~ Postcard from Perth – 12-18 Feb 2024 ~

This February has been one of the hottest here in WA for decades, so I decided to get myself off to the beach most days. The sea is always chilly to start but you slowly get used to it, or maybe you just go a bit numb! Most days have been between 37 and 43! Everybody has the same idea so before 9am or earlier is the best time. The water has been like a mill pond and absolutely wonderful to swim, or water walk.

The Groyne, Cottesloe Beach

It’s also school swimming month and the sea fills up pretty quickly with small bodies. My own swimming lessons were a far cry from this, and if you are English and reading this you will know what I mean. Having to get on a bus for a 30 minute ride, changing in a communal room and those funny wooden pallets all over the floor. The overwhelming smell of chlorine still to this day brings back memories.

I met two of my friends on some of the days and after we treated ourselves to breakfast.

I’ve been lucky enough this week to have dinner out twice, once for a friend’s birthday and another night to our favourite restaurant.

These three are my wonderful group of friends, I can always rely on one, two or three to join me in most outings. So very blessed to have them in my life.

La Pizza is like a Woman,
you have to look after her, tend to her, check on her…

I saw this in the restaurant the other night as I watched the chef lovingly shape and pat the pizza dough.

On Saturday Elena and the munchkins came for a sleepover which Anthony and I always love. After fun and games in the pool we came in and played more games. At 3 and 5 it’s great to be able to play a proper game like memory.

Today – Sunday – we went to the beach again. I think all of Perth had the same idea. We spent around 45 minutes driving along the coastline to look for a carpark. The rangers were out in force and I saw many cars already had tickets for parking illegally. Finally we spotted one at the “dog beach”. We parked and walked down to the beach. I don’t think I’ve seen so many dogs jumping in and out of the water.

I’m very fortunate that I live so close to some fabulous beaches and have changed my habits a little by getting up earlier to avoid the extreme heat later.

Well that’s my week over and done with, the next week is going to be much the same weather wise, hopefully I can get down to the beach on a few days.

Posted also for Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share and Sue’s Weekend Traffic Jam

~ Sun, Sea Sand and Sculptures – A Taste of Things to come ~

It’s been so hot in Perth these last few days I finally persuaded Anthony to come to the beach with me. We arrived around 4.30 pm and found somewhere for the deckchairs. This week is the opening of Sculptures by the Sea 2023, so it was pretty busy on the beach with some sculptures already up and others being erected. Bulldozers were going up and down on the sand creating spaces for sculptures that needed reinforcing.

“The beach is a place of art,
Where sand comes alive by the sun’s light,
Where sculptures spring up like mushrooms in the night.
Each wave that greets the shore,
A brush stroke of ambience,
Creating a masterpiece on the sea floor
Sculptures of sand, soaked by the sun’s kiss,
Moulded with care, to make us never miss
The memories of our days at the shore,
And the special places we just can’t ignore.”

A poem created by the new AI Block on WordPress


I have just been reading Deb’s post about this new block and thought I would give it a try! I suppose it is cheating but so much fun.

As you can see Anthony is waiting patiently for me to have a quick swim. It’s ironic that I decided to go for a swim on the first day of Autumn and no sign of the end of the Summer in sight!

So far there are some wonderful colours dotted around and I’m looking forward to sharing more in the next couple of weeks.

My featured photo shows the surf lifesavers practicing their exercises. I thought this showed a certain order as I watched them paddling out, circling around and back again. (For Marsha’s WQ post).

In a sea of chaos and dismay
Order can brighten up your day.
An unbroken pattern of sound
That summons things around.

Another AI poem!