Midsummer reflections. Midsummer school activities.

That’s the summer solstice over and done with. The longest day has come and gone. It’s all downhill from now on! The nights will be drawing in before we know it.

Here’s a wry comment that was going around yesterday:

“It’s the longest day today. Please don’t look at the Sun. It’s bad for you even if you briefly look at it. The same goes for the Mail and the Express.”

Apparently the best place to see the sun come up on the Summer Solstice is at Stonehenge, when it shines directly through the monument and has special significance. About 15,000 people went to greet the sun at Stonehenge. I doubt that many of them saw the sun rise through the monument. And more than 200,000 people tuned in from across the world to watch the sunset and sunrise on English Heritage’s livestream.

This morning, not the longest day of the year, I set my alarm to ring rather earlier than usual as we were expecting a delivery of wine from the Wine Society. They had promised delivery on Friday (today) but had not specified a time … until late yesterday afternoon, when we received an email saying the wine would arrive between 8.00 and 10.00am. So I planned to be up and dressed to accept delivery. 

At approximately 7.45 I was sitting on the loo when I heard a faint tap-tap-tap. Someone was knocking on the door. It is a well-established fact that deliverymen are unaware of doorbells! Anyway, I looked out and saw the Wine Society van parked outside. My dressing gown seemed to have disappeared. So I hastily wrapped a towel around myself and went to open the door before the deliveryman disappeared or left the boxes of wine in some inappropriate place. So much for a delivery between 8.00 and 10.00!!

I later spent this afternoon watching small, and sometimes not so small, children at a sports day. Short races. Mini hurdles. An obstacle course. Throwing the javelin - made of foam or expanded polystyrene .  A ball (instead of an egg) and spoon race - some children cheating, running two steps, launching the ball ahead and the running to pick it up - small children are devious. All this in the sudden summer sunshine!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!