Well, it has taken me a while to write about the 4th film instalment of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga.

Before I go into why that might be, I’ll start by telling you what I’ve heard other people say – both good and bad.

The good stuff:
‘So romantic!’

‘I love what they do with the Summit logo at the beginning’

‘Gorgeous wedding, that dress! I’m not so sure about the ring’

‘The best part is by far the ‘back breaking’ scene!’

The not so good stuff:
‘What a pile of excrement!’

‘Did, I really just spend 11.25 on that? Why, why did you make me spend 11.25 on that?

‘Is it ever a good thing in films when people laugh at something that wasn’t supposed to be funny?

‘Did anyone else notice the continuity error when Bella and Edward are at the Alter? When the camera pans around them? One second all the seats are occupied and the next they are vacant, then they’re occupied again. Just not good enough really’

So…
With all that said, I’m sure it won’t surprise you to learn that most of the people who had the worst things to say about the film are not exactly the key demographic/ target audience; mainly teenage girls who have read the books and love the characters

As for why it took me so long to write this, it took me a while to watch it and let’s just say that ‘Breaking Dawn, Part ’1 is not my favourite of the Twilight films. That would be ‘New Moon’

I do agree that what Summit do with the logo is cool. The back breaking scene was well done and it’s true, I’ve heard people laugh when laughter was far from the desired effect. But overall, I’ll confess that as for Breaking Dawn Part 2, my fingers are crossed that everyone will be very pleasantly surprised.

Writing from the point of view of a London, England resident, there are very few signs that let people know that Summer has officially arrived.

For example:

Sign 1) When choosing to have ice cream is really just about a basic need to cool down

Sign 2) Thinking about sleeping with a window or two open – at the risk of letting in insects and maybe even a bird. It has been known to happen

Sign 3) The male dilemma of shorts versus trousers. Well, unless you’re Tom Ford, because shorts according to him are always an absolute NO NO

With the first few signs of summer covered, so what is the ultimate indication that marks the official arrival of summer?

Sign 4) The guaranteed smile inducing moment that I spot a (perhaps ill-advised) man, proudly sporting a bright and VERY BUSY multi-coloured Hawaiian shirt. This for me is the ultimate sign of summer in all its loud and jazzy glory.

I saw one in Summer 2011 and it made my afternoon.
My experience is that unless you’re actually in Hawaii, choosing to wear a Hawaiian shirt is a risky affair and a sure fire way to get you some attention, desirable or otherwise.

I don’t personally know any fans of Hawaiian shirts, and by ‘fans’ I’m talking about those who like them enough to wear them in a fashion capital like London, England. OK. I admit; at a push there is a ‘distant’ uncle or two who shall remain nameless).

Why this topic? I’m in the mood for summer already and the coldest month of Winter 2011/ 2012 hasn’t even arrived yet. So I decided to try and get myself in the mood.

What brings summer home for you?

He was hot, HE WAS HOT!

Considering the day I’ve just had, now I’m just smiling and smiling

I really didn’t think there was an upside to public transport in London England; especially during the 6pm rush hour.

But indeed he was hot! Tanned, gorgeous, tall, sexy, polite, HOT! Friendly, HOT! Accent, HOT! HOT, HOTTT!!!

He was hot; just another reason to love this city!

For the benefit of those not in the know, this image is from the final resting place of one of my favourite Word Smiths – and one celebrated by many the world over.

Who am I talking about? The one and only Oscar Wilde of course!

I’m happy to say that I have indeed seen this very gravestone with my own eyes; though I’m actually not the one responsible for this photograph.

Pere La Chaise (Paris) is where Mr Wilde rests.

Should you zoom out of this picture you’d see that there are so many kisses on his huge gravestone that to try and count them all would be more than foolish.

I confess that late arrival and being ‘lost in the moment’ very nearly led to me getting locked overnight in this most full and famous of Parisian cemeteries.

For a brief while I actually entertained the idea of a night with ‘the long gone.’ I even reasoned that being trapped in a massive cemetery amongst dead people I never actually knew wouldn’t have been too scary at all. Why? Because I felt that I would be ‘perfectly safe’ as long as I curled up by one of my favourites, Mr Wilde.

Still, that comforting thought did absolutely nothing to stop me from running out of there as fast as my little stumps could carry me.

Final thought? Decisions made in the midst of states of heightened emotion (in this case total awe) are best and at the very least reconsidered.

A reminder of just a few of his best:

‘Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them’

‘All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his’

‘I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying’