April was the Cruelest Month

We've just had the wettest April on record, which isn't quite as impressive at it seems, because the records only began in 1910.

This strikes me as surprisingly late, knowing the fascination we have with our weather, and the fact we were the first nation to industrialise. I'd have expected 'records' to begin somewhere in the early to mid 19th century, 1830 say... No doubt some people were keeping weather records back then, but of course it took a lot of time to get things standardised and have enough weather stations to make the records meaningful.

The result of this lousy weather has been a gradual increase in frustration for us tennis players, gardeners and other outdoor types but relief for farmers and water companies who've been getting gradually more and more concerned about the draught that's been building for the past two years. It's not been the result of dry summers, oh no, but more a combination of lovely dry Springs and dry cold winters. The irony was strong, in that the present monsoon started on the day the hosepipe ban was declared for this area - April 5th. 

Today is of course one of Britain obligatory wet and miserable days - it's a Bank Holiday. Everyone laughs and jokes about how crap Bank Holidays are, but it would be fascinating to discover if they really are as bad as everyone seems to think. Certainly I can't remember a good one (i.e warm and sunny) for many years, but heard on the radio this morning that last year's was so hot and sunny people were having barbecues. I don't remember that at all, although we may have been in Las Vegas back then.

No foreign holidays for us this year - just work and play when we can, which makes the weather for the past five weeks even more annoying. I love Britain very much, but weather is lousy and spoils everything sooner or later. I hate it. I really hate it.