Blog | Jackie Parry - author

July 29, 2014
by jackieandnoel 9 Comments

My Facebook Rules

‘How can someone have 200 friends?’

‘FB is a terrible idea, it makes it easy for people to abuse others.’

These are some of the comments I hear from Facebook haters when I mention I use it. Yes, FB can be used to abuse people, but so can a telephone, texting and pen and paper. As for friends, why can’t you have lots of friends?

I think FB is wonderful. Not only have I re-kindled fantastic friendships but I’ve made new friends.

Just recently I met up with Linda Frylink Anderson and her lovely husband Bill. Linda and I connected on a closed sailing group for women. She’s an author and sailor too.

This month we were both in Europe and got together. We knew each other already as we chat often, offering each other support and friendship in our writing and travelling endeavours. She’s helped me relax a bit more with my writing by not over-editing and I hope I’ve motivated Linda on her next book, (well, I keep asking her where she is up to!)

I’ve made another rich, deep and rewarding friendship, so yes, I like Facebook!

If used correctly Facebook is a wonderful tool for marketing too, which is a busy occupation for me.

Here are my rules for Facebook:

Limit your use and stick to it! (Set a timer).
Use FB as a distraction from time to time. (Set a timer).
Don’t start a fight or criticise. Your settings maybe private but they are indelibly written forever, who knows where they may pop up someday.
Don’t write on Facebook while drunk
If you wouldn’t announce your posts face to face, don’t write them down
Be courteous
Read through your comments and ensure they make sense and cannot be misconstrued
Don’t rant
Support other people in your business/profession/personal interests – LIKES are supportive
Post pictures
Keep it short

Do you have self-imposed rules?

July 29, 2014
by jackieandnoel 6 Comments

Family trip to Besancon to meet friends

The flood rain meant we had to stop and enjoy Ranchot for a few days, which wasn’t very tough. Dad particularly loved the little village, ‘it was very pretty.’

Pretty scenery

Kieran (my nephew) stirred up his creative juices and turned a Lipton’s Yellow Label Tea bag into fishing equipment. Utilising the staple and string Kieran made a hook and line and attempted to capture a whale.

Kieran having a quick snooze

With rested crew we were all ready to tackle the swirling water and we pointed the bows towards Besancon. Gentle locks, eerie tunnels, cups of tea and a pleasantly cool day accompanied the intrepid crew who were ready for anything.

Into the black hole

Noel on the stern line

Mum became navigator and loved the team work of the crew while traversing the canals.

Our navigator

Dad working hard on the bow

In Besancon our lovely friends Linda and Bill met us with healthy grins and a fabulous few days have been spent talking boats, books, writing and wine.

Arriving into Besancon

Love lockets

The grey clouds are now starting their march across the sky. A serious card game is developing, and many satisfied yawns can be heard beneath the pitter-patter of rain.

I want one

July 26, 2014
by jackieandnoel 6 Comments

WIP Reveal

I’ve been tagged by writing buddy Rachel Amphlett to reveal the first lines of the first 3 chapters of my WIP (Of Foreign Build), and then tag 3 more writers to do the same.

Here goes:-

Chapter 1
The grey, cool room held so much sadness that the old mismatched furniture had absorbed the heavy look of grief.

Chapter 2
The first major decision Noel and I made as a couple was, how were we going to live?

Chapter 3
Losing control and almost smashing up a fifty-five thousand dollar, ten tonne boat is quite exhausting.

Batons go to my boating buddies and writers/authors Sandra Crook, Alison Alderton & Julie Gorges.

July 25, 2014
by jackieandnoel 2 Comments

International Experience

We’ve ordered a marine toilet from Italy and solar panels from Germany. We’ve got a Dutch bank account and a Dutch built boat. All instructions, on the boat, are in French.

We’re ordering fuses from Holland, ‘they don’t exist anymore,’ insists the French chandlery.

My Dutch phone keeps texting me in Dutch. I can’t get my French phone to work – I have to back up the Sim first, in order to back up the Sim I have to activate the Sim, in order to activate the Sim I have to back up the Sim.

The French dongle (sounds like a poodle) is working just fine – phew!

Thank goodness for lovely places like Ranchot to calm my befuddled brain. And my lovely family from the UK (mum, dad & Kieran (my nephew)) – to help keep me sane!

July 24, 2014
by jackieandnoel 6 Comments

On the move – at last!

The town of Dole is remarkable for several reasons. The three most pertinent reasons for me are because:

1) The scientist Louis Pasteur was born here (he was the guy who came up with the food preparing process known as pasteurization, and he also developed a vaccination for anthrax and rabies).

Louis Pasteur

2) It is a stunningly beautiful place, and

Dole Cathedral

3) It is our first stop on our first voyage on our first barge!

My nephew Kieran is great crew

After leaving our health Spar on the hard at St Jean de Losne dry dock, where the fumes supplied a healthy nose bore, emptying out all that crap that’s been sitting there; and where daily skin and teeth exfoliation were complimentary from the neighbouring sandblasting – we finally cast off and moved!

Before departure I confused (and scared) a few people as I decided to inflict a name change on Dole, I told everyone we were going to Dove!

Hidden delights in Dole

Family arrived, mum, dad and nephew Kieran, and they instantly felt at home. They easily fell into the boating way of life and before long we were on another voyage to Ranchot; which was interesting as we did not plan to stop there – until the floods. More on that soon – with some beautiful pictures of a splendid evening on our unplanned visit.

I want one! A sneak peek at Ranchot.

July 21, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

CRUISING CLINIC – What’s so great about cruising?

Jackie Parry - author

This was my second question to Noel when we were searching for our first boat – (see the first question here).

At this point I hardly knew the front end of a boat from the back end. I also found the cruising world completely mind-boggling.

Noel’s response to this question, ‘getting to port’, holds a lot of truth (for us). I love being out there but with only two of us on board, after several days of a tag-team match (one is always on watch) it does become tiring. The constant demand on your body to move three-dimensionally, twenty-four hours a day, causes fatigue (the reason most accidents occur). Plus we are always looking forward to exploring our next destination.

What’s it like?

Sailing oceans is not like a plane or car ride. Nothing is certain except a vast puddle of water and a great stretch of sky…

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July 18, 2014
by jackieandnoel 1 Comment

CRUISING CLINIC – What’s so great about cruising?

This was my second question to Noel when we were searching for our first boat – (see the first question here).

At this point I hardly knew the front end of a boat from the back end. I also found the cruising world completely mind-boggling.

What’s it like?

Sailing oceans is not like a plane or car ride. Nothing is certain except a vast puddle of water and a great stretch of sky. The days pass, measured not in hours but in distance. It’s dynamic, fantastic and petrifying all at the same time. There is rarely pattern or logic; you deal with what’s received, as it arrives . . . moment by moment.

Most of all, and from a personal point of view – cruising for years was an incredible experience – it changed me. It made me a better person, I saw the world, I learnt so much about everything – other people, cultures and most of all I learnt more about me.

8 months in Ecuador and our lines need some serious cleaning!

Living aboard can be incredibly satisfying but also more work than you can believe.
Like anything, it is what you make it.
If you can’t imagine what it is like, have a practice run. The issues that may arise are sometimes not obvious.
If you run out of something in the galley, you probably won’t be able to nip out and pick it up.
If a fault develops do you have spares on board? Or are you able stir-up your creative juices, and make repairs with whatever you have at hand?

Finding and fixing a leak in a tight spot stirred up my creative skills!

Some of the things you think will be wonderful might become a nightmare, conversely enjoyment will be found at unexpected times and places. It can be different to what you expect, but if you stick it out, you will start to love the life for other reasons. To grasp our meaning, check out our FAQ under SAILING STUFF above – and ask your questions. Down the line I’ll post an article called Pelagic People, detailing a day in the life of being on board.

Also, check out Ecuador Expenditure (also under FAQ on our website), which includes details of what we did and spent for a month.

Some cruising highlights:

Joining an amazing community, the fraternity of boats on the move
Helps you find who you are and the cruising life shows you how to take time to live
You are in command of your time, not someone else, weather becomes your dictum
You are at the helm of your life, not someone else – take charge!
You meet incredible people
Your geography improves
You will learn a multitude of good skills, mechanic, cook, electrician, cleaner, painter, carpenter, machinist . . . . etc, (the list is endless!)

A chore? Not really in beautiful Aitutaki

More help

1) The idea behind Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen) our book for cruisers, is to help you go cruising now, answer all your questions, and help you to create happiness on board and in your life. As you read through these posts (and our book), you will figure out what does and does not work for you in order to step closer to a contented life. Most importantly, remember that you will not have the time to take on everyone else’s opinions or ideas – do what is right for you. It is all about your adventure and the self-discovery your journey will bring. Do write, we would be interested to know what you discover.

2) Read Reality Reflections of Sailing here.

Next time: Calculating your cruising costs

July 18, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

Cruising Clinic Snippets – Don’t sweat the small stuff

This was advice from a long-term cruiser and a friend.

I had to stop and think about this for a bit. I knew, with just five small words, she’d said something remarkable.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Months of hard growth on the lines – days of cleaning . . . is it worth worrying about?

What is the small stuff on board?

The laundry (in cold water, by hand)
The blocked loo (marine toilets are renowned for this delightful occurrence)
The entire boat turning into a workshop
Running out of gas in the middle of cooking
Salt saturated cushions that just won’t dry
A lumpy sea
Too much wind
Big waves

Split stuff behind the cooker - is it worth getting worked up about it?

Cleaning behind the cooker – is it worth getting worked up about it?

So when do you ‘sweat’? Well usually you don’t, usually there’s no time.

Maybe you’d sweat during a storm, which can last for days. But, generally ‘sticky’ moments on board are in bursts:

fingers of lightning
winds shifting to create an untenable anchorage
dragging anchor
broken rudder . . .

. . . these are moments when you may sweat . . . IF YOU HAVE TIME.

Instead of sweating you’ll be too busy doing what’s necessary.

The great thing is, those moments where you don’t have time to sweat are great training for when it really matters.

Rough seas – do what’s necessary to make the boat safe, then relax

Yes, cruising can have its shitty moments, it can be scary, but each challenging moment will build your confidence and faith in your boat and yourself – creating comfort and a more relaxed life that just keeps on improving.

Tomorrow is the next instalment on our CRUISING CLINIC – What’s so great about cruising?

Stop by and let us know what you think.

July 14, 2014
by jackieandnoel 4 Comments

Writer’s Blog Tour – July 2014

Thanks to fellow author and blogging buddy Rachel Amphlett who invited me to join this blog tour. I have to answer four questions posed by her, and tag three more writers to answer the same questions on their blog or FB page.

What are you working on?

Of Foreign Build which is about sailing around the world on a 33 foot boat for nine years. It is not just about the journey on a boat. It is also about the journey of life and how I changed from a corporate girl into a sea gypsy woman, and how I did battle with the testosterone fuelled nautical world to become both a professional captain and a qualified maritime teacher. Of Foreign Build is a deeply personal account. Currently I am at the editing stage, while working on designs for the front cover.

How does your work feel different to others in its genre?

I write about stuff I am passionate about. It flows that way, it is completely honest and, I think, more natural. Of Foreign Build peels back layers of a women’s character that you rarely see. I had to think carefully about whether I wanted to publish this manuscript which contains so many raw emotions.

Why do you write what you do?

I enjoy writing about life transformations. It is as simple as that. When I am asked to write articles about subjects I am less zealous about, I have to work harder. The subjects that I know about and love just flow out through my fingertips. I have no control, I just HAVE to write.

How does your writing process work?

I’m afraid it’s just as and when. My life has no order in it at all. Currently I am travelling on a boat – that’s the way I like it. However, as far as writing goes I would love to be more organised and have a plan. I plan to have a plan – one day!

When I am at the editing stage, I do become a lot more organised. I have to. My manuscripts go through several editing stages, husband, beta readers and then a professional editor.

Thanks for visiting, now the baton goes to . . . .

Captain Larry

Author of The Frugal Marina & Creaky Dock Lines – a book of funny nautical poems.

If you are interested in boating, The Frugal Mariner has something for you. Whether you are a new boater, an experienced boater, a weekend boater or a full-time cruiser, there is information here you can use. Saltwater Suzi and Captain Larry, the authors of the Frugal Mariner, have lived aboard for 15 years and cruised many thousands of miles.

Linda Frylink Anderson

Sailing around the world was a dream Linda and Bill had for 30 years. They achieved their dream. Sailing in my Sarong written by Linda describes building their yacht Valiam and their epic voyage, with 400 images. $39.95

Hetti Ashwin

‘As a writer I do my best. I write for magazines, radio and fun. I have a healthy ego, and a fertile imagination which combines with a robust work ethic to make me a well rounded individual. As the proud possessor of an enlarged funny bone I’m bound to say it has a marked influence on my writing style and my life in general.’ Purchase Hetti’s books here.

Please stop by at their Facebook/blog/website, they’re worth a look . . . and don’t forget to write!

July 13, 2014
by jackieandnoel 4 Comments

Can You Smell Gas?

Today Noel was the electrician on board and I became the gas technician. The wheelhouse stunk of gas this morning. When I opened the gas locker (outside, near the wheelhouse door), a wave of gas assaulted my nostrils!

I duly made up some soapy water and as I applied it to the connections said ‘please not the regulator, please not the regulator.’ Guess what, it was the regulator. Sure enough the tell-tale bubbles came from the regulator.

See the bubbles near the bottom?

$105.00 Euros later – thank you very much – and we have a new regulator.

The old

The yard is nice and quiet this weekend. It’s nice to have a rest from the sandblasting from next door’s boat. Mind you I was getting quite a good all over exfoliation treatment from it all.

A friend told me that she treats herself once a year to such health matters. I don’t, I rely on DIY or, apparently, sand-blasting! ‘I am a canny with money though’, I explained, ‘I even try to convince Noel the mold on the bread is just a new brand.’