Things we Love
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Wed 15 Dec 2010 12:33
So for once we are going to spend the following day as a family reflecting on only positive things about the trip. So realisms may have to creep in as an anitdote, but by-in-large this is going to be a positive addition to the blog.
WE LOVE:
Turtles poping there heads out of the water at regular intervals, I find them far more fasinating than the average blackbirds in the garden. Whilst this has been the norm now for 5 months it's still thrilling and put a smile on my face.
Guitar playing - Colin getting a lot of practice in recently. Even singing some songs with the kids. and as long as the thrashing doesn't start before 7am I can usually cope with the noise. Cosmo singing alway produces a smile
Time all together - very precious really. Suspect we will not see much of the children once we return, so even in the most clostrophobic moment you know it's not forever.....
Playing board and card games together
Colin likes: Sandy Beaches, never in his life has he felt this, at a very young age he was taught to loath sand, and whilst sand is still the enermy on the boat. But when it's white coral sand edging a deserted palm island, nothing beats it.
Not having colds - it's been 8 months at least since I had a cold. Its all got to be worth it just for that, it's only when a visitor arrives from the civilised states that we contract an nasel lurgie.
I Love: Knitting, am finally mastering the art
Zinnia loves: being able to 'name that turn in one' of any Ian Dury song, perhaps some of the words aren't appropriate for an eight year old but currently we're pretty sure she doesn't understand, when she's singing about 'my old man'.
We all love: Ian Dury, before leaving the UK none of us where great fans, but he has given us lots of laughs.
I really love the sound of South America: Since we've reached Columbia, the sounds we hear in the city and in the mangroves are different and new.
Pelicans diving so close to your boat you wonder whats just happened. Then you watch them wiggle there tails whilst swallowing there catch, plus they have more chin that i have and they're still rather lovely.
Kids enjoying each other's company
Going to bed early.
Limes, we never enjoyed limes before in our lives, now everything gets a squeeze, Soup, large Squeeze in a Margarita, beer, christmas pudding,
Huevous rancheos with plenty of Jalapenos, its a breakfast for a Mexican kings. Plus Great alternative to a sunday fry-up for boat folk. All the ingredient can be stowed as they come in the long life tinned variety
Lock and lock, I am a very proud owner of a ever concievable size and shape of the LOCK n LOCK range and it's increasing. The modern version of Tupperware, only better. who said you can't be a suburbian boat wife in the wilderness of South America!
Colin and I love; Listening to Cosmo laugh it always gets us smiling, it's a super infection laugh
Meeting folk, whilst there appears to me a large % of odditess who choose the boating life, most folk are really great at down loading info; charts for areas we don't have stuff on.
films for the kids. Or just where you can get stuff, Each City, town or village is a mystery so any advice is a great help.
Wild Life films, kids wouldn't have enjoyed them so much 9 months ago. Infact I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have sat through them, now they're begging to watch them.
Reading stories to the kids we've moved from Enid Blyton to Micheal Monpurgo, now on to Swallows and Amazons.
Colin and I really enjoy not rushing, Its taken it's time in coming but 1yr into the trip we are now getting on top of thing.
long life chorizo
veg boats, I could write shops but that would seem totally rediculas from where we sit at the moment. But if a veg boat rocks up it a bonanza.
Long life cream.
Random Leggo People in packets, these will be our homemade Christmas Cracker gifts this year, and suspect no-one will throw them away. check out the character they are hillarious!
Cosmo loves secret agent Jack Stalwart
we all love Famous Five
Zinnia loves Musicals; sound of music, chitty chitty bang bang, King and I, High School musical, Elvin and the Chipmonks,
I Love: Cooking for my family 3 times a day when there are limited resources (total lye)
Rainy days, Saves you not having to be an adventurer every day.
Swimming with Eagle Rays
Lolo and all who sail on her
People who don't follow the crowd
Nakedness
Roast Chicken, One becomes sick of Lobster after a while
being at one with your enviroment, even if your cursing the wind at least your aware when the wind changes direction and learchs from a force 2 to 8 or even a 4 to 6. your just in touch.
Zip lock bags, even washing, drying and re-using the buggers.
Limited rubbish collected, All our bio-degradables go over the side, the cans we give to the Kuna Indians which they then sell or trade, they are worth money you know. We buy and use next to no rubbish.
I love Coffee in bed most mornings
No Ironing
School starts when we want it too, but then we have to do it, often not such a positive.
Finishing putting a Supermarket shop away, it might have taken two days to buy and put away but at least it's done for another few months. God knows what the shop for crossing the Pacific will be like, all i know is the shopping so far has just be a mini rehersal and that's been bad enough. I am anticipating the dryed and tinned good shop for stowage will take about 1 week. fingers crossed for the weather and sea state for getting it all on board.
Learning to like scrubing/washing things by hand. I thought it was a god forsaken task before about 2 months ago but now i think you really get great results and worth the effort.
Finding solutions to the ever increasing growth of mold on the interiors of the boat. Fabric, jewerelery; current favourites
Jewereley; Hand squeezed lime juice and seasalt. It really works, when it comes to cleaning silver.
Clothes and Cloth same as above not alway perfect but the best to date.
Interior mould. A diluted combination of vinegar and bleach keeps the mould at bay for longer than anything else. The down side is you just smell like a clean fish and chip shop.
Will continue to mention things that are good, cleanses the soul.