OFFICALY RETIRED

Scorch of Wessex
Chris and Geraldine HANCOCK
Fri 17 Apr 2009 19:17

Christopher announced suddenly that there was no way he was going to wait for his Birthday to leave the ABC. We had overstayed our 90 legal days by nearly 3 weeks. The weather window was perfect on Monday and Thursday was too long to wait. Except we made a mistake of the celebratory day (obviously we were looking at the wrong month). 1st March 2009 turned out to be a Tuesday as we found out the previous Sunday.

Recovering from the shock of our total senior moment we decided that it would be churlish to leave the day before the special day with our friends. In any case leaving a day later would make no difference. 

A Breakfast Party was organised for 8.30 am.

At 1 am that morning I was awakened by moans and groans.

‘Can you look in my ear with the otoscope’ was the request. I was speechless... with my eyesight?  After following his clear instructions I still could not decide whether the ear drum was red or what.... But looking at Chris’ face he looked like Dr. Spock reincarnated: the left ear was enlarged, red and sticking out. 

After careful deliberation, Chris ascertained that it must be an ear infection from diving under the boat to clean the hull 2 days prior and not an abscess from the dental surgery. He concluded that a strong antibiotic was the order of the day. I was reluctant to leave civilization for the unknown (on medical grounds) but the Captain’s decision could not be overruled... ‘We are British, we don’t do pain!’ was his reply.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE  65 YEARS

Serenaded first thing in the morning!..................

m_P1140891.jpg                                                     m_P1140903.jpg

                                                                                                            

The Baker’s personal delivery  m_P1140915.jpg    m_P1140964.jpg

 

                                                                                                                     New posh fishing tackle box

m_P1140962.jpg                           m_P1140939.jpg    Steel pan drum to keep the wrists flexible and the ears challenged         

Latest in varicose veins cure (Red socks with pink toes), but today they might have been more appropriate as ear muffs! 

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Farewell!!!!!!! To Curacao

Leaving for Haiti in an hour and on to the Bahamas