Summer 09

It's frightening to realise that we are about to start our second decade of the 21st century and still the powerbrokers of the corporate world have such a stranglehold on our polititians that no real gain has been made on tackling climate change. What future will there be for our grandchildren and further generations, let alone the dwindling populations of "lesser species"?

But doom and gloom never got Eeyore anywhere, and it's summer time in my little neck of the woods (only the woods kind of disappeared millenia ago if they ever existed here at all!) so it's all about ocean swimming, lying around in hammocks reading books and sipping cold refreshing drinks, and contemplating torturing my body with more aerial acrobatics out on the waves.

We've had a strange windsurfing season so far, with little in the way of decent swell, but some pretty blistering winds. I cannot quite believe it myself, but on Wednesday I was out in 35-40 knot winds, with Thursday being just a bit lighter at 30-35 knots!! Yes the muscles are complaining, but I am still upright, although highly prone to collapsing into said hammock! And no, I haven't been trying any forward loops this week - holding on has been the main achievement..

Every year at this time I pack the camper and take the kids up the beach for a few days camping. We survive on BBQ sausages and cups of hot chocolate, go for long walks with Hazel, snorkel around the reef, and build elaborate sand fortifications, which usually involve burying a kid or two in the process. I'm taking all three this year (they are the neighbours' kids, I haven't suddenly produced a gaggle overnight!) which shall be quite interesting, as the only way I've been able to command total obedience over the youngest little mite is through pure terrorism tactics. Nothing a good dunking can't sort out!!

I'm surprised, but gratified, that the fourteen year old still wants to come, as I thought she'd find a few days up the beach with the younger siblings too, YAWN, boring!! But no, she's as keen as the others to leave mum and dad on their lonesome for a few days and hang out with yours truly. I guess it's the novelty of not being with mum and dad, or the lack of rules, but I feel really fortunate that they want to come, and that their parents trust me with them! OK, there are 4 rules: get up when it's light, go to bed when it's dark, eat when you're hungry, and no swimming when I'm out windsurfing. If the final rule gets broken, they go home! It's worked for the last five years, let's see how we go with our little tearaway....

Now it's time to go up there and get a good campsite before the hoards from Perth arrive..