We interrupt the program to bring you a weather update. You may have seen stories in the news about the heatwave surging across Europe. Schools are closed, roads are melting and rail tracks are buckling in the extreme temperatures. Authorities are urging people to look out for themselves, their families and neighbours. In Italy cities including Milan, Turin, Florence, Bologna and Rome all are on high alert as temperatures soar to 40 degrees. It’s a repeat of last summer’s heatwave, only worse.

So where are we in all this? Fortunately, safe and sound by the sea in the Italian region of Liguria. Our little village is around the corner from the Cinque Terre, on the other side of the peninsula, in the Gulf of the Poets. It’s hot here, certainly, but not that hot. In fact it’s about seven degrees cooler than in those major cities, and there’s almost always a breeze coming in off the water. All of which means that most evenings will find us somewhere along the lungomare enjoying a refreshing aperitivo. In this heat it’s the only sensible place to be.

Remind us again, are there still governments who refuse to take action on the climate emergency? Are there still people who describe it as fake news? Oh, that’s right, there are.