Favourite things - how to survive summer

It's 41 degrees outside today and to be honest I am struggling to find my joy. We live in an old house with no air conditioning, and the one living space is lit by a skylight that's half the size of the room, letting the heat pour in without even curtains to block it. My forehead is damp with sweat, poor baby has heat-rash, and Em has been lolling listlessly on the couch for hours. Yet we are stuck inside because outside is a lot worse, and a visit to the beach or pool would be a heat-stroke / sun-stroke / skin-cancer risk off the richter scale. I am using today's favourite things post to help me feel better about summer and survive this heat-wave. Anything else you suggest?

1. Make ice cream

My Dad had an ice-cream maker when I was growing up. It was a plastic, battery-driven contraption that kept on stirring the ice-cream while it was in the freezer. We'd try all different kinds of flavours, and marshmallow was a favourite of us kids. But how about this one folks: toasted marshmallow coconut milk ice cream! Oh my! Get the recipe from How Sweet It Is. (Via B for Bel)

2. Reimagine summer

Reimagine summer as a time that is warm but not stifling; coastal, floral, and dreamy. Like this video of a pretty little slumber party, which is quite lovely, but also reminds me eerily of Picnic at Hanging Rock.

3. Plan a winter picnic

Supposedly, looking forward to a holiday releases all these good endorphins that help fight depression. So I figure, looking forward to winter and the cooler weather may do the same thing for me. I'm dreaming of a white... picnic. We don't get snow here in Melbourne in winter, but I do still like the idea of a fresh winter picnic, like this one. I think it could be quite lovely.

4. Drink lemonade

Litres and litres of the stuff. I don't think there is anything more refreshing on a hot day. This is my recipe:

1 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup water 1 cup caster sugar 1 bottle soda water (the 1.25L kind)

Squeeze the lemons. Dissolve the caster sugar in the water in a saucepan on medium heat. Combine the lemon juice and sugar-water in a two-litre container, then top it up with the soda water, adjusting how much you add according to the strength you want. I often like to add some shredded mint leaves for extra freshness.

5. Start a good, old-fashioned water fight

This photo was taken in Madeleine's Nanna's back yard a year ago, while Mr B chased the cousins around with a bucket and hose. "Hey! I've got five dollars for each of you. Line up," he called. And the little cuties fell for it, each lining up and holding out their hands. "AHA!" yelled Mr B, and pulled the hose out from behind his back and squirted them all. They ran away squealing with delight. All except Livvy, then four years old, who closed her eyes and braced herself as she took the full force of the hose in her face without running away. When Mr B finally turned the hose off she wiped the water out of her eyes and held out her hand again, demanding, "Where's my five dollars?"

Why do we lose simple pleasures like these when we grow up? We've got a couple of friends coming over to join us for fish and chips for tea tonight. I think I might lure them into the back courtyard for an after-dinner water attack of my own.