Summer

"Most of the British Isles was bathed in scorching temperatures which reached 27C yesterday...." (i newspaper, May 28, 2012, p. 5). For the benefit of my American readers, let me point out that 27C is roughly 81 degrees Fahrenheit -- not a temperature Midwesterners would consider "scorching" by any stretch of the imagination.

We've had over a week now of warm, dry sunny weather in England. Brits are not accustomed to this. I heard a radio announcer last week refer to "another beastly hot day," on a day when the temperature was only to be in the upper 70s.

Dr. Mitchell, in winter coat, guides our students at Alnwick Castle last weekend.

To be fair, it comes as a shock when we were wearing our winter coats just a week ago in Scotland. But "scorching" and "beastly" are not words that come to mind. "Finally!" and "gorgeous," are more the vocabulary we would choose.

Granted, the 91F (33C) back home in Des Moines, Iowa on May 27, broke the record high for the date. But in a few weeks that high will be normal for the time of year. England did not see temperatures this warm all summer last year -- at least not while we were here.

Brits in the heat this weekend
[photo from travel.aol.co.uk]

While the Brits sweat it out, we are enjoying the long-delayed spring. And while most of the residents of this green and pleasant island are looking forward to temps returning to the low 60s next weekend, we're disappointed the warmth won't last.

When we step off the plane in Minneapolis at the end of next month, we just won't be prepared for the weather we'll encounter then.