Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Hush.

OK?

It's a secret, so I'll whisper OK?

I think, maybe, just maybe, summer is here.

This is just between you and me OK? Don't go spreading malicious gossip and rumours OK?

I don't want the weather gods getting wind (snigger) of this thought of mine.

So why do I think that summer (such as it is in Europe - make that northern Europe) is finally here?

Here's the evidence m'honour;

• the sun has been out - all day for the last 4 days
• the sun is still in the sky (which is blue & almost cloudless (a bit of a blow for all those young bedding plants)) at 8pm
• we've just had a bbq - as has the rest of the area (the Germans are devout Grillen freaks, I think grillen (the verb = to bbq) must be 2nd only to godliness or maybe adherence to regulations or maybe the making up of said regulations...)
• the family (apart from me - who suddenly found the washing very interesting and vitally important) have spent the last 45 minutes competing to see who can kick a football into a hula hoop, leading to MIL saying 'don't you have boules ?' Yeah, we probably have it somewhere, & you probably bought it for us, but by the time we find it everyone will have wandered off, and anyway with a football the guys think they're playing penalty shoot out!
• the huge German styleee windows we have, have been open all day, letting in all the fresh air and pollen (sorry Ben - his hay fever has started up today)
• I can happily leave open the front and back doors so the kids and dog can wander in and out at will - admittedly this does mean more sweeping of the floor (thank the floor god that we have tile and parquet through the ground floor) but hey, I can live with that.
• have been to the ice cafe and had an iced coffee....bliss
• have felt the need to walk the dog early (like 8am) before the freakily heathily cyclists/walkers/bladers etc get clogging up the paths and shouting abuse at me and my dog
• have worn my white linen trousers enough that they're dirty & awaiting ironing
• have repainted my toes twice since my deluxe pedi in the UK, really need to get another pedi asap
• and...I've bought strawberries today, strawberries that look as though they grew naturally, not forced in an unnatural situation, haven't eaten them yet, got side tracked by the stawberry wine - oops!
  

So what do you reckon? Do you think that's enough evidence that summer is here?

Like I said earlier;

This is a secret. Keep it between us OK?

Strictly a need to know basis, I've only shared this with you 'cos I think I can trust you, whisper it if you must OK? We don't want them to know that we know...if the weather turns I'll blame you - you know I will!


btw; I wrote this Sunday evening...