Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.

Well, I thought this was a funny quote by Kin Hubbard - and a good start for a weather-related post.

It's been a gorgeous 10 days or so of sun and warmth, the tomato plant on my windowsill is measurably taller each evening and the last few days have been proper summer - I'm wearing my summer dresses and factor 30 sunscreen. Temperature in the high 20s and it is absolutely perfect for weekend breakfast outside, then lying on the grass in the shade of the washing and looking up at a deep blue sky. This is my idea of a perfect August day, and it's only April.


And then to make it even better, driving home this afternoon an amazing thunderstorm broke out. From the clouds on either side and in front of us, shocking blue/white forks flicked down, some really jagged, some almost vertical. They were so brief I barely saw them - the sight and after glow on my eyeballs felt like when you touch a hot pan and your hand jumps away before you've registered the heat. When it finally came, the thunder rolled, growled and banged on. And on. And on. One flash seemed to trigger 4 or 5 seconds of noise, and I could really imagine the air banging back against itself, then chunks of air banging back together, then rearranging themselves and then bigger lumps of air rumbling as they finally settled into place. 

Then the rain arrived, fat warm drops with that pungent smell of dust and hot concrete. Everything is cooling down and clearing up for another day's sunshine tomorrow. What joy it is to live in London this year!