I’m pleased that our old stone house only reached 24c today while it was 39c on the shady terrace and heaven knows what in the actual sunshine…
Had the misfortune to be driving a car with no aircon this afternoon and I thought I would die… I stopped twice for a cold drink. Such a relief to get back indoors. The car is now in disgrace and will stay tucked away until the heatwave is over and I can drive it to the garage for regassing…
I finally brought Jules in out of the car at 11.30pm, he was very comfortable in the cool night air in the car, but I had to persuade him. 
True one of the cooler places to go is dad’s house near Montech. Stone built and with flagstone floor. Always cooler in summer. On the other hand cooking with the aga is a bit of a torture…
A small gas/electric hob or stove might solve that problem… if there’s enough space.
Thanks that’s a great tip.
That’s us today. 30c in the shade by the pond at 11 this morning, and 20c in it. 
Lovely, because it still felt cold and oh so refreshing. 
It started at 19 yesterday and then progressed to 20 later, so I reckon by early evening it will be even more than that.
Tuesday our pools shut 
Why is that? Yours or public ones? Bad timing.
Hot, very hot and getting to be unbearable…
Just been picking raspberries and fortunately there weren’t too many so we could get back indoors quickly!
you might be better off doing that at night, with a Miner’s helmet/lamp… 
Certainly very early in the morning. I’m amazed to find at 7am there is still a bit of dew around, so your raspberries will be juicier.
Village pool!
And don’t forget dogs and other animals. Bowl of water out in the shade for birds and beasts.
It’s not that hot here yet, but even so pooch is walked first thing so he can lie in the shade for the rest of the day.
I’ve been astounded how many saucers and bowls are drying up completely during the day… so I’ve been doing a quick, second dash, armed with a large bottle of tap water… and I’ll do another trip before bedtime…
I’ve never seen this sort of instant-evaporation before…
Are you putting the water bowls in shade ?. In full sunshine, they will evaporate in hours. Was 37C here yesterday at 17h, measured using my shade thermometer in an alcove in the north side of the house. Bloomin 'eck 
Drove to the local source yesterday to replenish my drinking water, and when I arrived was confronted by a very large number of wasps swarming around, obviously drinking or staying cool. I needed the water, but thought twice and decided to leave rather than possibly get stung 
So, needing the water I decided to get up earlier this morning, was up there by 7, and hurrah, absolutely no wasps! So looks like I’ve now solved the puzzle - just get up before the wasps 
It’s the little things 
It always amazes me when I do go to get the water, as very often meet folks who have travelled quite some distance to get to the source, as apparently it has special healing properties 
The longest journey so far was one couple who travelled 1 hr 15mins to get there - incredible, and do feel lucky it’s on the doorstep, especially when I’m consuming about 4 litres/day right now in this heat!
We have a similar one, I see people there even I pouring rain ect! How long can you keep the water once collected?
Yes it amazes me how many visit the source, but the water does taste very good - absolutely no aftertaste, and I’d say I’m now so used to it I prefer it to bottled.
How long I keep the water very much depends on how much I’m getting through, but generally I’d say I visit the source every 2-3 weeks. I always rinse the bottles when filling, then fill to the max so I have as little air as possible at top when putting the cap back on. I’ve now done this for a little over a year and it works very well…just hope the source never dries out, but don’t think it will as during last Summer I remember it running continuously, and strongly.
