By the Sea, by the Sea, by the Beautiful Sea

Xavier and I made it to the seadside. He doesn't like this photo as he says it makes him look wiry...
We took a picnic of avocado and cheese sandwiches and a thermos of nice strong, sweet tea and chocolate biscuits. Food always tastes so good on a picnic. Xavier was a little like a dog nosing about for the 'inspiration' Norma-Jean had foreseen. I told him he should relax and let inspiration come to him as there was no surer way to drive it back than by chasing it. We even got in some practice making friends with dogs (I am still coaching Xavier as he continues to have trouble with Matilda, his girlfriend's Jack Russell). In the afternoon the weather closed in and we were preparing to leave when I heard Xavier exclaim. He was jumping up and down on the spot and pointing out to sea. There was a bluey-grey-purple thunderhead blowing towards us from the horizon. I do love a storm over the sea. And there in the forefront was a sinuous waterspout snaking up to the sky. It was magnificent. It didn't last long and we failed to get a good picture of it but Xavier was absolutely thrilled. 'Poseidon, Poseidon has spoken!' he exclaimed. I gather this vision has set him off on a water and mythology themed burst of work. When I called him the next day I could hear the unmistakable sounds of whale song in the background. 'Can't talk, can't talk' said he and hung up on me!