Layers of grey clouds pushed by the wind sweep across the skies. They deposit a sprinkle and then a drizzle of rain, sometimes the sun peeps through to. The wind is cold and winter jackets and beanies shut it out. White capped waves form line upon ragged line giving form to the sea.
Johanna and I don beanies and rain coats and watch our boys surf. We walk; we ride. We get wet and windblown. Colin and Zac brave the cold, choppy sea, drizzle falling as they begin to surf and sun shining as they finish.
Windy gusts sending a seeping cold through layers of clothes, drizzly rain caressing faces and slowly dripping from hanging hair, rays of welcome warmth from a suddenly appearing sun. The smell of wax, wet suits, wet roads and seaweed…. Wet sand clumped to shoes, black gravel on the soles of bare feet, fingers stiff and numb with cold, damp jeans stuck to legs…..
Warm jackets, woolly beanies, hot showers…..
And Colin says to me with pleasure, ‘I feel alive”