Well here we are in lockdown 2!  Went down to boat yesterday to fuel up, but the queue was enormous.  Gave up.  Only to discover that the fuel jetty is in fact open during this lcokdown.  It was a lovely day, and guess who forgot their camera!  As we are able to access our boats this time, I will try and remember to take some photos.  Painting has been non exstent, although I have managed to pick up my rough sketch book for the last seven days - well at least that's progress.

Fortunately we saw the family last wednesday, otherwise we would not have been able to see them until December.  

Take care everyone.

 Well finally last weekend we managed to actually sail the boat - and put up two sails.  It was just the right weather to check things out.  Shook out the first two reefs, and the sail looked good.  Lovely sunny day as well.

Lovely sailing into the Solent

Skipper getting more familiar with the unfamiliar wheel.

Enthusiasm as usual.  Tied up again, so he's happy.  Actually he does seem a little happier on this boat, more places to get comfortable although that is becoming difficult as his back legs weaken.

Still waiting for autopilot to be fitted - four weeks now. Apparently it should be completed today - let's hope so.

 I know, I'm late again updating things.  Well we have bought Bloto 4, a Hanse 315.  Very pleased with her.  However, she has wheel steering.  Oh my goodness, something new to learn.  The purchase was not a smooth as we would have liked, and unfortunately there were a few things that had to be sorted before we could move her over to East Cowes.  (Which cost quite a lot!).  We put the boat on our original mooring, but we had already decided to move her (or in fact, the previous boat) to East Cowes Marina for the winter months, because having lost so many months of sailing this year, we felt we would at least get some sailing in during the winter.  So we moved the boat, and are now happily moored up in the Marina.  We are awaiting the installation of an autopilot to make life easier when we are sailing.  We have been over to Bucklers Hard, where we met Daniel and Alice and had a lovely weekend, although it rained.  

Autopilot should be installed sometime this week, so hopefully we will be on the move.  Bertie appears to be more comfortable on this boat.

getting ready for the departure

on the mooring at Hamble Point Marina

new captain working with the wheel

now firmly tied up at East Cowes Marina

So we are now just waiting for that autopilot......  take care everyone

 Well the sale of La Pelouiniere has gone through and so has the sale of Bloto.  We are closer to the purchase of the new boat - fingers crossed there are no hickups.  The aim is to sign the contract on Monday and bring it back the following weekend.  It has been a bit frustrating being boatless, and we have watched countless You Tube sailing videos.  How sad is that.

We have still not gone out much and socialising has been very very limited.  I do wish a vaccine could be found soon for coronavirus because we want to get on and do things and feel safe as well.

 Oh dear, just looked at the date of my last post!  Mmm.  Not very good.  Coronavirus has a lot to answer to.  Briely, we've managed to see the granddaughters once.  They are lovely.  Perry and I have a couple of health issues, which I suppose are taking over a bit at the moment.  Bertie has been extreemly unwell, particularly in the heat.  He is now on all sorts of medication.

On a much lighter note, we have sold La Pelouiniere, final date should be 31st August.  We managed a lightening visit over there to clear the house, put a huge amount of stuff in the van and lots in the car.  Philippe and Paulette have kindly let us use their barn to store the van.  However, a week after we got back visitors from France have had to quarantine for a fortnight.  Lucky we got back when we did.  But now we don't know when we will be able to collect the van.  October, November, who knows?

The other bit of news is that we have sold Bloto (Hanse 301), sale is complete, and we have put in an offer on another Hanse (315), which has been accepted and we are now going through the throws of completion of that purchase.  Could be as early as next week.

I have done virtually no painting in the last two months, and have even given up on the dressmaking.  We are certainly in unprecedented times, and it is really all a bit unsettling.  Still.  Ever onwards and upwards.

Lost count of what day we are in lockdown.  The heavy part has now been lifted but we are still unable to travel to mainland, because limited number of ferries.  We cannot meet up with Alice and Beatrice because there is a limit to the number that can meet up together and we are not allowed to hug them!  Additionally we are not allowed to overnight on the boat.  However, we have managed to go down to the boat and had a few picnics.  Also managed to sail in the Solent and up and down the Medina.  Poor old Bertie has been suffering badly in the very hot weather, so we have had to be very careful.

Poor old boy.

The boat finally got lifted out at Kingston - it was due to be lifted out just as the lockdown happened.  However, Perry has discovered all sorts of problems - rudder shaft, prop and saildrive.  So although we can't actually go sailing and overnight anywhere, looks as though time and money will be taken up with repairs!

I managed to do a total of 60 oil sketches, both on paper and board.  Stopped now.  I have also been out a couple of times with watercolour sketchbook, and that was lovely.  Then it got cold!  Weather has picked up today, so might go out later with my sketch pad.  Even had to resort to doing some sewing in desperation.

Unfortunately I think there may be further problems with this virus, but for the moment let's stay calm.

well here we are in official lockdown day 42, although us oldies have done an extra week on that.  There is a possibility that we may be coming out of this soon as the Island is going to trial a track and trace app.  Apparently it will only give information if about 50% of households use it.  Well I suppose it depends how enthusiastic islanders are to get on with normal life!

Have continued sketching and oil sketching.  Some bits of progress here and there, but at least it's getting paint onto something.

Well I've just checked the images and nothing appears to have got onto the normal file.  Not to worry, we're still in lockdown. Next post will have the pictures.