And no we still haven’t gone… a few hitches still with preparing the boat but…never mind!

We are hearing the most horrendous stories of people who have set off in the past week or so. One boat got 40 nautical miles from Hobart, on the way to New Zealand, and had to turn back, battered and bruised with all on board violently ill… Another boat got part way to New Zealand and was caught in a dreadful storm. They capsized three times and – yes, a theme! – everyone was violently ill, battered and bruised, and the boat badly damaged. And my sister Monique rang earlier today to tell me that a cruise ship had just limped in to Port Vila (Vanuatu, where my niece Leah lives,) with all on board- violently ill from the rough seas between New Zealand, Norfolk, Island, Vanuatu.

Pete’s son Martin has connected a beautiful fabulous heatpump in the apartment; we are now toasty warm…so we are quite happy for the weather to get just a little bit more amenable…