Tuesday 12 February 2008

Thunderstorm

It's late afternoon or early evening whichever 1730 hours is.

We are experiencing the promised thunderstorm. It's really quite spectacular. Not the constant and loud bangs and fearsome ripping lightning that we experienced in Tuscany in Italy in about 1993 when the most spectacular thunderstorm I can remember raged all evening. Not like the incredible thunderstorm that kept Liverpool awake during much of one summer's night some time in the 1970s. In fact not particularly memorable for anything but the fact that the deep heavy rumbling actually makes the ground and the cottage shake very noticeably. It's very weird and just a little bit scary.

The strange irony is that the News on TV at the moment is highlighting the drought much of the Country is experiencing. Until today the Waikato (just South of here) has not had rain since Christmas and Canterbury in the South Island is in a similarly serious predicament. Marlborough, one of the principal wine growing areas (in the North of South Island), is also experiencing serious drought conditions. This does not bode well for livestock and wine prices which are two very significant exports. Mind you, as a person with a UK income, anything which reduces the strength of the N Z Dollar is welcome.

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