My top tips for staying cool '“ Rick Jackson

The press has had a field day with the stream of '˜nanny state' advice being issued from numerous bodies, even though temperatures could break records in the UK this week.

Of course, there is a very serious side to all this. In 2003 thousands died in France during a searing heatwave, mostly the elderly.

However, that aside, there really is some bizarre advice out there. So here is my plan to look more like Chris Froome than Sacha Baron Cohen's character Borat in that luminous mankini as I walk around my home.

Keeping yourself hydrated, even if not undertaking exercise is vitally important. All cyclists have a '˜bidon' as they call it in racing, or a water bottle to you and me.

Other top pieces of advice include keeping curtains and blinds closed during the day, blocking out direct sunlight. Allegedly this will keep the house cooler.

Another great bit of advice is to leave the loft hatch open. This makes perfect sense when you consider how much insulation we stuff up there these days to keep heat in, so opening it up allowing hot air to escape is just common sense.

So for these two nuggets of advice, you need a cycling helmet, one fitted with a light at the front, so when you enter a dark house after being in bright sunshine, you can see where you are going and won't stub your toe on a chair or walk into a closed door.

Secondly, with the loft hatch down, I have lost count of how many times I've forgotten it's open and crack my head on it. That won't be a problem because you'll be wearing your helmet.

Lastly, wear skin-hugging Lycra to bed at night. This light, breathable material will allow your body to breath at night, but if it does get chilly, it will keep heat in.

Never sleep naked, you don't want to give the window cleaners the shock of their lives if they happen to peer in from the top of their ladders early in the morning. Good luck keeping cool out there!'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹

 

 

TO-DO LIST 2019 - MUST ORDER ANOTHER SCORCHING SUMMER

The heatwave means my list of jobs around the house has shrunk considerably. 

It's too hot to walk the dogs during the day. Harvey our golden retriever, is 15 now and just requires a short plod around the park. Both dogs spend the day chilled out, asleep, not interested in a daily walk.

The grass is yellow, it's not growing and doesn't require cutting. The ground is rock hard and my argument is I'd cover the house in dust, Sarah agreed. Washing the cars is pointless as well, as the water evaporates as soon as it touches the body, meaning it just smears.

So, for the time being, it's best just to sit back and enjoy another iced drink. Long may the summer of 2018 continue.

 

CRUISIN' TO LOSIN' A WHOPPING 10LBS OF MY HOLIDAY LARD 

The scales don't lie. After 17 nights on the cruise ship Aurora, I've put on 10lbs. Annoyingly, Sarah only put on four.

Well I'm not surprised. Fruit, pastries and healthy options were abundant, but I couldn't resist bacon, sausages and fried bread. It didn't end there: red wine, cocktails '“ too tempting. Anyway, I was on holiday.

Now for the hard work, burning off the holiday lard. And going from all-out holiday mode to Slimming World is a shock to the system. One caller to my breakfast show beat my record. She put on an incredible 17lb on a seven-night cruise on Queen Mary 2. Is that possible?

She must never have slept  '“ just ate, and ate, and ate...