Unreliable Prediction

If this was the shepherd's (or sailor's) warning about today's weather they got it wrong. The nor'wester was not quite as hot and gusty as it has been over the last several days, but a blistering sun shone all day.

Wildfires have become a problem in Canterbury. Not in the same league as the terrible Australian fires, but people have lost their homes, and 18,000 chickens died at an egg farm. To make matters worse, because of the earthquakes some of the people were unable to get insurance, and now they have nothing.

Thank you so much all you lovely people for the birthday wishes yesterday. What with the heat and not enough sleep I was feeling rather jaded, but you cheered me up no end.