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Hi, Rusty!
I forgot to tell you that we went to Barclays Bank whilst out this morning.
It has been revamped very recently and is now virtually 'personless'!
(There is only one counter and that is just for foreign transactions, with only one visible member of staff)
We were trying to make some payments - such as to Barclaycard - and had to do it all by machine.
I found it a nightmare experience!
What happened to personal assistance from behind a counter?
We had to summon "help" by pressing a button!
I complained to the management and was told that if I went to my smaller local bank I would find that it still operated (I quote ) "in the old-fashioned way with people".....!
I said I would gladly do that if it hadn't been closed down several years ago!!
I feel I am becoming a dinosaur!

Hello, Elle!
I am with RBS, I think they call themselves nowadays, but I rarely go to a branch. They are mostly closed down.
Any time I go the staff are helpful enough, though.
My bugbear is self service checkouts.
I pay for my paper with a daily voucher, not money, and each and every day I need to ask an ASDA girl to process it.
And often the girl needs additional help from a colleague to process it.
Very irksome!
The plus side is, I am on very good terms with all the staff, because we have conversations every day!
I get to hear how their wee ones are getting on at school, or how their driving lessons are going, or they are getting their nails done after work etc etc!
All this while they try to process my voucher.

Good morning, Rusty!
What is your weather like?
It is unbearably hot (for me) here, it was already 22C when I went out at 7.45am....and promises (threatens) to be 29C by midday.
But from 10pm tonight we are apparently having rain.......which will last throughout the day tomorrow, and the temperatures after that appear to be in the lower twenties (I hope!)
Nothing whatsoever planned so far for today......we are ensconsed in our lounge with the fans on.......!
I have already "hoisted" the washing......
......and I'm not going to move any more, until it gets a bit cooler and fresher outside!!
Right.......I shall do a crossword before I even think of hoovering.......

Good morning, Elle!
Our temperature is 18°C with a forecast high of 20°C, today.
I thought I detected a slight autumnal chill in the air when I was out earlier.
Beautiful day though.
Still shirtsleeve weather!
I am taking it easy, too.
Just listening to the wireless.
No activity at the nest today and I have looked several times.
I can hear the crows raucous racket, though!

Hi Elle/Rusty,

Rusty, how do you manage to get about in shortsleeves with just 18C?

Extremely hot here, and the heat warning has changed from yellow to orange for Centre area of France - where I am. 37/38 will be reached this afternoon, tomorrow and Friday, and then we will go down to 35C for Saturday/Sunday. Now, I like heat but it is too hot even for me! The problem is that the nights will not be lower than 20/22C, if not higher in places. Anyway, it will pass.

Just had a look at the empty nest, and read the interesting up-dated blog - I wonder how KP0 will get on with the long migration trip, she is so young yet!

Am supposed to be at the Vet for 3pm for cats' booster, but whether I go or not will depend as to whether I can get them to come in sot hat I can put them in the box! They both went out first thing this morning and like to sleep in the relative cool shade of tall grass.

Not as easy as with a dog!

Hi, Rusty!
That sounds a good temperature to me!
I have been attempting to sit out in the garden, under a tree, reading my book, but was driven back indoors again to the relative coolness created by the fans!
Give me cold climates every time!
Although, I guess it is really the humidity that is causing me to "wilt".
I can cope better with a "dry" heat.
Now, according to my reckoning, there should be four more Diamond League Events remaining?
This Thursday (tomorrow) - although I cannot find coverage?
And on Saturday , August 27th ( I don't have next week's TV guide as yet)
Then the two remaining ones on September 1st and 9th.
Have you come across any info concerning these?
I am suffering withdrawal symptoms!



Hello, Pigale!
I think you must live on another planet from us!
I, too, would go out in just "shirt sleeves" so to speak, at 18C!
That is quite warm!
I don't know however I would cope, should I have to tolerate temps in the mid -30s, like you have !
I am not in the least envious of you!
Why didn't you make an early morning appointment for your cats' boosters and put them in the cat baskets before letting them out today?
(I'm assuming here, of course, that they stay in overnight?)
That is what we do! (or rather did, with previous cats )

Hello Elle,

Yes, I think we have a very different climate here in the Centre of France - it is often hotter here than in the South because of lack of sea breeze. BUT, it is a dry heat - or at least most of the time, when it does not become thundery.

Could not keep cats indoors because my bedroom window is always opened and they go in and out as they please through said window.
Anyway, I called them and fortunately they came rather quickly - they now are in their box and we shall go as soon as my friend arrives to take me there. It's not that far, a small km, but all uphill but box + cats are heavy.
Also, my friend works in the mornings.

Hello, Pigale,
Up here in the Far North we think 18°C is a fine warm temperature!
Everyone is going about in light summer clothes, except the odd youngster in a hoodie!
I could not cope in your temperatures!
I would melt.
The South of England is set to get high temperatures but not us.
I think it astonishing that these chicks are only around 12 weeks old and are leaving for Senegal already.
A pity we cannot track them as they fly South.
I wish them a safe journey.
Cats are different altogether from dogs.
Hope you catch them!

Hello, Elle.
It is a lovely warm day here.
I know there is a Diamond League meeting on BBC TV on Saturday, but that is all I know.
There are a heap of weightlifters from the Beijing Games found to be doped.
Several gold medals affected.
Neverending!

Hi, Rusty!