It’s noticeably cooler here this morning. Several nodding acquaintances whose paths I crossed while out running commented, “it’s cooler today, thank goodness! Wasn’t yesterday hot? !” Yes, yesterday was hot. It was already hot when I went out relatively early in the morning and it was still hot when I took a look outside in the late evening. One of my weather apps warns of thunderstorms later today. We shall see.
Paris, meanwhile, is on red alert for heat, with temperatures in the top 30s or even topping 40°.
And they’ve been having wildfires in the Scottish Highlands:
“Firefighters battled wildfires in the Scottish Highlands for a third day on Monday in a situation the first minister has called “extremely serious”.
The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), which has helped tackle the blazes, warned the fires are “becoming a danger to human life” that are leaving “stretched” firefighters unable to attend other incidents.”
So, apart from the lady who told me sadly that all her pansies were dying, we seem to have got off lightly. An acceptable 20° at the moment. Not that I’m complaining about some warm and sunny days. In fact I’m all in favour of them. Ideally, however, it should rain during the night and cool things down so that sleeping is more comfortable.
The Tour de France starts on Saturday, setting off this year from Lille. No foreign-country start this time. Sometimes they have a really wet time trial to begin the Tour. Maybe this year it will just be very hot. Last year, because of the Olympics in Paris, they didn’t finish with a final stage along the Champs Élysées but that will be reestablished this time. Here’s a link to an article about famous finishes.
A good deal of fuss, and police time by all accounts, is going on about singers and performers calling for the death of warmongers. Here’s a comment from Michael Rosen:
I know we all like people being consistent (lols) so here are the lyrics for the last verse of Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War', which, interestingly, he sang at Glasto in 1998. Here's a rough recording of the event. Last verse at around 4 minutes in . People are busy explaining all over social media, with politicians joining in that there is something uniquely offensive about Bob Vylan's 'Death to the IDF' chant. You can decide how 'unique' it was in comparison to Bob Dylan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUeJAoujJLk
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I’ll follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand over your grave
‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead.
Maybe the police should start investigating that Nobel prize winner for terrorism! (My comment, not Mr Rosen’s.)
Here’s a bit more Michael Rosen’
Israel says it wants
Gaza,
the West Bank
and the Golan Heights
to be Israel.
Israel is doing
what it believes
will make it happen.
It’s not a secret.
Israel says it.
Why is it so difficult
for the media to say it?
That’s all.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
