Summer's not over yet...

Another roasting day and this evening when I was talking to  Mariano he said it's going to be hotter tomorrow and again on Saturday.........

 So this is what they are predicting for Friday at 5pm with the same for Saturday.   Luckily we've stocked up on ice-creams, and always have lots of water in bottles in the fridge plus ice.  It's surprising how quickly a bottle of cold water warms up outside.   We also have a few iced mugs - they are basically double skinned tumblers with some sort of gel in the layer and you keep them in the freezer then you can always have a very cold drink without the need for extra ice.

Still here!

Another Wednesday, another hot week, and more to come.  I'm sure August used to be cooler than July but every year is different and the locals always say 'this isn't normal' so we don't know really what is normal weather.   Today has been 30 again but overcast and that brings up the humidity levels which makes it sticky.  Same for tomorrow then clear but hotter over the weekend.  Oh well, by January or February we'll be longing for the summer to come around.

Apart from the local shopping and market day for vegetables and fruit, we haven't been out much.  Our neighbours are here for the summer so we have children and noise and dogs barking next door.  Saturday night they invited us to join them and their friends from Yator for a barbeque / tapas / drinks.  No specific time, just come around when you hear the noise.  About 9pm cars came up and people were chatting, that's when we went round.  15 adults, 5 children and a couple of dogs.  Not Monty and Pip, we left them at home in the garden.  Good practice for our Spanish that night, and it's surprising how much more fluent - or confident - you become after a glass or two of wine.  We left them to it at 2am,  Antonio was just turning up then having been out hunting jabali.   No idea what time it all ended, didn't hear cars or anything once my head hit the pillow.

Unfortunately,  dogs don't understand late nights or maybe it's because they sleep all day in the shade, whatever, they were up and about, bright eyed and bushy tailed at 7 the next morning.  Strangely, John never hears these early morning  'I need a walk" woofs.  But it is a nice time of day, cool and quiet.  The only person out at that time of the morning was Antonio and he'd had an even later night than us, but it was his watering day and at this time of year you make the most of the water that is yours.

Mad dogs and Englishmen.

Five o'clock this afternoon,  hiding from the sun under the parasol by the pool,  footsteps outside and heavy breathing.  Surely not someone walking?   Even though it's late afternoon,  it's still 37 in the shade on our terrace.  That's why I was hiding from the sun having just got out of the pool  - again - in an effort to try and cool down. 

Mad dogs and Englishman they say,  go out in the sun.  And this was an Englishman, friend of ours from Yator.  On his way back home we opened the gate, put him in the shade, gave him a long cool drink of water before letting him go on his way.

Even Monty and Pip stay indoors in this heat.

There are 39 high temperature warnings for the hotspots today.

Last night we were both in the pool at 10.30 to cool down before bedtime.  Didn't work, fan on all night again.  It'll be a very late night watering session tonight, the cucumbers and squash are trying to swell and need so much water at the moment.  Most of it evaporates in the heat so late night is best - at least they get 10 hours or so of relative coolness.

Early one morning

just on the way down to Yator,  we saw some mountain goats.  They stopped when they sensed us and we stopped too.   I opened my bag for my camera, they moved a bit.  I turned the camera on and they moved again,  but I did manage to get one photo.  The second goat is just to the right,  still visible but camouflaged by the plants.   Both Monty and Pip were with me and the hardest part was  trying to get them to keep still as well as every movement made the goats move.   They eventually disappeared down a very steep slope heading for the river that goes to Yator.  After a few hundred metres they are virtually impossible to see amongst the plants.

 

This was the day before yesterday when we went out for our  morning walk,   it was quite a cloudy start but that makes a lovely sunrise as it comes up through the clouds.                             

Maybe this time?

 

Trying a different way of dropping in the colours of Spain for this afternoon.....