With the recent spell of hot weather – well, hot for the UK (!) – and a repeat forecast for the end of the week, it’s easy for people to become dehydrated without even realising it. Perhaps it’s due to them not being used to hot weather and simply not recognising the warning signs. Having said that, many of the classic signs of dehydration seem so obvious – to us at least (!) – that it can sometimes be hard to understand how people don’t seem to join the dots. 

 

So, this week, we’re going to look again at the most common signs of dehydration. And, don’t be fooled, they apply all year round, not just in the summer (!). 

 

Let’s begin with the most obvious ones of feeling thirsty or having a dry mouth. Now you may think these are blindingly obvious but you’d be surprised. 

As life gets back to some sort of normality – or, more accurately, what passes for the “new normal” even if that seems to be changing just as quickly (!) – we’ve noticed how quickly people have picked up their old lives and habits. Continued from where they left off a few months ago... 

 

Forgotten – or, perhaps, turned a blind eye to (!) – the many insights and good intentions they had during those strange months. And this applies equally whether they were already based at home, suddenly found themselves there or continued working at their usual job, albeit in a rather different way. 

 

As so often is the case, as normal life has resumed, those insights and good intentions have been left far behind. In many ways, it’s not much different to all those New Year’s resolutions which never seem to make it past the first few days of January. Although, fingers crossed, less over indulgence and alcohol were involved… 

With the rather strange year we’ve been having – in every way (!) – and people having to spend much more time at home, it’s not surprising that the barbeque season started much earlier than usual. In fact, if there’s been one saving grace, it’s that the weather has been remarkably kind to us since the spring; allowing us to spend more time outside in our gardens… 

 

Like us you’ve probably experienced your fair share of barbeques over the years; with the all too common “raw on the inside, burnt on the outside” offerings (!). All going well, you’ve survived them without any ill effects, although they account for a large number of food poisonings every year. 

 

So, with the school holidays just starting it seemed like a good time for a gentle reminder – or two – about how to survive the barbeque season without any ill effects. 

Just in case you haven’t guessed it yet, we’re talking about the number of blog posts we’ve made over the last six years. Yes, six years. Time really does fly by! 

 

So, with our 300th post, we wanted to highlight the message that’s behind every post. In fact, it underpins everything we do. 

If you need a hint, you’ll find it at bottom of every post. 

 

The choice is yours. 

 

Why do we see this as being so important? 

 

For the simple reason that the only person in charge of your life – and your health – is you. Full stop. End of story. Only you can ever truly know what’s best for you. Despite what other people may like to think – or tell you! What you decide to do – and how you decide to do it – is your decision alone. And no one else’s. 

With life starting to return to “normal” – or, more accurately, the “new normal”, whatever that might be – it’s interesting how we’ve heard the same comment over and over again. And from a variety of sources. It goes along the lines that people expected to be feeling happy once life started to get back to normal. 

 

In other words, they got back to their normal daily routine. Work. Children at school. Being able to go out shopping – and not just for food. A drink with friends. 

 

However, this didn’t seem to be the case. Instead of feeling happy to be back in the flow of life, they felt even more unsettled and insecure. 

 

Why is this? 

We’ve been following a decidedly floral theme recently, enjoying the delights of this time of year. While Elderflowers may not have been at the top of most people’s lists (!), Lavender certainly is, as is this week’s choice. Time and again, it tops the list of our favourite summer flower, so there are no prizes for guessing what it is. The Rose. 

 

It’s thought that Roses have been grown for over 3,000 years, with a huge number of different wild varieties, let alone cultivated ones. Originating in Iran, they can now be found in almost every part of the world. 

There are some words which are guaranteed to cause a collective intake of breath, in preparation for whatever may be coming next. Sadly, it seems this is often down to their moralist or religious overtones. The hint of impossibly high standards we could never possibly hope to reach… 

 

We’ve talked about some of them before. Forgiveness. Goodness, that’s a big one. Responsibility. Not much better and can be equally scary. Acceptance. Another biggie. And we’d better stop there… 

 

However, what we find particularly interesting, is that the meaning commonly attributed to the particular word is usually very different – or unnecessarily selective or narrow – from its dictionary definition. 

 

So, this week, we’re going to put another one of those words under the spotlight. Dig out the dictionary, see what it really means. And, more importantly, whether this tallies with our own particular understanding. 

 

Ready? Then here we go. 

With many people spending much more time outside than usual – whether in their gardens or out walking – we’ve noticed how many of them are appreciating things they would never normally notice. Or, more accurately, never have time to notice as they rush around in their busy lives… 

 

Having waxed lyrical about the delights of Elderflowers a couple of weeks ago – and been heartened by the number of people who actually make Elderflower cordial – we thought we’d focus on another seasonal delight today. And, this time, no potentially messy cooking is involved. Hurrah, by those who normally do the clearing up! 

 

It’s another sign that Summer really is here, with even the least horticulturally inclined person being able to easily identify it. Lavender. 

It’s one of life’s mysteries that, for some inexplicable reason, the simple things seem to give us the most pleasure. Often much more than their long awaited – and more expensive (!) – counterparts. 

 

Anyone who’s watched a small child unwrapping their Christmas or Birthday presents, has encountered this first hand. With the box – or wrapping paper (!) – holding their attention for much longer than the contents. Is so much more interesting and attractive. Gives greater pleasure and is played with for a much longer period of time. The contents quickly forgotten and pushed to one side… 

 

Why is it that simple pleasures seem to be so much better? 

Early Summer is the time of the Elderflower, those lovely frothy white flowers that festoon the hedges in late May and early June. A welcome sign that Summer has arrived, along with Swallows, House Martins and Swifts; making it hard not to wax lyrical about them! 

 

As an established part of the English countryside, Elderflowers mark the turning of the farming year, from late Spring into early Summer. They also play an important part in Celtic folklore, associated with the Flower Bride. And making it easy to see where the inspiration for all those traditional white frothy bridal dresses and bouquets came from… 

 

These days, Elderflower is usually thought of for its culinary uses. Elderflower cordial – more about this later (!) – or, for the more adventurous, Elderflower Champagne. Perhaps sprinkled over summer fruits, such as gooseberries or raspberries, or added to smoothies. 

 

However, Elderflower also has many herbal and health giving qualities, making it a valued medicinal herb.