Welcome To Paradise - beautiful one day, howling the next

Many of you noted the time of the banter exchange on yesterday's post and remarked that it seemed a little on the early side.

We do early.

My father would laugh at that concept - he spent my entire childhood encouraging this feature courtesy of a wet washer, although I think it had a more profound effect on my vocabulary.

But here in Paradise, we do early - especially at this time of year.

In conjunction with our feline alarm clock requesting access to the great outdoors, nature does her bit in the wake-up function.

She starts with a gentle heating of the atmosphere as the sun begins its ascent behind the Poinciana.

On good days, Sol peaks through the windows and winds around curtains to tease you with promises including garden delights and swims to cool you down. These are often enough to get a bounce out of bed in joy.

On other days, steam begins to generate. It is hard to find sleep again when you are sweating.

Today, the Northerlies that have been howling through the louvres all night have upped their intensity. It is impossible to cool down with judicious openings of windows or doors.

I have never done well on the sleep-in thing. Once I am awake, I am ON. My mind, which has been lurking in the corners generating dreams stretches it power and starts to churn - things to do, things to plan, things to cringe about in my past - recent and long ago.

As a result, it is a rare 6am that passes without me upright and making my morning cup of tea.

And it is also a very rare 6am that my companion 'Salina is not up, churning, drawing and creating.

V doesn't mind a sleep in. His habits are slightly different. He very rarely sleeps right through, and so may have had up to 6 wanders during the night - as a result, he has an ability to either fire or fall back into bed, dependent on the need for him to be awake. It is a skill I envy.

Monday - Friday, his work starts at 7am on a jobsite - whether that jobsite is 5 minutes or an hour away - and he has a knack for being ready at the moment he is needed to get into the vehicle to go.

However, on a Saturday (as it is here right now) he can sleep through my crashes in the kitchen, 'Salina's giggles of delight at a "brilliant idea", the sticky sweat bath and the howling wind.

Last weekend was the wedding.

The weekend before it was sticky and stormy and howling and uncomfortable.

This weekend it is sticky and stormy and howling and uncomfortable.

Last weekend it was hot and brilliantly sunny and a gentle breeze was cooling.

That is why this is Paradise - just because it is the sort of weather to send a girl mad today, there are many of the brilliant to make up for the discomfort.