In extremis

In this country, there is a real problem with the weather. In Autumn, the leaves obstruct trains and cause havoc on the railways. In the depths of Winter if it snows, it’s generally the wrong type and life just stops, especially schools. I’m not sure what the problem is with Spring but it would appear that Summer is the time for melting moments.

The Metro front page this morning

Okay, it’s been hot for over a week but, seriously, melting roads? I remember the tar bubbles on Sydney roads as a kid when the temperature climbed up to around 40 but how can it possibly be hot enough here? Unless the roads weren’t made properly to start with…

Not that I had to contend with any melting tarmac today. I was called in to London for an emergency meeting with Mirinda. (She’d forgotten her passport and she needed it for work.) I was up and out of the house (no gym, sadly) in time to get the 8am train into town.

London looked glorious. I swapped train for Tube at Waterloo then walked through Embankment Gardens to drop off the passport. The gardens looked lovely and lush and full of sleeping homeless people. I assume they were homeless because they didn’t look washed and were sleeping amid the foliage.

Embankment Gardens

I handed over the passport then, rather than go straight home, I took Mirinda’s advice and went to Piccadilly Circus.

I’ve wanted to visit the Japan Centre ever since I found out about it. Having finally gone, I’ll definitely be back. It’s become my new favourite shop. And it’s so easy to get to. It’s across the road from Piccadilly Circus Tube station.

When I arrived it wasn’t open but I just wandered around a bit, noting the crazy people already queuing for standby tickets to see The Ferryman…or perhaps just standing because it’s sold out. Eventually, having gone to Starbucks, I returned to the Japan Centre.

It’s basically a supermarket that only sells Japanese stuff – dried, frozen, fresh and cooked. It’s amazing. I could have bought so much stuff. I stopped myself and only bought a few things I wanted to try and some chopsticks because we didn’t have enough. I’ll definitely be back…possibly for when Mon, Ben and the kids come over in July.

Then I caught the train back home. to find that the park entrance which had been closed off this morning was still closed off. I tried to explain to the girls that we couldn’t go for a walk because of the heat and the heavy machinery workmen but they didn’t seem to understand.

Eventually the workmen left for the day and they rather nicely provided a way through their ditches so we could go to the park…which we did.

And here’s the first video on my new phone:

And, just for a laugh…here’s a recording of Freya’s stupid growl which almost frightens squirrels:

PS: There’s been no sign of the missing tortoise and the temperature reached 34.5 at Heathrow.