Here comes the sun .....

Will the Summer of 2014 go down in history as a scorcher? August seems to have started off still sunny but a little cooler than the searing temperatures we've experienced here in London over the past few weeks. 

Those of us old enough to remember the 70's have the Summer of '76 etched firmly in our minds - as day after day, week after week, the temperature hovered between 80°F and 90°F. The school holidays seemed to go on forever as we messed around outdoors, enjoyed endless parties and BBQ's and lazed on the beach. It's easy to forget the terrible drought, the scorched landscape, forest fires raging out of control and crops that failed resulting in higher food prices!

Here's a birthday cake I made back in the mid 90's which two male friends asked me to make for their sun-worshiping wives - it's unusual for guys to ask me to make cakes, most of the men I know aren't normally that organised!

At the time we all lived in Tywyn on the coast in mid-Wales and we had children of a similar age. Many an afternoon was spent with the kids on the glorious 4 mile stretch of beach between Aberdovey and Tywyn. 

Sunset on Tywyn beach

As the temperature was hitting 25°C (77°F in old money!) in London last week how I would have loved to have been magically transported to Tywyn to dip my toes in the water. Back in the 70's I'm sure we all imagined we would have our own personal flying craft, not to mention hover boots, by now!

Science magazine from the 70's !!