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Yvie Burnett: heatwave brings barbecues, festivals and sleepless nights

Heatwave could mean it's finally time to invest in a barbecue.
Heatwave could mean it's finally time to invest in a barbecue.

Oh, my goodness, you will never hear me going on about Boris Johnson taking a hike again.

Of course, maybe it’s the “frying pan into the fire”? Who knows which incumbent will be living behind that famous door once Boris and Carrie’s removal van makes its way down Downing Street.

The “presidential” Rishi Sunak ready to mix with world leaders? Pictured at the launch of his leadership campaign. Picture PA.

“Dishy Rishi” Sunak is, of course, the front runner and he has quite the presidential air about him. I can most certainly see him and his glamorous heiress wife mixing with world leaders.

But, overall, surely this time what we just need is someone who is straightforward and incredibly honest, so I hope that’s what we get.

Be careful what you wish for, they say….

Fast and effective

Fasting has seen only a two pound loss so far.

Meanwhile, in my world, I’ve successfully completed a week of intermittent fasting and the good news about this is that if you encourage me and I actually lose the weight, you will maybe be spared from my talk of diets and Boris all at once!

All too much change for one week, I hear you say.

But don’t worry too much. The stones are hardly dropping off me. There is a while to go yet.

Two pounds have gone in total so only a couple of stones to go ! I can’t use emojis on here but if I could, that previous sentence would be finished with that crying with laughter one!

A welcome return to the festival scene

Festival season saw a visit to home turf: TRNSMT music festival, Glasgow Green.

This week’s travels took me as near to you as I will be getting for festival season.

I wonder how many of you came down to TRNSMT festival in Glasgow Green?

To those of us who are a bit older, two years without going to a gig or a festival was no big deal, really, but for someone aged 14 to 18, for example, those are the years when you want to have fun listening to music with your friends before you venture off to uni, college or the work place.

It was wonderful to see all ages having fun post Covid, and even the Glasgow weather was playing ball.

Temperatures mean it might be time to invest in a barbecue

Now, speaking about the weather, I often feel sorry for you up there with lower temperatures while we are sitting in the garden down here.

This week, however, you are the lucky ones.

We are in the danger zone in the South of England this week with temperatures threatening to break records.

Heatwave: temperatures in the danger zone in England.

As much as I love the sun, sunstroke isn’t something I fancy and managing to sleep at night when it’s this hot isn’t that easy.

I have all my opera school friends coming down for the weekend and we planned it months ago so, of course, we had no idea it would be in the middle of a heatwave.

In some ways it’s great; we can eat outside and spend the weekend sitting in the garden drinking glasses of rose. However, if it’s 40 degrees it’s going to be a bit of a nightmare.

I’m sure I will be showing you lots of sweaty photos next week!

We don’t own a barbecue and I’m seriously wondering if now is the time to actually invest in one.

Otherwise, what on earth do I cook for all these house guests in a heatwave? I’m certainly going to stock up on salad ingredients and ice lollies!

Graduation joys with family

Emily at her graduation.

So, our daughter Emily has been doing her PGCE, or post graduate certificate of education, to become a teacher and has two graduation ceremonies. We are going to the second one.

Today was the first one and she had a lift from her friend’s aunt to get there. This lady is a medium and she said to Emily that there was a lady in the car with them who was very proud and wanted to be with Emily today, and that this lady had a strong link to her degree.

Yvie feels feels her mother’s presence when she needs advice.

My mum, Emily’s nana, to whom she was incredibly close, was a teacher and always said that teaching would be the perfect job for Emily.

Whether you believe in mediums or not it was a lovely, comforting thing for Emily to hear as she would have loved to have had her nana there with her, seeing her graduate in order to follow in her career footsteps.

I talk to my mum all the time and ask her advice, and I strongly feel her opinion when I need to make decisions.

That may, of course, just be because my mum was quite opinionated – we always knew what she thought! However, I choose to think that she is always nearby and it’s very comforting.

Have a good week everyone,
Yvie x

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