Summer time in my town.

Daytime temperatures in the high thirties, night-time in the low twenties. This is my place in the sun. Sitting on the back veranda looking up at the stars, having a drink or three and maybe a laugh or two.

The long awaited summer pattern has finally arrived (well it has actually been here for a couple of weeks but I have been distracted). A land breeze greets the day blowing hot wind across the city. As the day wears on the temperature rise to a peak just after lunch when the wind changes direction and blows at near gale force from the ocean. The city is cooled. After dusk the wind drops to a light puff and swings back around to a gentle land breeze. This pattern usually starts some time in December and gives up around April. During this period rain is scarce – very scarce and water restrictions are the norm.

Around lunch time it is good to be indoors in some nice air-conditioned office or, may be, a restaurant. What ever, it is just too hot for someone who spends most of their time indoors.

I can remember a time when I was an outdoors man. Your body adjusts to the heat and sun as do your work habits. It isn’t that much of a hardship. But if you spend most of the time with your wrists supported on a desk you have no hope.

This summer was different, a fair bit of rain and unseasonably cold. But the pattern has broken. But it is summer time now (just delayed a few months). The retailers of summer paraphernalia are rejoicing. Beer and air-conditioning sales are up. The outdoor theatres and plays are humming and the kids are safely back at school.

I wonder when winter will arrive.