dancingthroughchaos

 While showers are still possible at any time of the year, they are more likely and more widespread during the summer due to the local effects of the hills and valleys, land and sea and subtle variations in heat and moisture. – The UK Met office

It’s safe to say that the English summer has been varied this year.  I was told that it rained here every day for nine months, yet after three consecutive days of sunshine there were rumours of hose pipe bans, hysterical messages about how to sleep in the heat and public service announcements reminding us to drink copious amounts of water.  I honestly couldn’t understand what the fuss was about, but realise I am sometimes spoilt by weeks of sunshine in the deep south of Africa where my flip-flops wear out fairly regularly.

However, apart from watching the weather and, like you, observing the change of government here as well as the heart-breaking violence across a number of UK cities, the summer had brought me some wonderful memories.

I actually got to see some of Wimbledon this year (entire matches in some cases) and, on a day when it rained sideways relentlessly in Plymouth, watched back-to-back Olympics with my son before he jets off to the USA for a year – a memory I will treasure for it’s comparable ordinariness.

I’ve seen some of the best of England’s summer greens in Surrey, Sussex, North Wales, Shropshire, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Berkshire.  I’ve walked the furthest I’ve managed since breaking my ankle last December, driven a tank and swum in the sea (very briefly thanks to a plague of seaweed).  I’ve celebrated my mother’s 92nd birthday, met up with two old school friends, enjoyed a writer’s retreat, a couple of theatre trips and time with each of my children.

Work-wise, I’ve launched a new book (did I mention Polished Arrows, available from all good bookshops and online in paperback and ebook?), had a summer story broadcast on Manchester radio, a couple of articles published for an online magazine (Woman Alive), Written a blog for the October slot on GodforKids App, pitched an article for Writers’ Narrative magazine which has been accepted and submitted, completed more than half of the two weeks of material for BRF Bible reading notes due to be published in 2026, been interviewed on Premier and UCB radio, booked slots for two podcast interviews and have just sent in my notes for a week of morning ‘thoughts’ also for UCB radio beginning on 26th August.  I’ve spoken to friends via Zoom in the USA, S Africa, Sweden, France and Canada.

The achiever in me is buzzing!

I’m now looking forward to a week of being in one place to complete some tasks before September is upon us and we travel to Switzerland, France and Northern Ireland.  There’s a school visit lined up in Doagh as well as a talk on writing for some ladies in Hampshire.  I’m certainly not bored yet.

How was your summer? I’d love to hear from you.

[Images from Pixabay and my own]