Invigorating

Yes, invigorating - that's the word. As I walked across the fields with the dog yesterday afternoon there was quite a strong wind blowing from the south-west. I could see squalls of rain being blown up-Channel, all of which, fortunately, passed to the south of me. It was only after I was back indoors that one of the squalls hit the fields I had been walking.

There's something about walking on high ground in a strong wind that I find enjoyable. The seafront is another place where a walk in a wind is great, but the top of the Downs is the place for me. It should be just as good this afternoon, with the added tang of a little damp in the air.

I know our winds and rain are as nothing compared with what people in eastern America have had to put up with but even so, yesterday the wind was forecast to rise sufficiently for ferries from the south coast to France were cancelled in advance. It's actually quite surprising that the weather is so poor this week. The children are back at school now and that's usually when the weather improves. I just hope it will be better than this while we are in France next week.