A Very English Thanksgiving!

There's actually no English Thanksgiving, as I'm sure you're all aware. But then when we Brits live here in the States we have to take advantage of your holidays too, and Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to get family together, eat and drink to excess and be quite merry, and we did… Sadly, without Edi who was still in California, and Bob who is in Grenada getting Daisy ready for the circumnavigation. So it was just me, Nic, Sam and Danni, but we still had fun. Sam helped with shucking the oysters and making us all cocktails while we cooked. Nic made Oysters Rockafella for our appetizer, which were absolutely delicious, and Danni found a pearl in one of her oysters. I made the entree, Roasted Goose with a port and cranberry dressing, green beans in hollandaise, twice baked potatoes with pureed parsnips, roasted sprouts, roast parsnips and chestnut and date stuffing. Danni decorated our humungous Thanksgiving cake made of coffee, chocolate and Scotch whisky decorated with shaved white and dark chocolate over a rich creamy Baileys, buttercream frosting… All washed down with several bottles of wine and champagne. Needless to say the following day we were all really suffering from the overindulgence of too much rich food, alcohol and diabetic shock! Fortunately these holidays excuses for shameless overindulgence only happen twice a year. We drank water by the pint, and the fridge stayed pretty much untouched for the day. Late afternoon we all took a long walk enjoying the crisp, fresh air on a beautiful sunny day. Now we have just a few short weeks to diet it all off before Christmas, when we can do it all over again...

Been A While! But Then Off Around The World...

Since I'm no longer bobbing around the Caribbean on Daisy, there seems very little for me to write about lately. So, forgive me please, I'm reaching here, but its been so long since I wrote anything, I just felt compelled to say something to stop my blog from being chewed up and spit out by the monster that is... 'the Mother of procrastination'. I really love being back on dry land, I am most sincerely a landlubber rather than a sailor, but, having said that, I really, really do miss the adventure, being onboard Daisy always inspires me to write. And my writing is always more entertaining when I'm onboard than when I'm on land… Sadly, I've discovered that it's actually pretty dull just living in a house in a neighborhood; but that's not a complaint, I'm actually quite happy because I feel safe, there are no enormous, razor toothed, slimy critters surrounding my dwelling here, (well excluding a few of the neighbors)hehehe just kidding. I'm not about to get washed off into the deep blue yonder or swallowed up by something hideous with bad breath, not to mention the benefit of not being seasick, so, other than a flash flood, I think I'm actually pretty safe here… I really love living in Atlanta, its the most amazing exciting city. The longer I'm here the more I like it. There's just so much to do, and the weather is absolutely fabulous. Life in America for me started in Tennessee, a State that I will forever love, it has the most friendly, warm, genuine people, and such breathtaking scenery, Oh the scenery, the Smokey mountains and the lakes were so beautiful, truly to die for. I have only incredibly wonderful memories of that beautiful state and its lovely people. Next came Cincinnati, Ohio, not even close to the beauty of Tennessee, Oh how I missed the Smokey mountains and the amazing scenery. Although, I have to say, even with Ohio not being anything special to write about, I met some really wonderful people, and made some very special friends. We had the nicest neighbors in Cincinnati that we've ever had anywhere, and while I don't miss the state, I really miss my wonderful friends. Columbus came next, Ohio again (yawn) I'm sorry, I just really don't know what to say about Columbus because I don't want to offend anyone, so I'll just say it was OK, and I'm so happy that I don't live there anymore. The only reason I go back is because Danni is still there, and I'm really working hard to get her to move somewhere else, anywhere else. Although, it has to be said Columbus does have quite a good university! Bob has only five days left in the States before he leaves next Monday to return to Daisy in Grenada, and get her ready for the long awaited circumnavigation, which starts on January 6th 2013. Edi (my son) will be joining him for the complete voyage, as well as Ted a family friend, and for the first six months of the trip, my brother Paul. Other people will be joining for various sections of the trip, friends and family members from around the world. It's all starting to get quite exciting. I fly out to join the boat in Panama in February, and I'm doing the Panama canal transit, and then the sail on to the Galapagos islands with the crew. Daniela will be joining us in the Galapagos for two weeks, where we have a five day cruise around the islands booked (on a luxury motor boat, yes we will be guests aboard a dreaded "Gin Palace" LOL). Then Danni and I will fly home, while the rest of the crew head on to the South Pacific islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Figi and so on… I sort of wish I was going, well actually I really wish I was going, but I just don't have the balls to do the sail... I'm not sure yet where and when I will next join the crew, possibly in Australia, I really would love to see the Great Barrier reef, who knows. But, I have my first book to publish, which should (if all goes to plan) hit the stores in February 2013… Then I have a second book that's almost finished, and I plan to write a third while Bob does his world rally. Who knows how much of that trip I'll actually take part in. I'm quite desperate for something to write about!

I'll keep you posted, meanwhile, back to packing :o)