h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When it's still 90°F (32.2°C) at 10pm

Could be worse... could be Phoenix (106/41.1) or Yuma (98/36.7).

I was sat here thinking it was stupidly hot at 24 C.

I must be acclimatised to the heat, the sun was weakly shining here in the UK yesterday, I even took my sweater off for a while. I still kept my vest on though, under my top.

I'm definitely more acclimatised to the Texas summer than I used to be. Those high temperatures don't bother me anything like they used to, and sometimes I hardly even notice them unless it's unusually humid and muggy. It is a bit depressing though, walking out of the door in the morning to go to work and it's already above 80 (mid 20s C), and you know that means you're in for another day of scorchio.

But the summers in Texas are a price worth paying (almost) for the relatively short and often balmy Texas winter

What was I thinking? I really put the mockers on it didn't I - 107F/41.7C today, and a rainstorm in the middle of it that sent the humidity up and made it feel like New Orleans or Houston. I need to keep my big gob shut

It may be 102 outside right now but I don't care - I'm having bangers and mash for dinner tonight

I'd get dressed and walk to the bar across the street to have a beer...

But it's 90°. At 10pm.

Speaking of beer,

Mr Nerd and I are sharing a very lovely Boulevard Brewing Co's Rye-on-Rye that a certain Gosho left in our beer fridge. We can't thank you enough, but we're going to try:


Thank you

It is sensational, by definition.

I sure hope this wasn't the one we were supposed to save for Pastey. If it was, tell us, and we'll figure out how to replace it.

Glad you liked it No, I think that one would lose some of its flavour the longer you hang on to it so best to drink it now

Ah good.

Which am I to save for Pastey?

What's left?

I just took the temperature of the water that's coming out of the cold tap. That's... the cold tap.

91°F/32.8°C

It looks like it is down to Real Ale 15th anniversary Russian Imperial Stout and Samael's oak-aged ale from Avery Brewing Company.

Probably the Russian Imperial Stout?

Both of those will age really well. The Avery... well, it's so syrupy you could probably put it on your pancakes, if you want 15% ABV for breakfast But the Real is a deliciously dry Russian Imperial Stout.

I think Pastey should get to try both - compare and contrast

Congratulations England, you were hotter than Austin today! Well, Cavendish in Suffolk was - 90.3F/32.4C. Thanks to a mid-afternoon deluge (between 1" and 2" in one hour, depending on where you were), we only made it to 89F/31.7C today (8°F below normal), and it's deluging again as we speak

I think yesterday's temperatures are why the English talk so much about weather. I did see the thermometer touch 25C yesterday, but I was driving on the M6 so couldn't stop to enjoy it. I hope that wasn't the sole Day of Summer we get.

No, there'll be two more to come yet - three fine days and a thunderstorm is the traditional British summer

If only every summer was like 1976, but without the drought. Mind you, that had its advantages too - Denis Howell told us to take baths together to save water Not necessary in some parts of the country though. I went camping in the Lake District with some friends for two weeks in the thick of that hot, dry summer, and it rained almost every day while the rest of the UK was roasting