life in a hothouse

It has been a long, hot week.  I clearly remember my grandmother telling me that she could not wait for cooler weather to arrive.  "How could anyone ever want summer to be over?" I remember thinking.  Now I think I know.  It is an age thing.  Gill who is suffering from Livifem withdrawal symptoms raises the temperature in our office about 3 degrees with every hot flush that arrives.  Usually a modest person, well dressed and in co-ordinated colours, there has been a change (and not just a change of her life) and it is really funny to witness.  To see her strip off her clothes as each wave of a flush arrives is something to behold.  She is not particular either as to who happens to be in our office when she strips and Michael is now quite used to seeing her fling off her shirt and rush to stand in front of the more efficient air conditioner in the other office.  Her perfectly coiffed hair is now often soaked and she has this permanent glow about her (and you can't laugh because her sense of humour is also starting to fail). I had to save this post for Friday afternoon and only press "Publish" once she left the building.  (She does know where I live though).

Being hot during the day is somehow easier than the heat at night when you are trying to sleep.  Wouldn't it be awesome to have a bed like this:-

This tropical heat has done something to my garden as well.  It is turning into a jungle.  What are these plants called?  I know they are aliens and of South American descent.  Every year I threaten to pull them out as they are pretty ugly.  They have a shallow root system so they are perfect to have around the base of our trees.  Their leaves are spiky and dangerous but for 2 weeks of the year - usually December but this year later - they are amazingly weird and kind of beautiful (I am not entirely convinced though).  The flowers appear from nowhere and I swear, if you had nothing to do with your day, you could sit and watch them grow.  Jack and the Beanstalk has nothing on them.

Sneaking out on Wednesday

Taller on Thursday

And they were this big this morning.  Can you see what I mean about the ugly leaves?  So cruelly I decided to pick a few and put them in my favourite Le Creuset jug only because they are almost exactly the same colour.  I wonder if they will last.

I hope you have a great weekend.  I am planning on spending some time in my jungle, I am off to the nursery to buy some more of those tall Plectranthus shrubs tomorrow morning, to fit in  a walk on the beach would be great, Nic is playing rugby (and I am not sure where and when), I have not seen Kathy since the beginning of the year and it would be great to catch up with her, drink some wine and tell some stories.

It is now 4.20 and I am out of here (internet at home playing up again so I have Telkom battles to fight).  Hopefully Gill will leave soon after me!!! (and that Telkom are playing games with her internet as well).

Enjoy your weekend.