It has been an interesting summer so far, being in one place is not something we are used too and does become frustrating at times, but the monotonous life has been brightened by visitors from home. A major first for us as Tess is usually the only person to visit. Having spent 10 days with Tess, oh and cracked a bone in my ankle by twisting it, I had just under a week to prepare for the visit of our Godson , Nathaniel Hoskin. At 16 we were a little concerned he would be bored but we need not have worried. His arrival was in blazing hot sunshine and he quickly settled into the continuous moving life on a boat.
He is a keen swimmer, so swimming and diving from the bow was great, however he decided he wanted a blow up toy. We went to the ever faithful Chinese shop where he purchased a bright pink blow up flamingo, quickly named Flossie. She became an integral part of the live on board family.
Nathaniel was prone to sitting in Flossie, sunglasses on, peaked cap to stop sun glare and the odd beer in hand. Unfortunately after a particularly big wind gusts Flossie sprang a leak, gaffs tape was applied and although she still deflated she stays up long enough for a bit of a float.
Further fun on the water included trying to stand paddle board style on an inflated dinghy floor, swinging from the spinnaker halyard with a jump into the sea and following a sea rescue of a brand new deflated lightening McQueen car, hysterically funny efforts to fit in something made for a 3 year old.
Other outings included hiring a car and exploring the off the beaten tracks up Etna, when I say off the beaten track I mean almost vertical roads and roads that disappeared off the edge of the mountain. Pretty hair-raising at times but great fun and full of giggles.
Whilst with us Nathaniel also learned to drive a dinghy, large inflatable used to mooring up boats and take guests ashore from the mooring field. He took to this like a pro, manoeuvring up to bouys and even helping with the garbage collection round.
We were lucky to be able to watch the lunar eclipse over clear waters and starry sky getting some good photos as well which was great.
His time with us went all too quickly and he returned back to the UK 12 days later.
Our next guests arrived one week later, our neice Bea(17) and nephew Louis (15).
Again great fun in the water kept the energy zapping heat at bay, playing in issue, trips and lessons in the dinghy and trips to Catania and Taormina, allowed both to mooch the market at Catania, look at the architecture and visit the Greek amphitheatre of Taormina. Amazingly the week found both to be so tired at the end of the day trips ashore for night fun or clubbing just weren't required.
Now I am in the short changeover period of 4 days when our son Nathaniel comes out to help out on the mooring field for a couple of weeks prior to starting his new job in a primary school.
His trip to the states after school and before uni. His work at American summer camp had earned him his safety boat proficiency licence which will stand him in good stead for the weeks to come.
So that is all for now, it is hard to write a blog when you are in one place but that catches you up with out news.