Surf’s Up!

Someone or something’s stirring up trouble.

The Philippines got hit by Typhoon Hagupit over the weekend (thank goodness they were prepared for it this time. My thoughts are with those that lost friends and family), the UK’s getting weather bombed, California’s joining the Pineapple Express (yes, they’re the correct metalogical names) and Tuesday morning Barcelona got whipped by freak 106 kmh winds.

If I’d have been in my old apartment in France Tuesday morning, by now I’d been following the yellow brick road. It just survived last winter’s storms thanks to some fantastic renovations. Whenever bad storms hit, I’d camp out in living room, ear plugs in if attempting to sleep, heating on, TV loud, venturing into the kitchen or any other part to the apartment that faced the sea only when necessary or to mop up mini floods. Here, was a piece of cake: tape up the apartment’s front door to stop the wind screeching through it as it whipped around the building, listen to the wind playing in the air conditioning vents and open a window to release the wind pressure. No moving false kitchen wall, no boiler crapping out in north easterly winds, no eves or rafters making dubious noises.

The surfers have been happy campers all this week. Everybody knows that when the winds die down, the waves are still playing. The waves aren’t high but when the conditions are right, they’re out there patiently waiting. While I don’t surf, I love the sea, her beauty and power from the safety of land! I took a few moments out on the way to the gym to admire her. Enjoy!