So we are officially half way through the year and you may have noticed – it’s HOT. They were talking about a hosepipe ban on the radio this morning for crying out loud. I can’t remember the last time we had such a long batch of continuous high temps and sunny weather in the UK. I have been known to get a little grumpy during heatwaves in the past but I have actually really been enjoying this recent batch of good weather (despite the presence of excess sweat and lack of decent sleep). So much so that June absolutely whizzed by.
St Albans is glorious in the sunshine, and I’ve really been appreciating it since we got back from Devon. Unfortunately for me, I haven’t been able to enjoy my usual beer-garden haunts as much lately due to that little football thing everyone is going on about. I could go on a little rant about the type of men that little football thing brings out of the woodwork but let’s just say that the pub gardens have been heaving and leave it at that. G and I did enjoy a random drink at around half 10 the other evening though, after most people had disappeared into the night. It was still warm enough to sit outside at that time, and that has got to be the one of the best things about this weather.
The annual Alban weekend came around again in June which means a street festival takes over the high street. We drank in the sun, ate pizzas and hot dogs and went to our favourite churro van (we seemingly can’t go anywhere else for pudding every time it comes to St A). Also, that ice cream above is from the new vegan café about to open opposite our flat. They are only open for ice cream at the moment but will be opening up properly very soon. As far as I can tell, it’s all pastel colours, pink peonies and fairy lights – and vegan! I am so excited. Just gonna stare out the flat window waiting for the moment it opens… not creepy at all.
Every time summer comes around, I desperately wish we had a garden so I’ve been trying to make the most of living and working near big parks to make up for it. I’ve been wandering out into the park next to the office with my book during lunch breaks and my sister and I enjoyed a vegan sushi lunch date in the park just this afternoon. I’ve also been trying to utilise the park near our flat more; Alice and I enjoyed fruit ciders, crisps and strawberries in the shadow of the cathedral on Friday night and, whilst not my own garden, it’s pretty darn beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, I took a lil day trip to Oxford to catch up with some uni friends last weekend and it seemed only natural that we’d go punting. We went overboard in M&S snacks, made friends/enemies with a few ducks, avoided the aggressive swan, sat on the riverbank with some drinks from the riverside pub, got stuck on a submerged tree branch (twice) and generally caught up. It was so lovely to see them.
I also took a flying visit up north – literally just 24 hours. My Grandma is moving out of the house she has lived in my entire life, a house that holds so many memories for me, and I couldn’t not go and visit one last time. I saw my auntie and cousin also (and her baby Eliza who may be the cutest child ever) and we all sat in the garden in the sunshine and had a little picnic. It was lovely and emotional. I thought about my Grandad a lot; it feels strange to think that my Grandma’s next home will be somewhere my Grandad never set foot in but she is making a really good decision, and it’s so exciting to think one can still find new adventure at the age of 82.
Otherwise, there’s been work; the day job, the cat-sitting job and the charity trustee job keeping me busy. That and watching Our Girl. Oh and I discovered Ben & Jerry’s vegan chocolate fudge brownie and it truly is the bees fucking knees.
And that was June - until next time.
Comments