Happy 4th of July

It's been sandpit weather for... ages, really. Or at least it feels like it. I'm having to water the garden, which is relatively unusual. Here in Edinburgh, it's been bearable most of the time, though we've been getting up near 30 degrees some days, which is 86 - though it's not actually got to 30 most of the time, more like 25-27, hot enough for us. We often have a nice breeze. We walked into town today, eastwards into the sun, which was a bit tiring, but in the shade, it's fine. In London, however, it's been really hot.

I'm missing this little person. Look at her, early yesterday morning. How nice to be so cheery first thing. We commissioned the rug she's standing on at a craft fair more than 30 years ago. I really like it - we chose the colours - but when we moved to our current house 29 years ago, there somehow wasn't anywhere for it, so it remained rolled up in the eaves till Daughter 2 rescued it for Littlest Granddaughter's bedroom. I wonder if those rug makers are still making rugs. They would be surprised, I imagine, to see it still in use - or to be accurate, again in use.

I'm also missing the other little person but I'm not allowed to show her, so you'll have to imagine the photo I'm looking at. She's got blondish hair and big blue eyes, though I think they might be changing to a hazely colour.

Happy Independence Day tomorrow, America. Light some fireworks to celebrate my 68th birthday.