We are in the middle of an Island wide drought.

Our tanks are nearing empty and we will have to buy water. People who have mains water are having it rationed. The water company only turns the supply on in the early hours of the morning, so people have to scurry around in the dark collecting water for the day ahead. It’s a good plan!

Fortunately the beer factory is still pushing out the pitons, so there is no need to be alarmed.

We had a few friends around for a New Years pool party.

There has been a little rain, so we did managed to collect 3” in the tank we don’t use. This is the tank that has recently been repaired. We discovered that our wet area in the garden was due to tank leakage rather than an underground spring. The cracks had probably been there since we had the earthquake, two years ago. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the repair will hold, but the jury is still out.
We have taken advantage of this dry spell and have re-varnished all the balcony railings on all three floors. It was hard, laborious work but it looks great.

The Christmas winds have arrived with gusto and sailing trips are a little more sporting. We are managing to get out every week, tearing ourselves away from the varnish tins.

                        Foxy enjoys a spell in the chair hammock.