Aaah, that's better!

It is so hot again today. Yesterday it was the hottest day of the year so far in London, it was hotter than Spain, Portugal and Turkey!

Thomas is home because he came back from his PGL trip early as he has a piano exam on Tuesday and his piano teacher was concerned that he was missing a week of practice and his last lesson. He does make many sacrifices for his music, the poor boy! It was too hot for him to do anything interesting today, and the fan gave some relief to him and Murdoch.

We have an incredibly busy weekend (again!). I went to Waitrose this morning to get groceries for the weekend's activities and as I was leaving I had the delightful surprise of witnessing a flash mob in the store - staff and 'customers' all dancing and singing, what a treat on a Friday morning. Then in this heat I have spent most of the day in the kitchen cooking in preparation for the weekend.

Tonight we are going to the Leaver's Concert at Luke's school. The best Upper Sixth Form musicians are chosen to perform a solo piece accompanied by the school symphony orchestra. Luke is opening the concert with a trumpet piece by Charpentier (there is a French theme) - he has spent ages perfecting his piece plus learning the orchestral pieces for all the other soloists (as has Adam and other members of the symphony orchestra). Afterwards Gavin and I are attending a black tie dinner and Luke goes off to his Leaver's Ball at a hotel.

Tomorrow is the final day of term for Luke and Adam - in fact the final day of school for Luke! It is a busy day starting with a chapel service, then Speech day, Prize Giving, another orchestral concert (this time the full works of Dvorak's 9th Symphony - they have been busy this week!) and then a the jazz band play while we have tea. The parents picnic in the school grounds and watch cricket in between all these events - it is a long day but a wonderful one. Hence all my cooking today...food for the picnic. Coronation Chicken, potato salad with pickled dill cucumbers and capers, sausages, scotch eggs.... I think it will be enough to keep the boys happy. Oh and some bubbly to accompany this!