Es Scorchio

Englandshire, and Europe, are suffering under severe heat, forked lightning and flash floods.  Most distressingly, folk are drowning in open water the length and breadth of the Continent, underestimating their strength or the effects of cold water on too hot heads.  A day to open the windows and keep the blinds closed.  Once upon a time, I’d have packed a picnic, and skipped off to the beach with a book.  Even though it’s a good 15 degrees cooler up here than the rest of the UK, today I did what, in my youth inter-railing around said Continent, I saw the elderly Greek ladies do; got a washing out and stayed indoors in the shade.  With said book.  This is how to live to tell the tale.  This, and a paddle in the simmer dim, when the sun simmers doon. 

Said book is ‘Land’ by Maggie O’Farrell.  Fabulously descriptive writing; of weather, nature and the tragedies of the potato famine.  Can’t put it down, although I’m not sure I can say I am enjoying it exactly, the feelings of grief and foreboding are so currently close.  Recently finished ‘The Shapeshifter’s Daughter’ by Sally Magnusson; absorbing timeslip story, involving Norsk gods and death.

What is the story of these times?  Burning, drowning, would-be prime ministers setting out their manifesto before they have even been voted in as an MP, FFS! (IMHO, in a truly democratic country there would be a general election called, get these egoists to at least run for their money).  Loki is dancing his jig of jigs afterall. 

As we say in Scotland, the smoke goes up the chimney just the same.  Nevertheless, am not only not upgrading my phone; am not charging it up either, and shall remain lying down in a darkened room until all potato-famined out.

Images for this journal have been posted on Insta @purplehaze_journal

My opinion of Andy Burnham and this current situation:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y7tj5QnLac  (For the avoidance of doubt, I have had the same opinion about the SNP for nigh on 20 years).

O’Farrell, M. ‘Land’ 2026 UK Publ. Tinder Press

Magnusson S. ‘The Shapeshifter’s Daughter’. 2025. UK Publ. John Murray

FFS – an archaic mnemonic from the pre-Tik Tok era when people used to send something called texts.  Meaning, For F*ck Sake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV9q_KdtQfc