2025-06-20

This has been an incredibly sluggish week. I don't enjoy hot weather in the best of circumstances, and London at 30 degrees is far from the best of circumstances. We live in a very solidly built 1920s block and our flat is on the corner of the building, which means it gets direct sunlight all day. The sun heats the bricks, the place becomes an oven, and it holds the heat for days after the temperature has dropped. Good in winter, terrible in summer. Hence I have spent the past few days slowly acclimatising to higher temperatures and getting very little done.

One of the things that has been making the week bearable is the How I Write YouTube channel. Among the many interesting conversations on there, this latest one with Robert MacFarlane is a stand-out. Recommended for anyone interested in words...