it’s mainly the psychological benefit though of knowing you can escape the heat if you need to. They are very noisy too, not great at night. But better than cooking …..

[Lyncola]

ATB you are right I’m from Australia and I don’t even really think about my medication in summer. I keep my medication in the cabinet about middle of my house.
And yes air conditioning is a god send on a hot day, the trouble with Queensland is not only the temperature but the humidity. The temperature doesn’t get me but the humidity is another story.
I hope it cool down for you soon

[VanillaLover]

To add, it’s big and heavy. No way could you move it room to room. So you need space to store it all those other days of the year. Ours just stands in the corner.

[Tora]

Thanks for the info VanillaLover. I was hoping they’d be portable.
I tried a DIY version yesterday using a bouncy castle air pump and ice but it was far too powerful resulting in a very sore right boob!