The skies are heavy with massive banks of swirling black cloud filling the sky in ever changing formations. From time to time the rain lashes from on high, hammering against the windows and thudding onto the decking in a manic percussive display.
The race gets going and Lewis blasts ahead in clouds of spray. More downpours punctuate the race, and I would be drawn in were it not for the start of the Wimbledon final over on the beeb.
This too is weather affected and the corporation does their best to fill the void. They have recordings of the two protagonists spouting verses from Kipling's desperately overdone rhyme "If". Sorry be en done too often not to be cheesy. an interesting biodoc on Federer, who aims to become the first bloke to win the title 6 times in a row for about 800 years follows.
Meanwhile Lewis battles on on ITV, extending his lead as every lap goes by.
Eventually Lewis triumphs, and by now the tennis is underway. The challenger Nadal sweeeps all before him and soon leads 2-0. But the Swiss is made of stern stuff, and between breaks for rain pulls it back to square.
Another rain break threatens the finish, but they battle on into the twilight. It develops into a Titanic affair, the first tennis match I have watched in full for many a year, and I have to confess, it makes me wonder why I have been away for so long. It's a thriller. Federer always seems to be playing catch up, but at times does so with an audacity that is breathtaking. Nadal is utterly relentlesss though, like a dog with a bone, and in near darkness brings home the bacon.
Fabulous. Apparently watched by 13 million, rare these days for a non footie event, and a bit unfair on Hamilton,whose efforts are rather overshadowed.
So that's Wimbledon done. Henley over too, Ascot behind us. And what before that... the snooker, and way way back now, the start of year darts.
Ahead? The proms must be starting soon, and in a few weeks the kids break up from school. Then hols, though still no news of anything being booked. And before we know it, the nights won't last much past seven, and there'll be that chilly dew lying on the car windscreens in the morning.
The year has almost caught up with my time of life. Just past halfway (whilst I must be well past), but heading downhill faster than we care to realise.
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