Le Couvent Diary

Hi, it's Lizzie back again. The lovely Maryellen and Mike are on the plane back to Perth, so I'm the diarist once again. I've kept a low profile for a while as I hardly know what to write other than that we have foul weather at the moment. There's no keeping quiet about it. May is usually wall to wall sunshine, but this last week has been disguuuuusting. Rain, rain, sun, rain. The vines have grown over a metre in a week.

Sensible people stay at home, or go to eat luscious shellfish overlooking the lagoon, but my darling brother decided last night would be a great time to take the family camping in our vineyards. Pitching the tent in the dark (for the first time) to the sound of not-so-distant thunder must have given them an inkling of what was to come. Nevertheless they report that, despite an absolute deluge which only stopped 15 hours later, they had a great time. The tent has three bedrooms so they were all comfortable listening to the rain whilst having a long lie-in. Breakfast cooked over a fire made from old vines, then home (seven minutes away) for a shower completed their adventure. The tent's still there. I hope it doesn't get nicked.

Fortunately it's all due to end in three days' time - so if you're booked in, don't panic!  The pool is plenty warm enough to swim in and after a day of sunshine you'll never know it's rained at all. Apart from the giant vines, that is.