What is Hot?

I think I’ve mentioned that it is on the warm side here – but what do I mean by hot? Today, Sunday, I had what I think is my hottest swim ever. The heat was building up, and there was a power cut at the flat, so I took myself off for a swim at a hotel pool (a little ex-pat treat). The tiles around the pool were too hot to walk on, the handles of the steps too hot to hold, and the water so hot it was only just refreshing. I have certainly had colder baths, and much colder swims in indoor pools. But as I was rather thinking that I would like a bath - something I miss occasionally, though not often yet, as I generally prefer a shower when it's hot - it was welcome. A bath might be nice when my knees are stiff - both my flat and where I work are on a single level, as indeed are most places, so the only stairs really are up to the outside of the flat - and that's very different from up and down several flights at Emscote Road and Market Hall, every day.

Well, hot can be that the water comes out of the tap at bath temperature, with no heating other than sun on the pipes. It can be that sweat breaks out even if you sit still in the shade. It means that hot drinks and food take much longer to cool down – and cold ones are quick to heat up. If there was loads of water and a washing machine, I would be putting on clean clothes, or at least undies, 3 times a day. I’m lucky to have a shower (basic, single temperature, hand-held) in the flat, and some days I’ve lost count of how many mini-showers I’ve had. I’ve learned to walk more slowly, in the heat. I’ve discovered how much heat a laptop gives out – you really don’t want one on your lap, too much like a hot water bottle! I have not yet gone sufficiently native to pile on extra layers as soon as the temperature drops a little - the only time since getting here I have actually felt cold was after running from the street to the building during torrential rain. And that turned very soon to pleasantly cool.

Everyone here says that, in a few weeks, it will get cold - well, I'm taking that with a pinch of salt and will wait and see!