The noise is from the next floor down, they are STILL doing alterations there, and today there are loud thuds from time to time.... they are very startling, because it is just one thud, then silence until the next one, which is not predictable. Plus the usual tap, tap, tap, but we are now used to that. Alec and I grimace and mutter when the thuds come, more from habit than from any conviction. It is too hot to take the effort to protest convincingly.

Last night I thought it might be cooler walking around after dark, so I went to the Old Town to see if there were any restaurants I fancied, but in fact nothing much was open. I met some small kittens that I had not seen before, poor little scraps, I have to wonder if something happened to their mother, because I think they were six weeks max, and they were alone. I ended up having dinner at Nandos, so I bought extra chicken and took it back for them, they were pretty happy to see this. Lemon and herb flavour, of course, as its the most suitable for small kittens. I plan to go back with a brush and tidy them up a bit, I think they need a bit of help looking after themselves.

It actually wasn't much cooler after all that, I arrived back at the hotel simply bathed in sweat.... I am so looking forward to Paris, I hope it is much cooler there. I have the usual round of things to do, though, so not sure how restful it will be.