Nose

After weeks of my complaining about leaden skies and torrential showers, the weather has suddenly turned swelteringly hot. Fortunately my capacity for complaining is not so easily exhausted, and I could entertain you with tales of the stifling working conditions I have to contend with, the impossibility of getting a decent night's sleep, and the annoying insect bites that have appeared on my legs. On the plus side, it has been a pleasure to see the return of long summer evenings, encouraging me to drag myself out of the house and take to the hills. I took a short walk around Teggs Nose this evening, so called because - to tell the truth, I have not the slightest idea, but might hazard a guess that perhaps the hilly bits share some similarity to the facial characteristics of a certain Mr Tegg. But I could so easily be mistaken. However, the important point is that it is quite pleasant to go for a stroll high on a hill as the sun is beginning to set, and to gaze upon the hazy vastness of the Cheshire plain stretching before you, and to contemplate the majesty of Nature and all that; even if annoying insects seize the opportunity to bite you without warning.

I notice the cat is suffering from the heat, mewing forlornly and stretching out exhausted on the floor. I sympathise (to a point), but then it does seem somewhat short-sighted to have evolved a thick furry coat when summer is expected to come around, however briefly, once a year.