Weather!!

We are conscious that we have not "blogged" recently but quite honestly we have not had time. We have not had rain for about a month and it has got hotter and hotter. So the regime has been up early watering, trying to do some ordinary gardening for a couple of hours, by which time it is 30 degrees plus and impossible to do anything else outside until after 7pm when it is time to water again. Consequently plants are shriveling and the vegetables are bolting. Hey ho that's weather.

However it has its compensations. Mary and Clive were here for a couple of days and it was wonderful to sit out until late eating and chatting.
Last night we went to Montauban to hear our friends, who are members of The Conservatoire choir, sing two pieces both called The Manificat. One was by Vivaldi and one by John Rutter. We recommend that you listen to both. Vivaldi's was written in the 18th century and Rutter's is contemporary. Both very melodic, which is important to me, and Rutter's was almost "easy" listening with hints of themes by Leonard Bernstein. Try it, we thought it was "Magnificent".

However getting back to the weather, when we arrived at Mantauban at 8pm it was 32 degrees and when we left at 10.30pm it was 25 degrees. Coming from Blighty I don't think we will ever be able to really understand the climate here.

John's ps
As Sue has said, we both really enjoyed the music but I can't quite agree with her comments about the Rutter.  She has described it as 'easy' listening but this is because there are some lovely melodies in it, but you need to pay attention to listen to the full range of voices.  Also Rutter hasn't borrowed themes from Benrstein and West Side Story but he has taken on board the operatic/show style that Bernstein used .