So it seems my scorching summer has been sandwiched between sizzling porkers.
Not wishing to jinx the glorious conditions which have prevailed – barring the odd blip that’s been barely enough for Angus farmers to consider a taps aff approach to the irrigators – the remarkable summer has been a belter.
And the rise in the mercury has undoubtedly been matched by a bump in the community feelgood factor to a level as high as the lotion we’ve been slathering on for weeks now.
Going back to the bacon-related bookends of scorching 2018, the first admittedly came not in Angus, but at the Le Mans 24 Hours race where Porsche – petrolheads know the marque as a Porker – triumphed with its intriguingly-liveried ‘Pink Pig’, whose curves are covered in butcher’s cutting lines with various German words relating to meat.
That unmistakable beast and her race-winning grunt came back to mind in Saturday’s Edzell sunshine as I soaked up a highlight of the village gala day when pig racing came to The Muir.
And what a draw the porcine protagonists proved to be as punters thronged the track to see if the beast they were betting on would bring home the bacon.
Edzell always puts on a great event – whether it’s summer gala or spectacular November fireworks – and like countless other dedicated local groups their effort has been rewarded this year with weather to bring families flocking.
Which translates into big smiles for local groups, charities and the myriad cottage industries whose stock is more likely to fly off the tables if folk have a chance to browse at leisure and be tempted by anything from a cup cake to a nice piece of jewellery instead of dashing round to dodge the raindrops.
It also puts much-needed money into the coffers of good causes and organising groups who can now head towards 2019 with at least something of a spring in their step, rather than worrying about whether the very existence of their event has been thrown into doubt by another washout.
The sunshine and smiles scenario has been mirrored across Angus since May, generating happy memories for young and old like the generations applauding the Edzell porkers.
Here’s hoping for a run of halcyon summers to let pigs fly.
