Letter from the editor: August bank holiday weekend time again

Bad weather forecast? Check. The annual French Eurotunnel staff strike threat? Check.

Rumours of impending trouble at the Notting Hill Carnival? Yep. It can only mean one thing: yes, it’s August bank holiday weekend time again.

For many here at i it won’t make much difference, as we will be here on Sunday and Monday as usual. At least we’ll be dry.

To be honest, I don’t mind too much being here this weekend. It’s an odd time. Sane people behave feverishly – whether at the Leeds or Reading festivals, on the beach at Polzeath, or at the Carnival. It’s as if we all know that this is the official end of what passes for summer, with no more holidays until Christmas. We are burdened with the heavy pressure of having to have fun. It’s the same unspoken social code that makes New Year’s Eve my least favourite night of the year.

That said, I have been known to buy a whistle or two for my annual party when I lived on the carnival route in Notting Hill. Of course, there are also genteel pleasures to be enjoyed over the next few days.

Our own Vicky Summerley opens up her garden in Wimbledon on Sunday under the National Gardens Scheme (aka the Yellow Book). I’m told it’s wonderful – and not just by Vicky. She works hard to make it so, and therefore welcomes visitors (2-6pm, 28 Multon Rd, London SW18). I wish I could be there too.

Much more so than for the craziest of colleagues’ plans this weekend. There’s one sub-editor who plans to go and see the hilarious but extremely risque InBetweeners movie WITH his teenage daughters. Er, good luck with that, Richard. It will be infinitely less embarrassing here in the office! See you tomorrow.