Boats, Cars and a New Baby

Hello again. Sorry it’s been so long. This landlubber life is very time consuming.

While we were away sailing our son, Simon, and his wife, Erin, moved to California. There were a few extra items of furniture in our house and a car on the drive when we returned home. My car was rolled out of the garage, taxed and serviced. Simon’s car became Jeremy's and was duly MOT’d, taxed and insured. We were a two car family again, but this was to be short lived.

Christmas was great. We stayed with Em and Ben for a few nights and it was delightful watching two year old Ellie shouting up the chimney to Father Christmas on Christmas Eve and opening her presents on Christmas Day.

What's this, Mummy?

A visit to Sal Darago on the hard in the boatyard was tinged with sadness. Her green hull had been complemented with green decks and a green cockpit, not to mention a layer of bird guano. The unusually warm, damp weather had led to a growth of moss and algae. She looked neglected and I guess she had been.

That's a tight fit!

She is having a bit of a refit at present. All of her standing rigging (the metal bits) has been replaced and the guard rails that run right round the decks. A new hot water tank (calorifier) has been fitted and 4 new portholes. The bow anchor chain has been replaced and we’re trying to replace the bow anchor. This is in addition to the usual winter servicing.

Who stole the mast?

My Mum was going to visit us in mid-January but she became unwell over Christmas and New Year and went into hospital early in January. I flew to the Isle of Man to see her and my sisters. That day Mum fell in the ward and broke her hip. She had a hip replacement and was later able to go into respite for two weeks. She went home on the last day of February to be looked after by my sister, Sara, and a team of carers. My other sister, Pat, is helping out as well. Mum’s progress is up and down and she is quite frail but she is happy to be in her own home. Jeremy’s remaining aunt, Joyce, was very poorly in January. She too fell and had a hip replacement. She has only just been moved to a respite home, but seems to be improving.

The outside doesn't look too bad

So, what happened to Jeremy’s car? It set on fire spontaneously at the boatyard. No-one was in it.  The keys were not in the ignition and only a warning by a passer-by and quick action by Jeremy and the boatyard owner prevented a serious blaze. The insurers have declared the 10 year old Ford Focus a write-off. Jeremy had owned the car for only two months, but Simon had owned it for four years and had looked after it very well.

Not so good under the bonnet

During the same week we had a chimney fire, our second one in only a few months of use. Jeremy put it out and a few days later we bought our own rods and a brush and swept the chimney ourselves.

Granddaughter number 2

And now to the best news of all. Sophie Catherine Lloyd Deacon was born in  March, on the same day as Jeremy’s mother. Sophie weighed 9lbs 13oz. So well done, Em. They are now at home and mother and baby are being looked after by Ben and Ellie.

Gorgeous

We hope to launch Sal Darago in the summer. We’ll let you know in the next blog post.