[Whoohoo! My 100th post!]

At last! Blue skies and sunburn :-)

It seems to have been ages coming this year, although that could be just selective memory as it always seems to take ages. So now there should be just a couple of weeks before it shoots through the lovely summer stage and into the sweltering, can't sleep for the heat weather. Probably the most booming business in Paris ought to be air conditioning right now, since it barely exists here. Not that it was previously a problem, but the 'too hot' period does seem to get longer each year, and I'm not looking forward to this years...

So, I'm already sunburnt, and the advantages of working for yourself means plenty of opportunities to sneak down to the park and lie around, while all your poor office bound friends swelter away over computer heated desks.

Strangely enough though, it seems to be taking the locals a little while to get into the habit. I went over to parc Butte Chaumont just before lunch time, and there were already plenty of people lounging around. However, they were all quite fully dressed. Shy sunworshippers perhaps. I marked out my spot, stripped of my shirt and illuminated the surrounding area with my glorious whiteness, feeling somewhat self-conscious that I was the only one baring anything, expecting any moment the park police to leap out from some bushes and blow whistles at me.

Slowly as it got into lunch hour the park filled up, but still only a few people were sunbathing. They seemed to be mostly leather-skinned octogenarians (probably younger than they looked though).

Still, I was happy. The only thing I can think of is that it's still a little chilly for the french. The other day while sitting in our favourite cafe at Bastille a guy walked past in a suit and scarf. A scarf!!! There's plenty of people still in wooly jumpers and coats. How do they do it? I'd have sweated away into a salty puddle long ago. Admittedly I'm not good in the heat - I've the British internal heating that allows us to wonder between pubs in the middle of a December night in just a shirt - which is nothing compared to the girls in next to nothing mini skirts etc. Saturday night, midwinter in the UK - nowhere else in the world compares, although I'm sure you're all fairly glad of that.

Anyway, hopefully a few more days and my lobster redness will have faded back to the minor burns level, and I can pop down the park again..