A typical winter's day

It's been about 8 months since my little dog Susie became blind and I have to take her downstairs and into the back garden where the lawn is first thing every morning and last thing at night. It gives an ideal opportunity to view the state of the weather at 6am, which up until today has either been fine or cloudy, but never once has it been raining. This morning it looked pretty miserable from inside, peering through rain-splashed windows at the sodden deck and trees bending in the wind. Yet when I actually got outside, there was no rain and in such close proximity to the house, little wind. As sunrise approached, the rain had set in, but when dawn broke and it was time to take my Good Morning from Cape Town picture, the blue sky was showing over the sea and the rain had abated again.

This was obviously only for my convenience, once again, and soon the rain began to fall, while I took up my position in front of the computer for another fun day of business. Gradually the sky lightened and by 10.30 the call of cappuccino was strong, and I also needed cheese for tonight's lasagne. Not wanting to take a chance walking the 200m or less up to the local shops, I drove up to find the outside seating area of Espresso Dotkom deserted for obvious reasons. I settled down at a comfortable seat inside where I had a view of outside and it wasn't long before the heavens opened and the rain slashed down at a 45 degree angle, giving the car a good washing down and a bit of a seat wash due to the partially open window.

By the time I had finished writing my next speech for Toastmasters (I would hate anyone to think I was just lolling around), all was clear again and beautiful puffy clouds punctuated blue sky out seawards. This has continued for the rest of the day - slashing rain, blue sky and sunshine, slashing rain - and sunset brought a magnificent interaction between cloud, sea and sun, as so often happens at this time of year.

I just love these dramatic interludes of winter, accompanied by mountainous seas crashing shoreward, providing the ideal backdrop for a good night's sleep.