What's going on?

Last Easter, many parts of the UK were subjected to hosepipe bans by the privatised water companies. It seemed an odd decision at the time but was soon put in its place by one of the wettest summers I can remember. I have recently been reflecting on this gorgeous summer which has seen us bathed in sunshine. I would struggle to recall the days where we have had any rain. I played cricket today and judging by the state of the wicket, I could be forgiven for thinking that we might have experienced a drought. Not according to the water companies though. It is a mystery to me how these organisations operate. It seems bizarre that they can call a hose pipe ban after a winter which wasn't exactly lacking in snow and rain but they seem loathe to do likewise following a summer such as this. Of course I'm not complaining because we find ourselves on a water meter which means reliance on the water butt has come to the fore in recent times. The garden seems parched as do the gardens of my friends. In Wales, of course, water shortages are rare indeed due to the geography of the country and the high number of reservoirs. That said, many of the reservoirs serve the large populations of cities such as Liverpool and Birmingham. Although logic seldom has much to do with weather patterns, I would be expecting a decent drenching before too long as Mother Nature seeks once more to redress the balance. These are strange times indeed. The British and Americans have apparently elected not to go to Syria. Do I sense a turning point? It would be nice to think so because the will of the people remains important even if sometimes it doesn't always seem obvious. I've survived my first week in Knighton and rather enjoy the charm of the place. I have been fond of border regions since visiting Alsace-Lorraine in 2006. Like Alsace which struggles between its French and German identities, Knighton seems to want to be Welsh but always feels English in spite of its place on the Welsh side. History makes places like these interesting as the times change their allegiances. They are all the more compelling for it with an identity all of their own.