Summer here in the UK is when most people take a vacation or the very least have a long weekend doing stuff of life rather than the stuff of paying bills.
Now according to the BBC (and they should know) this year summer started on Wednesday 21st of June and will end on Friday the 22nd September. But if you are like me you think that summer ends as soon as the kids go back to school and that is normally the first week in September.
I think we all have our personal clocks that match our lifestyles. For example a friend of mine his clock is governed by the Premier League and when the season starts thats when his every waking moment is analysing the fixtures and team signings, etc.
Now here in Saddleworth it’s a standing joke that our winters start a month before anyone else and summer starts a Month later. This means in real terms that our summer is one month long and with a challenging climate it means that if it isn’t raining its either just stopped or its about to start.
People who visit us from abroad always comment on how green it is, I tell them thats because it is always raining. Now that is an exaggeration but everyone I know has an umbrella and a waterproofs in the car and when we get to November you can add to that a shovel and walking boots in case of snow.
So the beginning of September gives me a feeling a little like Sunday nights when you have work the day after.
Now we have another couple of weekends away to come before the end of the month so I am doing my Mr Sunshine dance so we can at least feel the warmth on our bones before the first frost arrives.
So here I am moaning at the passing of summer and grumbling about a bit of rain. I can only count my blessings that we do not suffer to the extent of the poor people of Texas who have lost family members and everything they own in some terrible storms.
Now in recent weeks we have read in the media about the rise of Right Wing Facist groups operating in America but all the photographs I have seen in recent days doesnt bear that out.
In a time of need most people will try to help and it doesn’t matter what your beliefs, politics or race are.
It’s a pity we don’t remember that when everything is running smoothly.
John D Eccles 
I think it might have been easier to remember there’s little difference between us if The White House didn’t seem so in favour of the White Supremacists , Neo Nazis and KKK. Maybe things will improve now that possibly the worst of them has been sacked and returned to Breibart to spread his particular brand of joy.If someone can stop Trump making ridiculous comparisons between the right wing thugs and those that oppose their ideas by peaceful demonstration.Texas is showing all sides can come together so that’s a start.
Hugs