CATCH UP

We have been out of wi-fi range for over a week so unable to keep the blog up to date. First thing was a trip down to Oban. I had been referred to the hospital by the local dentist who was a bit dubious about attacking one of my teeth over here as it might be a problem extraction, and Dave kindly thought of taking our home down so I would not have to get the ferry back it it was too horrid. We were also able to fit in a few other things that needed doing, like seeing the solicitor to make sure all was set for our departure and getting the last of the survey completed. I can tell you I was the most grateful person alive to be able to get the taxi to the boat and fall immediately into miserable patient mode; it was one of those never again experiences. The surveyor came down the next day and did his thing and Spirit passed everything with flying colours, so we set off home in the snowstorm that had been going all morning. This could only be undertaken after brushing the snow off the deck and wrapping up in every woolly thing we had. No wind again so it was a motor home.
A day back in Tobermory and we decided to take the boat down to Ardfern where there is a marina and chandlery as we have been planning to upgrade the bower anchor. Only 7 hours down and an overnight and back again. The weather has been calm but freezing - -6 - -8 deg C every morning and heavy frost over everything. So 6.30 saw us on the deck throwing salt water everywhere to let Dave walk up front to let the mooring go and off we motored - no wind yet again. The dawn came up into the most beautiful blue sky and the mountains were heavily covered in snow and further down the Sound the sun touched the Cairngorms and made them a most glorious pink. Couldn't wish for a more spectacular trip. We threaded our way down the islands to Ardfern to find that the marina had frozen over that morning and a fishing boat had had to act as ice breaker. There was still floating ice when we arrived but caused no problem. We now have a very fine new anchor and woolly gloves. The next day was a repeat of the previous - get rid of the ice and motor, except this day had regular squalls of sleet and snow. Back to the mooring just as the light went.
We had just picked up the mooring buoy when I heard the phone ring down below. Nothing I could do at first, but as soon as possible went to see who it was - our Rachel. Little Alex had a really high temperature and snotty nose, poor little chap, so commiseration and a bit of what to do and said good night and fretted till the next day before i found out that he had eventually settled once he had exhausted his parents by being miserable all night. He is nearly 1 year old, impossible to believe, and this is the first time he has been unwell, so hence the worry. He is such a special little chap.
So now we are back in Tobermory doing last things.
We have a plan now. Dave has decided to go to the Bridge Congress that he used to run as a farewell gesture - this is over the first weekend in March. He will stay in the hotel with the other visitors who come from all over the country. I will have a whole weekend to turn the boat upside down (or have a party). Then we wait a week till the tides are right and if the weather agrees we will set off. The first destination is Swansea just before Easter as we have made arrangements to stay in Swansea marina and hire a car to go visit the family and have Easter in Oxford. We will spend a week doing that and then set off again and make our way to San Sebastien on the north coast of Spain. All we have to really do now is get the kedge anchor sorted, which is in hand if we can get hold of our resident engineer to make up a bracket for us, and the rest is food and off. It is starting to get to the scary/excited stage!

BITS AND PIECES

i found myself doing something I have not done since we left the house - ironing!!! How did this happen I asked myself - I had buried the iron very deep under the towels in the bathroom, hopefully only to be brought out for important things like making quilts. We have been using the little laundrette attached to the harbour building, and if I got the timing right I could fold things out of the drier when they were piping hot and miraculously get wearable clothes. However the demand on the machines was so great they have been replaced by bigger ones, and that combined with a back log of washing because of washing ropes instead of clothes meant a lot was crammed in and then crammed into the drier which was still the old size - result Dave's shirts and jeans came out like crepe paper. Mine were OK as they are all very old and floppy. So there I was ironing - learned the lesson, don't stuff the drier. The other lesson could be don't wash ropes, but the boat is going to Oban tomorrow for the final part of the survey, and although we love Henry to bits, he is a bit of a sooty old thing on the deck and we look a bit like an old coal barge. All washable, and despite his occasional burps, couldn't do without him.
The last few days have been really beautiful - very cold with heavy frost overnight, but still, blue days with the sun shining on the mountains, so lots of deck work once the ice had thawed - cockpit lockers cleaned and organised and cockpit scrubbed out - you can say it in a second, but it has taken a considerable bit of effort, especially as everything is a 'treasure' and there is only finite space. had the sewing machine out to make socks for the fenders, so now the topsides are not going to get scratched away, Dave has been around the boat in the dinghy washing the sides down - moaning a bit as it wasn't 30 degrees outside, only zero. I think his transformation from frog to prince is still in progress as he has been feeling the cold something chronic. In the evening I have to change into a light top while he sits huddled up to Henry in this thermal vest, thick shirt and jumper. maybe a big kiss will work this morning as it is St valentine's day.
we went out to the mooring the other day and i was talking to Rachel while looking out at the sun coming down and making the sky and mountains a beautiful gold, when we had 2 seals appear at the back of the boat and have a good look at us before deciding we were boring and did that graceful curved dive and slid away. In the mornings when we go into the pontoon we have been having to avoid a little duckling that seems to have become separated from his brood. He doesn't seem to be troubled by it and is happily doing duck things and diving down for food and coming up and shaking his head before going down again. He has been a regular for a couple of weeks now.
One for Kate. Been knitting this lace shawl in black one ply lace wool - 509 stitches and lots of fancy stitches and I have had no less than 3 wool breaks!! AAAAAArgh. It means tweezers and midget knots while not losing my place in the pattern, not dropping any more stitches and trying to disguise the whole lots. heart stopping as there is no way I can unpick this stuff. I don't know why I do it to myself. Knitting in the evening also gives Dave the idea I would be the person to untangle the ropes after they come out of the washing machine. I did suggest that there was a difference between 1 ply wool and 16 mm rope. He sighed one of those big ones that means 'I guess I will have to do it after all' and sets to work. I did however get the job of putting netting on the forward guard rails - surprising how long it takes to wind bits of string round and round and round.
Biggest news till last - we have planned to be off in March and have booked us into Swansea marina just before Easter. We are then going to hire a car and go to Oxford for Easter and catch up with babies before setting off for Spain. More later.

BLESSING SPIRIT

We have been waiting to have Spirit blessed before we set off, and a dear priest friend of ours who used to be on Mull, but moved to the Mull of Kintyre a year ago, said he would be delighted to do the honours. He was coming on a visit to Mull and would fit us in his busy schedule. However....
It was a dark and stormy night, and a dark and stormy day that broke and we were unable to get the boat to the pontoon or us ashore in the dinghy for the morning Mass he was saying. So a bit later we get a call - where are you? and the reply that we were stuck, but were hoping things would get better. So off he went to visit some other folk and to ring us later. Lunchtime came and still things were on the wild side, so another call would be made later. Things did seem to be getting a bit quieter, so Dave went off in the dinghy to do a recce of the pontoon and came back saying it was actually loads quieter in there, so we thought we would give it a go. So big coats, woolly hats and gloves went on and we got on the deck. It still seemed breezy to me, but determination was Dave's watchword. I was wondering about the enthusiasm of my protestant husband for a boat blessing, but thanked The Lord and started the engine. So after untangling mooring ropes that has twisted themselves into evil knots in the high winds we set off. Approaching the pontoon i realise that it was just as windy there as out on the mooring, but Dave got ready to jump, so an approach was made, more by the guardian angel than anyone I think and there we were, despite the wind doing its best to blow us off down the bay. Dave got a rope on and at least part of the boat was tethered. Half an hour later after much grunting and groaniing and using of winches we had more string holding us on than you could shake a stick at, and very cold fingers. With excelent timing the phone call came from Father Stephen - he thought things were just as bad, and they were, but were able to tell him he could come down and do the business. So we had Spirit blessed at last - so much holy water going everywhere that Dave thought we might have to man the pumps. It was so good to see Father Stephen again too, and catch up on all the gossip. Time passed, and i said to Dave are we going back out. then the truth was revealed..
It wasn't so much getting the boat blessed but getting in to stay alongside for the night as there was a big bridge club meet!!!
So I revelled in a happy boat for the night while the chap had a great time with the cards.
Not too long now, just waiting the weather (still!)