Hi Mountain Ash,

Good to hear from you, and I am delighted you have been able to enjoy some nice warm days. I've only been to the UK -- specifically to England -- once and that was something like 44 years ago. But that summer I remember arriving as Wimbledon was on, and the weather was in the 80's-Farenheit.

We thought it was lovely weather, and were surprised to have our friends tell us this was not only unseasonably warm for June -- but warm for the whole summer season.

I remember our friends hosted a party for us, and served home made lasagna -- and shandys. The hostess's kitchen was beastly hot with no air conditioning and cooking that wonderful lasagna!

We ate outdoors, and the shandies -- which were a new drink for us Yanks -- were deliciously refreshing.

Now there's a US Beer company that's marketing their "Summer Shandy" and every time I see the commercial, I think of my wonderful visit to London during the summer of '69. And my introduction to that refreshing mix of lemonade and beer.

As for what I've done this summer: So far, all I've done is work. I am hoping for a bit of a vacation later this year.