Aaaah chooo!!

The heady scent of the jasmine growing up the side of the house and over the tree outside my window had given me the worst hayfever I have ever had! Now I have to keep all the windows closed, because as soon as I breathe it in, my nose drips like the proverbial plumber's tap. I have used two toilet rolls already to stem the drip and have even had to resort to taking an antihistamine for the last two days. This has ensured that I am in the Land of Nod by 9pm every night - I can't read more than 3 pages of my book and it drops to the floor!

The southeaster of the last few days didn't help anyone who suffers from hayfever, as there is something in the South Peninsula, and in particular the Fish Hoek valley, that gives off sneeze-inducing pollen as soon as the first southeasters arrive. If anyone can identify the plant that is the culprit, I am sure there will be plenty of hackers on hand to chop it out. I feel sure it must be an alien of some sort - Australian, probably, as that is where our alien vegetation comes from. Strangely enough, Australia doesn't allow wooden items through customs, although we are still suffering from alien infestation of species introduced from there. I suppose they don't want to risk a beetle. The positive spin-off from the rooikrans trees that were brought here (to anchor the sands of the Cape Flats, apparently) is that they grow incredibly fast, multiply rapidly after a veld fire and provide some of the best wood for our national pastime, the braai. Without it, I presume we would have run out of wood years ago. It also provides a source of income for the hapless homeless, who build their shelters deep in the bushes and systematically saw the trees down and chop them into fire-sized logs to sell at the side of the road. No matter how much they cut, it seems to renew itself, so it is actually beneficial to the economy - provides work, a source of income, best wood for a braai and just keeps on growing.

Perhaps the rooikrans should be recognised as South Africa's 'green gold'!