Review, Js, and car boots

Life has been incredibly busy recently what with doing a review at Mullion Cove for a website, then last Thursday we went on the press boat for the J Class yachts who were racing in Falmouth Bay. They are the most incredible boats and despite not much wind, they had a good race or two. The press boat was not quite what I'd enjoyed last year at the Pendennis Cup, though. This year it was a deep sea fishing boat (with no seats) - quite a long time to stand (6 hours) with camera etc. along with four professional photographers. Mr B pointed out the only thing that was missing was ice and fish.... Still it was a real privilege to get that close to the boats and I've got a good library of shots now.

And Mr B's taking me to the eye department at Treliske this afternoon as I have a Foreign Body in my eye which they have to remove. I am trying my best not to think about that right now. Oh, and the dentist before hand.

Tomorrow we are doing the car boot at Rosudgeon to try and make some money. All go here!

Party, proofs and publishers

Paul’s party was great fun - good singing, grub and company - shame to think that’s the last one for a year or so.

It was also the Falmouth Sea Shanty festival so Falmouth was ringing with singing, and it was the Classics (boat) festival, so the town was buzzing which was lovely.

The sun has finally come out so we went out on the boat at the weekend (hooray) and yesterday Moll and I went over to Rosemullion Head with my friend Suzanne for a fabulous sun drenched walk.

Last Friday my friend Emma and I had a meeting with the owner of A Curious Hall in Falmouth (the old WI Hall) which is where we will be having our joint book launch in August. It’s actually where we had Pip’s wake and the building has had a complete makeover and been painted and it looks amazing. I love the little touches like a bowler hat downstairs for a lampshade, and upstairs there are musical instruments as lampshades. Very me!

Just having last minute emails from the cartographer regarding the maps for my book and I should bet the proofs back from the publisher by the end of this month. Exciting!

Peace Walk 2015

At the end of July, my friend Paul Haines will be walking from Rome to Jerusalem with the focus on Peace and Reconciliation in the world. He will be wearing the peace dove symbol, carrying a book for people to sign, and asking for Messages of Peace that he can take with him as he walks, planning to be in Jerusalem sometime in December.

Paul would like to engage with as many people as possible, before, during and after his walk, hoping to help raise the profile and awareness of peace and in some way, hopes his walk will have some effect.

He is linking up with two charities, “Children of Peace” a UK based charity that offers a non-partisan approach to conflict resolution in the Middle East and “Postcards for Peace” a UK based charity that provided the dove symbol.

Paul started long-distance walking five years ago. Last year he walked from London to Rome in aid of two charities that are involved with health, dementia and music. He talked to many people as he walked for three months, and tried to help raise the awareness of the issues connected with dementia and the benefits of music for health.

On Saturday Paul is having a Mix where everyone is invited to come along and eat, drink, and listen to him talk about his walks past and future. We will also sing, read out or play anything to do with peace. These are always good evenings, but we are filled with admiration at what he is setting out to achieve. If you have a look at the messages of peace he has already collected, you will see that these range from Archbishops, the Queen, Tim Smit - and me....

He asks that people will follow him on his website, Peacewalk 2015 and leave messages of peace.

A blast from the past

Last Friday the postman came running up my front steps with a big parcel, just as I was coming back from walking Moll. I frowned, thinking - what? I haven’t ordered anything. It must be for Mel and Joe upstairs.

But it wasn’t. So I took it inside, fought with layers of heavy tape and ripped off sheet after sheet of brown paper. It was like being a child at Christmas. Finally, I unearthed a big, blue box. I opened it hurriedly, ripping the lid off.

Inside, encased in bubble wrap, was one of Pip’s half models of a 28’ working boat made of Cornish holly in 1990. (He used to make models for the Maritime Museum in Greenwich.) And inside that was a card from one of Pip's cousins - he'd given the model to her mother as a present in 1990 and she was returning it to me, as both her parents had now died.

It was, as Paul said, an “Oooh er,” moment. Pride at the exquisite workmanship of the boat, made by big, outdoor hands that looked far too chunky to make anything as delicate as that. And a swoosh of emotions concerned with loss and disbelief that that part of my life was over; had ever happened.

The ending came so quickly it was hard to make sense of, and yet I looked at those pictures of him, and am reminded of the reality of the joy on his face the day we got engaged. A quiet moment of contentment taken when out sailing on his beloved White Heather. Us together, me laughing up at him, with those strong arms around me.

Of course I miss him, particularly his enveloping cuddles. His all encompassing, unswerving love. His irritability at the news in the morning, ("shoot the bastards!") and his devotion to Moll ("she's very bright you know.")

It seems another world. Another life. And yet it’s part of who I am now.