Everything open in the heatwave? Remember, sound is amplified! | Rick Jackson

This will, I’m sure, become a summer of legend, a summer that will be remembered for when temperatures in the UK almost hit 100F (37.7C).

The summer of 1976 is still the benchmark, but 1989, 1996 and the past few summers will be remembered for roads melting and train track buckling.

We don’t do weather extremes too well in this country. We grind to a halt with any snow and this heatwave is stopping us from fully functioning.

But if our summers were more predictable, many of us I’m sure would stick around more, as do the French who tend to holiday in their own country.

I must say, I was rather excited by the prospect of this heatwave though. Balmy weather makes everything seem better doesn’t it?

Now though I’m trying to find a cool corner of the house or desperately coming up with ways novel to cool down at night.

This includes opening all the windows and the loft hatch to get a breeze through the building.

I have to wait until the sun sets to walk the dog, which for me is about my bedtime, but it has certainly made those walks far more interesting.

I take her down to the beach for an evening dip to cool her off; poor Ruby has no choice but to wear her coat.

As we make our way home you notice everyone has their windows wide open and you can see and hear everything going on inside... if you so wish.

Last Saturday we were returning in darkness. It seemed up ahead some foxes were making a right old racket.

Maybe the hot weather was getting to them too as it seemed rather early for foxes to be – let’s just

say – procreating.

Anyway, when we got to where the noise was emanating, I quickly discovered those calls of passion were not from foxes, but came from human activity.

So, just beware.

In this heat and with all of your windows open, sound is amplified and carries an awful lot farther!

Doing the Covid-19 test at home? Then do it properly

I am Covid-19 free. We were randomly contacted and decided to take a test. Just 24 hours after taking it, it returned as negative.

I have no reason to believe I have Covid-19 but a friend went to the Tipner site for a test and her experience was a little different to mine.

An army doctor took her swab.

My friend said it was rather uncomfortable as the large swab was inserted way up the nostril and deep into the back of the throat. I’m sure my wife never went anywhere near as deep when she took mine. If she had, I’m sure we’d have had words!

As a result, I wonder how many of us at home have undertaken this test incorrectly in similar circumstances?

Football managers should take their cue from Ronnie

How refreshing was snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan’s interview this week? Watch it on catch-up as it will have you in hysterics.

He said even if he lost an arm and a leg he’d still be in snooker’s Top 50, that’s how poor young players are in his view. He also didn’t think they’d make half-decent amateurs. Imagine a football manager giving an interview like that?

Brendan Rodgers’s post-match interview at St Mary’s? ‘Yes, I knew we’d win 9-0 as Southampton are rubbish. In fact I’ve chastised the players for not getting 10.’ Or Man Utd’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saying: ‘We sold Paul Pogba for a pound as he’s just a show-boating plonker.’ Football could learn a lot.