Storms and sunshine

The night before last we (along with the rest of the country, apparently) had the most spectacular thunderstorms, they started around 11.30 pm - exactly as forecast.  I'd gone to bed early to try and get some sleep in, anticipating that I'd have to get up when the storms started, as Betty doesn't like them at all - she gets very anxious, whines and paces around.  Which is exactly what happened, so I got up and went downstairs.  I don't make a big fuss of her, so as not to fuel her anxiety, I just give her a quick reassuring stroke, tell her it's all fine, and then just sit in the armchair and read.  She kept woofing and running to the front door, so I got up and opened it for her - I knew she wouldn't actually go out, as it was chucking it down and she doesn't like going out in the rain.  She stood in the doorway, ears pricked, tail erect, big eyes, head darting from side to side, until a massive flash of lightning sent her - and me! - scuttling back into the lounge.  The first storm, although violent, was over quite quickly so I went back to bed, having first settled Betty back down in her bed.  Another one started about 3/4 hour later, so back downstairs I went, it lasted longer this time, so I stayed downstairs for over an hour.  Betty actually settled pretty fast, going to sleep on the sofa within about 10 mins, I dozed in the armchair in between the flashes of lightning which were so bright they lit up the entire room as if it were daylight.  Again I waited until the storm was over before going back to bed.

Consequently, I was knackered yesterday, what with lack of sleep and the heat....oddly, although yesterday wasn't as hot as the day before, I felt wiped out by the heat yesterday.  The thermometer read 31.5 on Tuesday, 26.5 yesterday....today is forecast to be 30 with wall to wall sunshine, I'll be melting in front of the fan.  Sunshine is lovely - hot sunshine though kills me, I can't cope with it.

A nice thing....we have good friends who we see just once or twice a year as they live on the Kent coast, the opposite side of the country to us.  They're coming down this way on holiday on Saturday, we've arranged to meet up with them for a picnic at our favourite beach next week.  It'll be lovely to see them again, D is on my wavelength, we're very similar in outlook and views and get on so well, her husband C is the sweetest, kindest most laid back man with not a bad bone in his body.  They're a lovely couple and we adore them.

Cousin had a meeting yesterday with the lady who's going to be conducting Aunt's funeral, she's a celebrant, not a member of the clergy, cousin said she's lovely, she spent 2 hours asking cousin all about Sylv's life and taking notes.  I'm glad it's not going to be a religious service done by some anonymous vicar who nobody's ever seen before - I detest that type of funeral, they're so impersonal.  And a religious service for Sylvia would be a total travesty, that was so far removed from what she was.  The wake is going to be in their local pub, which is so very Sylv!  She'd love it.  I'll be so glad when it's over and done with, though, it's awful being in limbo waiting for the funeral.