Summer in Cyprus. Again.

Spring appears to have morphed into summer, rather neatly, as May came to an end. For the first time this year, temperatures were above 30C in the shade in Larnaka yesterday.

For the first time since last autumn, we turned on the air conditioning for an hour as we went to sleep last night. A trend that will probably continue until at least September.

For the first time since last autumn, I wore shorts rather than long trousers or jeans today. Something else that will almost certainly continue until September, at the earliest.

It's no surprise, of course. Summer in Cyprus is pretty predictable, and while July and August are unquestionably the hottest and most humid, June and September do tend to be pretty warm as well. We've been spoilt this year, with a much cooler than usual May, and even a few rain showers. I really can't complain.

But I always forget just how draining the heat can be. I don't know why it is that 28C is fine, so long as I'm not actually in the sun, while 32 is exhausting. Why would four degrees make so much difference, I wonder?

We haven't had to use the electric water heater for about a month now; solar power gives us all the hot water we need. I haven't worn a sweatshirt or fleece, or even socks for a couple of weeks, even in the evenings.

Everything winds down in Cyprus during June. Schools have another week or two before they close for the summer. The Tots (toddler) group where I help each week will be closed in July and August. Some of our friends will be leaving the island to travel to the UK, or perhaps the USA, and neighbours will depart for a few weeks in the mountains. The only people who will be busier than usual are the hotel and restaurant owners, who will - we hope - be swamped with tourists, who are very happy to be in a country with guaranteed sun. Cyprus relies heavily on tourism.

I need to get back into the habit of doing housework first thing in the morning, then popping to the local shops, if necessary, before 8am, so I can aestivate for the rest of the day.