What's the Definition of a Heatwave?

No, it's not one of those jokes.

Apparently the Met Office has issued a heatwave warning for England and Wales and the Department of Health has asked people to check on elderly friends and family. NHS staff have also been warned to prepare for a surge of elderly and ill patients suffering from the heat.

And what sort of temperatures are we expecting?

Well wait for it........In London, the temperature will rise steadily from about 29C on Sunday to about 32C by the end of the week. Yippeee!!!

What about the rest of us? Well supposedly in the rest of UK, temperatures will climb from about 22C to about 29C. Note my scepticism, I say supposedly because this doesn't marry up with the weather here in the North East today and the BBC weather forecast for the rest of the week.

Anyway, come on, is that really what you call a heatwave? I would say it has to get above 30C and I'm pretty positive I've never experienced that here in the North East. Maybe 28 or 29F for a day!

So what is a heatwave?

I was surprised to find that there is no accepted definition of a heatwave.

There is no universal definition of a heat wave and the term is relative to the usual weather in the area or local threshold. The definition recommended by the World Meteorological Organization is when the daily maximum temperature of more than five consecutive days exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5 °C, the normal average period being 1961 to 1990 (which corresponds to the UK baseline of thirty years). Source: UK Climate Projections

So by this definition it really only constitutes a "heatwave" in the London area. Have to ask, does that really constitute a UK heatwave?

Bill Bryson was right when he says he's bewildered by the British attitude to the weather. If you've read Notes From a Small Island you may remember how he describes our tendency to suffer from hyperbole in relation to the weather. Yes, we certainly do exaggerate the slight deviations from the weather norms. "Somebody" also assumes that if it happens in London, that's the whole of the UK.

What's the temperature today here in the North East of England? Well according to the BBC it's a high of 16C, 61F, it's grey and cloudy. Oooh I'm sweltering. Don't think so!!!!!

What's on the cards for tomorrow? Sunny intervals and a huge 18C, 66F. Whey hey!

The highest temperature this week? Wednesday more sunny intervals with a massive 19C, 68F. Oh my goodness, don't think I can cope with that heat!

Well I just can't wait for this heatwave. Better get my bathing costume out and the sun cream and dash out to buy a fan of some description to cool me down or I'll get heatstroke. I'll not go mad and get a quote for the swimming pool just yet. I'll wait for the global warming to take effect. Well they're forecasting that the water level will rise and London will be submerged. So it's lifebelts and rubber dinghies all round then?

I assume it's the best weather we're going to get this summer so I'd better make the most of it.

Post 103

Rhodes Flora

When I go abroad another of the things I like to do, apart from looking at churches is looking at the different flowers and trees.

Rhodes has such a warm climate in comparison to England's so the flowers and trees do vary a lot and I see things I certainly don't at home. I live in the North East of England so there are plants and trees that won't grow there even though they do in the warmer South of England.

I love the bushes that grow all around the hotel we stay at. I have no idea what they are called but they are gorgeous and are shades of pink and white.

If anyone knows their name I'd be pleased if you would let me know.

Update - Jeanette has told me they are called Oleander, many thanks for this information.

If you click the photographs they should enlarge now. See my Update at the end of the posting to find out about this.

More white ones.

Some of the bushes grow really high and form a lovely hedge on the entrance to the hotel which has been designed along the lines of the medieval town of Rhodes. The day before I took this picture the border on the left below the trees was full of lovely flowers. Unfortunately the gardeners had taken them all out the night before to replant.

Here are some more on the left of the picture just inside the hotel grounds.

Near the entrance there's a lovely little chapel and again there are lots of these lovely floral bushes/trees around it. I didn't notice at the time but the clouds in the background are lovely. We didn't see many of those in the two weeks we were there!

I love that little chapel although I've never seen anyone there. I know this posting is about the flora but I'll show you a picture of the inside of the chapel. It's always been locked when I've been there so I had to take it from a window in the door which I pushed open to peep in. The painting is absolutely amazing, the colours are really beautiful. Just look at that beautiful evening sky painted on the ceiling.

I assume it was built for weddings at the hotel but they tend to go to other places such as the Kalithea Roman Spa. The entrance to the refurbished Spa is in the photo below. It's very nice too but it has no religious aspect to it. However I assume lots of people nowadays just want a civil ceremony.

Incidentally the Spa has been the set for a number of films. The main one I remember was Escape to Athena a comic WW11 film which had a number of stars in it, Roger Moore, Stephanie Powers, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Claudia Cardinale, Elliot Gould, Sonny Bono, Ricard Roundtree and Anthony Valentine. I've seen it a few times and although it's thirty years old I really like it. I especially love looking at the bits filmed in and around the Spa.

I've digressed yet again!

My grandchildren call these the pineapple trees. I assume they are some kind of palm.

They really do look like huge pineapples.

Look here's a pineapple forest! Lovely!

Now this one I know. I just wish I could grow geraniums like these and it was only mid May when I took this photo. Even by August mine don't look as big as this.

There were lots of plants with flowers like tubular bells.

Here are the red ones.

And here are the lemon ones.

They looked so pretty cascading down over the walls.

Now this one I think I know. It's possibly bougainvillea.

Here it is again below a "pineapple" tree.

Who says pink and red don't go together?

This looks a bit like the hibiscus that has sadly died off in my garden this summer.

Now these are really lovely trees with beautiful blue blossoms. Again I have no idea what they are.

Update - Michelle has advised me that these are Jacaranda. What a great name! She said that the ones that flower are female trees.

Here's a closer view of the blossoms.

I've seen this before on my friend's balcony on the Costa Brava.

Again I don't know what it is.

Update - Jeanette has told me this is another bougainvillea.

One thing I haven't mentioned is the gorgeous smell that greets you late evening and in the mornings, the smell of jasmine is absolutely wonderful.

There were lots of lovely bushes and plants on our patio. The jasmine I recognised but the bush next to it had red fluffy flowers. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo as soon as we got there. By the time I took this most of the fluffy bits had dropped off.

I'm missing these lovely flowers and the blue skies you see in the pictures. Well you can't have lush green lawns like we have if you have sunshine all day every day and no rain can you.

Never mind I'm sure I'll be back again before too long.

Update - Recently I can't understand why my photos don't enlarge when you click on them. I was sure that I have been inserting them in the same way so had no idea what was going on. Today I think I know what has happened but I have no idea why Blogger is so inconsistent with image insertion.

I've been having a lot of problems with formatting text and photographs and so I decided to centre the photographs when I inserted them. This resolved the problem of the text jumping about when I centred the photographs after inserting them. However I think this is stopping the photos enlarging.

In desperation this afternoon when I inserted photographs I didn't choose a layout and centred it afterwards. I had the problem with the text again but surprisingly the photos now enlarge. Eureka! What a weird system Blogger is. Why doesn't it give you any information about this anywhere?

Update to the Update - I'm just about losing the will to live with this!

Myra contacted me to say that she can enlarge her photos even if she chooses to centre them from the layout screen.

I've just tried it on a test posting and she's right, they do enlarge. So why didn't they last week when I was doing this posting and on my posting about Michelle's Mailart? They still don't on that one.

Give me strength! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Post 102

Thank You Michelle!

A while ago I was looking at Michelle's website and saw her Mailart swap.

It seemed very interesting and I decided to join it.

Well this is what Michelle sent me. Isn't it lovely! This is Michelle's picture of the mailart before she posted it.

Can you see the two lovely little ladybirds? The detail is amazing and the stitches are really perfect. I was hoping that if you clicked on the pictures they would enlarge and you could see the detail but it doesn't seem to work. Now I have no idea why this works sometimes and on other occasions it doesn't if you are doing the same thing. Maybe it's a Blogger quirk. If anyone can enlighten me I'd be grateful. The size of the photos are quite large apart from this little one below, so not sure why it isn't working.

Here is my photograph with the stamp and postmark.

Here's the reverse. Look at the lovely ribbon tie.

Just look at what's inside. The lining is a lovely red design.

Amongst the lovely goodies there's a gorgeous tiny little ladybird pendant which is from Delos. Hope you can see it just above the greetings card form Michelle.

What a fantastic present this was from Michelle, thank you so much.

Why not take a look at Michelle's website and see some of her fantastic sewing skills.

Now I'm worried that my mailart won't be up to this standard. I'll just have to do my best!

Post No 101

Let’s Do It!

I've just noticed that this is my 100th posting. I'm not exactly a prolific Blogger. I tend to post when I have something to say or to share. So here's what I have to say today and to share with you.

I’m suffering from post holiday blues as you so often do when forcing yourself to adjust to reality. The reality of being like a hamster in a treadmill, shopping, washing, ironing, cleaning the bathroom, hoovering, cooking, clearing up and so on and so on.....

For some reason it feels worse than when I had to go back to work after a holiday. Well I did like my job, I don't like housework!!!!

So I need a laugh!

My motto is, "When in need of a laugh, watch Victoria Wood!"

So here’s one of my all time favourites, The Ballad of Barry and Freda, Let’s Do It!

Look out for a very young, curly haired, Julie Walters in the audience.

The Ballad of Barry and Freda - Victoria Wood



Just in case you can't understand all of the lyrics, here they are:

Freda and Barry sat one night.
The sky was clear.
The stars were bright.
The wind was soft.
The moon was up.
Freda drained her cocoa cup.
She licked her lips.
She felt sublime.
She switched off Gardeners' Question Time.
Barry cringed in fear and dread
As Freda grabbed his tie, and said:

Let's do it!
Let's do it,
Do it while the mood is right!
I'm feeling
Appealing
I've really got an appetite.
I'm on fire
With desire.
I could handle half the tenors in a male voice choir.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

But he said:
I can't do it.
I can't do it.
I don't believe in too much sex.
This fashion
For passion
Turns us into nervous wrecks.
No derision!
My decision
I'd rather watch The Spinners on the television.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

So she said:
Let's do it!
Let's do it,
Do it till our hearts go boom!
Go native,
Creative
Living in the living room.
This folly
Is jolly.
Bend me over backwards on me hostess trolley.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

But he said:
I can't do it.
I can't do it.
Me 'eavy breathing days have gone.
I'm older,
Feel colder.
Other things that turn me on.
I'm imploring:
I'm boring.
Let me read this catalogue on vinyl flooring.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

So she said:
Let's do it!
Let's do it,
Have a crazy night of love!
I'll strip bare.
I'll just wear
Stilettos and an oven glove.
Don't starve a Girl of a palaver.
Dangle from the wardrobe in your balaclava.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

But he said:
I can't do it.
I can't do it.
I know I'd only get it wrong.
Don't angle
For me to dangle.
Me arms 'ave never been that strong.
Stop pouting.
Stop shouting.
You know I pulled a muscle when I did that grouting.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

Let's do it!
Let's do it,
Share a night of wild romance,
Frenetic,
Poetic!
This could be your last big chance
To quote Milton,
To eat Stilton,
To roll in gay abandon on the tufted Wilton.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

I can't do it.
I can't do it.
I've got other little jobs on hand.
Don't grouse
Around the house.
I’ve got a busy evening planned.
Stop nagging.
I'm flagging.
You know as well as I do that the pipes want lagging.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

Let's do it!
Let's do it
While I'm really in the mood!
Three cheers!
It's years
Since I caught you even semi-nude.
Be drastic
Gymnastic.
Wear your baggy Y-fronts with the loose elastic.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

I can't do it.
I can't do it.
I must refuse to get undressed.
I feel silly.
It's too chilly
To go without me thermal vest.
Don't choose me.
Don't use me.
Me mother sent a note to say you must excuse me.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

Let's do it!
Let's do it!
I feel I absolutely must.
I won't exempt you,
Want to tempt you,
Want to drive you mad with lust.
No cautions,
Just contortions!
Smear an avocado on me lower portions.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

I can't do it.
I can't do it.
It's really not my cup of tea.
I'm harassed,
Embarrassed.
I wish you hadn't picked on me.
No dramas!
Give me me pyjamas.The only girl
I'm mad about is Judith Chalmers.
I can't do it.
I can't do it tonight.

Let's do it!
Let's do it!
I really want to run amok.
Let's wiggle.
Let's jiggle.
Let's really make the rafters rock.
Be mighty.
Be flighty.
Come and melt the buttons on me flameproof nightie.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

Let's do it!
Let's do it!
I really want to rant and rave.
Let's go,
'Cause I know
Just how I want you to behave:
Not bleakly,
Not meekly.
Beat me on the bottom with a Woman's Weekly.
Let's do it!
Let's do it tonight!

Victoria Wood

Church Going in Rhodes

St Francisco Roman Catholic Church, Rhodes Town

One thing I like to do when I go away is to visit the local church. It isn't always easy to find a Roman Catholic Church in Greece but it is in Rhodes Town. There are two! I usually go to this one called the Church of San Francisco, (St Francis) mainly because it's on the bus route from where we stay and there's a bus stop right outside the church.

The other church is an older one in the centre of the town near the casino. I had a problem finding it the first time I visited Rhodes and I've never gone back to it. What a luxury finding two churches so close together!

It's quite a modern church and it has a huge, wonderful painting of St Francis on the altar. I wanted to take a picture after the service but unfortunately another service followed immediately afterwards so I could only take a picture from the back of the church very quickly. It's quite poor unfortunately, you get the scale of the painting but not the detail. I'll be back in Rhodes in September so maybe I can get a better one then.

What I found strange last year was they have started to do the Mass in Latin and with a lot of singing. I'm ashamed to admit I've forgotten most of the Latin I used to know and they didn't have a Mass card in Latin and English, or if they did I didn't get one.

There are greeters at the back of the church and they welcome you and give you a sheet with the readings in your language. Not sure they had them for all the nationalities there but the main ones are covered. I don't know why they have gone back to the Mass in Latin but it was quite nice and brought back some memories. The priest sounds like he's from Yorkshire, he's been there for quite a long time but he is quite a serious chap! He speaks a few languages and has a bit of a chat to people in French, Italian, Greek and English which is quite nice.

If you go there for Mass be prepared, it starts at 10 am on Sundays but it's quite a bit longer than ours. The last one I went to was nearly an hour and was followed by benediction. The week before it lasted over an hour as there was a local couple renewing their wedding vows after forty years which was quite nice.

It's interesting too that the church is also used for Anglican services.

Outside the church is a statue of St Francis with the prayer inscribed around it in numerous languages including Hebrew. I did take a photo of the prayer and checked that it was quite clear to read but I can't find it on the camera now. Weird!

St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Computer Says No!

I've created a new blog to keep my computer witterings separate form my general blog ramblings. I know they can get a bit boring.

If anyone is interested the stuff is here on Computer Says No!

Life on Mars - The BBC Version

Life on Mars

I started a new blog on my telly addiction as I seemed to be posting so much on that topic.

Now I'm not really sure whether that's a good idea so I'd be pleased if you have any comments about this. Is it easier to just follow one blog or do people prefer to have the choice of optIng in or out of blogs geared to specific topics?

Well the first posting is here on my Telly Addict blog and it's on Life on Mars-the BBC version. So if you're interested please pay it a visit you'll be very welcome.

Picture above is a screen dump from Life on Mars website.