Sending out {{healing hugs}} for you dear Liz, and will do a little focused energy sending a bit later today. I'm so sorry to hear that you've been in such pain. There is nothing like the pain associated with teeth, as you just can't get away from it and nothing seems to work. Then, having to drive on top of it surely isn't helping matters any.

Elfina, sending out safe travel thoughts your way.

Kermit, are the new trees in buddy? How are you liking them? I imagine B2's little eyes lit up when he saw those new friends settled in heheh

We're warming up here after a brief revisit with spring a few days ago and a lovely shower. Now, the temps are slowly creeping up to the upper 80s and lower 90s, yet at least the 105 temp we saw last weekend has subsided!

Not much news on this front here, we're just restarting the whole process of looking for a buyer again, getting Ed to his doctor appointments, business and home things straightened out, etc.

Hoping Hathor, Maggy, Robynne, Sarah, and all others are well.

Leaving all who enter loving thoughts and hoping again that dear {{Liz}} is given relief from the pain.

Love,
Diana

Good morning dear friends {Smile}

Well the after effects of the tooth extraction are finally beginning to ease up at long last. (thank you for the healing energies dear {{diana}}}! I feel as though I have been a walking zombie for the past few weeks as I have had so many prescription painkillers just to be able to carry on as normally as possible. I have to have the prescription drugs anyway because of back pain etc and have really pushed them to the limit this time but it is gradually now getting better. I did go back to the dentist on Monday and he informed me that the after effects were normal as it had been major surgery. I did tell him at the time that if I had to go through that again then I wanted to be knocked out completely!

Mind you life has to go on so have been doing that as best I can and helping Paul by driving him as with his cracked ribs (from too much imbibing at Penny’s Anniversary weekend) he cannot drive. That has been interesting as well to say the least with being on the painkillers! {smile} As we always so though all things do pass and this will also.

Such a lot has been going on here with getting ready for Penny’s weekend (which went well for a family get together). With Paul having injured himself I had to drive his car home through storms and lashing rain. That was interesting as I had only driven it for about 10 minutes when we were in Scotland! {chuckle} We got home ok though so that was good. It was little Scarlet’s birthday on the following Saturday so we went to her birthday party to take her presents. Some good news though is that Emma and Dan have got back together again so hopefully they will be able to work through things to build anew. They went off for a couple of days holiday after Scarlet’s birthday party and return today.

Things have been progressing on the boat front and she now has her name on her! Robert very kindly took some pictures on Monday evening and emailled them to me so I will pop some on FB and share them. We went to see her yesterday and have been making lists and more lists of things to do for her as we are going to be taking a holiday on her from 11th May for a couple of weeks. She is due to go back in the water next Tuesday or Wednesday after the long weekend. It has been such a long time with all the work that has been done on her and the dreadful weather has really held things up. It seems that as soon as the water companies issued the hosepipe ban for a drought that it hasn’t stopped raining! There was a break the last couple of days and I think today is going to be dry as well so Stevie (who is doing the work) can really crack on again with painting.

Some sad news to relate in that the little birds in the nesting box have now abandoned the nest. On the Saturday when we were leaving for Penny’s she had laid seven eggs and was sitting on them. She sat for 10 days and then this Monday something had raided the nest and there were only three eggs left. I couldn’t believe it when I switched the TV monitor on we both felt really sick. I know it is nature but we are still stunned over it. They have been taking some of the nesting material so must be building somewhere else now dso that is the end of spring watch camera time for this year.

Well looking at the time I need to make a start on my morning so I will post this little catch up in and then hope to be back later to respond to posts. I hope that all are well and that {{elfina}} has had a safe trip back up north.

Leaving a {{warm group hug}} to {{all}} who may enter….

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

PS please excuse the rambliness - it is a Neptune day for me and I am not going to proof read {smile}

Liz, I'm so sorry you had such pain from having your molars removed. It know from experience how painful it was. Glad you are on the mend.

We are back home in NY...the ride was much better then we expected with the new car and we made it home in 2 days instead of 3. Everything here wintered well and I walked in the door to find things just as I left them.

Pat has been trying to get the mowers fixed and the lawns mowed and vehicles sorted out this week. I have unpacked and am waiting for the weather to improve so that I can start on the flower gardens. I am redoing them this year which means transplanting all the perennials and digging every thing up. I hope my back holds up so that I can get it done quickly. We cannot plant until after the 15th and really the 30th is better as we can still have a freeze up til then.

Next weekend we will got to my daughters for Mothers Day weekend. I am looking forward to seeing my grands, daughter and son in law. We will go to Connecticut to visit my mother for Memorial Day weekend. So I have a busy month planned.

I am happy to hear Emma and Dan are trying praying it all works out for them.

Diana, here's hoping that the house get sold soon and that you find a wonderful new place to live in record time.

Well Pat's up so I'll go get his breakfast on the table. I made raspberry muffins which he likes.

Waving to Kermit and the rest of us here. Scooter sends a tail wag...he loves it here in the north country where he can run and play. He is so much better here thank goodness.

Hello dear friends {Smile}

What a week (and more) it has been. We have had ups and downs with the boat renovations ie two steps forward and one back. The weather has been terrible with non-stop heavy rain which then resulted in some serious leaks on the boat which resulted in her being flooded in the passageway and middle cabin so that all had to be dried out. All of those leaks were identified and have now been repaired and then when she was due to go into the water last Friday Stevie (who is working on her) noticed on the Thursday that there was water on the hull (which shouldn’t have been there!) and found a hairline crack! That had resulted from her hitting something (probably years ago) and not being repaired properly (Steve’s words “a bodged job”) and the months of being on dry land probably helped to open it a little. It would have been a disaster if she had gone in the water on the Friday as she probably would have sunk! The Universe certainly provides and I think our angels were really looking after us in letting us know all the potential problems before we found them out once we were on a trip with the consequences not bearing to think about! {smile} So now that has been repaired properly and she went back into the water yesterday afternoon. And I have been sending out big thanks to the Universe for everything. We were totally exhausted last night with nervous energy expended on whether she would be alright once back in the water and ~touch wood~ she was but she is going to be checked for leaks first thing this morning by the engineer (especially as there is heavy rain at the moment and was overnight).

I have added more pics into the Bayliner gallery with a little step by step showing of her going from her place on the hard standing to being launched. In case any of you don’t have the url here it is again.. {Smile}

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3426823822950.149682.1040936369&type=1&l=7c00c8e1f0

I have just been so tired because of taking stuff onto the boat as it has had to be totally re-equipped inside (a bit like starting up house) so with sorting out things from home to take there and then having to go buy stuffand driving back and forth to Ipswich, plus still seeing to the animals, house and work stuff here that I haven’t been able to write much for here as have just been falling into bed around 9.30 and then up again at 6 to start it all again. {smile} Still all things change and am sure that this will as well.

We are do to go on the boat tomorrow for a two week holiday but I think that is going to have to be modified a bit as she is not ready inside yet because of having to dry her out so I dare say we will probably be sleeping here tomorrow night. I still have to do the Orwell Lady work (as Emma who normally takes the phone when we have a holiday is on holiday herself) so need to set up a little office in the small cabin. So this ~holiday~ is going to be more of a change of venue and living in the marina. getting used to the boat and seeing what extra things need doing to her and Paul getting used to her as well with engines and things and then going out for trips down the river and back. At least we can focus on her with Jill (who is coming to housesit tomorrow) being here so it is not a question of galloping back here for the animals. I have just been going to the boat in the afternoons to take stuff there so finally I can unpack boxes etc and sort out some clothes from home to take on board. The good thing too is that the marina is only 25 minutes away so that if we need to come home to get things it is not far. If she was berthed up on the Broads then that would be very different as it is then nearly a two hour journey. At least one everything is sorted then the stuff stays on the boat so this only has to be done once (hopefully!) {smile}

There is also WiFi in the marina (which works as I have tested it) so I can have the laptop on board and can do my work correspondence and then more writing again (at long last) as I feel very remiss in not contributing more here in the message board and my emails.

Hokey dokes I am going to pop this post in now and then go back through the posts here to comment before the day takes over again. I had started this post yesterday to say that the boat would be going in and here I am 24 hours later – it is just how life seems to have been recently – you turn around and another week has gone by! {chuckle}

I hope that all are well and busy in your own ~nows~ as life seems to have moved into the fast lane for all of us in recent times with never a dull moment! {smile}

Back in a little while… til then

Love always

Mermaid…xxx

{{elfina}}} I hope that you had a lovely weekend visiting your daughter and grands. It was a long weekend last weekend but the weather was dreadful (as is usual for the May Day Bank holiday weekend!) but was rather nice on the Sunday as Olly and Emma Jane came over with the three grandchildren as Emma and Dan were out for the day so they were babysitting Scarlet.

I was just thinking about how you manage with two houses and so far apart! Am remembering when you had the one built in the north and all the trials and tribulations you had in getting it just right but now it is so worth it isn’t it? {Smile} I hope that you don’t go overdoing it with the gardening and your back! I am so grateful that we have Robert now for the garden as he just gets on with what needs doing in the flower beds. Bless him he has even got the lawn looking ok as we have been able to mow in the dry periods between the downpours so that is looking lovely now. Michael is good as a groundsman/handman and he does some of the vegetable garden, clears down the quarry, does the stables and pond filters etc but a plantsman he is not! {chuckle} It took us a few years of him killing things and then the Universe brought Robert back thank heavens and the garden is looking just beautiful at the moment despite the weather! {smile}

The tooth extraction pain is just about gone now thank heavens and it is Paul who is in the wars at the moment! Sheesh with his Virgo rising he is not exactly a patient patient – what is it about men she said! {grin} After cracking his ribs when we were at Penny’s weekend which entailed me having to drive his Jaguar home for four hours in lashing rain and then him moaning about not being able to do anything, on Sunday this week he managed to have an altercation with Nelson’s tooth! He was taking them for their late afternoon run in the paddocks and Nelson is getting a bit big for his boots in challenging Chakhotay so they both growl at each other, Paul decided to smack Nelson on the nose – bad move! Just as he went to do that Nelson turned his head and Paul caught his hand on the tooth resulting in a rather nasty deep cut. He wouldn’t go to A & E as you have to wait for hours there so I managed to pull it together with plaster and then made him go to the doctors on Tuesday who have now re-dressed it. So as you can imagine he is not a happy bunny especially when we brought the boat back to her marina berth yesterday. Thankfully he does heal quite quickly so hopefully it won’t be too long before he is back to just a plaster and no bandages {smile}

Heck looking at the time I have to make a start on my morning (as Nelson has also just reminded me that it is breakfast time for them!) so I will pop this post in now and be back again later to respond to the rest of the posts.

Leaving a big hug for you {{all}}}

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

Hello to all.

Elfina, I'm glad that you made it back North safe and sound and hope you had a good visit with your daughter and grandchildren. I imagine the weather up there is beautiful with flowers in bloom, etc.

Kermit, how are the trees doing buddy? I do so love having trees around to hear the cheerful songs of the birds in the mornings. We've been seeing more butterflies this year flitting about than we did last year at this time, which is lovely. And a wonderful little quail couple have taken a liking to our property it seems. We often spot them walking along the side part of the property, heading to the shelter of the bushes. I imagine it won't be long until Mom and Dad Quail are joined by a little line of baby quails, which we look forward to {smile}

Liz, my goodness, re everything that's happened with the Orwell Spirit! Thank the Universe and the Angels that this all surfaced now before she got out into the water as I truly hate to think on what could have happened!

I'm sorry to hear about Paul, his injuries, and the fallout from that. Thinking here on Virgo males, and my father having been a Sun/Moon/Mercury triple Virgo and what an impatient patient he was {chuckle} Though I must say, the last year's worth of hospitals he was very patient, and very transformed on many levels, bless him. Anyways, I hope that Paul is on the mend now so, not just for his sake, but for yours! {wicked grin}

We had a blustery windy day yesterday, which sadly, produced very little in the way of rain, just a few drops. But the sky was rather eerie looking, as there was so much dust blowing about that we couldn't see the homes on the other side of the golf course, heck, we couldn't see but a part of the golf course! The "For Sale" sign out front got the top swinging part of the sign blown off it was so gusty, and when you looked up into the sky, there were swirling currents of air like mini tornadoes that didn't touch down. All in all, quite a showing by Mother Nature!

Ed has a new doctor which he got to meet last week. We were both a bit nervous as his previous Primary Doc had been his main provider for well over 10 years and knew everything about him, was on top of everything, and was a truly caring, wonderful physician. For whatever reason, he chose to leave the main VA hospital and go to a satellite Clinic, which is what brought the change on. His new Dr is a female, very nice woman who truly cares about the Vets, but she was handed both his old Dr's caseload plus that of another Dr, so needless to say, she's not as on top of things as his previous one was. Still, hopefully in time, she will get caught up, but I just request of the Universe that they will help her stay on top of things. Already, Ed's night time insulin has not yet arrived, and it was supposed to have been ordered and on the way a week ago! His blood sugar has steadily been creeping up as a result and I'm not at all pleased with this. He called and spoke to his Diabetic nurse, who sounded miffed with the Dr, so I know she went to light a fire under her butt so that the script can be filled and the insulin sent out to him. He does have his day time insulin, but the overnight one is what helps keep his blood sugar levels where they need to be as well. Anyways, enough of that, just my little vent.

Now that I've rambled on enough, will post this along with loving thoughts to all who enter.

With love and thoughts of peace,
Diana

Liz,
It seems we are having the same soggy weather. It rains every day and is on in the 40's today. I haven't had much time in the garden this week because of the cold wet weather. Visiting the girls this weekend. Scooter is at the groomers right now getting a new haircut. I can't believe he is doing so well here in the north. He seems like a new dog all of a sudden. His hearing has come back a little and he has lots more energy. I am so great full for
his recovery.

Glad your molar or lack there off problem is getting better. Paul must have really connected with Nelsons fang to get such a deep cut. Hope it heals quickly.

I am wishing you every happiness on your maiden voyage of the boat. It is lovely and the inside is wonderful. It really does remind me of our travel trailer. We were offered a spot to keep it at our ATV club grounds yesterday. We will check on it on Monday and then if all is well will move it there for the summer. I hope the spot is nice as Pat really likes it there.

Glad you will have WiFi so that you can check in and let us know what a good time you are having on your trip. Leaving some of my old fairy dust ****** so that all the work and fixing is behind you and the fun times begin.

Hello dear friends {smile}

Well we are finally onboard Orwell Spirit and have spent our first night on her. I just wanted to leave a little line as I have the wi fi set up on the little netbook for now and I know that Paul will be up shortly. I will sit and write more over the weekend as will now have some time to myself (in between sorting out things on the boat but at least I can take time out for myself {smile}

I just love this boat – she has beautiful energies they just wrap themselves around you. It is a Neptune day for me today – how appropriate is that! {chuckle}

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend and leaving a {{{warm group hug}} to {{all}} who may enter…

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

I'm so happy for you Liz, may you love the boat more and more as you travel and let all of your troubles float away with the tide.

We had a great weekend at my daughters. We went shopping and I bought new outfits for all of us. Mackenzie and Emily had a ball shopping with Mom and Grandma. Denise and I got some nice tops and the girls shorts, lovely tops and pants.
Denise bought me lots of painting and drawing items to replace those I had left in Florida. Mother's Day was very relaxing even if we spent most of it in the kitchen cooking.
We taught the girls how to make manicotti and artichokes and for dessert we made chocolate covered strawberries. I'll put a picture in of some of the ones we decorated someday.
John got me a new hummingbird feeder and a summers supply of food for it plus a nice journal. He took Scooter for the weekend so we didn't have to worry about him. He will watch him when we come to Europe next month. I am so glad he won't have to be at the kennel.

Today we bought a new memory foam bed. It is going to be lovely sleeping on it tonight. Speaking of sleep it is almost that time so I'll close.

Waving to each of you and wishing you a nice week and Mermaid may your trip be full of fun.

Hello agin dear friends {smile}

Well what an eventful few days thius far it has been! {smile}

It is hard to believe that it is Tuesday already so much has been going on. We are now jut about organised as much as we can be though I still have to set up the new laptop for the wifi so at the moemnt I am still writing this on the little netbook

Paul has gone off the the chandlers to buy more boat things and also to get some more mooring lines and fender ropes so it has given me a nice bit of time on my own to catch up on Orwell River cruises emails etc and now I can sit down and write up more of a post for the message board.

WE spent Friday and all day Saturday trying to get things straightened out and boxed and bags unpacked and put away. At least once it is finally sorted out then they will have permanent homes on the boat and we won’t have to take them all off again – thank goodness! I have been so tired by the end of the day that have just fallen into my bunk and slept right through! {smile} One of the things that has finally been sorted out today is the marine toilets so instead of waking up, throwing on some clothes and heading off the boat to the marina’s loo’s (toilets) tomorrow morning will now be very different – yay! {big grin} The things that we take for granted! {chuckle}

We had a real adventure on Sunday as we took the boat out down the river for her first run. Paul was a tad nervous about it but he ended up with a total baptism by fire! {smile} we had the VHF radio on in the wheelhouse and he was up on the flying bridge deck (as he likes to be outside). We had andy and his wife on board with us and Andy and Paul up on the flying bridge. I then heard on the radio Orwell Lady broadcasting. We had watched her go down the river a little earlier and then the message came over that she had lost her propulsion (ie engines working but no steering etc). The wind had blown her out of the main shipping channel and she had dropped her anchor so was in no danger and also out of the way of any shipping.

We called up our tug skipper to get the tug out to go down river to tow Orwell Lady back and took Andy (who is one of our engineers} over to the tug. We went alongside the tug and Andy then hopped over onto her to help Carl and be able to throw a rope to Orwell Lady. He could also perhaps solve whatever the problem was whilst on the way back.

So down the river we went in convoy (Paul by now on his own in mstering the boat for the first time on a longer trip) and when we got there then the water was too shallow for the tug to get to Orwell Lady. So we went to the tug, got Andy back on board with us and then took him to Orwell Lady so he hopped on her from us. Just as well he is fairly athletic as it was blowing quite heavily and was quite difficult manoeuvres for paul (who did it all brilliantly). We then took a line from orwell Lady to the tug and shepulled Orwell Lady out into deeper water and went alongside and tied her alongside the tug. We then came back up the river in a little convoy. So Paul skipped her beautifully, I overcame my fear of the lock transit as I had to do all the ropes for that and back we came into the marine two hours later than we intended! {smile}

After the passengers disembarked (fortunately not too many) they found that someone has pulled an emergency lever (we suspect two boys who were running around the boat whilst their mother just sat on the top deck and did nothing about them) which cut the hydraulic pipe (which is there in case of an engine fire) The lever had to be pulled hard upwards and was not in an easy to get at position so it was obvious that this had been done deliberately. There were some senior citizens on board, a couple with two young children (who they had with them) and the mother with the two boys.

Andy bless him managed to get some new pipes and fit them on Monday and carl cleared up heaven knows how many gallons of hydraulic fluid out of the engine room yesterday which had leaked out of the pipeinto the engine room. WE thought that the hydraulic pump was damaged beyond repair which would have meant cancelling a charter today and public cruises so it was very nervewracking yesterday. After testing for three hours everything seemed ok so she went out this morning and got back alright so hopefully the pump is fine. If it isn’t then a new one will cost about £2,000 which is not what we can do with at the moment. So please keep fingers crossed etc that it is ok. I was sending out prayers to the Universe this morning and asking Raphael to look after the boat so it came back fine and hopefully they all enjoyed their cruise as the sun also came out which was a lovely change as the weather has been awful for the past few days.

Actually on Sunday we were lucky as it was a beautiful sunny day rather than lashing rain so at least the Universe helped in that respect and also we had andy with us as he is one of the engineers for Orwell Lady.

We have had to report it to the police because it could have ended up in tragedy if a large ship had come up the river whilst Orwell Lady lot her propulsion and steering (thanks to these two boys) because if a ship had hit her then it wouldhave had disastrous consequences. I think the Universe was providing as well because only 5 minutes before it all happened a ship went past her and if that had happened five minutes later I don’t even want to think of what could have happened as large ships cannot do emergency stops and she would just have run Orwell lady down.

So it has all been happening here! {smile} So much for a nice peaceful time here on the boat! {laughing}

I am going to pop this post in now whilst I am still connected and then will be back to answer posts. I am going home tomorrow as I have a hair appointment and need to get some stuff for the boat. Actually it will be quite nice as I haven’t been off the boat really since Friday (apart from visits to the loo!) {smile}
I hope all are well and lovely to see your posts – hopefully the next one from me will be on the large laptop as this tiny screen and keyboard is doing my eyes in! {smile}

Til later - leaving a {{{warm group hug}} to {{all}} who may enter..

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

PS please excuse the dreadul typing!(this keyboard is quite tiny!)