It has been raging for two days. The storm is even worse today. I have not been out at all for the whole day, unless you would say that opening the bedroom window and the lounge-room French door (in order to take photos for you) was going out. I took one step beyond the door out onto the terrace for about thirty seconds and got wet – all for you. It is funny how you see gigantic waves crashing into the seawall and spuming up like crepe curtains all the time and yet, when you want to take a photo it dies down and you have to wait for ages; and then the camera goes into “standby” just at the most exciting moment.

But it wasn’t the storm outside that kept me in today, it was the storm of activity going on my head. I had promised myself that I would finish certain tasks before Christmas, and publishing my somewhat lengthened short story, “Beautiful Bella”, on Create-space was one of them. I am pleased to be able to say that I have done it and now I am waiting for the review process to give me the green light. All being well, my story, about the building of a loving friendship with the bravest, most beautiful dog I have ever met, will soon be available in paperback from Amazon.com (at a bargain price, of course).

At the moment I am still in my studio, which is an extension that Chris built for me, and not in the main part of the house; therefore I can hear the wind and rain in all its fury, but I feel safe and warm inside. At last I can relax after all my trials today, getting to grips with strange formatting and various mistakes that occurred because I was overtired. I must find Chris and thank him for providing me with all my needs, and for putting up with the sounds of despair that emanated quite often from these quarters. Now I’m looking forward to a silent night, all  calm and bright… Hey, it must nearly be Christmas!