Facing the warmest Summer in a Century?!

Really I hear you ask?  Yes, that't what the newspapers are saying - we are on track for this summer to be the warmest on record in over a century!  Well, it's been warm enough in July, I was only saying today that if that was our Summer then we probably shouldn't be complaining as it has been absolutely beautiful, but if August wants to try and top it then it is more than welcome to try - I won't turn down the tan!

Anyway, down to business - July!  July has been an amazing month for one reason or another - with only a few down sides.  The biggest down side has to be my car...  If you're a follower of my blog then you know about my argument with a tree back at the beginning of the month.  Well, my car is still poorly.  It was stripped down by my Daddy and handy neighbor, and parts sent off to be fixed.  I did my cleaning and then helped Daddy flush the system to clean out all the oil.  This all went according to plan, as did the reassembly, but after many attempts from my Dad, he cannot get it to start up properly.  In the end we have had to give up and admit defeat!  We are now waiting on a mechanic friend to get back from his very inconveniently planned holiday!  Let's see whether he can fix my baby - if not I'm gonna need new wheels!!

Back to the start of July now... literally, like a couple of days in... July was kicked off with a BBQ at Tara's :)  Which took us forever, we cooked burgers on a tiny disposable BBQ, which proved hilarious, and unfortunately I don't have any photos!!  Very unlike me I know, I'm not sure what happened.  The funniest part had to be the 'baby corn on the cobs' which turned out to be baby corns that you stir fry... Tara was convinced they were corn on the cob though - I feel I should have let her believe it just to see her eat them like corn on the cob :p

Swiftly moving on before she kills me :) 

The first adventure of July started with a trip to the Alpaca farm for Sammy, Vicky and me (and Vernon of course) which was an amazing morning strolling round the farm and meeting some very eccentric alpaca's!  It started like this - Sammy and me in shorts and wellies!!  And I'm afraid it didn't improve :p

Vernon had a lovely day, and even  managed to get a selfie with an alpaca, Sammy brought her little alpaca buddy along for the trip and we took random pictures with random alpacas all morning...  The only one we found out a name for was the first alpaca that the farm had ever owned, and he was very boringly called George...  I believe George is in my own 'selfie with an alpaca' photo if you fancy bombing on over to my Instagram for a nosey.  










The morning continued with Felix coming out play with Vernon and more selfies being taken!  And some feeding happening!  That look says everything!!
And the morning ended with this sign...  Which we found hilarious after spending a morning with them... clearly hysteria was setting in :)

On leaving the Alpaca farm, the general consensus was that we didn't want to have our day end there - the sun was shining and we were raring to go... So, the next thing we knew we were driving the Tour de France route through Yorkshire :)  Sammy and I had a competition to see how many yellow bicycles we could take pictures of out our respective sides of the car, and we saw some of the amazing features that the different villages had displayed for the event.  My favourite display of bicycles was the Bradfield in Bloom at the entrance to Bradfield, and the best display had to go to this wheel of bike bits out in a cute litte town out the back of Sheffield somewhere... it was entirely made from wheels, saddles and handle bars, it looked amazing!

By the end of the route we had gained a passenger :)  we picked Tara up by Meadowhall and continued our adventure, ending up at Ulley Res for a walk.  The sun was still shining, we admired the scenery, played a version of Pooh Sticks off the bridge, played by the water and sat soaking up the sun on the jetty!  And of course - Vicky and Sammy ended up in the water!!

Tara and me?  We settled for finding teeny tiny frogs and escorting them off the path... Tara tried to take a few home her, but after a conversation about water and their Mommy's, she agreed to leave them there...
I wasn't joking about the 'teeny tiny' part either!!  We thought they were crickets at first - then spent the next half hour carefully watching where we stepped!!

From there, and after some tea to refuel - we ended up in a park being kids!  Now unfortunately, this day landed squarely in the 'missing photo' blurry area, and I have very few photos other than the ones already posted, so there are none for the park :/  Again, I will state just how guttered I am about the missing photo pa lava!  I have been much more careful transferring them since that escapade I can tell you!!

Some family time occupied July a little later in the month... My Auntie Janie's annual BBQ!  And just like her luck, all the beautiful weather we had had, the BBQ was on the day of the torrential rain and thunder storms!!  Did that stop her?  Did it 'eck!  We had a blast!  Vernon came :)  And everyone had selfies with him :)  Even Dad!  I actually love this photo - if I ignore that he was in fact biting his ear at the time!!  
We even managed to keep dry - lucky escape I think!!  

More adventuring... Tara took me for a walk down Five Weir Walk with Rolo on a lovely sunny afternoon...  It was going great - ice cream, sunshine, a nice patch under a tree to sit and relax... until Rolo decided he was going to jump in where the water was a couple of foot down!!  Drenched didn't even cover it by the time we had half lifted, half dragged him out of the water!  Was a nice afternoon though - we soon dried out on the walk back!

The beginning of July was when I also gave up pretending like I wasn't already with her, and agreed to be Tara's girlfriend :)  Making two very happy girls, who really need to stop being so mushy and harden up a little bit :)  it really is sickening sometimes :p  She makes me happy though, and me her (I hope :p) and I don't intend on letting her go again!!

Did I also mention that I got a job for September?!  Life is starting to look up a little!!  Just need to get my car sorted and back on the road ready for the start of the new school year, and get some money back in my saving's account, and we should be good to go :)

To round off July, Vicky and I went to the pictures on the 31st to see the new Hercules film with Dwayne Johnson in it!!  Another new take on an old myth/legend!  Loved it!  :)  Well worth seeing to anyone who was wondering!

Anyways, I have rambled long enough for now... Check out the usual - #vernonsadventure on Instagram to keep up with Vernon - #mycrazyreadinghabits to keep up with my books!  I have whizzed through the last one in four days and have a new one ready and raring to go when I get in bed tonight!!  And follow me on Instagram for my general antics... :)
I kept up with my no crisps in July New Year's Resolution, and am now back onto no take-away for August - easy done I reckon as seen as most summer food is made up of salads, and I seem to be eating healthier since spending more time with Tara anyway :)

Luv ya, Louby x