Summer is here

I know I've complained about heatwaves in Cyprus at random times, but it's now the end of June. So it's not surprising that the temperature in the daytime is now over 30C and getting humid. I don't like it, but from this time of year until at least mid-September, it's what we expect. In fact, it came so gradually that I wasn't really aware of it, other than feeling more tired, and more sticky, and more lethargic in general.

About a week ago we started using the airconditioning in the bedrooms, for an hour or two as we go to sleep. It's not so much the heat, but the humidity that makes it difficult to sleep. The air conditioning, run at the optimum 28C, makes the room feel cooler even though the temperature isn't reduced that much. Then we set it to go off around midnight, which works well.

We've been using our ceiling fans in the living areas extensively, and a couple of days ago Richard reminded me that the computers become more unreliable over about 30C [that's 86F, if anyone from the USA is reading] and that it would be a good idea to start using the air conditioning in my study. I keep forgetting - it doesn't yet feel THAT hot - but I probably should use it more.

People sometimes ask me what I 'do' with my time. In the Summer, whatever I do takes about three times as long as usual because of the heat. I'm not entirely sure why. This morning, for instance, I did my usual dust/sweep/mop of our living areas. It usually takes me about 20 minutes - today it took an hour. Then I defrosted our main freezer - long overdue, as the door was left slightly ajar overnight a couple of months ago - and thought it would be fairly quick as the temperature is so warm.

It took me over another hour, including packing all the food in our other small freezer, and cool boxes and bags, mopping the floor with melted ice on it, drying it out, and then re-sorting the food once it had got cold enough. I put away the last lot of clean laundry and stripped the beds and put the sheets on to wash... I filled up our drinking water bottles (mains water is on today, hence these water-heavy activities), I cleaned two sets of windows that were looking grubby, and I watered some of the plants.

In between times I had to sit down, or have another drink of water... and the morning whizzed past.

Apparently Birmingham, where Tim and I will be flying on Monday evening, is currently at about 15C in the daytimes. It sounds wonderful!