Maiden voyage

No, this wasn't us, but taken at a regatta the other weekend.

A quick post today with mixed news. OK, I’ll start with the bad news which is that I have an acute flare up of a gum disease which will mean lengthy and costly sessions with the hygienist.

But the good news is that we launched the boat yesterday, having found a farm to keep it at for much lower rent than anywhere else. He’s also a contributor to Cornwall Today, which keeps it in the family!

So we launched the boat on Weir Beach and sailed over to St Just, taking Moll with us. She’s not that mad keen on going out in the motor boat but seemed to enjoy this, standing with her paws on the deck and ears streaming behind her.

I had had a stressful few days and was exhausted and wobbly. But we got out on the water and I could feel all those troubles drifting away. There was just us, the rush of the water as we sailed along, the wind in our faces and a solitary heron watching us from the shore.

It was quite magic. And as the forecast is rubbish for the next few days, and it’s lovely this afternoon, guess what we’re doing?!

Liebster award

Many thanks to Debs Debs for this Liebster award.

The rules of the Liebster Award are:
• Thank your Liebster Blog Award nominator on your blog and link back to the blogger who presented this award to you;
• Answer the eleven questions from the nominator;
• List eleven random facts about yourself:
• Present the Liebster Blog Award to up to eleven other blogs that you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen;
• Pass on the eleven questions to your nominees, or create new ones;
• Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.

1. What’s your favourite novel and what do you love about it.
Too many to mention but The Vacillations of Poppy Carew has to be one of my favourties. I love Mary Wesley’s ability to create wacky, believable, funny and empathetic characters and amazing plots.

2. Do you have any pet peeves in fiction? Head-hopping in the same scene.

3. What are you most proud of?
My writing so far. More I hope!

4. Your most and least favourite people in history? Likes: Joan of Arc
Dislikes: Hitler

5. The country, city or other place you’d most like to visit? New Zealand, China, Greece

6. Which five people would you like to meet (dead, alive, or fictional)?
Dorothy Parker
Winston Churchill
Mary Wesley
Christopher Hitchens
Fonteyn and Nureyev

7. What makes you laugh the most?
Random things, usually Mr B imitating me.

8. If you could know the future, what would you wish for?
Love and happiness, that my writing career may continue

9. If you won the lottery and could donate money to charity, which charity would you choose – and why?
RNLI – I was married to a sailor and have become one myself

10. Do you suffer from any little phobias or superstitions? Not keen on spiders

11. What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?
A good massage

Eleven random facts about me…
1. I’ve just started writing poetry
2. I tend to fall in love with men who love boats
3. I have a black and white cat and dog
4. I’m a late starter
5. I have very good focus, apparently – needed when sailing
6. We’ve just bought a dinghy
7. The RYA course I’ve just done was the hardest thing Ive done since school.
8. I don’t have children, a fact that used to give me much pain. As I grow older I think perhaps it’s a good thing.
9. I cry very easily.
10. Mollie is named after my Irish cousin Mollie.
11. I can’t imagine not living by the sea now.

I nominate the following bloggers, but please feel free not to take this up:
Chris H
Akelamalu
Sally

Another rollercoaster

As ever with my life, the last week has been another rollercoaster. First of all I’ve had some bad news on the work front which was very upsetting. More on that when I get confirmation of what’s happening. Also, Richard and Judy, who I'd been hoping to interview in April for my next walks book, now are too busy. Darn....

But the good thing was that we had the days owing to us from our sailing course last weekend which has been amazing. It’s over 40 years since I last sailed a dinghy so to say I am rusty is somewhat of an understatement. The nautical terms also cause my brain to atrophy – I seem to have not only forgotten them but have great difficulty in assimilating them – Close Haul – Beam Reach (no, I know that one) – but actually doing them has made understanding them much easier.

On Saturday we sailed in very strong winds – we were the only dinghy out there, and for beginners it was a real baptism of fire. I was worried about letting Mr B down but I didn’t and our instructor thought we did really well. I’d forgotten that incredible buzz I get from sailing – it really is incredibly addictive when you heel over, feeling the sheer power of the boat under you, knowing that you’re harnessing the wind to make it work for you. Very heady stuff.

On Sunday we had hardly any wind at all to begin with, meaning that we now know we can sail in all weathers. It was less tiring but we learnt just as much, doing different manoeuvres, and being warm was a bonus. In the afternoon we sailed among the classic boats out near Black Rock in the harbour which was a truly wonderful sight, and we felt incredibly proud to be there.

As we walked home on Saturday, Mr B said, “I expect you’ll write all this down now,” but I shook my head. “I feel too full of it all,” I said. For once words couldn’t describe how I felt. I felt very emotional – as if I’d been pumped up with something similar to laughing gas but more intense. I also felt bruised, battered and bewildered from braving high winds in a small boat, but a steady sense of achievement at what we’d done.

I will try and clear my head and articulate my feelings better. But I think it’s safe to say that we’ve both got The Sailing Bug. We just need to find somewhere to keep that boat now….