Irish summers
Grandad May 6th, 2008
To those of you not familiar with Irish weather, we have two kinds of summer here.
The normal summer lasts from May until September. It is typified by grey skies and rain. Occasionally, it stops raining for a couple of days, and we call that a drought. That is when the hose-pipe bans are put in place and we are asked to conserve water. People complain about the cold and the rain and the standard greeting in the street is “are we ever going to get a summer?” The rain is invariable at its worst when there is an open air concert planned or when people book their annual leave.
The other is a rarity and it is what we call a heatwave. This is when the sun shines and the temperature rises above 16 degrees.
During a heatwave, everyone goes mad and goes around wearing next to nothing. They complain about the heat and how their gardens are drying up. On the rare occasions when heatwaves coincide with weekends, they pile into their cars and all head for Brittas Bay. When they get there, they complain about the crowds, and then on the way home again, they complain about the traffic jams. After two days of this they are muttering about how they wish it would cool down a bit because the heat is killing them.
Heatwaves usually occur in the lead up to the end of year school exams, thereby ensuring that no study is done. They also usually occur mid-week, when everyone is at work anyway. They rarely occur when people take their annual leave.
We are enjoying the End of Year Exam Heatwave at the moment. It is expected to last until Thursday. But then it may end tomorrow, or Friday. It’s unlikely to last until Saturday, because people will be off work then. Heatwaves rarely last more than a week. Another one should be due at the beginning of next month because that is when the exams actually take place.
Unfortunately, this time, the heatwave coincided with a bank holiday. This led to the entire transport infrastructure grinding to a halt as everyone frantically headed for the seaside. Rumour has it that nobody actually reached the beaches at all. They just sat in their traffic jams until around mid afternoon when they all turned around and went home in disgust.
I stayed at home and did some gardening. The estate was getting a bit out of hand as it has been sopping wet up until now. I actually managed to get the grass cut, and made a respectable little pile of grass cuttings.
That blur on the left is Sandy. She is ambushing me for a game of tennis.
I’m sorry about the quality of the photograph. I forgot to set the camera for sunlight, because it’s a setting I rarely use.
- Around the garden , Rambles
- Comments(23)
Tee hee! We spent the weekend relaxing, reading and painting (and looking for the cat, who disappeared for a while). ‘Twas a great weekend!
Darren - What is it with this painting crap? Or did you get the idea from me? I take it the cat returned safely? [Probably went to Brittas Bay!]
I paint (well, I try to). It’s very relaxing and the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend.
As for the cat, I think she runs the local mafia. She looks very shifty and the other cats in the neighbourhood seem to be afraid of her. I’m going to keep an eye on the situation.
Grandad,
Thank you for your link to my memories of Mrs Warboys day out. I did search for a video of where she gets out of the car on the motorway and walks to the service station to buy crisps, but couldn’t find it, nor could I find any clips of the horse’s bottom in front of poor Victor.
Herself tells me that when she went to the airport yesterday afternoon, the tailback of cars at a standstill on the M50 had passed the Carrickmines junction.
I should think today would be a holiday at HeadRambles Manor.
Ian - My pleasure. The rule here in the mountains is to stay put during weekends. We venture out when the peasants are at work, especially in fine weather.
Brianf - Chance would be a fine thing. I’m slaving away here in the orchard with the birds singing in the trees and the sun beating down. Thank God for wireless
I would have thought with today being Berties resignation day that there would be much rejoiceing.
ah the Irish summer, I am making every minute of it count, will continue to do so after reading your post - my brother-in-law was lucky enough to fly in for a visit the day before yesterday, got an awesome view of Ireland, he says he has never seen so many shades of green, must have been a beautiful sight!!!
I enjoyed this little tidbit of seasonal information Grandad! And Sandy looks like she’s enjoying ever second of the heatwave!
Brianf - Partial rejoicing. We have yet to see what type of gobshite Biffo is.
Natalie - Nice timing! It’s good weather for flying all right, but they took my licence off me [long story...]
Olga - That flaming dog has me knackered. She has just beaten me again - 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
I always imagine your place being the house in the movie ‘Cold comfort Farm.” You are the Ian McKellen character and herself being the crazy old lady.
Haha . . are you sure you don’t live in Tasmania?
It must be the Dublin summer you’re thinking of. The majority of us don’t go to Brittas Bay.
TT - Very close!!
Baino - No. It’s winter there
Bock - Eastern half of Ireland. Everyone else heads for Bundoran or Barleycove.
Indeed. However, many head for Kilkee, Spanish Point, Castlegregory or Ballybunion. Many more go to resorts in Galway or Mayo.
Bock,
Can you still get the train to Kilkee and is the driver still called Michael?
No. All the lines were closed down by Tubridy’s fucking grandfather.
I agree, Grandad. Following on from Ireland’s recent troubles of the last few decades, now it’s the HEAT.
Ireland has just experienced 5 days of 20+ degrees temperature and the country is in disbelief and protests, with cries witnessed as;
- I can’t work in these conditions!
- Somebody needs to install AirCon in this building or I’m suing
- This car is no good - I need a convertable
- This BBQ is in shite, I need to go to B+Q and get a new one
- What d’ya mean you’ve no ice?
- 4 pints of Bulmers please
- How can that oul fella wear a cap and a coat in this weather?
The answer now is to SACK SUMMER and appoint something else in it’s place because it doesn’t go down to well….like….
ROI soccer team - didn’t qualify for World Cup / Euro 08 - sack manager
Irish rugby team - didn’t win World Cup / 6 Nations - sack manager
Bertie Ahern - alleged dodgy cash-launderer and in a Tribunal anyway - sack him
Summer 2008 - was hot and not supposed to be - sack it
Spag - You are, of course, quite right. I have arranged for this unseasonal weather to cease forthwith. It shall piss down all weekend.
Sounds too much like Paradise*sigh*
[...] It’s about the “Rambles around the head of an Irish Citizen”. It’s refreshingly funny, straight to the point and a lot of the time I just laughed out loud. If you’re Irish, or know someone who is, you’ll love this entry. [...]
Hey your incoming link just popped in to say hello over at my Lada blog!!! Thanks for that daddyo… I never noticed that the first time I read this!
Sure, you are welcome!