I’ve neglected the part of my blog that I dedicate to positive thoughts, so here’s a few…
I could choose to moan about:
The weather (it got really chilly today), but the nip on my cheeks is refreshing.
The rather large steel water tank sitting right in the middle of our half-demolished boat – but it means we are another step closer to finishing the renovations.
The mess I am living in (it’s a work-site) – but its kind-of fun and a great excuse for not doing any housework!
The forty-five minute cycle to the supermarket – but it’s keeping me fit and healthy
I am in charge of how I feel and today I choose happiness. Enjoy your day, every day!
Choose happiness and have fun. Learn to laugh at life’s little challenges! (‘Tash, my great friend and I giggle a lot!)
Hurry – it goes up to its usual price of $3.99 tomorrow!
All 5 star reviews : “I couldn’t out it down” “Buy this book”
PIRATES! STORMS! MAN-EATING CROCS! MUGGERS! WORKING IN A BROTHEL! SINKING! A NEAR ABDUCTION IN FRANCE! AND A WOMAN FINDING HER PLACE IN THE WORLD – PLUS MUCH MORE ……
I usually made bread during my nightshift on watch – about 3 am.
Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 1.99 cents for 24 hours! At Amazon.com (your location must be USA – you can set it there temporarily – wherever you are!)
For the Panama Canal – I’m in the dinghy, loading up with rubber tyres to use as fenders on Mariah. I was the smallest, so I got the job of ferrying them to the boat!
Have you blown your budget on Christmas presents already and want to know why everyone is reading Of Foreign Build?
Of Foreign Build has received rave reviews, such as: ‘I haven’t slept more than 6 hours in two days! Loved both books. Informative, funny, intelligent writing by a talented lady.’
I’d like you to read it too, so TOMORROW – 21ST NOVEMBER, Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 99 cents!
****99 CENTS!****
It’s a perfect Christmas gift . . .
Image courtesy of nirots at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
HURRY, it is for 24 hours only
Then it goes up to $1.99 for 24 hours
Then $2.99 for 24 hours
A Bargain buy for 3 days….. don’t miss out, see what everyone is saying! Click HERE.
You can also WIN a $400 Amazon spending spree to help the budget
For a chance to win a $400 Amazon Shopping Spree, compliments of The Kindle Book Review, Digital Book Today, click HERE!. To order my best-selling book for 99 cents!, clickHERE.
More Reviews:
‘ I just love how you turn blank sheets of paper into beautiful words.’
‘As always, she writes with honesty and humour to engage sailors and non sailors alike.’
‘A wonderful read. Jackie’s writing style exudes energy and joie de vivre.’
‘I got it this morning and I can’t put it down.. ‘
“Did you know, the average women walks three miles a per day more than the average man?” I said to Noel.
“Walks or talks,” says Noel!
Aside from my humorous husband, I’d like to make today, Little Toe Day.’
Those little, wiggly, appendages on the edge of our feet need some recognition.
The little toe on your foot has many names. It is known as the little toe, baby toe, pinky toe, and the fifth toe. But its real name is Digitus minimus pedis. I refer to mine as Pinkies.
Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
We are bare-footed a lot, especially when sailing and cruising. Our little toes have taken some severe bashings over the years…. rigging, stanchions, anything solid really.
Basically they are strong little critters and very tolerant – so let’s say a big ‘Yay’ for our little toes and learn a bit more about them:
Interesting facts
Toes can be used to replace fingers
Stalin’s were webbed
You can wrestle with them (and there you were wondering what you were going to do tonight!)
When walking, each time your heel lifts off the ground it forces the toes to carry one half of your body weight
Butterflies taste with their feet (imagine doing that!)
Gannets incubate eggs under their webbed feet
Elephants use their feet to hear – they pick up vibrations of the earth through their soles
The average foot gets two sizes longer when a person stands up
Mmmmm yummy flower! Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I talk about shoes and ‘spreading’ feet in Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen). Over the years of being bare-footed on our boats, my feet spread and changed size.
Van Morrison sang about it and I could relate to those words today.
“When you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit Then I must remember there’ll be days like this”
Noel and I have been quite anti-social lately, what with trying to get the outside of Rouge Corsair painted prior to winter setting in.
So, a shopping day with our friends, Kim and Lorna from MV Sunflower, was just what we needed to re-connect with civilisation again.
Aiguillon is a little over seven kilometres away. So, after a shaky start, (bike tyres….grrrr), we set off on four bikes of differing vintage, wrapped in hats and scarves, blowing fogging breaths.
On arrival, to get our bearings we sipped a delicious coffee watching the French-way unfold around us. The barman serving wine at 10 am with a cigarette in his hand. The impassioned shouting was just part of everyday conversation, and welcoming smiles.
Smart shopping
Noel and I had several items to find, which of course, meant the hardware. But, this time was different. I’ve never had so much fun in a hardware shop.
The ‘hooks’
We needed some L-shaped doohdads. Basically, metal hooks to hold up timber rods. Our curtains are going to tuck into these rods, at the bottom.
We could buy four in a packet for 5.55 (Euros) per packet. As we needed twenty-four we started to think of other solutions.
With Kim, Noel and I, scratching our heads, things started to improve. We found a packet with more hooks in them. They were a different metal, but useable, for 3.55 Euros. But then we spotted the pick ‘n’ mix.
The items were in baskets, loose, individual. I found a guy to help, as there were no visible prices, and he explained. There were three sized bags and each bag had its own price – the smallest bag was 2.55 Euros. We could put anything we liked in the bag, as long as it seals, all contents would be 2.55.
At this point we all grinned, rubbed our hands together, and said, ‘They have no idea what we are capable of!’
“As long as the bag shuts – it will cost 2.55 (Euros)”
We packed the bag with enough hooks and spares, to do several boats.
What was going to cost us around 35 Euros, ended up costing 2.55 Euros! (Plus extras!)
Rewards
With fresh baguettes, ham and cheese we lunched in the town square. The smoking cafe owner offered us a table and chairs; everyone who passed-by smiled, ‘Bon Appetite.’
Loaded up! Great fun!
With a cheap supermarket, a charity shop and a hardware, all visited (some twice!) with loaded bikes, and big grins we cycled back to our boats. The cooling afternoon and falling winter leaves accompanied us home. The sweet smell from the apple orchards and the sounds of humming tractors was carried along the breeze to round off a perfect day.
When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this
When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
When you don’t need to worry there’ll be days like this
When no one’s in a hurry there’ll be days like this
When you don’t get betrayed by that old Judas kiss
Oh my mama told me there’ll be days like thisWhen you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this
When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they f it
Then I must remember there’ll be days like thisWhen everyone is up front and they’re not playing tricks
When you don’t have no freeloaders out to get their kicks
When it’s nobody’s business the way that you want to live
I just have to remember there’ll be days like thisWhen no one steps on my dreams there’ll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there’ll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
I love navigating, whether by stars, chart or GPS. Usually, on a voyage we navigate via GPS but back-up this wonderful device with good old chart work. On occasion we do sun-sights too.
Here are many diagrams on good navigation skills. Both recreationally and commercially, Noel and I have used every single one of these methods.
For example:
Parallel indexing in fog
DR when the GPS has lost its signal (or as back-up)
Set and drift when heading to GPS co-ordinates, on an urgent rescue
Always learning
A few years ago I was a skipper on different ships in Papua New Guinea (Noel had his own-different-ship), with thirteen local men as crew. The charts were out of date, there were chart errors* and GPS errors. I HAD to rely on my navigation skills. This wasn’t easy, I was in new ports, fast currents, narrow channels and a boat with its controls labelled in Japanese (plus 300 passengers).
Coupled with all this fun, some of the boats were air-started… use too many forward and astern manoeuvres when docking (on a busy commercial wharf), and you run out of air, run out of….. engine!
My skills
I was told today that I don’t have enough skills to be a trainer – which is my job in Australia. Assumptions were made after reading my blog. So I’m giving myself a shout-out today.
Proud
I am proud of my skills, they have been earned. I’ve not only been a commercial skipper on the high-seas, but busy inland waterways and canals too. As a commercial skipper (up to 80 metres) I have had, not only, to sit tough exams (written and verbal and practical), to gain my tickets, I have to prove my commercial sea-time and prove my skills and experience by signed reports by Captains of a higher level. My qualifications were only granted after the assessments were done and, in some cases, years of sea-time had to documented.
So, yes, this is a shout out for me! …and…
By the by, combining Noel’s experience with mine, both recreational and commercial, into a book isn’t easy (it’s a big book) – but it is amazing value at $4.99! – more pictures here and here. Plus another great resource here.
Cruisers’ AA contains details on all the errors that can occur, and how to deal with them – some may well surprise you!
Jackie Parry - author 