Tuesday could have, but I didn’t make it, and today is halfway through May and so it came as a bit of a wake up call and so I made certain I made it count. The problem is the weather. We have had howling gales and being so close to the sea, this – it would seem is the price we have to pay from time to time for living in paradise. The stormy weather is a lot less frequent that people think, but when it comes, it really comes. But I would say if I was geeky enough to map the weather on a bell chart it would come out quite balanced with excessively windy days matching the barely there breathless days on the other end of the scale. The rest of the time it is just normal weather that you would find anywhere else.
I do have to say, as much as I know the house can stand up to the wind, as it survived admirably up on house moving jacks during a storm with gusts of up to 212Km, so I feel safe, but I have yet to get used to the noise. We have an old house and so the wind tries its hardest to get in. Sort of a bit like the old Wee Willy Winky nursery rhyme… “runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his night-gown, Tapping at the window, crying at the lock…” Although he isn’t checking if I’m in bed, because I was already there – lying awake, worrying about the wind and the possible damage that could be possibly happening. The noise is like a high pitched whistle against the crashing of the wild waves on the ocean below. It makes things seem a thousand times worse than it is. I guess it is something I need to get used to, but I’m not there yet! The key is to make sure that everything is tucked up and put away so there is nothing loose so no harm can come, so there is nothing to worry about.
So, the wee small hours of Monday were spent lying awake thinking about the wind in an anxious way and as a result I eventually emerged to embrace the day in a zombie like fashion and achieved very little. There was no point going out as the wind was still roaring and experience has taught me it is much better to wait until the storm is over before trying to repair damage or you just make it worse. There wasn’t all that much damage – the peas got shredded in the wind and the almost finished zinnias became finished when the plant was uprooted and the last chance – shouldn’t be alive zucchini got snapped. And if that is the worst of it then it isn’t really that bad.
The wind died down enough to make sleep and recovery better for Tuesday, and the day was spent in the garden working hard. There were two things on the go, the first was helping the builder with the foundations for my new office. No more working at the kitchen table for me, I’ll soon have my own space, right there in the garden. I can go ‘to work’. I think this will help in the scheme of things – making time count. It is so easy to get distracted from work and slip into the pleasures of life when you are working at home!
The other part of my day was giving the garden a full whip around in preparation for a garden visit from a lovely local garden club. But thanks to all my efforts the week before, I really didn’t have much to do at all, which was a great relief. The day certainly counted, and I tumbled into bed weary.
Today was busy in all sorts of different ways. Because of my earlier neglectful ways, I had a backlog of indoor paperworky stuff to do, as well as the important task of admiring the work my amazing builder was doing with the foundations to my office. While we are still waiting for the shed itself to arrive, he created an incredible deck around it. I can see myself in the height of summer sitting in the shade with a cool sun tea that would have been steeping all morning with wee Jasper snoozing at my feet, surrounded by plants in pots… just imagine…
The garden visit was a huge success, and hopefully the first of many, although we will need to look into parking as it is currently limited. I do love showing off my garden.
Come again soon – I’m still Making May Count
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Nothing like a good storm…as long as there’s no damage 🙂
May always seems to slip away too quickly for us too…
Cheers,
Ben
It has certainly cleared out the cobwebs, it is still a bit blowy today but should have calmed down by the weekend. : o)
A corner office! That’s cool and snazzy and wonderful and probably magazine-cover worthy when it’s done. I’m so excited to see it take shape.
That wind is hard to imagine in our mild climate. You’re brave to endure the battering about. I hope the peas recover. In my experience they often do. Thanks for sharing your part of the world, Sarah. I hope to get in one more visit to New Zealand in the next two years, and would love to arrange a meetup ahead of time.
I’d love to have you visit us here, but maybe not experience some of the wild weather – it is much nicer on a calm day. I am looking forward to having my own working space, hopefully it will motivate me more! : o)
It’s a real challenge working from home, especially I imagine as a writer. It requires discipline and focus. When I was in grad school, I often went to the library when I was struggling to focus. No distractions. Given your track record with several books and your blog, I imagine your own office will only increase your productivity, especially now that your boys are older.
I have been longing for this space for a long time. Surrounded by all the gardening books, and other inspirational things. It will be my happy place. : o)
I’m happy for you, Sarah. I look forward to reading details as things come together.
An office! In your garden! Paradise just leveled up!
Absolutely! I’m super excited to go to ‘work’ in the garden! : o)
When I was a kid, I sort of liked the foggy, windy harshness of the weather at my Pa’s home in Montara, south of San Francisco. It was not great for gardening, but it was more severe that what I was familiar with.
It can be beautiful in its rustic-ness but when it goes too long, then it can be a problem. : o)