London Sun, oh what fun

It seems like the first time in several years London has been as sunny as it is now, the last time I felt the heat like this must of been when I was a teenager. Which is saying something. It's been about 4 weeks of constant sun and there is little let up, it began just before Wimbledon.  In addition it is getting hotter and there have been a few days where it's 90 plus degrees Fahrenheit, hot, hot, hot. There is no need to wear a coat and the only reason I carry a denim jacket about is to carry wallet, keys, change, various passes, it's not been used as a coat for a few days now. In effect the sun in London is glorious and it is like food to people who have not eaten for a long time.  You should see how they all react to it.

There is a water feature not far from my work, it is a sloped pavement with a stream like flow, it's not a deep one, but does have an artificial stream like quality.  A small step downward from pavement level and you are standing in it while the water diverts around your feet.   On these hot days small children play on this feature,  rolling on the slope, paddling bare footed and chasing each other around. It is with happy excitement they do this and seeing them behave in this way is infectious to the spirit. They are carefree and very living in the moment.  The water is so appetising and refreshing I've wondered what it would be like to walk bare footed on as well. Everyone I see who does this is transformed, relaxed and relieved. Of the children playing in on the slope, some don't even have costumes and in their ordinary clothes roll about in it, Mum's just letting them have their fun. Their mischief is almost as bright as the light from the sun. I smile just seeing it now in my mind and wonder of the past memories when I was a child and must of done the same thing.

The sun in London now makes people walk slow or walk in the shade and a few even carry umbrellas using them like a parasol. There is a general rush to get to where you need to be as quickly as you can before it gets too hot. This would really mean leaving home by six a.m. though most don't leave so early. On trains windows are permanently open and a flow of air filters through.  However, in the afternoons this tends to be hot air and the trains are uncomfortable. There is a hustle and a bustle as commuters now slovenly bump into each other. But mostly they are so into slow motion they would rather just not bustle too much. Even early in the morning tiredness already has a hold. It's the hot nights for they make it difficult to sleep and leaving a window open means you are open to hearing the rest of the world.  Personally I stick to the most air conditioned places I can find stay in the shade and even try to avoid too much of the bright stuff. Yet even with a grumpy git like me, there is nothing quite as nice as a hot sunny day.

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