Sumer is icemen in.

Suddenly, on the 7th May, the UK gave Italy its weather back. The second half of April had seen Italy subjected to a continuous downpour, while England basked in sunshine. Now things are back to normal: it’s raining in Manchester while I’ve been able to swop my ‘pistolero’ outfit of Dryazabone drover’s coat, field boots and leather hat for tee-shirt, sandals and jeans. We no longer have to light the fire and can eat on the loggia. As a quid pro quo for having its pilfered sunshine returned, Italy had to agree to let the UK have a big dollop of its political corruption, so giving the press something to write about now that they’ve flogged swine-fever to death. ‘Girl catches cold’ shock horror headline is replaced by ‘Male MP claims for Tampax on expenses’. Now I could have understood if it had been Lillets: stuck under his armpits they would have been useful to soak up the sweat engendered by the recent sunshine. But Tampax?  Maybe he wanted to shove one up his bottom to stop himself talking so much.