Wednesday

Good morning, and all I can say is phew!  Hot, innit?  :-)

After tuition yesterday, Al and I decided to go straight to the newly re-opened Chelmsford Museum (which has recently had a facelift and only opened again last Saturday) and then to decide whether to take a look at Writtle Church afterwards, the reasoning being that the church was more likely to be cool later.

However, the museum hasn't just had a facelift, it has had a complete redesign and it is now fantastic.  It started off as a museum for the Essex Regiment, then, over time, other items were added but it was small, gloomy and a bit pokey.

But now - well, amazing is perhaps the right word.  Packed with history of Chelmsford and surrounds, loads of artifacts, bright, interactive displays, informative, well lit, well ordered and . . . air conditioned!  Woo hoo!
I learnt so much about my home town.

It was all so very interesting that I forgot to take photos so here's a link to their site so you can take a peek.  I will be going back and, if you live locally, please do go and take a look.  Entry is free and - did I mention - it's got air conditioning?

https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/museums/visit/chelmsford-museum/

By the time we had finished looking around, we decided to come home again and to do Writtle church this morning when it may be cooler anyway.  And if it isn't, the church will be.

So today starts early with Jeff coming and then Matt the Plumber will turn up to do the annual boiler service.
After that, hopefully, we will pop off to Writtle to look round the church before coming home for lunch and spending the afternoon in the comparative cool of my shaded and fanned living room.

The garden is enjoying the weather.
The next three or four weeks is when my two archways look their very, very best.  The runners are up and over but not too thick.  By the end of August, they will be hanging down and really a bit in the way but I let them go because of the beans (obviously) and those flowers are very decorative.  You can see why the Elizabethans grew them for the flowers.  I reckon I am about a week and a half off the first of this year's crop for dinner.
(very early morning photos so the light isn't that good, sorry)

There are so, so many flowers and babies on the tomatoes this year.  I had my first one yesterday, picked while warm in the evening sunshine and eaten straight away.  Oh, my, is there anything quite as delicious as that first tomato of the season?

There's six cucumbers coming along now.  I hope the neighbours like cucumbers!!!

It's not all veg.  There were from a box of mixed summer bulbs from Aldi and I have no idea what they are.  Very pretty, though.
Does anyone know, please?

Well, if I am going to be dressed before Jeff arrives, I had better get a move on.  Have a good day and, if you can, stay in the shade and keep as cool as possible.  It's going to be a hot 'un!  xx