Getting over to Vanuatu we've been foolishly chasing Tika, an Outremer 55 performance cat. Each morning Russell comes on the air to report his Lat Long, course and speed.

Yesterday, before he had a chance I said, "and I suppose you're doing nine knots". Now, Russ knows I covet an Outremer and takes some delight in winding me up so he says, "No,", "we're going ten".

At that point I gave him a loud and not very nautical raspberry......and that dear readers reminded me of my dear old mum. Blowing raspberries was one of her specialities. Her best could usually be heard shortly after hearing out my dad after he'd been nagging her about some trivia and, as he retreated from the room, having assuredly made his point, mum would blow a raspberry while giving his retreating back a "Churchill Salute". All with a wicked smile on her face leaving our kids giggling at wicked granny.

Blowing a raspberry at Russell made me think that once again, I'm carrying forward many Letton traits. It also brought back the memory of one of our recent village visits. As regular readers will know by now, these super kind people have little, and as I've said, if you asked, they'd give you the shirt off their back.

Now, most cruisers know the form and having done the prep back in the big city, stock up on T-shirts, schooling utensils, flashlights, peanut butter etc.... Things the villagers are known to appreciate. It's not charity, just a way of saying thanks for welcoming us to their island, their village and their homes.

A week or two back, in one of the villages where they operate a "host policy", meaning each family in turn get a crack at visiting yachts, as there was a rally in town, host families had to be doubled up with the crews of two yachts. Twice as much cooking, feeding and guiding around. It actually must be a bit of a chore when there's a continual stream of yachts but it seems to work for both sides.

What brought dear old mum to mind was when we were invited into our host's house, along with our "doubles" from the rally for a cup of tea and a bit of cake. As we'd been in the village for a few days we'd already given some stuff to mum and dad and the kids and so, they looked at the new folk with politely eager anticipation as they unzipped their large black holdalls. I can only guess what they were thinking when two ukuleles appeared. "Nice, but we're not that musical", or perhaps "Nice, perhaps the school would like them" or even, "There's twenty minutes burning in these; enough to bake a cake". Whatever it was, they were as surprised as we were that what they actually got was.....a wee song.

Ukes back in their bags, our wandering minstrels bid adieu and headed off into the woods probably saying to themselves, "There now.....wasn't that nice, taking some music to the villagers.................Did you just hear a raspberry????"