Outside my window the sky is a soft blue with wispy clouds hanging around, butter wouldn’t melt in it’s mouth if it had one. It’s monsoon time again, lovely summer weather to draw everyone out, then down it pours; we’re talking cats, dogs, frogs, fish, there’ll be kitchen sinks hurtling down next. So far I’ve been pretty lucky but for how much longer?

It’s partly due to the deluges that I read a whole book yesterday, from late afternoon, a quick break to make tea, then through until late evening. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, and it wasn’t a short book, but it was very gripping! A Death at Fountains Abbey is the third novel set in the early eighteenth century following the escapades of one Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson. By’eck, the lady knows how to write a good thriller, all three books have been great but this one, wow (no, I’m not biased just because it’s set in Yorkshire).

The evening before was a movie marathon of Asteroid City followed by Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse about five hours at the cinema with just time in-between to grab coffee and cake. Yeah, I needed reviving after Asteroid City oh, it was okay, a very very Wes Anderson film, you know it’s his immediately, arty and clever, and so like so much else he’s done; I guess I’ve gotten bored with him. The new Spider-Man film bounced along nicely and held my attention through all the multidimensional wibbly-wobbliness. But aargh, I didn’t know it was gonna end on a cliffhanger!

On films, there is an Edinburgh International Film Festival this year, running from 18th to 23rd August. I did have a quick glance through the programme online (I don’t know if there is a printed version this year) but nothing grabbed my attention, I’ll maybe have another ganders at what’s on offer.

Fringe-side, the new Fringe App is now available, time will tell just how good it is. Hopefully it won’t be as draining on my battery as the previous incarnation, that was very greedy! Bad news about the Half Price Hut is it’s back in the Fringe Box Office again, so shuts at 6pm, sooo stupid!! Once again folk coming into town for an evening (well, any time after 5.45) won’t be able to take advantage of HPH offers.

Must dash, the Cumbiatones are doing their thing at Stramash, in fact they’ll have already started. Toodle pip!