Significantly Hot is the new phrase that’s entered our weather forecasts, surely the fault of the Climate Crisis. I knew yesterday that today’s temperature was expected to reach 28°.
Awake just after 5am I get up, go to the loo, and give the importunate cat his breakfast.
Back in bed I turn to RNZ National (on my MP3 player with headphones, so I don’t wake Stephen) and catch the end of Witi Ihimaera’s Bulibasha read by George Henare. George is now 76 and living in Australia. I hope he’s managing to avoid Covid there.
At 5.30am there’s a regional weather forecast, but nothing for the main centres, nothing to confirm that Christchurch will be Significantly Hot.
Kris Kristofferson sings of Sunday Morning Coming Down – not referring to our temperatures.
Next is Andrew McCallum reading from his Bob Dylan’s New Zealand, marking Bob’s 80th birthday last year. I’ve heard previous episodes of this and adore Andrew’s style. His short sentences are poetic, and his literary allusions resonant of Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize. Andrew mentions 70s Broadsheet Mothers – I was one of those! He talks of the Daughters of Circe, and so much more. I must download the programmes and listen again.
It’s 6am. I’ll hear the news then try to sleep again, but there’s silence, broken eventually by Nina Simone singing that she Shall be Released. Lloyd Scott reappears at 6.04am, apologises for the delay but gives no explanation. I listen to the News: Novak Djokovic in detention, fire still burning in the Far North. Finally a weather forecast, but the main centres are missing.
I get up, start the day. It will definitely be Significantly Hot!
Ruth's Reflections 
It’s been a scorcher, as my mum used to say. After a warm day she would also remind us solemnly that we will “pay for this later” with a sou’west change. I really miss my mum.
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It’s lovely to have these sayings of hers still with you.
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