1st December - women on boats

Monday 1^st December

Women on boats…

Rachel (Aus) is exceptional - she lives on a small boat with her husband and two home-schooled teenage children

At the family celebration lunch on Sunday, I sat next to Nevil, who was mightily impressed with our sailing exploits.  Well, to be exact, with MY sailing exploits.  I looked at him a bit askance – my sailing exploits are not the stuff of legend.  But what he is impressed with is the fact that I am on the boat at all.  He is English and has lots of friends here and in the UK who are passionate about mucking around in boats.  They buy a yacht, meet a glorious woman, plan to sail off into the blue.  Maybe not in that order, but that sort of scenario.  One of his friends has set off in this fashion three times and has come back, a solo sailor, looking a bit crushed.  And none of the others has managed to convince a wife or girlfriend to embark on a long-term sailing adventure.

Chantal was a wonderful sailor-wife until, after six years, she was filled with a
desperate need to go HOME (Switzerland)

Years ago one of my friends had a relationship with a very handsome man we called Sailor.  He came and went.  Sometimes he would be around for months at a time, then he would vanish, out to sea.  He did take her down the Huon for the odd weekend on his lovely yacht, and she professed to enjoy it very much.  He would look at her darkly and say, Women say they love sailing but they don’t, not really.

Marian (Holland) is a redoubtable sailor and has sailed around the worlds several times, with Jan

And indeed there is a large number of solo sailors who would rather have a companion.  They look at me longingly…it is very strange to be so desirable, at my age and stage of life…

Nicky was a wonderful guest on 2XS and didn't find life aboard difficult

Time is rushing on by…December already!!

Way back when…in 1973…someone took a photo of my sisters, my mother, my new-ish very first baby Nicky and me. 

Jacqui, Gina, baby Nicole, Monique, Marguerite

We tried to recreate this on Saturday 29^th November 2014…

Jacqui, Gina, Monique, Nicky, Marguerite

30th November - celebrations in the beautiful north of beautiful Tasmania

Sunday 30^th November

Sometimes the weather gods are kind, in Tasmania.  Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful sunny, warm day.

Everything just so fabulous, at Josef Chromy vineyard.

Marcel and Gina

And everyone happily gathered for the auspicious occasion of – Gina and Marcel’s 60^th wedding anniversary!

Gina, Pete, Rita

The food was delicious

Everyone cheerful and friendly – no brawls, no need for six police cars and an ambulance (I am unkindly referring to a recent Hobart wedding which has set the benchmark for uncivilised social occasions very low…)

Gina, Katy

Cousins reunited

Dara, Claire

Aunts and nieces

Nicky, Jacqui

General happiness

Pete, Marguerite

Many thanks for this beautiful reunion celebration!

Nevil, Monique

28th November - Langkawi jellyfish - more prezis - democracy in Tasmania

Friday 28^th November

Meanwhile back in Langkawi…

Some friends have posted a photo on Facebook of a hand-made poster they saw displayed near the beach.  Really??  Giant jellyfish chasing us as a food source?? 

I showed Nicky’s Grade 6 girls at St Mary’s a photo of one of the Malaysian jellyfish yesterday.

So pretty, like a wet floppy pink tutu.

I didn’t actually swim with these pretty creatures so I don’t know if they would have chased me as a food source…

In Thailand we watched people scooping jellyfish out of the sea and plopping them into their long narrow boats.  We had no idea why they were doing this – maybe to clear the beaches for the hordes of tourists?

But no…the jellyfish are for eating – they are a food source for humans…

Yummy???

So maybe the fearsome Langkawi creatures are enacting Revenge of the Jellyfish!

The St Mary’s girls were very polite and responsive during my prezi, which went OK.  Except…I had added an orangutan picture at the last minutes, literally as I was rushing out the door, laptop in hand.  It wasn’t lodged properly, this photo… So I said, confidently, We swam into this beautiful cave on Koh Muk – the Emerald Cave.

And on the other side was…(wait for it; a beautiful beach)

But no it wasn’t a beautiful beach; it had been eclipsed by a big fat close-up of Ritchie the alpha-male orangutan…

Nicky sent me a photo of the notes one of her conscientious students took during my prezi…

What a cute summary!

After my speedy prezi the Thomas family and I went to have a picnic on Parliament House lawns, and to protest against the proposed cuts to government schools.

Eva made a heart-felt poster

And Leo got to meet one of his heroes – our previous premier, Lara Giddings.

So nice, living in such a small democratic state where these things – protests, meetings with pollies – are so easy.

Another thing I found on Facebook yesterday – one of the words which exists in another language (Japanese in this instance) but should also exist in English.

I love it!

27th November - handbags for sailors - Prezi prentation

Thursday 27th November

Handbags are a  BIG theme all over the world.

Bags in Kuala Lumpur

Huge shops in huge shopping malls seem to sell nothing else; markets are heaving with bags.  Pete and I always gaze in amazement and estimate that there are more bags for sale in shops than there are humans.  I have my own very beautiful soft black leather bag, and a few unsatisfying smaller bags which do not meet my needs.  It has been dawning on me that I need…a better bag.  A safer one, with more zipped up compartments and pockets.  A stylish soft leather bag does NOT cut the mustard when you are living on a boat…

As far as I am concerned, having a helpful, kind sales assistant makes ALL the difference when making important decisions of this nature… On my way to North Hobart last night (pub night) I stopped in Strandbags and had my hand held through the choosing process.  I now have a wonderful new bag with many zipped compartments.  Oh the bliss of moving everything from the insecure areas in my old bag and shutting my precious iPhone and my equally precious visacard into their very own designated secure areas!  Thank you Sam!

Jo and Sam

Sam extolled the virtues of my new Hedgren bag.  Apparently the strap is reinforced with thin wire so it can’t be cut by bad bagsnatchers.  I didn’t have the heart to tell her than a very bad bagsnatcher won’t carea bout this and will just pull me over with the aforementioned strap and then pull the bag off my arm regardless.  I hope, however, NEVER to be mugged…

Jeff has taught me a new and wonderful THING to do on the internet – a Prezi presentation!

All I need is an internet connection and a big white smartboard and – I am up and away with a photo presentation!  I went to Jemima’s prep class at Blackmans Bay Primary school yesterday, with my prezi, which had been nicely tidied up by Jeff – I had managed to download photos on the map format but with quite a degree of chaos and disorganisation.  Jemima introduced me to her class, and the class next door, which had come in to see what was up.  “This is my grandmother who has been travelling around the world on a boat, looking at crocodiles.”  Well yes, crocs have been a major theme in our travels, indeed!

No school photos but...a lovely photo of Rose, Zoe and Paul the magpie

I enjoyed my half hour with the children; they were interested and engagement – mostly… There were a few minutes for them to ask questions before they had to rush off to an emergency assembly about school closures (protests against the drastic cuts about to be imposed on government schools.)  Many enthusiastic hands UP.  I asked a dear little girl what her question was.  “My cockatoo died and we had to bury it.”  The teachers looked mortified and said, “Yes, great, but any QUESTIONS!’  More hands shot up… “Can I have a drink?” 

I do understand how hard it is to come up with relevant questions… recently at the South Hobart school fair a well-intentioned oldcodger walked around the school wearing academic robes and a mortar board and a sign indicting he was the History Man, ready wiling and able to answer any local history questions.  I avoided him as best I could.. But Jeff found him and tried to get Leo to ask him pertinent questions.  Leo, who is a smart boy, immediately looked totally vacant and dopey and said, “ummm…no….”  Jeff then cornered me.  When confronted by the History Man’s hopeful little grey beard face…I too immediately looked totally vacant and dopey and said, “ummm…no….”  Maybe I should have asked him for a drink…

Constitution Dock - a bit of Hobart history...