Another hello from the UK.

I posted a "Hi" back in March, fully expecting to leap back into things again.

I don't know where the months between have gone, but I've done very little grilling in the meantime. This is probably because a lot of my cooking happens for gatherings for music or board-game playing, and post-COVID, we haven't really yet hit a routine.

When I last posted, I'd newly retired. Probably the first couple of months were lost to lethargy. Then I started getting my garden sorted, which had kind of been neglected for a while. Part of that was looking at my 10-year-old vegetable troughs I grow in (4 of them, each 6' x 2'). To do this properly meant emptying them, which was a project in itself. However, I was also getting guys in to lay a new front lawn, so they used the soil from the troughs to level out the ground, before laying new turf.

Once emptied, I found one of the four troughs to be terminal, another with the bottom falling out, but repairable, and two in reasonable condition. This has left me with a dilemma. I reckon I can probably get another 4 years use out of three of them, but they are currently empty, and in that state, they are easy to retire and replace. If I repair and refill them, in a few more years, I may have to empty them again.

Anyway, after a month of dithering, I've decided to use what I have, rather than buy new, and use scraps from the terminally broken one to repair the others. Of course, I have lost a lot of growing time... but I may get them repaired and filled into time for some winter veg, or else there is always next spring.

Otherwise, the repairs and improvements to the house are all done and good, which is a nice way to starting a retirement.

A big amount of fun for me has been the new car I treated myself to - a Skoda Enyaq EV. I don't think Skoda is a brand you have over there - it is part of the Volkswagen group. The new car is an SUV with an advertised range of 256 miles - which probably sounds terrible to you guys, but is actually quite practical here - there are a heck of a lot of places I can travel to and back without even needing to recharge. It is the most expensive car I have ever bought, and I love it. Of course, advertised ranges are like angel wings - they disappear if you breathe on them. But with my style of driving (light of foot, in no hurry) I am actually achieving the full range in summer - in January/February, I was getting 180-190 miles, which I am content with.

Finally, the two grills - my big Louisiana grill did get its major overhaul and clean, and is pristine. The little Davey Crockett is still awaiting my attention, and is going to be a tear-apart and reassemble job.

As you have probably heard, we have had some extreme heat here (for the UK) - the hottest day in recorded history on Tuesday at 40.3° C (104.5° F). But things are back to normal again now - if anything it has turned a little chilly.

I heard something like 3% of Great Britain, or maybe it was all of Europe has air-conditioning.  We were there in 1976 and at that time, it was the Hottest Summer in 212 years I believe they said!  It was hot all over Western Europe, no air conditioning was not something I was used too, and a hard time finding ice to boot!  Did get to celebrate July 4, 1976 in a pub in Wales, that was kind of different!  Glad the house is getting sorted and you may have some tomatoes!

Is Katie still getting into mischief in the kitchen?

There isn't normally that much need for AC here, but that could change. I have a small portable AC unit that I used to have in my office, but it is ineffective in a large room. I just got a big 20" metal framed fan, which did a good job of moving the air about.

As for Katie, one of the jobs was a new conservatory door. Letting me move her dog flap and access to the garden from the kitchen to the conservatory. Which means the kitchen is now off limits to her!

I watch a TV show called Auto Mundial that goes over new vehicles, and every now and then they have the Skoda on there.  A nice looking car.
We have a Chevy Volt. Get about 38 miles on electric before gas engine starts.
But, for around town driving rarely use gas.

Great to hear from you Chris.  I've got a friend over there in Kettering who is having trouble sleeping at night since he doesn't have AC.  40 C is old hat in these parts these days.  Since early June we've had probably 50 days above 100 F and by the end of August that number might be really ugly.  Of course, we are at a much different latitude.  We're on the 29th parallel for those that care.  Anybody know a good rain dance?

We had rain for about 2 hrs on last Thursday, a slow light drizzle,(over 100* before), a cooler night and the next day
you could not tell it had rained here. Temps >100*F persist here in Tulsa. Looks like we will get cooler in another 4 days.